21 Best Healthy Lunch Recipes

Real food. No sad desk lunches.

Lunch should keep you full, focused, and out of the 3 p.m. crash zone. These recipes are balanced, protein-forward, and easy enough to prep ahead or throw together between meetings. Every recipe below is complete and built with normal ingredients you can find anywhere.


1. Grilled Chicken Power Bowl

Serves: 2

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt, pepper, garlic powder
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice
  • 1 cup roasted vegetables (broccoli, carrots, zucchini)

Instructions

  1. Season chicken and grill or pan-sear until cooked through.
  2. Slice and serve over rice with vegetables.

2. Turkey Avocado Wrap

Serves: 1

Ingredients

  • 1 whole wheat tortilla
  • 4 slices turkey breast
  • ½ avocado, sliced
  • Lettuce
  • Mustard or hummus

Instructions

  1. Layer all ingredients on tortilla.
  2. Roll tightly and slice.

3. Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Serves: 2

Ingredients

  • 1 can chickpeas, rinsed
  • ½ cup cherry tomatoes
  • ¼ cup cucumber, diced
  • ¼ cup feta cheese
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Lemon juice, salt, pepper

Instructions

  1. Toss all ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Chill or serve immediately.

4. Salmon & Quinoa Bowl

Serves: 2

Ingredients

  • 2 salmon fillets
  • Salt, pepper
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1 cup steamed green beans

Instructions

  1. Bake salmon at 400°F for 12–15 minutes.
  2. Serve over quinoa with green beans.

5. Chicken Caesar Lettuce Wraps

Serves: 2

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
  • 2 tbsp Greek yogurt Caesar dressing
  • Romaine lettuce leaves
  • Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Toss chicken with dressing.
  2. Spoon into lettuce leaves and top with parmesan.

6. Tuna Protein Bowl

Serves: 1

Ingredients

  • 1 can tuna, drained
  • 1 tbsp Greek yogurt
  • ½ avocado
  • Cherry tomatoes

Instructions

  1. Mix tuna with yogurt.
  2. Serve with avocado and tomatoes.

7. Ground Turkey & Veggie Stir-Fry

Serves: 3

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 2 cups mixed vegetables
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Soy sauce or coconut aminos

Instructions

  1. Brown turkey in oil.
  2. Add vegetables and sauce.
  3. Cook until tender.

8. Lentil & Spinach Soup

Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dry lentils
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup spinach
  • Garlic, onion, salt

Instructions

  1. Simmer lentils, broth, garlic, and onion for 30 minutes.
  2. Stir in spinach before serving.

9. Egg Salad with Greek Yogurt

Serves: 2

Ingredients

  • 4 boiled eggs
  • 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
  • Mustard
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Chop eggs.
  2. Mix with yogurt and mustard.
  3. Serve on whole grain bread or lettuce.

10. Shrimp Rice Bowl

Serves: 2

Ingredients

  • 1 lb shrimp, peeled
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Garlic
  • 1 cup cooked jasmine rice

Instructions

  1. Sauté shrimp with garlic and oil until pink.
  2. Serve over rice.

11. Chicken & Sweet Potato Meal Prep

Serves: 3

Ingredients

  • 3 chicken thighs or breasts
  • 2 sweet potatoes, cubed
  • Olive oil, salt, paprika

Instructions

  1. Roast chicken and potatoes at 400°F for 30 minutes.
  2. Divide into containers.

12. Veggie & Hummus Pita

Serves: 1

Ingredients

  • 1 whole wheat pita
  • ¼ cup hummus
  • Bell peppers, cucumbers, spinach

Instructions

  1. Spread hummus inside pita.
  2. Fill with veggies.

13. Beef & Broccoli Skillet

Serves: 2

Ingredients

  • 12 oz flank steak, sliced
  • 2 cups broccoli
  • Olive oil, garlic, soy sauce

Instructions

  1. Sear beef in oil.
  2. Add broccoli and sauce.
  3. Cook until tender.

14. Cobb Salad

Serves: 2

Ingredients

  • 2 cups mixed greens
  • 1 grilled chicken breast
  • 2 boiled eggs
  • ½ avocado
  • Blue cheese

Instructions

  1. Chop and layer all ingredients.
  2. Add dressing of choice.

15. Turkey Chili

Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 can kidney beans
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • Chili seasoning

Instructions

  1. Brown turkey.
  2. Add beans, tomatoes, seasoning.
  3. Simmer 25 minutes.

16. Zucchini Noodle Chicken Bowl

Serves: 2

Ingredients

  • 2 cups zucchini noodles
  • 1 cup cooked chicken
  • Olive oil, garlic

Instructions

  1. Sauté zucchini lightly.
  2. Add chicken and season.

17. Sardine & Avocado Toast

Serves: 1

Ingredients

  • 1 slice whole grain toast
  • 1 can sardines
  • ½ avocado
  • Lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Mash avocado with lemon.
  2. Top toast with sardines.

18. Chicken Fried Rice (Healthy Version)

Serves: 2

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 1 cup diced chicken
  • 2 eggs
  • Mixed veggies

Instructions

  1. Scramble eggs in pan.
  2. Add chicken, rice, veggies.
  3. Stir-fry until heated.

19. Black Bean & Rice Bowl

Serves: 2

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 1 can black beans
  • Salsa
  • Cilantro

Instructions

  1. Warm rice and beans.
  2. Top with salsa and cilantro.

20. Chicken Soup

Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 6 cups broth
  • Carrots, celery, onion
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Simmer everything 30–40 minutes.
  2. Shred chicken before serving.

21. Simple Protein Plate

Serves: 1

Ingredients

  • 4 oz grilled protein (chicken, steak, or tofu)
  • 1 cup vegetables
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  1. Grill protein.
  2. Serve with vegetables and drizzle olive oil.

Final Thought

Healthy lunches don’t need reinvention. They need structure. Protein first, vegetables second, carbs that earn their spot. If you can batch-cook two proteins and one carb on Sunday, lunch stops being a decision for the rest of the week.

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