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Making these lunches ahead of time helps you spend your lunch time eating, instead of cooking. These flavorful and nutritious dishes are convenient to store and filling to eat. With at least6 grams of fiberper serving from ingredients like legumes, vegetables and whole grains, these lunch recipes aresatisfying, support healthy digestion and promote healthier gut bacteriato help you feel your best. Recipes like our Chicken, Avocado & Quinoa Bowls with Herb Dressing and Green Goddess Wrap are delicious, nourishing and time-saving midday meals you’ll want to make over and over.
01of 20Gut-Healthy Miso Cup SoupPhotographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall , Prop Stylist: Julia BaylessThis miso soup is packed with gut-healthy ingredients like miso, a fermented paste that may improve digestion plus reduce gas and bloating. The base of the soup is prepared in advance and stored in separate containers. When you’re ready to enjoy it, simply add the broth and heat it in the microwave. If you don’t wish to travel with vegetable broth or don’t have access to a microwave, you can use reduced-sodium bouillon instead and just add hot water. Cover and let the soup stand for 10 minutes before serving.View Recipe
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Gut-Healthy Miso Cup Soup
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall , Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
This miso soup is packed with gut-healthy ingredients like miso, a fermented paste that may improve digestion plus reduce gas and bloating. The base of the soup is prepared in advance and stored in separate containers. When you’re ready to enjoy it, simply add the broth and heat it in the microwave. If you don’t wish to travel with vegetable broth or don’t have access to a microwave, you can use reduced-sodium bouillon instead and just add hot water. Cover and let the soup stand for 10 minutes before serving.
View Recipe
02of 20Chicken, Avocado & Quinoa Bowls with Herb DressingArrange the toppings individually on these protein-packed grain bowls so each bite has a contrasting taste and texture. Make big batches of the salad dressing, quinoa and roasted chicken thighs and you’ll have healthy meal-prep lunches or dinners for days. Though the chicken thighs take just 15 minutes to prep, you can also make the salads with leftover chicken or store-bought cooked chicken to make prep even faster.View Recipe
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Chicken, Avocado & Quinoa Bowls with Herb Dressing
Arrange the toppings individually on these protein-packed grain bowls so each bite has a contrasting taste and texture. Make big batches of the salad dressing, quinoa and roasted chicken thighs and you’ll have healthy meal-prep lunches or dinners for days. Though the chicken thighs take just 15 minutes to prep, you can also make the salads with leftover chicken or store-bought cooked chicken to make prep even faster.
03of 20Green Goddess WrapPhotographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer WendorfA soft and silky green goddess dressing blends with crunchy fresh cucumber and tender greens in this easy wrap. If you prefer, you can ditch the wrap and enjoy the filling as a salad instead.View Recipe
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Green Goddess Wrap
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf
A soft and silky green goddess dressing blends with crunchy fresh cucumber and tender greens in this easy wrap. If you prefer, you can ditch the wrap and enjoy the filling as a salad instead.
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Vegetable Cabbage Soup
Photography / Jennifer Causey, Styling / Ali Ramee / Audrey Davis
05of 20Lemony Lentil Salad with FetaThis delicious and healthy lentil salad comes together in just 30 minutes and makes a wonderful hot-weather meal. Serve with whole-wheat pitas, if desired.View Recipe
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Lemony Lentil Salad with Feta
This delicious and healthy lentil salad comes together in just 30 minutes and makes a wonderful hot-weather meal. Serve with whole-wheat pitas, if desired.
06of 20Eat-the-Rainbow Vegetable SoupPhotographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall , Prop Stylist: Shell RoysterThis vibrant and wholesome soup recipe helps support your well-being. It’s packed with a variety of colorful vegetables, like tomatoes, which contain lycopene, a phytochemical that may help reduce inflammation. The base of the soup is prepped ahead of time and stored in separate containers. Simply add the broth and heat it in the microwave when you’re ready to eat. If you don’t wish to travel with vegetable broth or don’t have access to a microwave, you can use reduced-sodium bouillon instead and just add hot water.View Recipe
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Eat-the-Rainbow Vegetable Soup
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall , Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
This vibrant and wholesome soup recipe helps support your well-being. It’s packed with a variety of colorful vegetables, like tomatoes, which contain lycopene, a phytochemical that may help reduce inflammation. The base of the soup is prepped ahead of time and stored in separate containers. Simply add the broth and heat it in the microwave when you’re ready to eat. If you don’t wish to travel with vegetable broth or don’t have access to a microwave, you can use reduced-sodium bouillon instead and just add hot water.
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Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey
08of 20Chopped Salad with Chicken & Creamy Chipotle DressingPhotography / Jennifer Causey, Styling / Melissa Gray / Kay ClarkeThis chopped salad with chicken is smoky and zesty thanks to the creamy chipotle dressing. Cilantro adds a pop of freshness to each bite.View Recipe
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Chopped Salad with Chicken & Creamy Chipotle Dressing
Photography / Jennifer Causey, Styling / Melissa Gray / Kay Clarke
This chopped salad with chicken is smoky and zesty thanks to the creamy chipotle dressing. Cilantro adds a pop of freshness to each bite.
09of 20Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & TunaThis power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Tossing the dressing and kale, and then letting it stand in the jar, softens it enough so you don’t need to massage or cook it to make it tender.View Recipe
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Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna
This power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Tossing the dressing and kale, and then letting it stand in the jar, softens it enough so you don’t need to massage or cook it to make it tender.
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Vegetarian Taco Salad
11of 20Red Lentil Soup with SaffronJacob FoxThis hearty red lentil soup uses spices common in Persian cuisine: turmeric, cumin and saffron. Enjoy it with a warm baguette or steamed rice.View Recipe
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Red Lentil Soup with Saffron
Jacob Fox
This hearty red lentil soup uses spices common in Persian cuisine: turmeric, cumin and saffron. Enjoy it with a warm baguette or steamed rice.
12of 20Meal-Prep Roasted Vegetable Bowls with PestoYour co-workers will be jealous when you pull out this healthy lunch of roasted veggies and brown rice. Put together 4 lunches when you have time and you will have packable lunches (or ready-to-eat dinners) for several days–just grab a container on your way out the door in the morning.View Recipe
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Meal-Prep Roasted Vegetable Bowls with Pesto
Your co-workers will be jealous when you pull out this healthy lunch of roasted veggies and brown rice. Put together 4 lunches when you have time and you will have packable lunches (or ready-to-eat dinners) for several days–just grab a container on your way out the door in the morning.
13of 20Chickpea “Chicken” SaladThis chickpea salad is a vegetarian version of a classic chicken salad. It doesn’t mimic the flavor of chicken; it swaps chickpeas in for the chicken. It’s an ideal recipe if you’re looking for simple, healthy lunch ideas. It is a delicious and fiber-packed vegetarian alternative! Plus, it’s easily transportable, perfect for picnics and will surely step up your usual desk lunch. So, whether you’re in need of healthy lunch ideas for work or school, or healthy lunch ideas for kids and teens alike, this fresh and creamy chickpea salad may be the answer.View Recipe
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Chickpea “Chicken” Salad
This chickpea salad is a vegetarian version of a classic chicken salad. It doesn’t mimic the flavor of chicken; it swaps chickpeas in for the chicken. It’s an ideal recipe if you’re looking for simple, healthy lunch ideas. It is a delicious and fiber-packed vegetarian alternative! Plus, it’s easily transportable, perfect for picnics and will surely step up your usual desk lunch. So, whether you’re in need of healthy lunch ideas for work or school, or healthy lunch ideas for kids and teens alike, this fresh and creamy chickpea salad may be the answer.
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Chipotle-Lime Cauliflower Taco Bowls
15of 20Spicy Ramen Noodle Cup Soup Packs 16g ProteinPhotographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Shell RoysterIn just 15 minutes, you can make three jars of vegetarian ramen cup soup that you can bring to work or school. These cup soups are not only a time saver, but are also packed with protein from hard-boiled eggs, which will help keep you satisfied until your next meal.View Recipe
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Spicy Ramen Noodle Cup Soup Packs 16g Protein
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
In just 15 minutes, you can make three jars of vegetarian ramen cup soup that you can bring to work or school. These cup soups are not only a time saver, but are also packed with protein from hard-boiled eggs, which will help keep you satisfied until your next meal.
16of 20Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu & Peanut DressingPrep four days' worth of high-protein vegan lunches using just four easy ingredients from your local specialty grocery store, including a veggie-heavy salad mix as a base. Because this salad mix is hearty, you can dress these bowls up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors in this healthy chopped salad to marry. If you can’t find a hearty mix, go with broccoli slaw or shredded Brussels sprouts.View Recipe
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Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu & Peanut Dressing
Prep four days' worth of high-protein vegan lunches using just four easy ingredients from your local specialty grocery store, including a veggie-heavy salad mix as a base. Because this salad mix is hearty, you can dress these bowls up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors in this healthy chopped salad to marry. If you can’t find a hearty mix, go with broccoli slaw or shredded Brussels sprouts.
17of 20Spicy Slaw Bowls with Shrimp & EdamameThe quick 10-minute Spicy Cabbage Slaw serves as the low-carb base in this veggie-packed lunch recipe. Topped with high-protein edamame and shrimp, this satisfying lunch will help you power through the afternoon.View Recipe
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Spicy Slaw Bowls with Shrimp & Edamame
The quick 10-minute Spicy Cabbage Slaw serves as the low-carb base in this veggie-packed lunch recipe. Topped with high-protein edamame and shrimp, this satisfying lunch will help you power through the afternoon.
18of 20Caprese Pasta SaladPhotographer / Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Christine KeelyThis light and fresh caprese pasta salad is brought together with a bright and tangy dressing, with fresh mozzarella pearls adding creaminess to every bite.View Recipe
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Caprese Pasta Salad
Photographer / Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Christine Keely
This light and fresh caprese pasta salad is brought together with a bright and tangy dressing, with fresh mozzarella pearls adding creaminess to every bite.
19of 20Instant Pot White Chicken Chili Freezer PackPrep all of the ingredients for this hearty soup and freeze until you’re ready to cook it for a fast meal. All you have to do is pop the frozen ingredients into your multicooker and turn it on. Using a pressure cooker to make this warming pot of chili results in extra-tender chicken that’s easy to shred. The addition of chopped zucchini and corn gives each bowl a nutritional boost.View Recipe
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Instant Pot White Chicken Chili Freezer Pack
Prep all of the ingredients for this hearty soup and freeze until you’re ready to cook it for a fast meal. All you have to do is pop the frozen ingredients into your multicooker and turn it on. Using a pressure cooker to make this warming pot of chili results in extra-tender chicken that’s easy to shred. The addition of chopped zucchini and corn gives each bowl a nutritional boost.
20of 20Lemon-Roasted Vegetable Hummus BowlsBrimming with colorful roasted vegetables, these plant-based meal-prep lunch bowls are high in fiber to keep you full through the afternoon. The easy roasted veggies are based on a popular recipe from our sister magazine (see Associated Recipes). Feel free to use your favorite store-bought hummus to cut down on prep time, or make a batch of your own (see Tip). You can also sub in an 8-ounce microwaveable quinoa pouch to minimize cooking.View Recipe
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Lemon-Roasted Vegetable Hummus Bowls
Brimming with colorful roasted vegetables, these plant-based meal-prep lunch bowls are high in fiber to keep you full through the afternoon. The easy roasted veggies are based on a popular recipe from our sister magazine (see Associated Recipes). Feel free to use your favorite store-bought hummus to cut down on prep time, or make a batch of your own (see Tip). You can also sub in an 8-ounce microwaveable quinoa pouch to minimize cooking.
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