The workday may not always be predictable. Some days may fly by while others can feel like a marathon. Either way, it’s important that you have the nutritious fuel you need to support energy, focus, and steady blood sugar levels while keeping hunger at bay.
Your work lunch ideas should provide a balance of protein, complex carbs (fiber), and healthy fats. Consider how you can combine a variety of foods you enjoy to create healthy lunches for work.
We know it can be overwhelming to come up with easy lunch ideas for work that are nutrient-dense, taste good, and don’t get too repetitive. To help you with preparation, we’ve rounded up 20 lunch ideas for work that fit the bill.
Benefits of Meal Prepping for Work Lunches
Let's face it: weekdays can be a whirlwind. Between work deadlines and that never-ending to-do list, lunchtime can quickly become an afterthought. But who wants to spend their lunch break stuck in line or waiting for delivery? Enter meal prepping, the ultimate game-changer!
Saves Time
Here's the magic: you prep your meals in advance, giving you back your lunch break. Imagine, you can actually enjoy a relaxing lunch.
Healthier Options
Meal prepping is like having a tiny nutrition superhero on your side. You get to control exactly what goes into your food so you can ditch the mystery ingredients, control portion size, and fuel your body with wholesome goodness.
Saves Money
And guess what? Meal prepping is your wallet's new best friend. It helps you avoid pricey takeout temptations, keeping more money in your pocket.
Reduces Stress
Say goodbye to rush hour traffic and waiting endlessly for your food. Convenience is everything; having nutritious, prepared meals ready and waiting takes a tremendous load off your mind.
Top 20 Lunch Ideas for Work
1. Turkey and avocado wrap
All you need for this quick and easy work lunch is a tortilla, turkey or other deli meat, and avocado (a healthy fat) to mash in place of mayonnaise. If you have other veggies, like grated carrots, sliced radishes, or cucumbers, these can also be added, as well as a slice of cheese.
2. Quinoa salad with veggies and feta cheese
If you can make a batch of quinoa beforehand, this takes a chunk of prep work out of this lunch option. To make it, just combine cooked and cooled quinoa with chopped veggies of your choice and crumbled feta cheese. Optionally, add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar or Italian dressing for more flavor.
3. Chicken Caesar salad
Chopped romaine lettuce, Parmesan cheese, shredded or canned chicken, and Caesar dressing come together for a flavorful, protein-rich lunch salad. Alternatively, you can use chopped and roasted tofu cubes and add any other veggies you have available. Check out this recipe from Wholesome Yum.
4. Hummus and veggie wraps
Spread a tortilla with hummus and layer it with thinly sliced tomatoes, broccoli sprouts, cucumbers, and leafy greens. The mix of colors indicates a balance of healthy nutrients.
5. Greek yogurt with granola and fruit
Greek yogurt is rich and creamy and full of protein, making it a nice variation on a healthy and satisfying lunch for work. Toss in some seedy granola and either dried or fresh fruit like berries and banana slices for a deliciously sweet and light meal.
6. Black bean and corn salad
Beans make a great staple for healthy work lunches. Black beans are a great source of B vitamins, fiber, and protein. Toss them with corn, another healthy legume, for a satiating work lunch. Include chopped avocado, pice de gallo, and either pita chips, a tortilla, or rice. Try this recipe from Spend with Pennies.
7. Caprese sandwich with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil
A Caprese sandwich layers a hunk of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves between chunky bread. Drizzle the inside with balsamic vinegar and serve with a side of fruit.
8. Pasta salad with pesto and cherry tomatoes
Need cold lunch ideas for work? Look no further than repurposing leftover plain cooked pasta from a previous dinner. Combine the pasta with a premade pesto sauce and some cherry tomatoes for a nice combination of flavors. You can even add in some chicken or white beans for more protein.
9. Lentil soup with whole-grain bread
Lentils are a great source of B vitamins, particularly folate, as well as fiber and protein. They work well in soups, providing texture and pairing well with just about any veggie you have on hand to toss in. Serve it with a slice of crusty whole-grain bread.
10. Egg salad sandwich on whole wheat bread
If you can prep a batch of egg salad for the week ahead, this makes for an easy grab-and-go situation for your lunch the next day. You can slather egg salad into a pita pocket or between two slices of whole wheat bread. Alternatively, put some in a container with a lid and a side of crackers. Don’t eat eggs? Try substituting chickpeas using this recipe from Delish Knowledge.
11. Tuna salad with crackers or on whole wheat bread
If you don’t feel like making tuna salad at home, you can find it premade in cans or pouches that are easy to toss into a bag for work. Grab a sleeve of whole-grain crackers or some bread to have with it.
12. Spinach and feta stuffed bell peppers
Need healthy lunch ideas for work? Grab a bell pepper. If you have time for some meal prep the night before, consider making stuffed bell peppers. All you have to do is core the peppers, remove their seeds, and stuff them with cooked rice, spinach, and feta cheese before roasting them in the oven. This can be a meal in itself or you could serve it with a piece of fruit.
13. Vegetable and chickpea curry with rice
A big batch of premade rice goes a long way for lunches during the week. For this lunch, fill a container with cooked rice and top it with chickpea curry (like this one from Tea for Turmeric) and veggies like zucchini, cauliflower, and mushrooms.
14. Soba noodle salad with edamame and peanut sauce
Soba noodles are a nice change of pace from wheat noodles you might use for spaghetti. Toss pods or shelled edamame beans with noodles and a peanut sauce, which you can purchase or make, like this recipe from Fork in the Kitchen.
15. Turkey and cheese roll-ups with whole grain crackers
Have turkey and cheese slices available? Then you’re already most of the way there with this recipe. Layer them together, roll them up, and cut them into slices. Serve them in your lunch box with a side of whole-grain crackers.
16. Veggie and hummus wraps
It doesn’t get much easier than making wraps for easy work lunch ideas. Grab a tortilla, layer in your favorite veggies, and spread on some hummus before rolling them up.
17. Chili with cornbread muffins
Make a pot of chili using either ground beef, crumbled tempeh, or lentils as the protein base. Serve with a cornbread muffin (like this one from Creme de la Crumb), a piece of fruit, and a Chomps Sea Salt Beef stick.
18 Avocado toast with cherry tomatoes and feta
Avocado toast: not just for breakfast! Slather thick pieces of toast with mashed avocado and layer them with ingredients you enjoy. Sliced cherry tomatoes, sprouts, feta cheese, pepitas, or cucumbers work well.
19. Spaghetti squash
Spaghetti squash is simple to make and offers a twist on traditional pasta to make easy work lunches. All you have to do is roast the squash in the oven, use a fork to create squash noodles from the insides, and then toss your squash noodles with marinara, pesto, or butter with cheese.
20. Appetizer lunch
This is a great idea for those days when you feel like you don’t have anything for lunch. Instead, gather what you have and create an appetizer lunch spread. For example, this could include celery and carrot sticks with hummus, a peanut butter bagel, a Chomps variety pack, olives, and strawberries. Perhaps one of the most simple lunch ideas for work is to use things you already have.
We hope you find these quick lunch ideas for work helpful as you plan your week at the office! Even if you're short on time in the mornings, no worries! We've got you covered with some easy ideas for healthy snacks for work to keep you energized throughout the day.
