Diabetes-Friendly Lunch Ideas for Work

August 27, 2019
These diabetes-friendly recipes are loaded with nutritious whole-grains, lean protein and lots of fresh veggies and will help hold blood sugar steady. The best part? You can easily pack them up to take with you to work. Just keep an eye out that your co-workers don't snatch your lunch, we know they'll be tempted to!
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Cold Noodle Salad

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This Asian-inspired cold noodle salad with peanut butter, snow pea pods, chicken, and bell pepper is easy to make ahead and pack for lunch.

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Chipotle Ranch Egg Salad Wraps

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Put a Southwest spin on easy-to-pack egg salad sandwiches with this healthy wrap recipe.

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Black Bean, Mango & Kale Wheat Berry Salad

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Wheat berries give this healthy grain-salad recipe a toothsome bite. The chopped kale can be swapped for any dark leafy green, such as spinach or chard, if desired.

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Grilled Chicken Taco Salad

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Peppery arugula, grilled corn and a tangy lime vinaigrette give this healthy taco salad recipe a serious upgrade. This recipe is the perfect vehicle for using the crushed-up tortilla chips at the bottom of the bag.

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Broccoli, Edamame & Cabbage Millet Salad

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Trying to eat more whole grains? Try millet--a gluten-free ancient grain with a slight corn flavor. In this grain-salad recipe, the millet is tossed with a white-wine vinaigrette, green veggies and apricots. Serve with grilled chicken, fish or tofu.

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Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

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“Tortilla soup has a place, I feel, in practically every collection of Mexican recipes,” says Rick Bayless. This is a vegetarian version of the classic soup, usually made with chicken. Earthy dark pasilla chile flavors the soul-satisfying broth. (Recipe adapted from Rick Bayless.)

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Chicken, Fennel & Grape Quinoa Salad

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Leftover cooked chicken? This healthy grain-salad recipe is the perfect way to use it up. We like the color of red quinoa, but yellow works well too.

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Shrimp & Vegetable Red Rice Salad

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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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Five-Spice Turkey & Lettuce Wraps

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Based on a popular Chinese dish, these fun wraps also make appealing appetizers for entertaining. Make it a meal: Serve with chile-garlic sauce and rice vinegar for extra zip; toss diced mango and strawberries with lime juice for a quick dessert.

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Zesty Shrimp & Black Bean Salad

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Loaded with fresh tomatoes, peppers and cilantro and seasoned with cumin and chile, this shrimp and black bean salad recipe has all the flavors of a great fresh salsa and is a quick and easy no-cook recipe. Serve with tortilla chips or fresh corn tortillas.

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Southwestern Corn & Black Bean Salad

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Here's a great make-ahead dinner--and leftovers are welcome for lunch the next day. If you make it ahead, don't add the salt and pepper until just before serving. That way, the salt won't render the vegetables soggy and the pepper won't lose its bite. Make It a Meal: Scoop up this salad with warm corn tortillas.

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Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto

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This fragrant, Italian-flavored soup takes advantage of quick-cooking ingredients--boneless, skinless chicken breast, bagged baby spinach and canned beans. It features a simple homemade basil pesto swirled in at the end to add a fresh herb flavor. If you are very pressed for time, you can substitute 3 to 4 tablespoons of a store-bought basil pesto. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

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Curried Chicken Pitas

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Cranberries and pear are sweet counterpoints in this tangy curried chicken salad. Toasted sliced almonds add a nutty crunch.

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Broccoli Salad with Creamy Feta Dressing

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Finely chopped raw broccoli is tender and mild--here it's tossed with a creamy dressing, meaty chickpeas and sweet bell pepper.

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Indian-Spiced Chicken Pitas

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Make a perfect summer supper: grill spice-rubbed chicken breasts and tuck them into whole-wheat pitas along with fresh vegetables and a tangy yogurt sauce. Serve with: Grilled vegetables and a pilsner.

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Greek Salad Wraps

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Zesty Greek salad packed with tomatoes, cucumber and olives--plus chickpeas for a protein punch--gets tucked into a whole-wheat wrap for a healthy vegan lunch that's easy to pack for work. It's so flavorful and satisfying, you won't miss the feta!

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Vegan Bistro Lunch Box

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Perfect to pack for lunch to take to work or for a picnic in the park, this vegan bistro box is filled with Mediterranean diet-inspired crunchy vegetables, pita bread, creamy hummus and olives.

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Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna

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This power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 grams 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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Crunch-Time Veggie Wrap

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This quick wrap makes a light, nutritious lunch to pack for work.

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Roast Beef, Arugula, and Pickled Onion Wrap

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Quick-pickle some onions the night before to put a delicious twist on your healthy lunch wrap.

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Pizza Lettuce Wraps

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Go light and fresh when you're craving pizza: these easy lettuce wraps have all the taste with fewer carbs and calories.

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Hummus and Avocado Salad Sandwiches

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Add healthy fats, a little protein and plenty of flavor to your grilled cheese sandwich with this tasty Mediterranean-style panini recipe.

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BLT Cups

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Make over classic BLT sandwiches into low-carb--and company-worthy--salad cups.

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Ceviche-Stuffed Avocados

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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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Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl

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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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Classic Dill Chicken Salad

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We lightened up the creamy dressing in this healthy chicken salad recipe with a combo of mayonnaise and plain Greek yogurt. Dill, grapes, celery and walnuts make up this classic chicken salad but feel free to experiment with your favorite fruit, vegetables and herbs. Serve it open-face on toasted bread or scoop it on top of fresh salad greens.

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Salmon Pita Sandwich

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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.

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Mediterranean Tuna Panini

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For a great sandwich filling, spike canned tuna with salty olives and capers, bright lemon juice and tangy feta.

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Grilled Salmon Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

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Homemade raspberry dressing? You bet. Prep it a day ahead and this easy salmon salad will come together in no time.

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