These healthy lunch ideas for work no cooking are great for people on the run. They are a meal or snack in themselves or can be a side dish to be eaten with some other kind of cuisine. These healthy lunch ideas for work are also economical and environmentally friendly. The reason these lunches don’t require any cooking is because I’ve kept their preparation time as short as possible.
Healthy Lunch Ideas For Work No Cooking
Quickly throw together a delicious and healthy lunch with these easy, no-cook recipes. These lunches can be assembled in just 15 minutes or less. Whether it’s a salad or sandwich, these lunches will keep you full throughout the day. Recipes like Salmon-Stuffed Avocados and Quinoa Deli Salad are nutritious, flavorful and fast.
Quinoa Deli Salad
This healthy version of a deli salad combines hearty quinoa and chickpeas with small amounts of ham and mozzarella, so you get all of the flavor without overdoing it on the sodium. This healthy quinoa salad is great as dinner and doubles as a delicious lunch the next day.
Turkey & Cheddar Lettuce Wraps
Crispy green lettuce leaves hold the filling inside this low-carb turkey wrap. It’s perfect for lunch or a quick, easy dinner on the go
Thai-Style Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu
Prep four days’ worth of high-protein vegan lunches using just four easy ingredients from your local specialty grocery store, including a veggie-heavy salad mix as a base. Because this salad mix is hearty, you can dress these bowls up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors in this healthy chopped salad to marry. If you can’t find a hearty mix, go with broccoli slaw or shredded Brussels sprouts.
Chickpea “Chicken” Salad
This chickpea salad is a vegetarian version of a classic chicken salad–and, thus, can be eaten in the exact same way. Let’s be clear, though: it doesn’t taste like chicken, but it is a delicious (and fiber-packed) vegetarian alternative! Plus, it’s easily transportable, perfect for picnics and will surely step up your sad desk lunch.
Curry Chicken-Salad Sandwich
Greek yogurt takes the place of mayonnaise in this healthy chicken-salad sandwich.
Spicy Refried Black Bean Burrito
Skip frozen burritos and make your own by spicing up a can of refried black beans with chopped pickled jalapeรฑos. Serve this easy vegetarian dish with tortilla chips, if desired.
Honey-Mustard Chicken Salad
A simple dressing, using yogurt rather than mayo, moistens the chicken in this tasty lightened-up chicken salad. Plus, it’s flavor-packed thanks to a quick-to-fix honey mustard. Whip up a batch while you’re meal prepping for easy, packable lunches.
Turkey & Cheese Pinwheels Bento Lunch
Bite-size pinwheels of turkey, cheese and lettuce make an appealing centerpiece of this bento box. Crisp celery sticks and juicy blueberries are tasty accompaniment, while popcorn, mixed with chocolate chips, makes a satisfying snack or dessert. Plus, this healthy lunch is so easy to pack and can even be made the night before.
Veggie Wraps
These vegetarian wraps pack perfectly for school or office lunches.
Bacon Ranch Salad
Topped with light ranch dressing and served with wheat crackers on the side, this salad is packed with spinach, tomatoes, hard-cooked eggs and bacon. It’s ready in just 15 minutes and is a perfect choice for lunch or dinner.ย Source: Diabetic Living Magazine
7 Easy No-Cook Lunch Ideas You Can Pack for Work
Sunday meal prep is a great idea, in theory: Hit the grocery store, cook big batches of staples like roasted vegetables and chicken, and store it all for easy meals throughout the week. In reality, though, I find that it isn’t always so easy. It takes some planning to figure out what to buy, when to cook, and how to repurpose it all into actual meals. On top of that, it means setting aside hours on Sunday to put the whole plan into actionโsome weeks I find that totally manageable and kind of fun; other weeks, there are a thousand-and-one things I’d rather be doing on Sunday than hanging out alone in my kitchen, chopping carrots and hoping that the chicken in my oven reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees before the rest of my apartment does (being a recipe developer with no central air conditioning gets to be a real pain in the late spring and summer).
Lunch is a necessity, though, and packing one myself is definitely cheaper than going out to buy something midday. Because of all this, I’ve pretty much mastered the art of no-cook meal prep (I wrote about it here!), to get me through busy weekends when all I really have time to do is place a grocery delivery order. The following 7 no-cook lunch ideas are perfect for weekends like that. As long as you have the necessary ingredients, you can pack them on weeknights or in the morning.
There are four vegetarian options, two chicken options, and one fish option, so you’re bound to find something you like. Each recipe has a relatively short ingredient list, and all of the ingredients are easy to find at any grocery store. They also have at least 20 grams of protein (registered dietitians recommend getting at least 15 grams at every meal), and are made with nutritious ingredients including fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, healthy fats, and lean proteins. Each one contains between 400 and 500 calories, but you should feel free to customize the portion sizes, or add whatever ingredients you like!
If you make one of the recipes or have questions, post a photo on Instagram and tagย @selfmagazineย andย @xtinebyrneย (that’s me!), or DM usโwe love a good food pic as much as you do, and we’re always here to help!
1.ย Cheese, Crackers, Fruit, and Egg Lunchbox
If you’ve ever found yourself in a situation where you’re hungry and Starbucks is the only option, you’re likely familiar with theirย Eggs and Cheese Protein Box. It hits the spot, frankly, but it’s also super easy to replicate yourself. Make sure to drizzle the sliced apple with lemon juice to prevent browning, or just don’t cut your apple until you’re ready for lunch. Get the recipeย here.
2.ย Pita and Carrots with Hummus-Yogurt Dip
Adding Greek yogurt to hummus makes it even creamier, and also adds a pretty substantial amount of protein (there are 20 grams total in this simple vegetarian lunch!). Another win here? No fork required. Get the recipeย here.
3.ย Kale-Apple Salad with Chickpeas
If you hate kale salad, it’s likely because the ones you’ve eaten haven’t been made properly. Because kale is so fibrous, it needs a little extra time and TLCโmassage your vinaigrette into the leaves and, if possible, let it sit for a little while before eating. Because dressed kale actually benefits from a few extra hours in the fridge, it’s my go-to green when it comes to packed lunch. Get the recipeย here.
4.ย Chickpea, Avocado, and Egg Wrap
This vegetarian wrap has lots of different texturesโfrom avocado, mashed chickpeas, dressed kale, and hard-boiled egg. You can buy bags of hard-boiled eggs at the grocery store, but if you’d rather make them yourself, that works too! Get the recipeย here.
5.ย Tuna Salad with Crackers and Red Pepper Slices
No matter what your feelings on mayo, you should give this mayo-free tuna salad a try. It gets crunch from scallions and a little bit of creaminess from hummus, and you can scoop it up with sweet bell pepper slices and shredded wheat crackers. Get the recipeย here.
6.ย Chicken, Cheddar, and Refried Bean Wrap
When it comes to no-cook meal prep,ย rotisserie chickenย is a super MVP. One way to use it is to shred it and wrap it in a tortilla with other fun ingredients. You can totally eat this cold, but if you happen to have a panini press or toaster oven at work, know that it also tastes great warm. Get the recipeย here.
7.ย Greek Chicken Salad with Pita
On days when I’m craving something extra savory, I opt for a Greek salad. Olives and feta are rich and salty, while cucumbers and tomatoes are refreshing and crunchy. Shredded rotisserie chicken adds some protein, and pita triangles round the whole thing out. Plus, because there are no delicate leafy greens, you don’t need to worry about this salad getting soggy as it sits in the fridge. Get the recipeย here.