Challenge accepted! Eat a nutritious homemade lunch for the next 21 workdays of the month! Sounds tricky? Not when you have 21 days’ worth of easy healthy lunch ideas including power bowls, soups, sandwiches, wraps and some chicken recipes.
Some of these healthy lunch recipes can be enjoyed as leftovers, others you can meal prep or assemble in no time! All of these are simple, delicious and ready in less than 30 minutes!
If there’s one thing I’m looking forward to during my workday it’s definitely that lunch break. There’s just nothing like it. Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do, but once it’s 11 o’clock, I start thinking about food. Lunch food at that!
It’s been like this since I was a kid, only when I was a kid that lunch mostly consisted of pizza. Now I realize we need nutrients, man. (<- Am I a 14-year-old boy? Should’ve at least said bro or dude). So, I’m more about salads, soups or wraps. I especially love salads and power bowls, because they make me feel SO good, but I also can’t deny how much I look forward to reheating leftovers of fried rice or egg roll in a bowl. So good!
I made a collection of some of my favorite easy and healthy lunch recipes and it was hard to pick, but I did and I’m happy with the selection. There’s something for everyone – reheatable and cold lunches in case you don’t have a microwave at work or school. So, during the next 21 days, let’s eat something that is healthy, delicious and nutritious for lunch.
1. Mediterranean Baked Falafel Bowls
Bake the falafels, make some tzatziki, cut up the vegetables for the side and these bowls are basically ready!
2. Quinoa Fried Rice
Here’s the good news – you can have fried rice and call it a healthy lunch, when it’s prepared this way! No need for takeout!
3. Healthy Egg Roll In A Bowl With Chicken
Instead of making egg rolls, eat the filling! It’s healthy and I promise it’s incredibly delicious. This is one of the recipes you can enjoy for lunch as leftovers from the night before.
4. The Best Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
If you’re looking for something light, but flavorful and quick this salad is it! It’s one of the best healthy lunch ideas as it’s super satiating, yet won’t send you into sleep mode. You’ll need chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and feta. Adding some roasted or grilled eggplant and bell pepper takes this to the next level!
5. Easy Lentil Soup
This lentil soup is full of protein, it’s warming and it’s just perfect for lunch! Heat it up on the stove or the microwave and enjoy!
6. Healthy Avocado Egg Sandwich
How about a sandwich for lunch? I love them! Now this one is super nutritious as it’s filled with eggs, avocado, tomatoes, and even greens! Super satiating and no naps needed!
7. Anti-Inflammatory Salmon Salad
You can easily meal prep some salmon and sweet potatoes and have this salad several times for lunch during the week. It’s one of the best healthy lunch ideas!
8. Leftover Chicken Gyros Bowls
Transform leftover chicken into these mouthwatering gyro bowls! They’re ready in 20 minutes and are full of flavor and super healthy!
9. Easy Bean Soup
Does 30 minutes for a soup sound like a long time? How about this healthy lunch recipe that takes 10 minutes less? The trick – use canned or otherwise cooked beans.
10. High-Protein Chickpea Chicken Soup
Nothing wrong with regular chicken soup, but this one is higher in protein and fiber (in case that’s what you’re looking for). Make a batch for the week ahead and eat at lunch or whenever you don’t feel like cooking. It’s kid-approved too!
11. The Best Avocado Quinoa Salad
If you’re looking for something super light and have some cooked quinoa in the fridge – this is the salad for you. It will take you around 10 minutes and you’ll be happy you ate it!
12. 30-Minute Mediterranean Salmon Wraps
Here’s one of the easy healthy lunch ideas that you’ll likely want to prepare daily, once you’ve tried it. Baked salmon, delicious tzatziki sauce, and fresh vegetables. Sorry, I just got hypnotized. Wrap it in tortillas or flatbread and your new favorite wrap is ready to eat!
13. Arugula Avocado Shrimp Salad
Let’s include more seafood in your lunch menu! This salad is more than simple – you need shrimp, avocado, arugula, onion, garlic, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and bell pepper. Less than 10 minutes to make, rich in protein and antioxidants!
14. Super Easy Egg Bake
The next on the list of easy healthy lunch ideas is a recipe you can even take on the go. How about those days when you feel you only have time for a handful of peanuts for lunch? Instead, use some cooked chicken, combine it with eggs, olives, cheddar cheese, red pepper, and an onion. Bake this into muffin cups or in a little pan, whatever you prefer. Pack some into your lunch box and you have no excuse not to eat something at lunchtime!
15. Avocado Chickpea Wraps
What happens if you mash chickpeas and mix them with avocado, olives, and a few other delicious ingredients? That’s right, your mouth starts to water! Now, wrap them in a tortilla and start eating!
16. Tuna Chickpea Meal Prep Lunch Bowls
I’m certain you’ll love this easy healthy lunch as much as I do. These bowls is rich in fiber, protein and flavor!
17. High-Protein Chicken Cobb Salad
Here the chicken and the egg will arrive at the same time. In your bowl. You’ll also add avocado, a delicious simple dressing, olives, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and leafy greens. Super easy and tasty!
18. Garlic Avocado Grilled Cheese Sandwich
This next sandwich on the list of easy healthy lunch ideas will definitely make you want to repeat on a daily basis. It’s super simple and quick – you’ll need bread, avocado, mozzarella, and some garlic. Have a small salad on the side for a full meal.
19. Spicy Mediterranean Lunch Bowl
These spicy Mediterranean bowls are perfect for lunch, dinner or whenever you’re in the mood for something light, flavorful and Mediterranean. You can prep your own hummus or buy it from the store and you’ll need chickpeas and veggies as well.
20. Best Chicken Salad
If you ever wanted to test out the waters with low-carb recipes, this next easy healthy lunch recipe can be a great start. Combine your cooked chicken with avocado, lettuce, nuts, red cabbage, and parmesan cheese. It sounds simple but it’s SO tasty.
21. Sweet Potato Black Bean Power Bowls
This bowl is last on the list of these easy healthy lunch ideas, but it’s definitely not last in quality and deliciousness. And I mean, these are randomly sorted! But this bowl, it’s plant-based, it’s rich in protein and fiber and it’s so incredibly tasty! We’ve got sweet potatoes, spicy cauliflower, avocado mash and black beans. SO so good!
More Healthy Recipes To Try
Well, I hope you found some inspiration with these easy and healthy lunch ideas. I also hope that you will take the challenge and have a healthy meal for lunch over the next 21 days, we need to start somewhere! Lunch is a great time. Now, if you want to have other healthy meals as well, here are some other collections to look through:
- 21 Mediterranean Diet Dinner Ideas
- 19 Paleo Diet Recipes To Lose Weight
- 17 Breakfast Ideas With Eggs
21 Easy Healthy Lunch Ideas
Eat a nutritious homemade lunch for the next 21 workdays! It's easy when you have 21 days' worth of easy healthy lunch ideas including power bowls, soups, sandwiches, wraps and some chicken recipes.
Ingredients
- 2 cup lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup cabbage, chopped
- 1 avocado
- 8 oz chicken breast, boneless, skinless (around 200 g)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp basil, dry
- 1 tsp coriander, ground
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp yogurt
- 1 tsp vinegar
- 1 tbsp tamari sauce
- 1/2 tsp mustard
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
- 5 walnut halves, chopped (optional)
- 8 olives, pitted (optional)
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Marinate the chicken with coriander, basil, crushed red pepper, 1 garlic glove, black pepper and some salt.
- In a non-stick pan, cook the chicken with 1 tbsp olive oil at medium to medium-high heat, flipping the for 5-6 minutes until the chicken is done. Let it cool off a little, before you add it to the salad.
- Make the dressing: in a small bowl whisk yogurt, vinegar, tamari, 1 garlic clove and mustard together.
- Making the salad: In a large salad bowl add the lettuce, parsley, cabbage, olives, avocado, chicken, walnuts (optional), scallions sesame seeds. Add the dressing, Parmesan cheese, mix well and add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
Original recipe is at Her Highness, Hungry Me.
Nutrition Information
Yield
2Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 577Total Fat 36gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 28gCholesterol 101mgSodium 1122mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 12gSugar 5gProtein 45g