Healthy Quick Lunch Foods

NUTRITIOUS FRUITS & VEGGIES

1. TEX-MEX CHOPPED VEGGIE TACO DIP

This delicious dip from Lauren Brennan would be perfect to put out at a party, but it also doubles as an excellent lunch idea. Pack it up with your favorite whole grain crackers, pita wedges, or corn chips.

2. PEAR AND BLUE CHEESE FLATBREAD

Ana Kamin categories this tasty option as a five-minute lunch, and we have to agree – it’s quick to make! But please, don’t feel that you need to rush through enjoying it as well. You’ll want to savor the combination of sliced juicy pears, rich blue cheese spread, fresh micro greens, and your favorite flatbread (try a lightly toasted lavash, then slice into squares before serving).

A drizzle of local honey works well atop this one, too!

3. CUCUMBER AVOCADO NORI ROLLS

Skip the grocery store sushi and try making your own. It’s easier than you think!

A veggie version like this one is super refreshing, and it packs well, too. To make these nori rolls you can also skip the usual seasoned rice, which helps to cut down the prep time.

SUPER SALADS

4. RAW PESTO SALAD

Made with raw fresh vegetables and topped with pesto, plus dried fruit and seeds, this salad is colorful, flavorful, and rich in vitamins and minerals. It makes a satisfying lunch, and it’s simple to make!

5. SUNSHINE SALAD

Another bright and fresh veggie lunch option, this one features the flavors of late summer, and the beginning of a new school year.

Sweet tomatoes, abundant zucchini, and fresh corn are combined with fresh herbs and onion, and a bit of crumbled goat cheese, if you like. Simplicity at its best!

6. ASPARAGUS, TOMATO, AND FETA SALAD WITH BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

This salad comes together in a snap, with fresh blanched asparagus, cherry tomatoes, crumbled feta, toasted walnuts, and a tangy balsamic vinaigrette. Try serving this one as a side with dinner, and then let it do double duty as lunch the next day.

7. BAVARIAN-STYLE CABBAGE SALAD

Maybe it’s not the  most healthy option on our list, since it is topped with a sprinkling of crispy bacon. But I can guarantee that if you make this into a full meal, you’ll probably consume more roughage than you normally would in one sitting. Plus, that fat in the bacon might just help your body to absorb the fat-soluble nutrients in the veggies.

Though a whole grain option would probably be best, this is also delicious served alongside a few leftover German-style dumplings, heated up in a frying pan.

HEALTHY WHOLE GRAINS AND LENTILS

If you make a big batch of whole grains for dinner, it’s easy to turn those leftovers into a tasty lunch. Here’s one delectable suggestion to get those recipe-building wheels turning, plus another for a tasty lentil-based dish.

8. TURMERIC QUINOA SALAD

Fragrant, crunchy, and sweet are just a few of the words that Lorena of Green Healthy Cooking uses to describe this healthy veggie and whole grain salad. The quinoa is protein rich, with added potential health benefits from the yellow turmeric, and a tasty honey mustard dressing to top it all off. Yum!

9. SUN-DRIED TOMATO ARUGULA LENTIL SALAD

If you can’t get enough of the flavor of sun-dried tomatoes, then this lentil salad is for you. With the addition of green, peppery arugula, fresh tomatoes, a sprinkling of goat cheese and a drizzle of dressing, this delicious dish makes a delightful lunch.

Not sure that you’ll be able to convince the kids? Christine McMichael of Jar of Lemons reports that her salad tastes like pizza. That’ll probably get through to them!

PASTA SALAD, POTATOES, AND NOODLE DISHES

Another great way to use up leftovers or to make from scratch, noodles can be packed in a thermos to serve piping hot at lunchtime, and pasta salads are delicious when you make them the day before (or a few days in advance) so they have a chance to soak up all of the delicious flavors of a vinaigrette.

10. LAZY RAMEN

Though she’s not quite ready to head off to college herself, Rachel is no stranger to processed ramen noodles. She’s a big fan of cooking from scratch (as she shared in her Lemon Rosemary Bundt Cake with Goat Cheese Frosting post for Foodal), but she’ll also admit that quick convenience foods can sometimes come in handy.

Dorm food at its finest (well, not really… perhaps at its most typical), many of us are familiar with those orange and white packets of ramen noodles. We’ve all eaten them on occasion. But they’re often somewhat bland, devoid of fresh ingredients, and high in sodium.

With just a tiny bit of added effort, you can take this super simple noodle soup to the next level with the addition of fresh herbs and vegetables, a touch of fish sauce and sriracha, some homemade chicken or vegetable stock, and a few cubes of tofu.