41 Healthy Lunch Ideas

If you're looking for new healthy lunch ideas, you're in the right place. These easy lunch recipes are fun, filling, and good for you, too!

Healthy Lunch Ideas

Good healthy lunch ideas are like gold. In the middle of a busy work day, lunch is the longest break I take. It’s a time to reset, relax, and re-energize to tackle the tasks that lie ahead. Great healthy lunch recipes are ones that I can make ahead of time and that will keep me full and focused throughout the afternoon. But the best healthy lunch ideas taste delicious, too! They add something fun and flavorful to the middle of the work day, making my midday break extra-refreshing and worth looking forward to.

Below, you’ll find my top healthy lunch ideas, tricks, and tips, plus a slew of tasty healthy lunch recipes. Whether it’s your first time packing lunch or you’re a seasoned pro looking for new easy lunch ideas, I hope you find something you love!

Sandwich and Wrap Healthy Lunch Ideas

When it comes to quick and easy lunch ideas, you can never go wrong with a good sandwich! The recipes below include fun twists on classics like egg salad and peanut butter and jelly as well as out-of-the-box sandwiches you may not have tried before. Tip: no one likes a soggy sandwich, so it’s best to assemble these lunch recipes on the day you plan to eat them.

Healthy lunch wraps

Healthy Lunch Wraps

I could eat these lunch wraps every day of the week! A Dijon mustard vinaigrette adds bold, tangy flavor to the chickpea, kale, and avocado filling.

Egg Salad Sandwich

Egg Salad Sandwich

I’m not kidding when I say that this is THE BEST egg salad recipe! It’s briny and bright, packed with fresh herbs, capers, and lemon juice. For an equally tasty vegan egg salad, sub crumbled tofu for the hard boiled eggs.

Healthy lunch ideas - PB&J with hazelnut butter and strawberry chia jam

PB&J with Hazelnut Butter and Strawberry Chia Jam, page 45 of The Love & Lemons Cookbook

Tired of the same old PB&J? Try this elevated spin! It features homemade hazelnut-pecan butter and tart strawberry chia jam. To enjoy this recipe year-round, make the jam with frozen berries instead of fresh.

Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Chickpea Salad Sandwich

This vegan spin on a French pan bagnat is one of my favorite healthy lunch ideas. A creamy, briny chickpea salad steps in for the traditional tuna, while fresh veggies like cucumbers, radishes, and green beans add delicious crunch.

 Falafel wrap

Crispy Baked Falafel

The fun thing about making falafel for lunch is that you don’t have to eat it the same way all week. Top it onto a salad with tahini dressing one day, and add it to a grain bowl the next. Finally, stuff it into a wrap with fresh veggies, pickled onions, and lots of hummus.

Caprese sandwiches on focaccia bread

Caprese Sandwich

Roasted tomatoes and pickled red onions really amp up the flavor in this lunchtime classic.

Healthy lunch ideas - Chickpea Shawarma Wraps

Chickpea Shawarma Wraps

I love to prep the components of these wraps on the weekend so that I can easily assemble them throughout the week. They’re such a flavorful, satisfying healthy lunch. Creamy hummus, shawarma-spiced chickpeas, spicy zhoug, and fresh veggies fill soft pita bread.

Healthy Lunch Ideas for Noodle Lovers

Not in the mood for a lunchtime salad or sandwich? These lunch ideas with noodles might just hit the spot.

Sesame soba noodles with radishes, snap peas, and avocado

Sesame Soba Noodles

If our readers had to choose their favorite lunch recipes on Love & Lemons, these noodles would be #1. A tangy, nutty sesame dressing coats soba noodles, edamame, and lots of crunchy veggies. Feel free to vary the veggies with the season—julienned carrots, cucumbers, steamed broccoli, asparagus, kale, and more are fantastic here.

Healthy lunch ideas - Fresh spring rolls

Fresh Spring Rolls

Chewy rice noodles, tofu, avocado, herbs, and mango create an irresistible filling for these refreshing spring rolls. To take them over the top, serve them with peanut sauce for dipping.

Peanut noodles

Peanut Noodles

If you love quick and easy meal prep, this recipe is for you. The only component that requires cooking is the noodles, and you can stir together the peanut sauce in a single bowl. You’ll have a week’s worth of lunches ready in 30 minutes flat!

Healthy lunch ideas - Mason jar salad with soba noodles and kale

Soba Noodle Picnic Salad with Tahini Miso, page 117 of Love & Lemons Every Day

These colorful salads don’t just look adorable layered up in Mason jars—they keep well that way, too! Prep a bunch on a Sunday, and they’ll last all week in the fridge.

Grain Bowl Lunch Ideas

Equal parts filling, flavorful, and fresh, grain bowls are my go-to healthy lunch ideas. Feel free to use these recipes as a guide. Make them your own by swapping in a different grain, alternative veg, or your favorite sauce.

Brown rice and sweet potato grain bowl

Best Buddha Bowl

A sunny turmeric tahini sauce jazzes up this simple combination of chickpeas, roasted sweet potatoes, kale, and brown rice.

Mediterranean quinoa bowl

Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl

A creamy garlic yogurt sauce adds bright, savory flavor to this healthy lunch dish. Make it vegan by using tahini sauce or a dollop of hummus instead!

Healthy lunch ideas - veggie sushi bowl

Sushi Bowl

Your favorite veggie sushi, now in rice bowl form! Don’t forget the spicy mayo for serving.

Burrito bowl

Burrito Bowl

So much better than Chipotle! I love to pile on black beans, tofu sofritas, fajita veggies, and guacamole, but feel free to make your bowl your own.

Veggie power lunch bowl with avocado and a soft-boiled egg

Veggie Power Bowl

Have you tried forbidden rice? If not, make this power lunch bowl ASAP! Irresistibly chewy and nutty, the rice shines against fresh veggies, sesame ginger dressing, and a rich, jammy soft-boiled egg.

Healthy lunch ideas - Mango ginger rice bowl

Mango Ginger Rice Bowl

I love a good sweet and savory flavor combo. Filled with diced mango, pickled ginger, fresh veggies, and a tangy tamari sauce, this refreshing rice bowl delivers just that.

Roasted veggie grain bowl

Roasted Veggie Grain Bowl

Quinoa and chickpeas pack this hearty grain bowl with plant-based protein.

Big, Bountiful Green Salads to Pack for Lunch

If you love lunch recipes that are bursting with fresh veggies, this section is for you! You’ll find gorgeous green salads that are big and bountiful enough to keep you full all afternoon.

Kale salad

Kale Salad

Roasted chickpeas, toasted seeds, and avocado make this recipe one substantial salad. Because kale is such a hardy green, you can make this salad up to 4 days in advance. It won’t wilt under the bright carrot ginger dressing. Just hold the avocado until the last minute—you don’t want it to brown before you’re ready to eat!

Healthy lunch ideas - Sweet potato salad

Sweet Potato Salad

I love anything with sweet potato or avocado, so naturally, I adore this sweet potato salad, which is a delicious combination of both. I round it out with crisp arugula, tangy feta cheese, toasted pepitas, and a nutty tahini dressing.

Easy lunch ideas - Italian chopped salad

Italian Chopped Salad

The best thing about a chopped salad is that you can get a little of everything in each bite. Here, that means you’ll get a forkful of crisp greens, chickpeas, TWO cheeses, pepperoncini, juicy tomato, and sharp red onion. A zingy vinaigrette ties it all together.

Easy lunch recipes - Homemade Caesar salad

Homemade Caesar Salad

The classic, but with a twist. I toss in roasted chickpeas for extra protein and crunch, and instead of using a traditional dressing, I make an easy homemade Caesar dressing with capers and Greek yogurt.

Kale Caesar salad

Kale Caesar Salad

Why let lettuce have all the fun? Toppings like roasted chickpeas, avocado, and homemade croutons make this healthy salad a satisfying lunch option. For a plant-based twist, top the salad with my vegan Parmesan and vegan Caesar dressing.

Healthy taco salad

Healthy Taco Salad

Who doesn’t love a taco salad for lunch?! This one is loaded up with shiitake walnut taco “meat,” black beans, crunchy tortilla strips, and ALL the veggies. My cilantro lime dressing adds amazing zesty flavor.

Pasta and Grain Salad Lunch Ideas

Green salads aren’t the only ones that are yummy healthy lunch ideas—pasta and grain salads pack up perfectly too! Just save a few of the herbs to add at the last minute. That way, they won’t wilt before you eat.

Easy pasta salad

Easy Pasta Salad

Tip: cook the pasta until it’s just past al dente so that it stays tender once it cools.

Farro salad

Farro Salad

Sweet and savory collide in this apple and farro fall salad. I love the slight bitterness of the arugula here, but spinach is a great sub if you don’t have any on hand.

Mediterranean quinoa salad

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Quinoa salads are some of my favorite healthy lunch ideas because they’re packed with fiber and plant-based protein. I especially love this one. Roasted tomatoes, olives, feta, and my homemade Italian dressing fill it with big, bold flavors.

Greek orzo salad

Orzo Salad

If you love Greek salad, then this recipe will become one of your go-to easy lunch ideas. Orzo pasta mingles with tangy feta cheese, briny olives, and fresh veggies. Mint, basil, and a zingy Greek dressing take it over the top.

Easy lunch ideas - Pesto Pasta Salad

Pesto Pasta Salad

I make this recipe as written in the summer, with basil pesto and thinly shaved zucchini. For an equally good winter option, swap in kale pesto and roasted butternut squash!

Healthy lunch ideas - tortellini salad

Tortellini Salad

I took this salad to almost every gathering we went to last summer, and I always felt lucky when we had some leftover. I knew I’d have a delicious, easy lunch the next day!

Healthy lunch ideas - Cherry tomato couscous salad

Cherry Tomato Couscous Salad

Calling all tomato lovers! This lunch idea is for you. It’s an herbed couscous salad made with tomatoes two ways, roasted and raw. The roasted tomatoes add chewy texture and rich, savory flavor, while the raw ones stay sweet and juicy.

Hearty Bean and Lentil Salads

You’ve probably seen these protein-packed salads at picnics and cookouts, but did you know that they’re great healthy lunch ideas too? The flavors only improve as they sit in the fridge, so they’re perfect for meal prep.

Healthy lunch ideas - Chickpea salad

Chickpea Salad

This recipe is a delicious healthy lunch as written, but feel free to have fun with it! Add chopped bell peppers, roasted red peppers, or a sprinkle of feta cheese. You could even serve it over a bed of greens or tuck it into pita bread with a slather of hummus.

Easy lunch ideas - Lentil salad

Lentil Salad

The type of lentils you use here matters! Make sure to choose French green or black. They hold their shape nicely when cooked, adding satisfying (aka not mushy) texture to this hearty salad.

Black bean and corn salad

Black Bean and Corn Salad

Scoop up this zesty salad with tortilla chips, or spoon it into lettuce wraps to sneak some extra veggies into your midday meal.

Easy lunch ideas - three bean salad

Three Bean Salad

Fresh green beans, crunchy celery, and herbs bring new life to this classic salad. Just 10 ingredients!

Reheat-able Soups and Stews

If you’re not someone who likes to meal prep lunch recipes on the weekend, don’t worry—there are other ways you can get ahead on lunch! For example, whenever I cook a soup or stew, I make extra and stash it in the fridge or freezer for a meal down the road. These recipes reheat perfectly for a quick and easy lunch.

Easy lunch ideas - Instant Pot lentil soup

Instant Pot Lentil Soup

Thanks to the Instant Pot, this nourishing soup practically cooks itself!

Butternut squash soup

Butternut Squash Soup

Ginger, sage, and rosemary fill this comforting soup with cozy autumn flavor. With over 1,000 5-star reviews, this recipe is a HUGE reader favorite. Try it to see why!

Healthy lunch ideas - White Bean Soup

White Bean Soup

My veggie riff on white chili. Serve it with tortilla chips for a fun and healthy lunch.

Healthy lunch ideas - Tomato soup

Tomato Soup

Tough morning? A comforting bowl of tomato soup is the perfect pick-me-up. If you’re working from home, make a gooey grilled cheese sandwich to enjoy alongside it.

Healthy lunch ideas - Cabbage Soup

Cabbage Soup

The easiest way to use an entire head of cabbage in one go! Fire-roasted tomatoes, garlic, and thyme give this wholesome soup delicious depth of flavor.

Lentil soup

Best Lentil Soup

If you need a reason to try this recipe, just ask my mom. It’s one of her all-time favorites because it’s super flavorful, it reheats perfectly, and it’s SO darn simple. You likely have all the ingredients in your pantry already!

More Favorite Healthy Recipes

If you love these healthy lunch ideas, check out some of these recipes next:

Pictured at the top of this post: rectangle glass storage containers, and square ones from this set.

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Healthy Lunch Ideas: Box Lunch Buddha Bowls

rate this recipe:
5 from 19 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
Customize a delicious, packable veggie box lunch by following this formula: a grain, a legume, kale, a roasted vegetable, a raw vegetable, and a pickled vegetable. Top with creamy tahini sauce.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Assemble bowls with a grain, the massaged kale, a legume, roasted vegetable, raw vegetable, and a fermented or pickled vegetable.
  • Drizzle generously with tahini sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with more tahini sauce on the side.

Notes

*To roast the vegetables, preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast the carrots for 15 to 20 minutes, and the sweet potatoes for 20 to 28 minutes.

 

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  1. Christian
    11.17.2023

    Well done some of the best 👍 recipes.make every eat and want more bravo.Tank you

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      11.17.2023

      Hi Christian, so glad you’re enjoying the recipes!

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.