Looking for healthy lunch ideas for work week? You are in the right place. I asked seven food bloggers to share their favorite healthy lunch ideas that you can take to work during the week.
Are you having trouble coming up with healthy lunch ideas for work week? Not sure how to stick to your new wellness goals? Fear not, We’ve got you covered. What I’m providing is so simple yet so delicious and nutritious.
Healthy Lunch Ideas For Work Week
1. Apple-Walnut Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Boring sandwiches, be gone. This chickpea salad comes together with a quick tahini dressing. Combined with crunchy apples, walnuts, celery and onion, this healthy lunch is a winner. Load it onto gluten-free bread and finish the salad off with your favorite sandwich toppings, like tomatoes and avocados.
2. Black Bean, Feta & Avocado Quinoa Wrap with Avocado-Tahini Dip
Tired of lunches that leave you hungry just an hour or two later? Try this hearty wrap. Made with fiber-rich black beans, superfood quinoa and a homemade avocado dip, it’s sure to keep you full through the afternoon.
3. Brownie Batter Chocolate Overnight Oats
Chocolate oats might not sound healthy, but this overnight version sure is. While this is technically a breakfast recipe, it’s too convenient not to enjoy among your health lunches for work. Just layer the ingredients in a jar, keep in the refrigerator overnight and have the next day. You can grab this one on your way out the door and chow down at noon. Eat it cold or warm it up — this lunch is perfect year-round.
Photo: Chocolate-Covered Katie
4. Chicken and Zucchini Noodle Caprese
What makes these zoodles such a terrific idea for healthy lunches for work? It’s that you can prepare them the night before and enjoy cold or hot the next day. Because the base is zucchini, not pasta, you’ll avoid that post-meal coma feeling that real noodles can bring on.
Tip: If you want to prepare several zoodle recipes at once, you can spiralize a big batch at a time, let dry on paper towels on the kitchen counter for about an hour to remove excess moisture and then store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Pull out as much as you need and cover with your favorite toppings.
5. Chicken Taco Mason Jars
I love the idea behind these chicken taco mason jars. Layering taco staples like black beans, tomatoes and corn along with dressing and chicken, you get a yummy lunch that’s easy to take on the go. You can make these even better for you with a few small modifications: skip the grocery store chicken and use any cooked meat you have on hand.
Opt for full-fat Greek yogurt and add in some diced bell peppers for extra crunch and veggie power. Skip the shredded cheese and grate your own!
6. Easy Greek Tzatziki Chicken Salad
Why use mayonnaise in chicken salads when you can use tzatziki instead? This Greek dressing is made from yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cucumbers and herbs for so much more flavor than mayonnaise at a fraction of the calories. When it’s mixed with cooked, shredded chicken, it makes for a salad you won’t be able to put down. Stuff it between a whole-grain pita or eat it on a bed of greens for an easy lunch.
Photo: Host the Toast
7. Fried Faux Rice
This version of fried rice uses cauliflower instead of grains for a low-carb, protein-packed meal. Prepare this the night before and reheat the leftovers for one of your healthy lunches for work or just chow down at room temperature — it’s equally good.
8. Frittata Muffins
These frittata muffins are super versatile and travel well. While I love this version, which sees quinoa, green peas and fresh mint playing nicely together, you can easily substitute whatever greens, seeds or herbs you have on hand.
9. Grilled Chicken and Red Pepper Bowl with Whipped Avocado Cream
You can’t go wrong with a recipe that uses the words “whipped avocado cream.” The trick to this lunchtime bowl is to marinate and grill a batch of chicken over the weekend. You can then divvy up the protein throughout the week in your favorite salad combos.
I love the combination of farro, spinach, feta and chicken in this one. But the real star is the avocado cream. Made with fresh lime juice, honey, garlic and herb seasoning and olive oil, it turns a chicken lunch into a gourmet meal.
Photo: Lovely Little Kitchen
10. Healthy Tuna-Stuffed Avocado
Protein-rich tuna served right in an avocado along with fresh lime juice, chopped red bell pepper and flavorful cilantro leaves. It doesn’t get any tastier — or easier — than this one. You could also substitute shredded chicken or go all veggie and mix in mushrooms and onions; as long as it’s in an avocado, it’ll taste great.
5 Lunches You Can Make Ahead for the Week
It’s a wonder how much we can pack into a work week! Limited time is often why we hardly have time for healthy eating. However, nutritious and delicious lunches are vital if you expect to get everything accomplished. We have searched for delicious meals that are easy to prepare and even more exciting to dig into!
1. Chicken Enchiladas
The beauty of this recipe is that it yields some seriously meaty, zesty, cheesy enchiladas from scratch in no time at all! This mix of lean chicken breast covered in fresh cilantro, gooey cheese, and thick and fragrant tomato sauce all rolled up in flour tortillas can be frozen individually for lunches.
2. Black Bean-Turkey Chili
This hearty combination of lean ground turkey; hearty black beans; fresh onions, mushrooms, and peppers; and zesty spices makes for an easy meal that you can have for dinner at the beginning of the week—and then freeze the rest in individual plastic containers to pop in your lunch bag over a very hectic week for work.
3. Coconut Chicken Curry
Mild enough the wee ones and with enough of a kick for mom and dad’s lunches too, this fragrant coconut chicken curry is a heavenly blend of delicious curry and cooling coconut flavors that together are ideal for the tail end of rainy springtime weather.
4. Crispy Prosciutto Cheesy White Lasagna
The very best lasagna recipes are passed on from mother to daughter and from aunt to nephew. So even though this particular recipe was not a direct gift from your grandma or Aunt Edna, you won’t be disappointed one bit with the traditional soft noodles smothered with sauce, smeared with ricotta and cottage cheese, and baked up golden brown.
5. Bean and Cheese Burritos
These bean burritos are a great way to get more delicious fiber in your diet. Each one is jam-packed with beans, cheese, garlic, onion and avocado that freezes brilliantly for healthy lunch options all week long.
6. Slow Cooker Chicken Gyros
Transport yourself to the Greek islands at 12:30 pm every week—when you whip up a batch of these succulent slow cooker chicken gyros and freeze them individually for your lunch pack. The tender meat is thanks to the slow cooking method and the blend of garlic, lemon, olive oil, and red wine vinegar, which acts as a tangy marinade.
7. Cream of Chicken Soup
A hearty and hot bowl of chicken soup is the perfect mid-day comfort “pick-me-up” when the work day is going a little askew. Ideal for Mondays and those chilly spring days, this soup recipe will warm your cockles so you can get back to work and be productive.
8. Chicken Fajitas
Why can’t you enjoy a hearty chicken fajita, folded over with veggies and gooey cheese, piled up on a plate with melted cheese, salsa, and a dollop of light sour cream and guacamole? You certainly can—thanks to this totally lunch-able chicken fajita recipe.
9. Slow Cooker Jambalaya
If you like zesty, spicy, and easy then this super quick and convenient jambalaya recipe is just what tomorrow’s lunch ordered! Have a delicious supper and then freeze it in individual microwave-safe containers for lunches all week long!
10. Quinoa Salad in a Jar
Make great use of your leftover mason jars—and get yourself a week’s worth of healthy and nutritious lunches at the same time with time! These ideal grab-and-go salads in a jar make for the most convenient lunches around!
11. Freezer-Friendly Baked Turkey Meatballs
These healthy oven-baked turkey meatballs are freezer-friendly and they’re great for meal prepping! The turkey meatballs are full of delicious seasonings such as parsley, onion, garlic and are bound together with breadcrumbs and an egg. For easy meal prepping combine the meatballs with spiralized zucchini and tomato sauce!
12. Healthy Baked Cauliflower Chickpea Samosas
Healthy baked cauliflower and chickpea samosas are incredibly easy to make! Bake and then store them in the freezer for easy grab and go snacks or bake them and transfer to lunch containers. When eating these for lunch pair them with steamed veggies and a scoop of rice and store in the fridge for up to 5 days! In addition, these samosas are made with store-bought egg roll wrappers which diminishes a ton of the prep work!
13. Easy Tortilla Soup
This vegetarian meal may be meatless but you won’t miss the meat because it’s flourishing in delicious flavors and textures! Better yet, this delicious soup can be made in just 10 minutes and will fill your belly all week long! It’s also an excellent freezer-friendly option if you’re looking to prepare for the weeks ahead!
14. Healthy Homemade Hot Pockets
Are pizza pockets your guilty pleasure? Try making these healthy homemade hot pockets that might actually taste better than the store-bought version! They do require a bit of extra work but the pay off will be well worth it. Once the pockets have cooled you can wrap them individually and keep them in the freezer until you’re ready to pack your lunch!
15. Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Black Bean Salad
Sometimes salads sound boring, however, this isn’t your average leafy green salad. This quinoa-based salad has exciting flavors, is an excellent source of protein to keep you full and has a delicious honey and lime dressing that keeps you interested! You’ll love indulging in this type of salad all week long!
Healthy Lunches to Meal Prep This Week
Whether I’m working in an office or at home, there’s nothing that quite lifts my spirits like knowing that a healthy, delicious lunch is already made and ready for me whenever hunger strikes. No one needs a hanger-induced meltdown, even if it’s an internal meltdown. To combat any irritation, frustration, or indecision—not to mention save some serious time and money—I like to make lunch ahead of time if at all possible, even if I’m not doing much meal planning for the rest of my meals for the week.
1. Chicken and Bacon Ranch Bowls
2. Crispy Vegan Quinoa Patties with Spinach and Tomatoes
3. Dan Dan Zoodle Cups
4. Cheesy Broccoli, Chicken, and Rice Stuffed Peppers
5. Cucumber, Tomato, Avocado Salad
6. Creamy Goat Cheese and Arugula Farro Salad
7. Strawberry Caprese Pasta Salad
8. Sriracha Chicken Salad
9. Spanish Chicken Stew
10. Vegan Burritos
