12 Healthy Lunch Recipes: Healthy Lunch Ideas for Home Chefs

Healthy lunch recipes result in generally nutritious meals, although what equals nutritious can vary slightly from individual to individual. When looking for healthy lunch ideas, find foods that work for your personal preferences and dietary restrictions. In many cases, meals that rely on fresh fruits, vegetables, and responsibly sourced animal products will be healthier than those consisting of heavily processed ingredients.

Cooking meals at home presents opportunities to control factors like portion sizes and the quality of the ingredients. Additionally, preparing several meals in advance can save you time during busy weeks. Meal prep lunch recipes like chicken salad, egg salad, hummus, pasta salad, tuna salad, and others in big batches, so you have nutritious, convenient options all week long.

Soup recipes, salad recipes, and composed meals can be healthy lunch ideas if you use largely nutritious, unprocessed foods and enjoy them in moderation. Keep items like romaine lettuce, whole wheat tortillas, and pita bread on hand to convert leftovers to traditional salads, lettuce wraps, or tacos for even more variety. Here are twelve healthy and easy recipes emphasizing fresh, nutritious ingredients:

1. 1. Bento boxes: These Japanese lunch boxes traditionally equal a balanced meal comprised of single portions. A proper bento box contains a starch (rice or noodles), protein (tofu, chicken breast, or eggs), and assorted fruits or vegetables. Try adding this easy grilled tofu recipe to your own bento box.
2. 2. Bibimbap: A Korean rice bowl, bibimbap contains sautéed ground beef, egg, carrot, radish, and spinach atop a base of rice. Separate the ingredients of this Asian lunch into a bento box or pack it all in one container. Learn how to make bibimbap and customize the recipe to your preferences.
3. 3. Chicken Genovese: Similar to a pesto chicken dish, chicken Genovese uses a basil pesto as both a marinade and a sauce for the grilled chicken. Serve this classic Italian dish with zucchini, radishes, or other summer vegetables for an easy work lunch. Add this chicken Genovese recipe to your weekly lunch meal plan.
4. 4. Greek salad: A traditional Greek salad consists of red onion, cucumbers, olives, tomatoes, and feta cheese in a lemon juice and red wine vinegar vinaigrette. Add romaine, spinach, or arugula for a cold lunch with additional heft. Alternatively, combine a Greek salad with quinoa or farro to prepare a Greek grain bowl. Learn how to make Greek salad.
5. 5. Grilled zucchini salad: Cook fresh, in-season zucchini with salt, pepper, lime juice or lemon juice, and olive oil. Then add greens, seeds, fresh herbs, and a protein for an easy lunch option. If you make the zucchini ahead of time, you can top it with various ingredients throughout the week for a gluten-free, healthy meal. Follow this recipe for an easy grilled zucchini salad.
   
6. 6. Hummus: Blend chickpeas, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, and olive oil for a flavorful, creamy hummus. Add sundried tomatoes, olives, or cilantro to the recipe if you want additional flavor, or keep things classic. Spread this versatile ingredient on pita or lettuce for a hummus pita wrap with bell peppers and chicken or tofu, or add it to a rice bowl with other Mediterranean ingredients. Learn how to make homemade hummus.
7. 7. Italian wedding soup: Combining chicken broth, small meatballs, Parmesan cheese, and vegetables, Italian wedding soup is a slow cooker comfort food. Serve the brothy soup over brown rice or cook a small pasta along with the other ingredients. Try making a big batch of Italian wedding soup in advance, so you have healthy lunches ready to go all week.
8. 8. Mediterranean chickpea salad: Start with the flavors of a classic Greek salad, then add chickpeas for protein and a creamy texture. Toss the chickpeas, cucumbers, red onion, feta, and tomatoes in a red wine vinaigrette, and enjoy the salad with pita or grilled chicken or over cold zucchini noodles. Try this simple Mediterranean chickpea salad recipe.
9. 9. Mujadara: A protein-rich, easy meal of lentils and rice, mujadara is a common side dish in Middle Eastern countries. Add vegetables and make a large quantity, so you have enough for a week’s worth of lunches. Serve the spiced lentil dish with a cool Greek yogurt sauce. Learn how to make mujadara.
10. 10. Steamed sweet potatoes: With their earthy and slightly sweet flavor, sweet potatoes complement a piece of chicken or a savory lunch salad. Alternatively, stuff steamed sweet potatoes with ground turkey and black beans, or combine them with vegetables and fermented foods to complete your lunch. Start with this simple steamed sweet potato recipe.
11. 11. Thai peanut curry: A base of red curry paste, coconut milk, and ground peanuts (or peanut butter) creates a savory and spicy curry peanut sauce you can use over rice and vegetables, chicken, or tofu. Learn how to make this spicy Thai curry recipe.
12. 12. Quinoa salad: You can use quinoa—a nutty ancient whole grain with a slight chew to it—in many vegetarian and vegan lunches. Add green beans, corn, red peppers, butternut squash, or any variety of vegetables you prefer to round out the dish. Alternatively, top this quinoa salad recipe with protein or serve it over greens.

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