35 Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work or School

Egg Roll in a Bowl

Tuna Wrap

High protein tuna combines with crunchy veggies, like celery, water chestnuts and red peppers, and a creamy mustard mayo sauce for a super satisfying and filling lunch. Wrapped up tight in a spinach tortilla, you’ve got a hand-held lunch that’s perfect for eating at your desk.

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

A chicken Caesar salad can come together in minutes, but it may not be hearty enough to power you through an afternoon of meetings. This pasta salad, on the other hand, is filling and refreshing. It combines your favorite salad ingredients with whole grain, fiber-rich pasta. Using rotisserie chicken, this dish comes together quickly. Store it in the fridge for one to two days for a cold, no-heat lunch option.

White Chicken Chili

For a bowl of midday comfort, prep a batch of this fiber-rich, high-protein soup on the weekend to pack in your lunches all week long. Great northern beans add fiber and a creamy consistency to this chili. And tender bites of chicken add plenty of protein for energy that lasts all afternoon.

Veggie Nicoise Salad

This salad takes a bit of time to prepare, but enjoying a few days of restaurant-quality lunches is well worth the meal prep. Asparagus, potatoes, green beans, onions and lettuce combine for a veggie-filled base. Artichoke hearts, olives and a lemony herbed vinaigrette pile on the flavor. Don’t forget the hard-boiled eggs, which help give this salad a bit more staying power for the workday.

Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

This vegan version of egg salad or tuna salad has an impressive 7 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein in each serving. Smashed chickpeas have a soft texture that combines beautifully with fresh dill, chopped celery, onion and seasoned red wine mayo. You can spread this mixture on whole grain bread, pile it into a wrap, or scoop it over a bed of greens for a quick and easy healthy salad.

Shrimp Avocado Salad

Juicy cold shrimp, spicy peppers and a bright cilantro lime dressing are the stars of this summertime lunch salad. But instead of enjoying this mixture as a ceviche appetizer (which is also incredible), you can turn it into a filling and refreshing summertime lunch. Just add sliced avocado and pile everything into cups of soft lettuce leaves. The mixture keeps for up to three days in the refrigerator. It’s perfect for a simple packed lunch.

Greek Orzo Salad

Chop the veggies and mix the dressing while the orzo cooks on the stove, and you’ll have this bright and bold pasta salad ready for your weekday lunches in 15 minutes. As is, the recipe has 6 grams of protein, making it a healthy lunch side option. For a filling main course, mix in a can of cannellini beans or Greek-style chicken skewers.

Chickpea Tacos

Seasoned roasted chickpeas are the ultimate vegetarian taco filling, adding a bit of crunch and a lot of flavor in every bite. Taking just 20 minutes to prep and a few minutes to saute leftover chickpeas back to their crispy glory, it’s the perfect lunch. Keep the toppings as basic as you’d like with a little cilantro and pico de gallo, or spruce up the tacos with pickled onions, mango or shredded cabbage.

Turkey Avocado Sandwich

Skip the line at the sandwich shop and assemble this bistro-quality stack yourself. The homemade smoked Gouda spread and creamy avocado elevate a boring turkey sandwich into one you’ll be excited to show off in the breakroom. If you’re home, choose a hearty sourdough bread that toasts to perfection, while a hoagie roll or onion bun will keep everything fresh in a sack lunch.

Vietnamese Noodle Salad with Pork

Crisp veggies, tangy lime dressing and tender bites of pork make this lunchtime salad as filling as it is refreshing and satisfying. With a little bit of prep work, you can make this protein-rich salad once and enjoy it in packed lunches all week long.

Chicken Taco Salad

Let your slow cooker do the work while you tackle your to-do lists and meetings for the day. A bed of crisp romaine piled high with taco-spiced shredded chicken and your favorite taco toppings is hearty enough to keep you full and flavorful enough to feel like a midday treat.

Rotini Pasta Salad

Crisp red pepper, juicy tomatoes, creamy feta and olives add major texture to this pasta salad while the lemony vinaigrette adds a bright and light flavor. This pasta dish holds up well for several days in the refrigerator and pairs perfectly with beans or grilled chicken for a complete and filling lunch.

Jamaican Jerk Turkey Wraps

Working from home? Make your midday break feel like a mini getaway. In just 20 minutes, you’ll be enjoying bold island flavor in this hand-held wrap.

Honey Chicken Stir-Fry

Replace the takeout with this sweet and savory one-pan chicken stir fry. While you can easily toss this together on a lunch break at home, it keeps well for up to five days in the refrigerator, making it a perfect workweek meal prep lunch.

Chicken Avocado Wrap

These wraps bring creamy avocado, juicy chicken, and a kick of cumin-spiced tomato and onion together, all rolled up in a soft tortilla. They’re perfect for make-ahead lunches you can grab cold or warm in the breakroom microwave.

Feta Garbanzo Bean Salad

This vegetarian salad combines protein- and fiber-filled chickpeas, crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, briny olives and tangy feta cheese with mixed greens and a bright, citrusy lemon olive oil dressing. Pack it along with pita and hummus for a fully Greek-inspired lunch.

Five-Spice Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These spiced chicken lettuce wraps are perfect for a midday meal that won’t weigh you down. Once you’ve prepped the chicken and pickled carrots, you can assemble these wraps in less time than it takes to order takeout.

Mediterranean Tuna Salad

Skip the heavy mayo-drenched tuna salads for this healthy, vibrant and fresh Mediterranean-style dish. Combining tuna with beans, peppers, celery and bold balsamic dressing creates a flavorful and nourishing salad that’s ready to be tossed over greens, piled into a pita or scooped into a wrap.

Hummus Veggie Wrap

For a go-to no-cook lunch that can just as easily be packed as it can be whipped up in minutes at home, this veggie-filled hummus wrap is a winner. With layers of crisp fresh veggies, creamy hummus and a whole grain wrap, you’ll feel satisfied and energized to take on the afternoon.

Salad with Avocado

Creamy avocado adds an element of decadence to this veggie-packed salad, while also making it exponentially more filling. To make this salad ahead of time, prep and store the veggies and dressing separately, then combine and top it with avocado just before eating.

Grilled Asian Chicken Pasta Salad

This refreshing noodle salad is bursting with bold flavors of ginger, garlic, lime, sesame and a hint of heat from red pepper flakes. Tossed with grilled chicken, crunchy cucumbers and peppers, it’s a light yet satisfying lunch that tastes even better chilled the next day.

Better Than Egg Salad

Cubes of silken tofu replace eggs in this clever take on a classic lunch salad. For an easy vegan lunch, you can easily replace the mayo with an avocado-based mayonnaise for the same creamy texture.

California Roll Wraps

For full sushi flavor in sandwich form, these California roll wraps hit the spot. Tender crab, crunchy veggies and a smear of wasabi sauce are wrapped into a portable, hand-held lunch. Swap in smoked salmon or tuna and use your favorite veggies to make this meal your own.

Kale Quinoa Salad

Quinoa and kale hold up well after cooking, making this flavorful salad perfect for meal prepping. After cooling, scoop this salad into a Mason jar and enjoy it hot or cold for an easy grab-and-go lunch.

Chicken Souvlaki

This classic Greek dish proves that simple ingredients can create big flavor. Whether you tuck the garlicky, lemony bites of chicken into a pita with tzatziki or serve it over rice, it’s a fresh and satisfying lunch that’s perfect for prepping ahead.

Kimchi Cauliflower Fried Rice

This fiery twist on traditional fried rice uses frozen cauliflower rice to cut the carbs but still delivers bold flavor thanks to smoky bacon and tangy kimchi. If cauliflower rice isn’t your thing, you can just as easily use brown rice or white rice as the base for a heartier, more filling option.

Bean Burritos

Lunch meal prep doesn’t get any easier than these vegetarian bean burritos. Wrap the mixture of creamy beans, cheese, rice and salsa in a flour tortilla and bake. Then, warm it up as needed throughout the week. For major meal prepping, you can even freeze unbaked burritos for up to three months.

Minestrone Soup

Loaded with veggies, beans and pasta in a rich tomato broth, this hearty minestrone is like a warm hug to get you through the day. If you’re working from home, this veggie-rich soup pairs perfectly with a quick pesto grilled cheese.

Fruity Peanut Butter Pitas

Swap in this fall-spiced apple, banana and peanut butter pita for your PB&J. The fiber boost you get from the whole grain pita and fruit instead of jelly will make this easy lunch stick with you all afternoon.

Barley Salad

This herb-packed salad is loaded with chewy barley, crunchy veggies and creamy feta cheese for a make-ahead lunch that tastes even better the next day (and the day after).

Thai Noodle Salad

A twist on traditional pad thai, this healthy noodle salad uses whole wheat spaghetti noodles tossed with creamy peanut-lime dressing, crunchy veggies and bites of chicken for a filling cold salad. It’s perfect eaten chilled straight from the fridge, served in lettuce cups or tucked into a wrap for a lunch that can be eaten at your desk or on the go.

Veggie Brown Rice Wraps

Beans, sweet corn, mushrooms and peppers are mixed with brown rice and salsa, then wrapped up with a sprinkle of cheddar for a filling make-ahead lunch you can either warm up or enjoy cold from the fridge. For a vegan version, leave out the cheese and use vegan tortillas or serve this mixture over a bed of greens.

Cashew Chicken

This quick and cozy stir-fry can be served over rice for a satisfying takeout-style lunch at home or packed up for a week of lunches at work. Make this dish your own by swapping in peanuts, adding broccoli or zucchini for extra veggies, or using chicken thighs instead of breasts.

Veggie Frittata

This savory dairy-free egg bake is studded with carrots, peppers, zucchini and tomatoes for a satisfying and healthy meal you can enjoy any time of day. Pre-portion this frittata along with fruit and yogurt parfaits for the ultimate lunch meal prep.

Healthy Lunch Ideas FAQ

What is the healthiest thing you can eat for lunch?

The healthiest option for most people is a balanced lunch with a combination of protein, starchy veggies, whole grains and healthy fats. Think meals like salmon salad with a microwaved sweet potato or better than egg salad on whole grain bread with a side of carrot sticks and strawberries.

What healthy lunch ideas can I make on a budget?

Healthy lunches don’t have to break the bank. Using canned or frozen proteins and seasonal vegetables and cooking whole grains in bulk are easy ways to eat well for less. Vegetarian bean burritos or chickpea salad sandwiches served with raw veggies or fruit are budget-friendly, nourishing options.

What is a quick healthy lunch for on the go?

For a portable healthy lunch on the go, look for foods that can be eaten cold and stored in portioned, easy-to-eat containers. Kale quinoa salad or feta garbanzo bean salad can be kept in Mason jars and eaten chilled. Wraps like veggie brown rice wraps and hummus veggie wraps are other good options for hand-held, easy-to-eat lunches.