Break Out of Your Rut with 5 Easy Lunch Ideas

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Tired of boring sandwiches & salads for lunch every day? Sick of spending tons of cash on Door Dash? Check out these alternative lunch ideas!

Why Healthy Eating at Work is So Hard!

It’s no secret that living a healthy lifestyle involves some type of focus on your diet.  Eating whole foods, avoiding refined sugars and trans fats, limiting processed foods and eating more colorful vegetables are all common knowledge. 

Most of the time, we can follow the rules for dinner and even have a halfway decent breakfast as we’re running out the door.  But eating healthfully at work is often much harder.  Between deadlines, interruptions, and other influences or distractions, it’s so much easier to order from Uber Eats or Door Dash.  But those orders cost you not only money but also unwanted calories that derail your best efforts at healthy living.  

But who has time to pack lunches anymore?  And who wants to eat another boring ham and cheese sandwich on white bread?  Ugh. 

Here’s the great news: it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.  You CAN eat healthfully at work with these flavorful and easy lunch ideas!

These are the top 5 non-salad lunch ideas that I use in a regular routine, allowing us to stay healthy and satisfied through a full workday.  Some are easy last-minute preps, some take a little time the night (or weekend) before, but all are delicious and will keep you focused throughout the 2^nd half of your day.  Guaranteed. 

For those who are tired of salads and sandwiches for lunch, rest assured – not one of these options has lettuce as the star ingredient, though there is one idea that can be enjoyed in sandwich form.  Nonetheless, if you love a good sandwich midday or crave a bountiful salad, those are still excellent lunch ideas! 

My Favorite Non-Salad Lunch Ideas That Keep Me Satisfied:

• Protein Box

I used to LOVE stopping by Starbucks on my way to work every morning.  Even though it was too early to enjoy, I often stared dreamily at the beautiful protein boxes pictured on their menus.  But did you know that their protein boxes cost upwards of $7 each (pre-tax)??  That’s craziness, especially considering how affordable all the ingredients are to purchase separately.  And who even knows how long ago all that food had been prepared and has been sitting out for purchase.  So, I started to make my own protein boxes for those days in which I knew I couldn’t sit down for an actual knife and fork meal.  One of those on-the-go days that requires more finger food options.  Here’s what I put together:

• • Step 1: I rolled up Oscar Mayer Natural Slow Roasted turkey breast and thin sliced provolone cheese from Sargento.  I threw 2-3 of these rolls into the box.
    • Sometimes I’ll switch it up a bit.  Instead of the turkey rollups, I’ll instead include hummus and crisp veggies to dunk in.  My favorites include sugar snap peas, carrots and celery sticks.  Sometimes I’ll throw in a few slices of cucumber or even zucchini.  And a cheese stick.   
  • Step 2: Then I peeled and halved one hardboiled egg.
  • Step 3: I added a handful of nuts, usually almonds or pistachios.  Use whatever you like.  
  • Step 4: Then I included some type of seasonal fruit.  Winter, I’d choose a clementine or kiwi.  Spring, strawberries or apricots.  Summer, peaches or plums. Fall, apples or pears.  Or frankly, whatever fruit I have in my kitchen. 

Snack secret: To increase my veggie intake, especially if I don’t have anything fresh in my protein box, I’ll take along a can of V8 to drink.  An 11.5 oz can has TWO full servings of veggies and is delicious.  It’s a good snack option too, especially when travelling.   

• Grain Bowls

These are not a last-minute lunch idea, but SO easy to prepare ahead of time.  Over the weekend, or even one work night, set aside 20 minutes and everything will be done.

• • First, pick your grain.  My first choice is always quinoa.  Why?  It’s a complete protein, meaning that every single amino acid your body needs to function (but cannot make on its own) is provided by this simple grain.  This gluten-free option comes in a variety of colors, all tasting about the same.  I usually buy the white quinoa and cook several days’ worth of lunch proteins over the weekend.
    • BONUS Tip: Want to amp up the flavor of your quinoa?  Cook it in broth – veggie, chicken, turkey, even beef works well.
    • Let’s say you don’t like quinoa.  Try brown rice – a bit lower on the glycemic index (GI) and full of valuable fiber.  Basmati is even lower on the GI, though it has less fiber.       
  • Next, figure out what veggies you want to include.  Do you want cooked or raw, maybe a bit of both?  If you have any leftover roasted veggies, this is a great vessel to repurpose them.  I’m fond of roasted potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, squashes, or even carrots & peppers in the bowl.  Raw, I’ll toss in cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, peas, or corn. 
  • Do you want additional protein?  Tons of options – chicken, flank steak, beans, tofu, salmon, etc. 
  • Then, decide if you want extras like nuts, seeds or cheeses.  

⊗ If you are a plain Jane, then you are ready to eat.  If you’d like some type of flavoring to tie it all together, consider pesto, salsa, peanut sauce, lime vinaigrette, etc.   If your ingredients fit a theme, the sauce choice is easy.

• • • Example #1:
      If I wanted to use pesto in my grain bowl, I’d top quinoa with blanched asparagus, fresh spring peas, a handful of spinach, a few shards of extra nutty cheese and a sprinkle of pine nuts.
                  ⇒ You could even use all those ingredients, minus the cheese and nuts with green goddess dressing.      

    • Example #2:
      Let’s say I was craving something with Asian flavors.  I’d top my grain bowl with crisp red bell peppers, a handful of shredded red cabbage, maybe some scallions and a ginger/soy or even peanut-based dressing.   Top with sesame seeds or chopped cashews/peanuts for crunch. 

    • Example #3: 
      Southwestern inspired – start with your grains, top with black beans, corn, or avocado for familiar flavors.  Top with crunchy jicama for a fresh bite and cilantro for extra flavor.  Tie everything together with your favorite fresh salsa.

There are literally hundreds of combos out there.  Use what’s in your fridge or whatever you like to eat.  This could also be a good option to eat more seasonal foods.   

• Sheet Pan Meals

This requires some prep, but trust me, this is the easiest form of healthy cooking there is.  The gist: you literally throw everything on the same sheet pan and bake it until done.  Bonus – your sheet pan is covered in foil, making clean up a breeze!

Sheet pan meals are so great for dinner time, but you can use this same process to prepare several lunch meals using an entire sheet pan full of proteins and veggies. 

For me, the best protein for sheet pans is the chicken breast, as it cooks evenly and consistently while the veggies have time to do their thing.   And it doesn’t put me into a food coma that would prevent me from getting the rest of my afternoon work done.  However, you can certainly cook many of your favorite meats on a sheet pan – what do you crave at lunch?  You can do salmon, shrimp, meatloaf, pork chops, even flank steak.  I tend to reserve more of those for dinner time, though. 

Six Easy Steps:

• • Step 1: Figure out what veggies are tagging along with your chicken.
    • • • In the springtime, I might want to try asparagus and new potatoes. 
        • In the summertime, I’m likely to include zucchini and cherry tomatoes.
        • Every fall, I like a mix of fall veggies & onions, maybe brussel sprouts.
        • Winter I’ll roast broccoli, cauliflower and maybe carrots. 

(But honestly, whatever I have available or whatever I want to eat, is fair game.  What do you like?  Throw it on the pan.)

• • Step 2: Get your sheet pan ready.  Place tin foil or parchment paper on the bottom of your sheet pan. 
  • Step 3: Place your veggies on one side of the pan and your protein on the other.  Drizzle with oil, salt, pepper and whatever other flavors you prefer.  Make sure everything is covered evenly. 
  • Step 4: Determine bake times/temps – they can vary.  All cooking times below are approximate for a typical serving of protein.  Be sure to use your thermometer to determine appropriate temps for safety, as size of protein makes a difference.
    • Chicken Breast: 400°F for 20 min, Tenders: 400° for 12-18 min, Salmon 400° for 12 min, Shrimp 450° for 8 min, Pork Tenderloin 425° for 20-25 min, Flank Steak Broil for 5-7 mi on each side   
  • Step 5: While veggies and proteins are cooking, get your lunch containers ready.  If you are sauce kinda person, now’s the time to whip something together. 
  • Step 6: After cooking, let the meat rest for a few minutes.  Then divide into lunch sided portions (1 large chicken breast = 2 portions, 2 breasts = 4 portions).  Divide your optional sauces into small containers.  Place everything into lunch containers.  Refrigerate until ready to enjoy. 

• Tuna Salad

This lunch time staple has been enjoyed by many from childhood into adulthood.  Tuna is packed with selenium, niacin and Vit B12, along with excellent levels of iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, riboflavin, B6 & Vit D.  One 6.5 oz can of tuna (water packed & drained) has 150 calories and 32 grams of protein!  This simple lunch option will easily satisfy you for the entire workday. 

You can eat your tuna plain from the cane, tossed on top of your green salad or mixed with a little mayo to make a luscious and creamy lunchtime favorite. 

⇒ Here’s my recipe:  Drain water from tuna.  Mix tuna meat with 2-3T Hellman’s mayo, 1T sweet pickle relish, & 1 hard-boiled egg.  If you like a crunch, consider adding celery.  If you like a little zing, toss in a little chopped raw red or white onion.  The salad is ready to eat immediately, but it gets better the longer it sits.  Make it the night before for optimal flavor.  This yields 2 servings – FYI.  

Serve it on romaine or butter lettuce leaves for a low-ish (remember there’s mayo in this) carb option.  Or on crackers or toasted wheat bread for a more familiar lunch idea.  Or, as I sometimes enjoy – by the spoonful right from the bowl!  Throw a few slices of carrots, celery or red bell peppers onto your plate and you’ve got a healthy and filling lunch option.

• Leftovers!

We don’t LOVE leftovers…certainly not for a repeat dinner.  But leftovers for lunch are somehow more acceptable in our household.  When dinner is over, we’ll pack the leftovers into small Pyrex bowls or Brilliance containers to use for our lunches the next day.  Once you’re finished cleaning up from dinner, your lunch is already made for the next day.  Just grab and go the next morning. 

Or if you enjoy soups, savoring a nice thermos of hot soup the next day at work can be as comforting as it is filling.  Soups are an excellent way to clean out your fridge every weekend, and a super affordable and versatile way to feed your family.  This option can stretch out for several meals – and it tastes better the longer it sits!      

• • PRO Tip: In the morning, place boiling water in your thermos and let it sit for a few minutes, lid on.  This will heat the interiors, so that when you empty the water & add the soup, it’ll stay warm until lunch time!  You won’t have to use the microwave at work!

Want to learn the 6 EASY steps to homemade soup?  Click HERE!

BONUS MEAL:  When I’m in a huge hurry and I didn’t plan ahead well, I’ll take a mixer bottle of protein powder (we love the About Time Vegan Chocolate) and add water when I need something to fortify me.  It’s WAY better blended with almond milk and a half of a frozen banana, but when you are in a pinch, this works great, too. 

There you have it – my 5 favorite lunch ideas to overcome the boredom of salads and sandwiches.  Hopefully this will inspire you to break out of the rut, save money and use what’s likely already in your fridge and freezer.  Save takeout for Friday nights – enjoy these healthy lunch options for your workweek meals.   

Enjoy!