Easy Healthy Lunch Ideas
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Keep yourself and the family fed with these easy-to-make, healthy lunch ideas beyond that daily salad or peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Get inspired by these delicious and filling ideas, from salads to nourishing soups, wraps, and more.
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If you’re looking for mid-day meal ideas that are both easy and healthy, you’ll love these lunch recipes that are both adult and kid-friendly alike.
Easy Lunch Ideas
We’re mixing up the midday meal with quick recipes and ideas like delicious soups, sandwiches and wraps, and even pasta recipes that will brighten your week.
Not only will you fill up on healthy, filling lunches, but these easy-to-prep and make-ahead lunches are perfect when the family is home.
Why Lunch is Important for Adults
Dr. Kurt Hong, the Center for Human Nutrition director of Huntington Medical Foundation, says:
“Eating in the middle of the day, several hours after breakfast, re-energizes your body and can raise blood sugar levels when focus and concentration are flagging. If you’re feeling sluggish, eating even a small lunch can renew your energy and help you feel refreshed and ready to take on the next several hours.”
Why Lunch is Important for Kids
“Lunch may have even more importance for school-aged children than it does for adults. Since most kids don’t get breakfast or dinner at school and may not have any snacks until they get home, lunch is the only meal they have to power them through the day.”
According to ChoiceUSA.net, the mid-day meal “makes up one-third to one-half of a child’s nutritional intake for an entire day and is essential for helping children succeed in school as well as grow and develop successfully and healthfully.”
More Lunch Ideas:
Planning Healthy Meals Ahead
Meal planning can be difficult, especially when you’re looking for healthy ideas at the last minute. Here are a few tips I try to keep in mind:
- Plan meals on the weekend. Take a few minutes, sometime during the weekend to jot down ideas for meals. Then, at the same time, write your grocery list. I’m using this handy meal planner for the refrigerator and loving it.
- Keep it simple: When life gets in the way, and the meal plan doesn’t happen, reach for quick and easy meals everyone loves. Short cooking times and minimal ingredients.
- Shopping for leak-proof containers: I own both of these bento-box style containers, and both are working great. The Rover Stainless bento box is a favorite and dishwasher-friendly, which is great. But I also enjoy the Bento Box for Kids; it’s lighter weight and a bit smaller.
Easy Healthy Lunch Ideas
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad (10 Minutes)
One of my favorite meals for lunches is this healthy salad. It's quick, healthy, and ready in 10 minutes or less!
Quinoa Salad Recipe
This Quinoa Salad is a favorite healthy salad, packed with vegetables and herbs, and perfect for lunches, picnics, and sides.
Chickpea Pasta Salad in a Jar
Just flip it over, watch the dressing run down, and dig into this veggie-packed mason jar salad.
Adult Lunchable with Veggies, Salami, and Cream Cheese
"Make your own healthy adult lunchable with veggies, salami, and cream cheese. Add whole grain crackers and swap deli meats for endless school lunch ideas!"
Turn a Wasa Cracker into a 5-Minute Lunch
"Do you know Wasa crackers? These crunchy, whole-grain crispbreads are a mild yet sturdy cracker with a touch of earthy flavor. And that is precisely what makes them the perfect base for lunch. Think of these cracker combos like an open-faced sandwich, or tartine, ready in two minutes."
Baking Sheet Quesadilla Recipe
"Why make individual quesadillas when you can make one enormous one? Introducing baking sheet quesadillas, which are perfect for any gathering (or if you just want to get dinner on the table in a flash). It's the genius cooking trick you didn't even know you needed."
Easy Summer Pasta Salad Recipe
This Mediterranean-inspired Pasta Salad is a favorite with salami, peppers, broccoli, zesty Italian dressing, and Feta cheese.
Easy 15 Minute Instant Pot Chicken Pho (Vietnamese)
Ramen and lunch simply belong together. Actually -- ramen is fantastic for any meal -- at any time. This Instant Pot Chicken Pho is a quick and easy take on that beloved dish. Perfect for quick, hot lunches!
5 Minute Rainbow Protein Veggie Wraps
A quick and delicious wrap, perfect for lunch -- or lunch on the go. Kids love it -- adults love it. Healthy, quick and delicious. Which makes it a perfect lunch.
Mug Recipes: 10-Minute Macaroni and Cheese
"The problem: You’re hanging out at home solo and you really want mac and cheese, but you don’t feel like cooking a whole pot just for yourself. (We’ve been there.) The solution: This recipe for ten-minute macaroni and cheese in a mug. It might be the best thing that’s ever happened to you."
Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Paprika and Cumin
Instant Pot Lentil Soup is a homey, comfort food in a bowl. It's healthy, nourishing to the soul and body, and incredibly delicious with paprika and cumin.
Instant Pot Tomato Soup
This Instant Pot Tomato Soup recipe is a super easy, comfort food classic. Homemade tomato soup can take a while to make. The Instant Pot soup recipe makes an incredibly delicious tomato vegetarian soup in a fraction of the time.
10 Minute Make Ahead White Bean Salad
This White Bean Salad is delicious and easy to make ahead in 10 minutes or less.
Vegetable Ramen with Mushrooms and Bok Choy
"Your college diet has received an upgrade. This time, customize your bowl of ramen with fresh ingredients like shiitake mushrooms, snow peas, and bok choy."
Collard Wrap Bento Boxes
"We're newly obsessed with collard greens—their not as flimsy as, say, romaine so you can create a hefty wrap with them. If you'd rather use another green, cabbage could totally work here."
Taco Salad in a Jar
"Layers of ground turkey, black beans, corn, scallions, cheese, and tomatoes is the heartiest thing you can tote" for lunch.
Simple Ham Salad: Quick and Delicious
A simple ham salad recipe elevated to incredible with the addition of a few unique ingredients. And is utterly delicious. Ready in 10 minutes, it's a salad you'll make all season!
Tuna Melt
"Tuna lovers! Meet your ultimate sandwich. With just the right amount of crunch, melty cheddar cheese, and a couple good slices of tomato, you might even convert a tuna hater."
15 Minute Pizza Bombs: Hot Pocket Pizzas You'll Love
They are fun and a perennial favorite. Make lunch fun and easy -- with these 15 Minute Pizza Bombs!
Zucchini Butter and Turkey Roll-Ups
"These Zucchini Butter and Turkey Roll-Ups are easy to meal-prep on the weekend and are the perfect fun lunch to pack on busy weekday mornings for kids and adults alike!"
Make Ahead Meal Prep Mini Frittatas in Muffin Tins
Perfect for breakfast or lunch, these healthy mini frittatas are easy to make ahead, and customize for everyone's favorites.
Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Bites
"Hey, you, with the sad bowl of chicken and stars. Up the ante with this quick and easy tomato soup topped with double-decker grilled cheese sandwiches. We guarantee they’re exactly what you’re craving. (And your kids will go bonkers.)"
Broccoli and Cheddar Brown Rice Muffins
"These easy kid friendly Broccoli and Cheddar Brown Rice Muffins are a great way to use up extra broccoli or brown rice in your fridge, while making a healthy snack or meal for your family, packed with veggies, whole grains, and protein."
Vegetable Quesadillas
"These colourful Vegetable Quesadillas are a great way to expose your children to a range of vegetables. Mix and match the vegetables with what you have available or to suit taste."
Instant Pot Taco Mac and Cheese
This Instant Pot Chili Mac and Cheese is an easy pasta dish and family favorite dinner. A blend of lean ground beef, macaroni, chili beans, tomatoes, and spices. And, of course, melting cheddar cheese. An easy dinner to table meal in around 15 minutes, give or take a few.
Salmon Burgers in 15 Minutes or Less
Crispy Salmon Burgers, yes, in 15 minutes or less. How does that sound? Made easy with mostly pantry ingredients you may already have on hand.