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For a midday pick-me-up, skip theextra cup of coffeeand try one of these energizing lunch recipes instead. Featuring energy-boosting foods like eggs, pears, chickpeas and beans, these meals can help keep you fueled and motivated to take on the rest of your day. Recipes like our Chickpea Tuna Salad and our Best Egg Salad Recipe for Sandwiches are ideal choices to pack for lunch any day of the week.
01of 12The Best Egg Salad Recipe for SandwichesView RecipePhotographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Shell RoysterThis delicious egg salad recipe is the perfect choice for sandwiches, wraps and more. The filling spread can be made ahead of time, which makes this recipe great for meal prep. Creamy, crunchy and satisfying, this easy egg salad recipe has it all. Celery hearts, which are the inner ribs of celery, are more tender than stalks and add a mildly salty and briny flavor. Learnhow to make hard-boiled eggsat home, or buy ready-to-eat ones from the store. Serve this egg salad on top of a bed of greens, sandwich it between slices of whole-wheat bread or pair it with carrot and celery sticks.
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The Best Egg Salad Recipe for Sandwiches
View Recipe
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
This delicious egg salad recipe is the perfect choice for sandwiches, wraps and more. The filling spread can be made ahead of time, which makes this recipe great for meal prep. Creamy, crunchy and satisfying, this easy egg salad recipe has it all. Celery hearts, which are the inner ribs of celery, are more tender than stalks and add a mildly salty and briny flavor. Learnhow to make hard-boiled eggsat home, or buy ready-to-eat ones from the store. Serve this egg salad on top of a bed of greens, sandwich it between slices of whole-wheat bread or pair it with carrot and celery sticks.
02of 12Chickpea Tuna SaladView RecipePhotography / Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling / Ruth BlackburnThis chickpea tuna salad with capers, feta and cucumber makes for the perfect lunch to pack for work or school. You can prep the salad the night before (just be sure to keep the spinach separate and dress the salad right before serving).
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Chickpea Tuna Salad
Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling / Ruth Blackburn
This chickpea tuna salad with capers, feta and cucumber makes for the perfect lunch to pack for work or school. You can prep the salad the night before (just be sure to keep the spinach separate and dress the salad right before serving).
03of 12Feta, Kale & Pear SaladView RecipeThe crunchy seed topping is the perfect textural juxtaposition to a creamy dressing, soft pears and tender massaged kale salad. Tossing it all with mint, feta and red onion gives it a Middle Eastern flair.
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Feta, Kale & Pear Salad
The crunchy seed topping is the perfect textural juxtaposition to a creamy dressing, soft pears and tender massaged kale salad. Tossing it all with mint, feta and red onion gives it a Middle Eastern flair.
04of 12Chickpea Salad SandwichView RecipePhotography / Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling / Ruth BlackburnThis vegan chickpea salad sandwich is lemony, bright and surprisingly delicious. It’s got all the flavors of a classic tuna salad sandwich—dill, lemon and a bit of garlic—but with chickpeas instead to add a vegan source of protein and a healthy boost of fiber. Celery brings a nice crunch.
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Chickpea Salad Sandwich
This vegan chickpea salad sandwich is lemony, bright and surprisingly delicious. It’s got all the flavors of a classic tuna salad sandwich—dill, lemon and a bit of garlic—but with chickpeas instead to add a vegan source of protein and a healthy boost of fiber. Celery brings a nice crunch.
05of 12No-Cook Black Bean SaladView RecipeThe dressing for this vegan black bean salad gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick.
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No-Cook Black Bean Salad
The dressing for this vegan black bean salad gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick.
06of 12Tuna & White Bean SaladView RecipeThe time-honored Italian pairing of canned tuna and cannellini beans makes a super-simple, satisfying lunch. Serve over salad greens, on grilled whole-wheat country bread or tucked in a whole-wheat pita pocket.
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Tuna & White Bean Salad
The time-honored Italian pairing of canned tuna and cannellini beans makes a super-simple, satisfying lunch. Serve over salad greens, on grilled whole-wheat country bread or tucked in a whole-wheat pita pocket.
07of 12Roasted Butternut Squash & Pear Quinoa SaladView RecipeThis roasted vegetable and fruit salad gets infused with flavor from quinoa that’s cooked with fresh ginger, garlic and a hit of turmeric. Serve it alongside a roast chicken, then mix the leftovers together for lunch. Your future self will thank you.
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Roasted Butternut Squash & Pear Quinoa Salad
This roasted vegetable and fruit salad gets infused with flavor from quinoa that’s cooked with fresh ginger, garlic and a hit of turmeric. Serve it alongside a roast chicken, then mix the leftovers together for lunch. Your future self will thank you.
08of 12Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut DressingView RecipeThese hearty kale salads hold up well for 4 days, making them perfect for meal-prep lunches. To keep the ingredients from getting soggy, dress this salad and top it with peanuts just before serving. For a delicious vegan option, swap in roasted tofu for the chicken breast (see Associated Recipes).
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Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing
These hearty kale salads hold up well for 4 days, making them perfect for meal-prep lunches. To keep the ingredients from getting soggy, dress this salad and top it with peanuts just before serving. For a delicious vegan option, swap in roasted tofu for the chicken breast (see Associated Recipes).
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White Bean & Avocado Sandwich
10of 12Cranberry-Walnut Chickpea SaladView RecipePhotographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnellyWe swap chickpeas in for chicken to create a satisfying vegetarian main that’s perfect for lunch. Cranberries add a sweet-tart flavor, while toasted walnuts and celery provide crunch. Serve over leafy greens or use as a sandwich filling.
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Cranberry-Walnut Chickpea Salad
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnelly
We swap chickpeas in for chicken to create a satisfying vegetarian main that’s perfect for lunch. Cranberries add a sweet-tart flavor, while toasted walnuts and celery provide crunch. Serve over leafy greens or use as a sandwich filling.
11of 12Pear, Gorgonzola & Walnut SaladView RecipeThis pear and gorgonzola salad celebrates fall with its beautiful colors. The light and refreshing vinaigrette offsets the tangy funk of Gorgonzola and the sweetness from the raisins and pears.
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Pear, Gorgonzola & Walnut Salad
This pear and gorgonzola salad celebrates fall with its beautiful colors. The light and refreshing vinaigrette offsets the tangy funk of Gorgonzola and the sweetness from the raisins and pears.
12of 12Egg Salad English-Muffin SandwichView RecipeBrie PassanoWhen you boil eggs ahead of time, it’s easy to create a lickety-split and delightful lunchtime egg salad. And using the flavorful leafy carrot tops in it is like getting herbs for free.
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Egg Salad English-Muffin Sandwich
Brie Passano
When you boil eggs ahead of time, it’s easy to create a lickety-split and delightful lunchtime egg salad. And using the flavorful leafy carrot tops in it is like getting herbs for free.
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