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Photo: Carolyn Hodges
These simple recipes are perfect for days when you barely have time to think about lunch. Since you can whip up these lunches in just five minutes, you’ll want to pack your pantry and fridge with the common grocery items we rely on for these meals, like avocados, rice and tinned fish. Recipes like our 3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad and White Bean & Avocado Toast are easy standards that will soon be go-tos during busy weeks.
01of 26Roasted Veggie & Tofu Brown Rice BowlView RecipeA healthy and satisfying vegan lunch for one, featuring roasted butternut squash, broccoli, peppers and onions with simple brown rice, lime-marinated tofu and creamy cashew tahini sauce.
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Roasted Veggie & Tofu Brown Rice Bowl
View Recipe
A healthy and satisfying vegan lunch for one, featuring roasted butternut squash, broccoli, peppers and onions with simple brown rice, lime-marinated tofu and creamy cashew tahini sauce.
02of 26White Bean & Avocado ToastView RecipeMashed avocado and white beans make for a fiber-rich and creamy topping, the perfect partner for a crispy slice of toast. Try it for a quick lunch or snack.
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White Bean & Avocado Toast
Mashed avocado and white beans make for a fiber-rich and creamy topping, the perfect partner for a crispy slice of toast. Try it for a quick lunch or snack.
03of 26Edamame & Veggie Rice BowlView RecipeThe ingredients in this vegan grain bowl recipe can be prepped ahead for an easy lunch to pack for work. The tangy citrus dressing is a refreshing flavor with the sweet caramel of the roasted sheet-pan veggies.
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Edamame & Veggie Rice Bowl
The ingredients in this vegan grain bowl recipe can be prepped ahead for an easy lunch to pack for work. The tangy citrus dressing is a refreshing flavor with the sweet caramel of the roasted sheet-pan veggies.
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Egg Salad Avocado Toast
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3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad
Carolyn Hodges
06of 26Cucumber & Roasted Red Pepper Hummus WrapView RecipePhotographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Skyler Myers, Prop Stylist: Gabriel GrecoThis easy vegetarian wrap makes a great grab-and-go lunch for work or school. Roasted red pepper hummus adds color and a little extra flavor, but any flavor hummus will work well here. Cucumber, sprouts, salad greens or spinach all add a refreshing crunch. For a peppery kick, try using arugula.
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Cucumber & Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Wrap
Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Skyler Myers, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco
This easy vegetarian wrap makes a great grab-and-go lunch for work or school. Roasted red pepper hummus adds color and a little extra flavor, but any flavor hummus will work well here. Cucumber, sprouts, salad greens or spinach all add a refreshing crunch. For a peppery kick, try using arugula.
07of 26Chopped Cobb Salad with ChickenView RecipeThis healthy chopped salad is a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken. You can reserve the remaining hard-boiled egg half for a snack.
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Chopped Cobb Salad with Chicken
This healthy chopped salad is a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken. You can reserve the remaining hard-boiled egg half for a snack.
08of 26Tuna Salad SpreadView RecipeThis tuna spread recipe is a healthy twist on tuna salad and uses avocado and Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise. Serve it on cucumber slices, butter lettuce leaves or whole-grain crackers.
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Tuna Salad Spread
This tuna spread recipe is a healthy twist on tuna salad and uses avocado and Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise. Serve it on cucumber slices, butter lettuce leaves or whole-grain crackers.
09of 26Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & TunaView RecipeThis power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 g 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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Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna
This power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 g 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.
10of 263-Ingredient Green Goddess White Bean SaladView RecipeCarolyn A. Hodges, R.D.Bagged salad and slaw blends are great shortcut ingredients for adding variety without needing to wash and chop lots of different vegetables. Toss a kale-and-broccoli slaw mix with canned white beans and yogurt-based green goddess dressing for a crunchy main-dish salad in minutes.
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3-Ingredient Green Goddess White Bean Salad
Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.
Bagged salad and slaw blends are great shortcut ingredients for adding variety without needing to wash and chop lots of different vegetables. Toss a kale-and-broccoli slaw mix with canned white beans and yogurt-based green goddess dressing for a crunchy main-dish salad in minutes.
11of 26Avocado, Tomato & Chicken SandwichView RecipeIn this healthy chicken sandwich recipe, the avocado is mashed to create a healthy creamy spread.
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Avocado, Tomato & Chicken Sandwich
In this healthy chicken sandwich recipe, the avocado is mashed to create a healthy creamy spread.
12of 26Loaded Chicken-Quinoa SaladView RecipeTurn simple precooked ingredients into a delicious one-dish meal, high in fiber and with plenty of protein to keep you feeling satisfied.
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Loaded Chicken-Quinoa Salad
Turn simple precooked ingredients into a delicious one-dish meal, high in fiber and with plenty of protein to keep you feeling satisfied.
13of 26Peanut Butter-Banana English MuffinView RecipePeanut butter and banana are the original power couple. Top a simple toasted English muffin with the duo, then sprinkle everything with a hit of ground cinnamon for a healthy breakfast of champions.
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Peanut Butter-Banana English Muffin
Peanut butter and banana are the original power couple. Top a simple toasted English muffin with the duo, then sprinkle everything with a hit of ground cinnamon for a healthy breakfast of champions.
14of 263-Ingredient White Bean & Cherry Tomato SaladView RecipePhotographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Josh HoggleThis three-ingredient lunch takes a packaged salad kit to the next level with the addition of two pantry staples: cherry tomatoes and white beans. The Mediterranean flavor profile works well here, but another mix will be just as simple and satisfying.
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3-Ingredient White Bean & Cherry Tomato Salad
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This three-ingredient lunch takes a packaged salad kit to the next level with the addition of two pantry staples: cherry tomatoes and white beans. The Mediterranean flavor profile works well here, but another mix will be just as simple and satisfying.
15of 26Chicken, Quinoa & Veggie BowlView RecipeWith a whopping 19 grams of protein, this one-dish meal will keep you feeling full and satisfied for hours.
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Chicken, Quinoa & Veggie Bowl
With a whopping 19 grams of protein, this one-dish meal will keep you feeling full and satisfied for hours.
16of 263-Ingredient Chicken Salad TostadasView RecipeCarolyn Hodges, M.S., RDNFor this three-ingredient dinner, a premade salad kit is the perfect shortcut because it has everything you need in one bag, including the dressing. Swap in canned black beans for the chicken to make this vegetarian.
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3-Ingredient Chicken Salad Tostadas
Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RDN
For this three-ingredient dinner, a premade salad kit is the perfect shortcut because it has everything you need in one bag, including the dressing. Swap in canned black beans for the chicken to make this vegetarian.
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Roasted Veggie Mason Jar Salad
18of 26Strawberry & Cream Cheese SandwichView RecipeSliced strawberries and reduced-fat cream cheese come together in a sandwich for this quick and healthy lunch box treat.
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Strawberry & Cream Cheese Sandwich
Sliced strawberries and reduced-fat cream cheese come together in a sandwich for this quick and healthy lunch box treat.
19of 26Turkey-Cranberry WrapView RecipeThis wrap is quick and easy to prepare and is the perfect lunch solution for all of those Thanksgiving leftovers.
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Turkey-Cranberry Wrap
This wrap is quick and easy to prepare and is the perfect lunch solution for all of those Thanksgiving leftovers.
20of 26Everything Bagel Avocado ToastView RecipeGet all the flavor of an everything bagel married with the creaminess of avocado toast in one healthy breakfast. Just toast, top, sprinkle and go for this quick morning or midday meal. Want to take it up a notch? Top with a poached or fried egg.
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Everything Bagel Avocado Toast
Get all the flavor of an everything bagel married with the creaminess of avocado toast in one healthy breakfast. Just toast, top, sprinkle and go for this quick morning or midday meal. Want to take it up a notch? Top with a poached or fried egg.
21of 26Tuna Salad CrackersView RecipeA fun twist on a tuna salad sandwich. This Tuna Salad Crackers recipe uses wheat crackers instead of bread!
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Tuna Salad Crackers
A fun twist on a tuna salad sandwich. This Tuna Salad Crackers recipe uses wheat crackers instead of bread!
22of 26Quick Creamy Tomato Cup-of-SoupView RecipeThis three-ingredient, easy soup recipe is perfect for a satisfying and healthy afternoon snack or a quick lunch.
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Quick Creamy Tomato Cup-of-Soup
This three-ingredient, easy soup recipe is perfect for a satisfying and healthy afternoon snack or a quick lunch.
23of 26Shrimp, Avocado & Feta WrapView RecipeThis easy wrap makes a great healthy lunch to pack for work. Buy cooked shrimp in the seafood department at most supermarkets and grocery stores, or check the freezer section for tailed and deveined shrimp that are easy to thaw and steam. Salty feta and chopped fresh vegetables keep this easy lunchtime wrap flavorful and satisfying.
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Shrimp, Avocado & Feta Wrap
This easy wrap makes a great healthy lunch to pack for work. Buy cooked shrimp in the seafood department at most supermarkets and grocery stores, or check the freezer section for tailed and deveined shrimp that are easy to thaw and steam. Salty feta and chopped fresh vegetables keep this easy lunchtime wrap flavorful and satisfying.
24of 26Roasted Veggie & Quinoa SaladView RecipeQuick, simple and packed with satisfying protein and fiber, this salad makes a perfect lunch or easy one-dish dinner.
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Roasted Veggie & Quinoa Salad
Quick, simple and packed with satisfying protein and fiber, this salad makes a perfect lunch or easy one-dish dinner.
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Protein Bistro Lunch Box
26of 26Turkey BLT WrapsView RecipeThis delicious kid-friendly twist on a classic BLT includes turkey. The extra protein makes a filling, healthy lunch to pack up for school or work.
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Turkey BLT Wraps
This delicious kid-friendly twist on a classic BLT includes turkey. The extra protein makes a filling, healthy lunch to pack up for school or work.
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