28 Gluten-Free Lunch Ideas for Work
These healthy gluten-free lunch ideas are easy meal ideas to pack for the office. Try our Mediterranean Chicken Quinoa Bowl for a healthy grain bowl idea, or make a batch of Parmesan Spinach Cakes for a quick, packable lunch to enjoy all week long.
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Mediterranean Chicken Quinoa Bowl
Olives, cucumber, roasted red peppers and spices come together magically in this healthy chicken quinoa bowl recipe. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and a glass of cold Italian white wine.
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Veggie Spring Rolls
Don't be intimidated by these vibrant spring rolls--they're easier to make than you might think. Stuffed with fresh raw vegetables, these stunners are an impressive healthy vegan appetizer for your next gathering.
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Stuffed Avocados
Pimientos and a touch of cayenne enrich a light creamy dressing for a luxurious but healthful seafood salad. Stuff avocado halves with it for a sensational lunch or light supper.
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Spinach & Strawberry Meal-Prep Salad
One of our most popular salad recipes, Spinach-Strawberry Salad with Feta & Walnuts (see Associated Recipes), gets a makeover in these simple yet totally satisfying meal-prep spinach salad bowls. They require minimal prep and can be customized to your taste. Swap in roasted salmon for the chicken thighs, and almonds or pecans for the walnuts, and use any fresh berry that looks good at your market.
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Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls
This nutrient-packed grain bowl recipe comes together in 15 minutes with the help of a few convenience-food shortcuts like prewashed baby kale, microwavable quinoa and precooked beets. Pack these ahead to keep on hand for easy meal-prep lunches or dinners on busy nights.
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Brussels Sprouts Salad with Crunchy Chickpeas
This healthy high-fiber salad comes together in just 10 minutes. Serve it right away or pack it in individual servings for four super-satisfying high-fiber lunches for the week ahead. To cut down on prep time, we're using preshredded Brussels sprouts from the produce department and store-bought roasted chickpeas. Look for roasted chickpea snacks with the healthy snacks or nuts at your grocery store.
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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 with whole-grain crackers.
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Turkey & Cheddar Lettuce Wraps
Crispy green lettuce leaves hold the filling inside this low-carb turkey wrap. It's perfect for lunch or a quick, easy dinner on the go.
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Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing
These hearty kale salads hold up well for 4 days, making them perfect for meal-prep lunches. To keep the ingredients from getting soggy, dress this salad and top it with peanuts just before serving. For a delicious vegan option, swap in roasted tofu for the chicken breast (see Associated Recipes).
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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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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.
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Chicken & Apple Kale Wraps
Using kale leaves instead of bread to wrap your filling makes this healthy chicken lunch recipe low-calorie (and lower in carbs!). If you can't find lacinato (aka Tuscan) kale, try cabbage for your wrap.
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Shrimp & Vegetable Red Rice Salad
This healthy rice salad is loaded with vegetables and protein. Serve it as a healthy dinner or pack it up and take it along for your next picnic. Bhutanese red rice has a nutty taste and pleasant chewy texture, but any type of whole-grain rice tastes great in this hearty salad recipe. Check package directions: depending on the variety, red rice cooks for 20 to 50 minutes.
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Rainbow Veggie Spring Roll Bowl
With tons of colorful vegetables, sesame rice noodles and a healthy peanut sauce, this noodle bowl is a hit with adults and kids alike. Assemble the bowls before serving or let everyone make their own. Serve with Sriracha hot sauce, if desired.
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Barbecue Chicken Kale Wraps
Smooth, lacinato kale (aka dinosaur kale) is topped with barbecue chicken, carrots and cabbage in this healthy, gluten-free lettuce wrap recipe. Try them for a low-carb dinner or light lunch.
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Chicken Curry Cup of Noodles
Make your own cup of instant soup at home with this chicken curry zoodle (spiralized zucchini noodles) recipe. Pack several jars at once to take to work for easy lunches throughout the week.
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Spring Roll Salad
All the tastes, color and fun of a spring roll without all the work! This healthy salad recipe is bursting with the colors of rainbow from generous amounts of fresh vegetables, shrimp and whole grains all topped with a peanut dressing for the ultimate satisfying salad.
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Taco Lettuce Wraps
Don't limit yourself to lettuce for this low-carb, gluten-free taco lettuce wrap recipe--any fresh green sturdy enough to wrap around 1/2 cup of filling works.
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Rice Noodle & Edamame Salad
Seaweed asserts its umami magic in this beautiful noodle-edamame salad recipe, which is perfect for a summer evening. Several types of dried seaweed are available in natural-foods markets--arame and dulse (sometimes called "sea vegetables") are two of the most common. Snipped pieces of nori (the seaweed used for sushi rolls) would work too.
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Cobb Egg Salad
The bacon, blue cheese and avocado in this egg salad make it decadent. Serve it open-face on a piece of toasted whole-grain bread.
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Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl
This chipotle-flavored burrito bowl recipe is even better than takeout and just as fast. Loading it with vegetables and using quinoa in place of rice adds nutrition for a healthy dinner.
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Kale Turkey Wraps
Using kale leaves instead of bread to wrap your filling makes this healthy turkey lunch recipe low-calorie. If you can't find lacinato, also known as Tuscan kale, try cabbage for your wrap.
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Ceviche-Stuffed Avocados
Rather than serving this easy mock shrimp ceviche with chips or tortillas, cut some carbs and pile the citrusy seafood in fresh avocado "bowls" for a fun and healthy presentation.
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White Bean Spread with Veggie Slaw
Turn canned beans into a quick and healthy lunch with this easy gluten-free recipe. Use your favorite salad dressing, such as an Italian or French vinaigrette, as a convenient way to add flavor to the mashed beans. Top the gluten-free crackers and bean spread with any combination of shredded raw vegetables you have on hand.
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Quinoa & Smoked Tofu Salad
We took the tangy fresh flavors of tabbouleh and paired them with smoky tofu and quinoa to create a main-dish salad that's perfect served on a bed of greens. This salad is jam-packed with heart-healthy ingredients--whole grains (quinoa), legumes (soy-based tofu) and plenty of vegetables.
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Creamy Pesto Chicken Salad with Greens
For a healthy variation on creamy chicken salad, we've replaced half the mayonnaise with basil pesto. Serve over greens or make it into a sandwich for a healthy lunch.
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Soy-Lime Tofu & Rice Bento Lunch
Tofu, rice and vegetables are classic bento ingredients. Make extra rice for dinner and roll leftovers into balls for lunch. To keep green veggies vibrant and crisp, cook them briefly and immediately dunk them into a bowl of ice water. You can also use cubed store-bought baked tofu in place of the roasted tofu.
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Crunchy Confetti Tuna Salad
The herb-infused dressing in this healthy tuna salad recipe calls for equal parts Greek yogurt and low-fat mayo to keep it light. Lots of fresh veggies, including bell pepper, carrot, radishes and celery, also give boosts of flavor, color and nutrients. Serve on lettuce leaves, over a green salad or as an open-face sandwich on whole-grain toast.