Some good healthy lunch recipes. Lunch is my favorite meal! It seems like a lot of people think it’s the worst, but I love a nice big lunch to keep me full until dinner. It’s quick and easy to prepare, which makes it even better!
In this article, we’ll be discussing good healthy lunch recipes for work. I personally struggle with what to pack for lunch every day, simply because I’m the kind of guy that wants to eat good food. But I also want to eat healthy, so that my body can grow stronger and can continue functioning throughout the day without getting sick or running out of juice.
Good Healthy Lunch Recipes
The truth is, there are so many homemade lunch ideas and healthy lunch recipes that will satisfy both your cravings and appetite without torpedoing your busy workday. Yes, they do take a little more work and planning than a ham-and-cheese or can of soup, but not necessarily a ton of active cooking time. You can often get away with just a few minutes of work to fix yourself a good, healthy lunch—it just requires thinking ahead, picking up a few clutch items on your regular grocery shopping trip, taking some clever shortcuts, or doing some healthy meal prep. (Think: cooking rice ahead of time for an instantaneous grain bowl, swapping homemade salsa for store-bought in a zesty taco meal, or baking sheet-pan batches of veggies on Sunday to use in your salads and sandwiches.) And, of course, it’s also helpful to choose a healthy lunch recipe that is actually realistic and exciting for you to make.
While there are a few factors surrounding what makes a lunch meal healthy for you as an individual—more on that below—the first is making sure your meal will be satisfying and balanced. Generally speaking, a filling meal usually has three or four food different groups (fat, protein, starch, and fruits/vegetables), SELF columnist Jessica Jones, M.S., R.D., certified diabetes educator and cofounder of Food Heaven, tells SELF. That way, you get a balanced variety of textures and flavors to please your palate, along with different nutrients to provide you with a steady stream of energy, Jones says.
Another thing that’s always helpful to have in mind with bringing easy, healthy lunch ideas to life is that you shouldn’t fear making substitutions or tweaking recipes to suit you—including your taste preferences, budget, time constraints, dietary needs, and access to certain ingredients. “I think of recipes as a guide or inspiration,” Cara Harbstreet, M.S., R.D., L.D., of Street Smart Nutrition, tells SELF. “There are many ways to adjust recipes that still preserve the essence of the dish.” For instance, you might switch out quinoa for wild rice, turn the components of a salad into a sandwich, or choose a different variety of veggie that’s in season where you live.
With those basics in mind, if you’re looking for some inspiration to help you figure out what will hit the spot midday, check out these 50 easy lunch recipes for same new and delicious healthy lunch ideas.
A note about the word healthy here: We know that healthy is a complicated concept. Not only can it mean different things to different people, but it’s a word that’s pretty loaded (and sometimes fraught), thanks to the diet industry’s influence on the way we think about food. At SELF, when we talk about food being healthy, sure, we’re talking about foods that are nutritious, filling, and satisfying. But we’re also talking about foods that help you connect with your culture, promote joy, and simply taste delicious. Some of those foods might fall into conventional ideas of what “healthy” is. And some might not. We selected these recipes with all of that in mind while also trying to appeal to a wide variety of nutritional needs and taste buds.
1. Turkey, Apple, And Cheddar Sandwich From SELF
Adding apple slices for crunchy sweetness and a touch of Dijon mustard for zing brings a classic deli sandwich to the next level. Finish under a broiler or in a panini press or toaster oven if you’d like to melt the cheese.
2. 5-Ingredient Cheesy Chicken Chili from A Spicy Perspective
Chili for lunch may sound ambitious, but this recipe is as easy as dumping salsa, enchilada sauce, canned chili beans, shredded chicken, and shredded cheddar in a pot and simmering for 20 minutes.
3. Chicken Caesar Wrap Recipe From Wholefully
Rotisserie chicken is the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to fast and yummy lunches, like these super-easy, veggie-packed wraps.
4. Tuna And Orzo Salad With Parmesan And Basil From Aggie’s Kitchen
This is one of many high-protein lunch recipes that makes use of canned ingredients to get the job done. In this case, canned tuna and cannellini beans bring a double whammy of convenient protein to the table in this fresh and zesty pasta salad.
5. Mediterranean Couscous Bowls Recipe from A Couple Cooks
Couscous fans, meet your new favorite lunch. Here, the humble grain is tossed with canned chickpeas, fresh veggies, and a simple lemon-tahini sauce that you’ll want to use on everything.
6. Chickpea, Avocado, And Egg Wrap From SELF
This extremely satisfying no-cook option packs a triple hit of protein: chickpeas, Greek yogurt, and hard-boiled eggs. Kale, avocado, and a whole wheat wrap add some fiber for extra satiety.
7. One-Pot Pasta from A Beautiful Mess
If you’re going to go to the trouble of making pasta for lunch, why not make the process as simple as possible with a one-pot recipe like this one?
8. Easy Tofu Scramble From A Couple Cooks
Tofu is such a great building block for so many essential healthy recipes because of how adaptable and easy to cook with it is. This simple scramble uses spices like turmeric and cumin to add both color and flavor to the otherwise plain ingredient.
9. Fiesta Mango Black Bean Quinoa Salad From Ambitious Kitchen
This hearty, colorful salad has it all: protein-rich legumes, healthy fat-filled avocado, and a bit of zest and sweetness from peppers and mango.
10. Salmon Salad From Aggie’s Kitchen
If you’re a fan of tuna salad but in the mood for a switch-up, try salmon salad on a sandwich or in a pita instead.
11. Seasoned Brown Lentil Bowl From A Couple Cooks
Lentils are such a versatile lunch foundation. They’re served here with pita, Greek yogurt, and fresh vegetables—but the recipe notes that eggs, grains, lettuce, roasted veggies, and taco fixings would all work just as well.
12. Open-Faced Cherry Chicken Salad Sandwich From SELF
Sweet cherries, creamy avocado, and crunchy bell peppers brighten up this chicken salad sandwich. Toasted English muffins are fantastic, but any kind of bread will do.
13. Mexican Pinwheels From A Couple Cooks
All you have to do to create these cute and festive little rounds is spread tortillas with hummus, top with black beans, veggies, and cheese, roll them up, and slice.
14. Pesto Tuna Sandwich From SELF
You might never have thought to put pesto on a tuna sandwich before, but the unexpected pairing is spot-on. Add some greens or sliced tomato if you have them on hand.
15. Baked White Fish With Everything Bagel Crust From A Spicy Perspective
Fish is often overlooked at lunch time, but quick and simple recipes like this make it a practical and tasty option. Serve with a grain or on a sandwich.
16. Avocado Tomato Chickpea Pasta Salad With Lemon Basil Vinaigrette From Ambitious Kitchen
This zesty vinaigrette is a keeper, and—because of all the vinegar and salt it contains—it’ll last in your fridge for quite a while, too! Feel free to use any shape of pasta you already have (or can find).
17. Easy Greens and Grains Bowl From Eating Bird Food
This recipe is ideal for making substitutions. For instance, you might use chard instead of kale, mix two kinds of grains together, or top with a poached or fried egg for a bit of extra protein.
18. Millet Bowl With Corn And Edamame From SELF
Millet makes for a novel and tasty grain-bowl base, but you can sub with whatever grain you like—like quinoa, rice, or farro.
19. Black Bean Burrito Bowls From Wholefully
These burrito bowls are infinitely customizable. Use canned beans and frozen or quick-cooking rice to really speed things along, and your favorite jarred salsa to save even more time on pico de gallo prep.
20. Cheesy Green Millet Skillet From SELF
This quick and toasty skillet is very flexible—feel free to use whatever grain you have on hand, swap out the cheddar for another cheese, and use a leafy green besides spinach.
21. Easy Tofu Stir-Fry From Eating Bird Food
Stir-fry recipes are a tasty, relatively low-effort way to combine grains, veggies, protein, and fat. Pre-cut or frozen veggies and store-bought teriyaki sauce make this one extra convenient.
22. Shrimp And Avocado Salad From Damn Delicious
Make this restaurant-quality salad the most convenient by using frozen veggies and shrimp. You could also sub in whatever protein you prefer—chicken, tofu, fish—or just double the beans.
23. Southern-Style Cheesy Grits From Fit Foodie Finds
Cajun-spiced sautéed veggies, fried eggs, and cheesy grits make for a special and surprisingly delicious lunch. Whip the grits and veggies up ahead of time so that all you have to do is warm everything up when it’s time to eat.
24. Miso Soup With Vermicelli, Mushrooms, And Tofu From Damn Delicious
When in lunchtime doubt, enjoy a nourishing and flavorful soup packed with produce and protein that you can put together in 20 minutes.
25. Jackfruit Tinga Tacos From A Cozy Kitchen
Though pulled pork or beef can take hours to cook, the jackfruit filling for these saucy tacos is ready in a quarter of time—and totally vegan to boot!
