Best lunch box ideas for adults are a little different than what you probably grew up with. In our busy lives, we don’t need another eight-legged monster or little plastic green army guys in our lunch boxes anymore. We understand that we should be eating better, and not fighting off the crustacean army with our peanut butter and jelly. The best lunch box ideas provide you with healthy, quick and easy meals to keep you satisfied all day long.
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19 Best Lunch Box Ideas for Adults
Are you looking for the best lunch box ideas for adults? I was when I began to plan our weekly lunches. I searched the web and found that this is a common question. Scoured Pinterest boards, reviewed online forums, and read articles from celebrity chefs. None of the lunch suggestions were quite what I had in mind for our family lunches. I finally decided to collect ideas into a list of recipes that we could try out. They have been a wonderful addition to our weekly menus, and we hope you enjoy trying them too!
1. CHICKEN HUMMUS NAAN WRAP
An easy chicken wrap recipe you can throw together in just 15 minutes for a quick & healthy dinner or lunch.
Featuring simple ingredients like shredded chicken, hummus, chopped fresh veggies, a homemade vinaigrette, and crumbled cheese all piled onto a piece of soft & chewy naan bread.
2. VEGAN CHICKPEA SANDWICH
This 5-ingredient Mashed Chickpea Salad is vegan, gluten-free, and ready in 10 minutes.
Meal prep it for weekday lunch or healthy snack. This chickpea salad is spreadable, so it’s also perfect on crackers and wraps.
3. BUFFALO CHICKEN PASTA
This amazingly easy, creamy buffalo chicken pasta has all your favorite buffalo flavors mixed with pasta.
Cooked stovetop with hot sauce, butter, cream and blue cheese this quick and indulgent weeknight dinner is a spicy and flavour-packed dish that will definitely have you coming back for seconds!
4. CURRY EGGLESS SALAD
This easy and flavorful vegan egg salad is made with 10 healthy ingredients.
5. HEALTHY CHICKEN WRAP
Dinner is served! These delicious and Healthy Chicken Wraps are super simple to prepare and ready in only 20 minutes!
Bonus, these wraps save great and are perfect for workweek lunches.
6. Chicken and Bacon Wrap
A good lunch is filling, flavorful, and easy to make. And this Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap checks all of the boxes. Enjoy a healthy and refreshing family favorite lunch that’s economical and simple to make using leftover chicken.
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7. TURKEY AVOCADO SANDWICH
A simple turkey sandwich that’s quick and easy to make!
8. Cheesy Taco Tortilla Roll-Ups
Loaded with a creamy, cheesy ground beef taco filling that’s oh so tasty, Cheesy Taco Tortilla Roll-Ups deliver up great flavor, offer make-ahead convenience, and are easy to make, too. What more could you ask for in a tasty little bite?
9. Lemon Herb Orzo Salad
This bright and fresh pasta salad is a simple and tasty make ahead lunch! Packed with roasted asparagus, chickpeas, and crunchy radishes, with lots of herbs and lemon vinaigrette for flavor!
10. MEDITERRANEAN SALAD
Mediterranean salad made with leafy greens, feta cheese, chickpeas, olives, fresh chopped veggies, and shredded cooked chicken, then topped with a tangy red wine vinaigrette.
Fix this for a quick lunch or dinner in about 15 minutes or prep it ahead of time for a simple & healthy meal.
11. CHICKEN PASTA SALAD
This Cold Chicken Spinach Pasta Salad is the perfect easy cold meal prep idea, especially if you don’t have a microwave at work/school!
12. HAWAIIAN PASTA SALAD
Hawaiian Pasta Salad is so quick, easy and inexpensive to make. It’s the perfect way to enjoy a taste of the tropics all year long.
13. PUMPKIN COUS COUS SALAD
The salad comes together quickly and it’s a truly simple recipe with very few ingredients. And it is delicious. And so filling too!
14. VEGAN TRAIL MIX SALAD
This healthy Trail Mix Salad is vegan/gluten-free and packed with all the things you love about trail mix (minus the chocolate chips of course).
Dried fruit and nuts are mixed with whole grains and a lovely, fresh dressing. Super portable making it great for packing to school, work or on hikes.
15. ROASTED VEGETABLE SANDWICH
A Roasted Vegetable Sandwich on toasted ciabatta bread with mozzarella -kicked up with a spicy chile-garlic mayonnaise made with freshly grated garlic and ground Controne hot pepper!
16. SHRIMP FRIED RICE
Leftover rice gets a brand new life, thanks to this shrimp fried rice recipe.
This economical dish is a perfect way to use up odds and ends in your crisper too!
17. MACKEREL SANDWICH
This quick and easy Mackerel Salad is a healthy, low-mercury alternative to tuna salad, and is perfect for lettuce wraps and sandwiches, packed lunches and light dinners.
18. VEGAN PINWHEELS
Southwest-Style Vegan Pinwheels are creamy, satisfying, and perfect for your next party or in your lunchbox.
No one needs to know how easy they were to make – not to mention how tasty they are!
19. Cranberry Tuna Salad
If you love tinned tuna and would like to different version of the tuna salad recipe – try this one with cranberries.
Just mix your canned tuna with some mayonnaise, chopped fresh coriander, diced onions and cranberries.
Add salt and pepper to taste, and use this as a sandwich filling. Great for work and kids lunch box!
Lunchbox ideas for adults
Packed lunches aren’t just for kids, and they certainly don’t have to be limited to soggy sarnies or limp salads. Unleash your kitchen creativity with these six tasty lunchbox ideas that are not only quick and easy to prepare, but also delicious and budget-friendly, too. Plus, they feature lots of ingredients you’re likely already to have in your store cupboard.
1. Greek salad wraps
This vegetarian lunch is sure to brighten up any day in the office with its vibrant medley of Mediterranean flavors. A soft wholemeal tortilla is an ideal base for a crisp salad, crumbly cheese and tangy olives. Just include an easy side of butter beans, sundried tomatoes and lemony rocket, and you’ve got the perfect lunch package.
2. Smoked mackerel Caesar salad
If you always opt for a chicken Caesar salad, try mixing it up with this smoked mackerel Caesar recipe instead. The oily fish is not only rich in omega-3 fatty acids but also stands up to the strong salty Parmesan and tangy dressing. Keeping the salad, dressing and croutons separate until ready to serve means everything will stay fresh and crunchy.
3. Butternut salad with pea and goat’s cheese dip
The key to a good lunchbox salad is having a variety of tastes and textures. This easy vegetarian salad has the perfect balance of soft and smoky roasted squash, sweet, lightly pickled red onion, aromatic fresh mint and crunchy seeds. Serve it with a creamy pea and goat’s cheese dip for crisp breadsticks.
4. Egg mayo, ham and watercress sandwich
An old-school classic, the humble egg mayo sandwich receives a tasty reworking in the shape of this healthy version, which needs only an egg and a spoonful of creamy mayo – plus (for some extra substance and savory punch) a few layers of ham and a handful of peppery watercress.
5. Prawn summer rolls
Fresh, healthy and definitely different, these Vietnamese-inspired summer rolls are ready in less than 20 mins and need only a handful of elements to put together. Grab a spring roll kit, shred some crunchy veg and roll up with noodles and prawns for a tasty parcel to dip in spicy sauce. Bonus: you’ll have enough ingredients for lunch another day, too.
6. Duck and grain salad
Push the boat out, in the easiest way possible, with this Asian-inspired duck and grain salad recipe. Using a pack of Thai-spiced chickpeas, quinoa and bulgur wheat as the salad base, plus a ready-to-eat aromatic hoisin duck kit, means there is very little prep work required in the kitchen, and you’ll have enough to make two lunches in total. Just add some broccoli, avocado and pomegranate for freshness, plus a sprinkling of toasted seeds for crunch.
Healthy Packed Lunch Ideas For Adults That Will Make Your Co-Workers Jealous
Healthy packed lunch ideas for adults can be the difference between a happy and an unhappy day. If you are looking for some healthy packed lunch ideas for adults, this guide is for you.
Packing a healthy lunch doesn’t have to be a complicated task. It’s worth it to take a little time at the start of each week to plan out your meals for the next few days. This can save you time during the work day and will make sure you’re eating healthily. This article will provide you with 10 quick, easy and healthy packed lunch ideas for adults.
1. Tuscan Tuna Salad
Skip that mayo-based tuna salad and opt for this delicious lunch box recipe. This hearty, flavorful (yet light) canned tuna recipe needs only a side of crusty multigrain bread to make it complete.
2. Orzo Chicken Salad with Avocado-Lime Dressing
Turn leftover chicken from dinner into a delicious lunch box idea for work tomorrow. The protein-packed meal features a tangy homemade dressing made with lime juice, avocado, and garlic that’s so good, you’ll want to put it on everything.
3. Mediterranean Lentil Skillet with Pita Chips
This hearty-yet-light lentil skillet is best served warm. A perfect bento box idea for adults, pack one portion of the container with the lentil salad and one with goat cheese crumbles, walnuts, and pita chips.
4. Italian Focaccia Sandwich
No need to worry about this sammie going soggy before noon—this lunch box recipe actually requires a long chill time. Wrap up the Italian meat-stuffed sandwiches up to 24 hours in advance to let the flavors meld. Serve with some homemade root veggie chips on the side.
5. Vegan Lunch Box
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
If you are looking for a healthy plant-based lunch,(Best Lunch Box Ideas For Adults) this delicious make-ahead vegan lunch box is perfect for you.
Ingredients:
- Vegan salad: cucumber, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, brown rice, fresh parsley, green and black olives, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper
- An avocado
- A lemon wedge
- Celery and carrot sticks
- Hummus
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6. Energy Boost Lunch Box
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
If you have a sweet tooth or prefer to snack instead(Best Lunch Box Ideas For Adults) of having a proper lunch, you need to try this energy-boost lunch box! You can prep this box in record time, either in the evening before you go to bed or in the morning before you leave the house.
Ingredients:
- Greek yogurt or Coconut yogurt (for a vegan alternative)
- Maple syrup
- Mixed nuts: almonds, walnuts, and cashew nuts
- Fresh berries
- A sliced red apple
- A tablespoon of peanut or almond butter