Enjoy one of these easy meals for lunch. In 10 minutes or less, you can make a healthy and delicious sandwich, salad, wrap or soup to keep you satisfied in the middle of the day. Plus, each dish takes just three steps or less to make, so it’s as simple as it is quick. Recipes like our Cucumber Sandwich with Cotija & Lime and Falafel Tabbouleh Bowls with Tzatziki are flavorful, nutritious and worth making over and over.
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Cucumber Sandwich with Cotija & Lime
This easy vegetarian cucumber sandwich draws flavor inspiration from elote, the Mexican street corn dish. Instead of corn, we flavor cucumber slices with cotija cheese, lime and cilantro for a tasty filling. Cotija cheese, a salty, crumbly Mexican cheese, is similar in flavor and texture to feta cheese, which can be used as a substitute. Arugula adds a peppery flavor, but any tender greens will work well here.
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Salmon Couscous Salad
This healthy and easy salad is designed to be made with precooked or leftover salmon. To quickly cook salmon, lightly brush with olive oil, then roast in a 450 degrees F oven until the fish is opaque and firm, 8 to 12 minutes.
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Falafel Tabbouleh Bowls with Tzatziki
Meal-prepping a week’s worth of lunches doesn’t need to take hours in the kitchen. These Greek-inspired meal-prep bowls can be prepared in just 10 minutes and only require 4 ingredients–greens, falafel, tabbouleh and tzatziki. We love going to our local specialty grocery store for fast shortcut ingredients like these. The high-fiber falafel and tabbouleh will help to keep you feeling satisfied all afternoon.
Caprese Avocado Toast
Tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil—the building blocks of caprese salad–lend a creative twist to a standard avocado toast recipe.
3-Ingredient Brie & Jam Wrap
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco
Grab your favorite-flavor jam and pair it with melted Brie cheese on a whole-wheat tortilla for a sweet and savory lunch. Reheating the wrap once it’s fully assembled can get messy, so we recommend enjoying the wrap cold if you’re taking it on the go.
Veggie Sandwich
There’s no chance of getting the afternoon munchies when you fuel up with this vegan veggie sandwich filled with fiber and healthy fats, plus fruit on the side. It’ll keep you energized until dinner. Feel free to swap in your other favorite sandwich vegetables, sprouts or greens.
Kale Salad with Quinoa & Chicken
Toss the cooked chicken into this healthy salad recipe while it’s still warm to lightly wilt the kale, making it softer and easier to eat. Using store-bought salad dressing saves time, but you could also .
Low-Carb Chicken & Cheddar Lettuce Wraps
This fresh, crunchy wrap sandwich is brimming with vegetables, yet still delivers a satisfying amount of protein thanks to the chicken and cheese. Crisp iceberg lettuce is what keeps this wrap sandwich ultra low in carbs (just 4 grams per serving). The hardest part of this 10-minute recipe is rolling the sandwich, but our parchment paper trick makes it infinitely simpler.
Turkey Apple Cheddar Sandwich
It only takes 5 minutes to make this healthy sandwich with whole-wheat bread and the classic combination of Cheddar cheese and apples that your kids will love.
Chicken, Brussels Sprouts & Mushroom Salad
Shaving the vegetables for this easy salad recipe makes them deliciously tender-crisp without having to cook anything and helps them stand up to the bright homemade vinaigrette and salty Parmesan cheese.
Shrimp Salad with Peanut Dressing
Using applesauce in the peanut dressing lends a sweet, tart flavor that pairs wonderfully with shrimp.
Tex-Mex Salad
Get all the protein — 17 grams — you need without the fat and cholesterol. Loaded with fiber-filled beans, sweet corn, crunchy sweet pepper, smooth avocado, and spicy pico de gallo, this bold salad will satisfy your taste buds and appetite.
Tomato & Burrata Sandwich
This easy sandwich is a harmony of flavors that you can toss together for a quick lunch or dinner. Fresh heirloom tomato pairs well with the slightly salty, creamy burrata and tangy balsamic vinegar. Be sure to toast the ciabatta, as it adds a welcome crunch and keeps the bread from getting soggy. If you’re looking to add more protein to the sandwich, sliced deli meat like chicken or turkey would be delicious.
Buffalo Chickpea Salad
We took all the flavors you know and love from Buffalo wings and used them in this plant-based chickpea salad. Celery adds a satisfying crunch, while blue cheese provides a cooling element to balance the spicy sauce. Serve on top of leafy greens or use as a sandwich filling.
Salmon Pita Sandwich
This quick lunch recipe is loaded with heart-healthy omega-3s thanks to the canned sockeye salmon. If you’re bringing this sandwich for lunch, keep the salmon salad separate and stuff the pita just before eating.
3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad
We put a flavor twist on the classic chicken salad by using a lemon-herb mayonnaise. Try other mayo varieties, like roasted garlic or chipotle lime, in this fast, no-cook lunch recipe. Serve this rotisserie chicken salad recipe with whole-grain crackers.
Quinoa Deli Salad
This healthy version of a deli salad combines hearty quinoa and chickpeas with small amounts of ham and mozzarella, so you get all of the flavor without overdoing it on the sodium. This healthy quinoa salad is great as dinner and doubles as a delicious lunch the next day.
Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup with Soft-Boiled Eggs
Transform canned chicken noodle soup by adding fresh ginger, crunchy vegetables, herbs and a jammy soft-boiled egg. Look for a low-sodium soup that has 450 mg sodium or less per serving.
Spicy Tuna Salad English Muffin Sandwich
This quick lunch idea has a delicious balance of flavors. A slightly spicy Sriracha-mayonnaise mixture adds heat to the tuna salad, while the quick-pickled cucumbers provide brightness. Be sure to toast the English muffin so the sandwich doesn’t get soggy.