Who said packed lunches for the office have to be boring? These recipes below will give you plenty of inspiration for preparing lunches that you’ll actually want to eat. And the best part is that, besides looking delicious, these recipes are very healthy.
Also, if you want to start your day off right, check out our collection of healthy breakfast recipes.
Here’s The List of “Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work”
1) Delicious Bowls
To make a nutritious and flavorful bowl, the trick is to pay attention to a few key ingredients. For the base, use grains like quinoa or bulgur wheat; for the protein, choose leftover cooked chicken or beans; and add plenty of vegetables, such as spinach, kale, or broccoli, and fresh herbs if you have them.
Prepare a light dressing and store it in a separate container. When you’re ready to eat, drizzle the dressing over your meal. These dishes are very easy to transport.
Try these healthy bowl recipes:
- Quick Chicken Hummus Bowl
- Grain Bowl with Salmon and Purple Broccoli
- Vegan Salad Bowl
- Rice and Lentil Bowl with Turkey, Avocado, and Coleslaw
- Spinach and Hummus Falafel Bowl
- Vegan Lentil Bowl with Sweet Potato and Cauliflower
2) Flavorful Sandwiches
Forget soggy, unappetizing sandwiches: our stuffed pita breads, club sandwiches, and toasts or toasties are packed with delicious ingredients, nutrient-dense, and stay looking good until lunchtime. The trick? Prep the ingredients separately and assemble the dish at your desk for a fresh and delicious lunch.
Discover more inspiration with these ideas:
- Stuffed Moroccan-style pita bread
- Vegan ‘Club’ sandwich
- Smoked trout and cucumber toasts
- Rye toasts with chicken and avocado
3) Heavy Salads
Salads are one of the quickest and easiest lunches to prepare: just throw everything in a bowl, toss it all together, and you’re done. With almost endless flavor combinations, they’re also a great way to add some zest to your weekly menu and avoid food waste by using leftover ingredients like cooked chicken, salmon, or beans.
Experiment with different leafy greens, grains, or legumes as a base, add toppings with colorful fruits and vegetables, protein-rich meat, fish, tofu, or eggs, and then give it an extra kick and add textures with nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, and dressings.
Try these salad recipes:
- Lentil salad with tahini and yogurt
- Lime bean salad
- Spicy tuna, zucchini, and chickpea salad
- Spinach and bean salad with avocado and mango
- Tuna, fennel, and bean salad
4) Pasta Salads
Pasta is a very versatile staple. You can eat it as a cold salad or quickly heat it in the microwave. If you boil a large pot of pasta, you can keep it in the refrigerator and use it throughout the week in your favorite salads.
Here are some ideas:
- Pasta salad with tuna and capers
- Linguine with avocado, tomato, and lime
- Pasta salad with broccoli, eggs, and sunflower seeds
- Pasta salad with ratatouille and arugula
- Pasta salad with hummus and vegetables
5) Homemade Wraps
Flatbreads and tortillas are a great alternative to traditional bread. You can also use crisp lettuce leaves as a wrap if you’re looking to cut down on carbs. Protein-rich chicken and fish are excellent filling options, especially when combined with vegetables.
Try our recipes:
- Vegan Sesame Sauteed Vegetable Wrap
- Tuna Wraps
- Olive and Vegetable Wraps with Mustard Vinaigrette
- Lettuce Wraps with Lemon Salmon
- Falafel Wrap with Spinach and Pickles
- Chicken Burritos
6) Rice Salads
Rice salads are very versatile, and if you use pre-cooked rice, you’ll have them ready in no time. High-fiber brown rice is the most nutritious option.
Try these rice salad recipes:
- Homemade Tuna Rice Salad
- Brown Rice Salad with Miso and Chicken
Here’s More 27+ Lunch Recipes Ideas To Try
| # | Recipe Name | Main Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quick Chicken Hummus Bowl | Cooked chicken breast, hummus, quinoa, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, spinach, lemon juice |
| 2 | Grain Bowl with Salmon and Purple Broccoli | Grilled salmon, purple broccoli, brown rice, avocado, sesame seeds, soy sauce (light) |
| 3 | Vegan Salad Bowl | Mixed greens, chickpeas, roasted sweet potato, bell peppers, tahini dressing, sunflower seeds |
| 4 | Rice and Lentil Bowl with Turkey, Avocado, and Coleslaw | Brown rice, cooked lentils, shredded turkey, avocado, cabbage slaw, lime vinaigrette |
| 5 | Spinach and Hummus Falafel Bowl | Falafel (baked), fresh spinach, hummus, pickled red onion, whole wheat pita, cucumber |
| 6 | Vegan Lentil Bowl with Sweet Potato and Cauliflower | Lentils, roasted sweet potato, roasted cauliflower, kale, lemon tahini sauce |
| 7 | Stuffed Moroccan‑style Pita Bread | Whole wheat pita, spiced ground turkey, shredded lettuce, tomato, cucumber, yogurt sauce |
| 8 | Vegan ‘Club’ Sandwich | Whole grain bread, tempeh bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato, vegan mayo, alfalfa sprouts |
| 9 | Smoked Trout and Cucumber Toasts | Rye bread, smoked trout, cream cheese (low‑fat), cucumber slices, fresh dill, lemon zest |
| 10 | Rye Toasts with Chicken and Avocado | Rye toast, shredded chicken, mashed avocado, red pepper flakes, cilantro, lime juice |
| 11 | Lentil Salad with Tahini and Yogurt | Cooked lentils, Greek yogurt, tahini, parsley, mint, grated carrot, garlic (optional) |
| 12 | Lime Bean Salad | Canned white beans, red onion, bell pepper, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, black pepper |
| 13 | Spicy Tuna, Zucchini, and Chickpea Salad | Canned tuna (in water), diced zucchini, chickpeas, red chili flakes, lemon, arugula |
| 14 | Spinach and Bean Salad with Avocado and Mango | Baby spinach, black beans, diced mango, avocado, red onion, lime‑coriander dressing |
| 15 | Tuna, Fennel, and Bean Salad | Tuna (canned), thinly sliced fennel, cannellini beans, red onion, lemon, parsley |
| 16 | Pasta Salad with Tuna and Capers | Whole wheat pasta, tuna, capers, cherry tomatoes, black olives, light Italian dressing |
| 17 | Linguine with Avocado, Tomato, and Lime | Linguine, avocado, grape tomatoes, lime juice, fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts |
| 18 | Pasta Salad with Broccoli, Eggs, and Sunflower Seeds | Pasta (cold), steamed broccoli, hard‑boiled eggs, sunflower seeds, Greek yogurt dressing |
| 19 | Pasta Salad with Ratatouille and Arugula | Leftover ratatouille (eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper), pasta, fresh arugula, balsamic |
| 20 | Pasta Salad with Hummus and Vegetables | Pasta, hummus, shredded carrot, cucumber, bell pepper, fresh parsley, lemon juice |
| 21 | Vegan Sesame Sautéed Vegetable Wrap | Whole wheat tortilla, sautéed broccoli, carrot, bell pepper, sesame oil, tofu strips |
| 22 | Tuna Wraps | Tortilla, tuna (mixed with light mayo), shredded lettuce, corn, red onion, pickles |
| 23 | Olive and Vegetable Wraps with Mustard Vinaigrette | Tortilla, mixed olives, roasted zucchini, bell pepper, spinach, Dijon vinaigrette |
| 24 | Lettuce Wraps with Lemon Salmon | Large lettuce leaves (butter or romaine), cooked salmon, lemon juice, cucumber, mint |
| 25 | Falafel Wrap with Spinach and Pickles | Whole wheat wrap, falafel, fresh spinach, pickled cucumbers, tahini sauce, tomato |
| 26 | Chicken Burritos | Whole wheat tortilla, shredded chicken, black beans, corn, salsa, low‑fat cheese, lettuce |
| 27 | Homemade Tuna Rice Salad | Brown rice, tuna, peas, corn, red bell pepper, light mayonnaise, fresh dill |
| 28 | Brown Rice Salad with Miso and Chicken | Brown rice, cooked chicken, edamame, shredded carrot, miso‑ginger dressing, green onion |
| 29 | Quinoa and Roasted Veggie Bowl | Quinoa, roasted broccoli, cauliflower, red onion, feta cheese (optional), lemon vinaigrette |
| 30 | Egg and Avocado Sandwich | Whole grain bread, sliced hard‑boiled egg, mashed avocado, mustard, alfalfa sprouts |
Conclusion
Who said packed lunches for the office have to be boring? These recipes below will give you plenty of inspiration for preparing lunches that you’ll actually want to eat. And the best part is that, besides looking delicious, these recipes are very healthy.