Healthy lunch ideas delish! If there’s one thing I miss since starting my ketogenic diet, it’s that I am not eating as many sandwiches anymore. But… lucky for me, there are so many other yummy options available to me now!
When people think of healthy food, they often think of bland or boring foods. This is not the case. Many delicious foods are also healthy for you. Healthy does not mean bad tasting, it just means good for you and your body. The key is to find foods that taste great and are good for you.
Healthy Lunch Ideas Delish
Here are our most popular Healthy Lunch Ideas delish to try out this week that are easy to make, packable, mostly plant-based, plant-based and vegan adaptable. Many grain-free and gluten-free options.
There is nothing more nourishing than giving our body real living nutrients – fresh, nutrient-dense fruits and veggies to energize and nourish us, especially during the busy workweek. Making our lunch from scratch, and incorporating fresh produce is such a loving choice, no matter what diet or food philosophy one adheres to. Give a couple a try this week!
I try to make a point of getting in my veggies at lunch. Whether this is a hearty vegan salad, pasta salad, vegan soup, or grain bowl, this is the time I plan ahead and I am pretty intentional.
Sometimes this means meal-prepping a vegan soup for the week, or preparing a make-ahead vegan salad. Having something healthy on hand is imperative I find, when tempted to order out. It makes the decision to eat more wholesomely, a little easier to make.
Many of these delicious healthy lunches are plant-based, vegetarian, vegan or vegan-adaptable and gluten-free! Pick out a few to try this week and feel nourished and energized all week long! Have a favorite? Please leave me a note in the comments below!
HEALTHY LUNCH IDEAS!
Fresh Spring Rolls with BEST EVER Peanut Sauce! These fresh vegan spring rolls can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for healthy meals and packable lunches on the go! The peanut sauce is divine.
This vegan, Hearts of Palm “Tuna” Salad is made with hearts of palm, red onion, pickle & fresh herbs. A delicious vegan alternative to one of our favorite sandwiches.
This Rainbow Chopped Salad is crunchy, colorful and nutritious! Tossed with a lemony herbed greek yogurt dressing, it is easy to make and easy to adapt. Perfect for meal prep, this salad keeps for 4 days in the fridge.
This vegan soup recipe- Moroccan Red Lentil Quinoa Soup is hearty, flavorful, and made with healthy ingredients. It is fast and easy to make and can be made in an Instant Pot or on the stovetop. One of my favorite make-ahead vegan soups!
Vegan Banh Mi Noodle Bowls with Sriracha Tofu, rice noodles, pickled carrots and radishes, crunchy cucumber and cabbage and a creamy vegan spicy Bahn Mi dressing. Make these ahead for the busy work week- a healthy delicious lunch idea! Here are 20 more VEGAN Buddha Bowls!
Nutrient-dense Spirulina Sea Salad is pure superfood for the body. This healthy salad is made with dulse, kelp noodles, fresh veggies and flavorful Spirulina Dressing, keep it vegan or add ahi or smoked Salmon!
This Quick Vegan Chili – is loaded up with healthy veggies and beans, with deep and complex flavors that meat-eaters will even enjoy! Make a big batch on Sunday, then serve it during the busy work week!
Lentil Wrap with Spicy Tahini Sauce – This easy vegan lentil wrap is full of crunchy raw veggies like carrots, beets, and cabbage with a spicy Sriracha Tahini sauce spooned over top. Simple, energizing and easy. This vegan lunch is one of my favorites!
This Tuscan White Bean & Tuna Salad with arugula, radishes, tomatoes and a simple balsamic vinaigrette is high in protein and low in carbs. Loaded up with healthy veggies, it is a fast and healthy lunch recipe made with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry! Sub more white beans for the tuna for an easy vegan option.
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Vegan Curry Chickpea Salad with Toasted Coconut, which can be turned into wraps with spinach and sprouts. Make the vegan salad ahead, then use during the busy week in wraps, tacos or over greens.
This Curried Zucchini Soup with ginger and mint is easily vegan-adaptable. A fast and easy veggie-based soup that can be made ahead, reheated and full of amazing flavor. Perfect for packed lunches!
Rainbow Veggie Hummus is not only a great appetizer, it’s a great lunch! Truth be told, I have this for lunch more than I care to admit. 🙂 The hummus a delicious vehicle for most veggies I have on hand- carrots, jicama, cucumbers, green beans, radishes, tomatoes- and it leaves me feeling satisfied without getting too full and tired. High in fiber and nutrients, this vegan lunch is easily packable.
Spring Goddess Sandwich ( or wrap) with make-ahead, smashed chickpea salad, crunchy carrots & radishes, cucumber, avocado and sprouts. Vegan and Gluten-free adaptable! A fast and healthy lunch!
Superfood Walnut Pesto Noodles, loaded up with healthy veggies- a flavorful healthy pasta salad that is packable and can be made ahead!
Carrot Quinoa Salad with Almonds with Apple Cider Vinaigrette- a delicious make-ahead vegan lunch that is healthy, vegan and full of flavor! One of my favorites.
Vegan Curry Tofu Cashew Salad – Turn it into a hearty wrap, stuff it into an avocado or served over a bowl of tender greens! Flavorful and healthy!
Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce – A delicious, vegan make-ahead pasta salad with the best peanut sauce ever! Loaded up with lots of healthy veggies, keep this gluten-free by using rice noodles. Make a big batch for the busy week!
Kimchi Burritos! A 20-minute dinner recipe, loaded up with healthy veggies, black beans, leftover rice and flavorful kimchi! Easy and delicious!
Winter Happiness Salad! This Kale & Quinoa Salad with Apples, Chickpeas and Currants! A hearty vegan salad that can be made ahead- perfect for potlucks, gatherings or midweek lunches!
Cuban Black Bean Soup! A simple vegan recipe for Cuban Black Bean Soup with veggies and roasted sweet potatoes that can be made ahead in an Instant Pot with Dry Beans! Vegan and delicious, this soup is perfect for packed lunches.
3 Cheap, Easy, Delish And Healthy Lunch Ideas For Work
No matter how healthy you try to eat to at home, come noon and you’re probably “hangry” enough to head to the nearest takeaway. Here are a few taste-filled and healthy lunch ideas for work that will keep both your stomach and body happy, and save you money for that private salsa class you’ve been eying.
4 Simple Salads That Make For Healthy Lunch Ideas
Even salads that you make at home are going to be healthier and tastier than any of that slimy stuff you buy at the corner store every day. These healthy lunch ideas for work can become very satisfying meals for dinner too.
Simply whip up some tuna salad (with drained and chopped tuna, celery, onion, lemon juice and mayonnaise) and some egg salad (chopped hard boiled eggs, pickles, mustard and mayonnaise) and spread them on slices of multigrain bread. Sprinkle with a few roughly torn basil leaves. Swap mayo with thick, low fat yogurt for low calories. Kids will love these too, so you can make all the lunches at once to save time.
Try and include a fruit bowl every day, with fruits (preferably organic) such as grapes, strawberries, a whole banana, an apple, diced watermelon or anything else that is seasonal and cheap. Make a meal of it by adding some feta and mint. Remember, when using sliced fruit like watermelon, chop them fresh in the morning, or they will release water.
Mix chickpeas (canned or freshly boiled), cherry tomatoes, feta, olive oil, lemon juice oregano, some salt and pepper to make a great salad you can have with slices of multigrain bread. Add a fruit and a flask of tea or (unsweetened) coffee. For pasta-lovers, mix some boiled green beans, pinto beans, chickpeas with small pasta shells and dress with vinegar, mustard, honey and extra-virgin olive oil. Add celery and scallions and toss.
Delish Sandwiches And Wraps With Great Ingredients
You can make a sandwich or wrap with just about anything. The ones on this list of healthy lunch ideas for work use low fat and whole-wheat ingredients along with all things lean, fresh and requiring little cooking. Now isn’t that appetizing!
Stuff a grainy muffin with low fat cottage cheese, tomatoes, sliced avocado, brown mustard, lettuce, chives and some garlic powder if you like. Take along a small banana, and you can keep your whole meal to less than 500 calories.
If you need some meat, fit some ham or prosciutto along with some mustard, cheddar and apple slices into grainy bread. Make a low-sodium sliced turkey whole-wheat wrap for your lean protein intake. Add some hummus, goat cheese and a handful of baby spinach and you have an excellent wrap. Stuff a whole-wheat wrap with fiber-filled and spicy black beans. Simply mix in sliced avocado, red onion and a teaspoon of hot sauce into your black beans.
Like your fruit in a wrap? Mix half a diced chicken breast, non-fat yogurt (Greek), dried cranberries, diced pear, some honey mustard, curry powder and lemon juice to make a whole-wheat wrap stuffing exotic and so, so good.
Awesome Vegan Lunch Ideas For Work
If you’re vegan, you can get your protein intake from a variety of beans and legumes. These healthy lunch ideas for work are meant for non-meat eaters who can still enjoy some super ingredients. Make a simple warm salad with boiled wheat berries, a red onion vinaigrette, diced blood oranges (or any oranges), feta, parsley and any other veggies you like, such as radish, green onion, fennel etc. Voila!
Make a chickpea salad that rivals tuna and put it between slices of grainy bread. Boil and mash chickpeas (garbanzo beans), mix with celery, diced carrots, sliced scallions, some vegan mayo, mustard, sea salt, cracked pepper, garlic powder, lemon juice and some paprika. Spread into a sandwich with some fresh lettuce and mashed avocado for a burst of healthy flavors.
Boil some quinoa, orzo or couscous, mix with sliced, pitted cherries, minced shallots, feta, olive oil, parsley, red wine vinegar, some kosher salt and slivered almonds for a wonderful salad that can also carry over as a side salad for dinner.
Make a simple whole-wheat (short) pasta salad with cannellini beans, fresh goat cheese, sliced red onions and arugula with a dressing of olive oil, red-wine vinegar and some Dijon mustard.
Most of these ideas are easy to put together. Some you can keep prepared the night before. So shun the takeaway near work and begin to take lunches that will keep you energized and satiated all day.