24 Heart-Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work

March 02, 2020

Eating heart-healthy foods just got easier with these lunch recipes. These lunch ideas are quick and easy to make and meet the American Heart Association’s guidelines for saturated fat and sodium. Recipes like Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps and Spicy Slaw Bowls with Shrimp & Edamame are the perfect midday meal to keep you full and your heart healthy.

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Mediterranean Broccoli Pasta Salad

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We've loaded this healthy pasta salad with vegetables and flavors of the Mediterranean. Sun-dried tomatoes and a touch of lemon zest jazz up the dressing, while tender-crisp broccoli florets cook alongside the pasta, making assembly (and cleanup!) a breeze. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2020

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Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing

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Hearty yet simple to prepare, this stuffed sweet potato with black beans, kale and hummus dressing is a fantastic 5-ingredient lunch for one! Source: EatingWell.com, October 2017

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Chicken, Quinoa & Veggie Bowl

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With a whopping 19 grams of protein, this one-dish meal will keeping you feeling full and satisfied for hours. Source: EatingWell.com, November 2017

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Mixed Greens with Lentils & Sliced Apple

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This salad with lentils, feta and apple is a satisfying vegetarian entree to whip together for lunch. To save time, swap in drained canned lentils--just make sure to look for low-sodium and give them a rinse before adding them to the salad. Source: EatingWell.com, August 2017

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Grilled Vegetable Salads with Goat Cheese

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Prepare a week's worth of lunches in about 10 minutes using a handful of ingredients from your local specialty grocery store. To save time, we're using a bag of frozen grilled and marinated vegetables, then adding big flavor with marinated goat cheese. If you want to bump up the protein, leftover chicken breast or salmon pair perfectly with this hearty salad. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019

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Veggie & Hummus Sandwich

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This mile-high vegetable and hummus sandwich makes the perfect heart-healthy vegetarian lunch to go. Mix it up with different flavors of hummus and different types of vegetables depending on your mood. Source: EatingWell.com, August 2017

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Spicy Slaw Bowls with Shrimp & Edamame

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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. Source: EatingWell.com, November 2018

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Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps

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A tangy, nutty tahini dressing brings together no-cook ingredients like canned chickpeas and roasted red peppers for these easy meal-prep lettuce wraps. Make these wraps ahead of time for a grab-and-go lunch or dinner. A few wedges of warm pita finish off the meal perfectly. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2018

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Peach & Spinach Salad with Feta

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This simple and refreshing salad recipe takes just 15 minutes to prepare. Each bite delivers the taste of sweet juicy peach, tangy feta, and toasted pine nuts and will leave you completely satisfied--but not over-stuffed! Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Sichuan Ramen Cup of Noodles with Cabbage & Tofu

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The Sichuan province in the southwestern corner of China is known for its fiery dishes. Here, the richness of tahini tempers the spicy chile paste in this cup-of-noodles-style mason jar soup recipe. You can grind the Sichuan peppercorns in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, or crush them with the bottom of a heavy skillet. Source: EatingWell Magazine, Soup Cookbook

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Grilled Blackened Shrimp Tacos

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Give juicy shrimp tacos a Cajun flavor spin with spices and a quick sear on a hot grill. An easy avocado mash adds creaminess to cool off the spicy kick. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2019

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Curry Chicken-Salad Sandwich

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Greek yogurt takes the place of mayonnaise in this healthy chicken-salad sandwich. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Spring 2019

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Green Goddess Quinoa Bowls with Arugula & Shrimp

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We're taking advantage of all the healthy items you can find at your local specialty grocery store to create these healthy meal-prep lunches. To add extra protein (while minimizing prep time), we're using fully cooked quinoa and cooked shrimp, both of which you can find in the freezer section. With a few more simple items, including bottled salad dressing, you'll have all the ingredients you need to make these high-protein lunch bowls in under 20 minutes. Source: EatingWell.com, September 2019

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Thai-Style Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu

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Prep four days' worth of high-protein vegan lunches using just four easy ingredients from your local specialty grocery store, including a veggie-heavy salad mix as a base. Because this salad mix is hearty, you can dress these bowls up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors in this healthy chopped salad to marry. If you can't find a hearty mix, go with broccoli slaw or shredded Brussels sprouts. Source: EatingWell.com, September 2019

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Crunchy Egg Salad Sandwiches

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Chopped cucumbers and walnuts add a welcome crunch to this tasty sandwich. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Quinoa, Avocado & Chickpea Salad over Mixed Greens

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Protein-rich quinoa and chickpeas add staying power to this zesty and healthy salad recipe. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Fall 2019

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Asian Tofu & Edamame Salad

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Craving crunch? Bite into this salad loaded with crisp red cabbage, edamame, bamboo shoots, and chow mein noodles. This salad is slightly sweetened with baked tofu, mandarin oranges, and Asian sesame vinaigrette. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Chimichurri Noodle Bowls

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We're mixing whole-grain spaghetti with zucchini noodles to add volume and save calories in these simple, flavor-packed meal-prep bowls. The bright and herby chimichurri sauce originally appeared in Katie Workman's salmon recipe for EatingWell magazine (see Associated Recipes). Leftover chicken, tofu or canned beans can be swapped in for the shrimp. Source: Eatingwell.com, July 2019

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Chopped Cobb Salad with Chicken

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This healthy chopped salad is a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken. You can reserve the remaining hard-boiled egg half for a snack. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Summer 2019

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Quick Creamy Tomato Cup-of-Soup

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This 3-ingredient easy soup recipe is perfect for a satisfying and healthy afternoon snack or a quick lunch. Source: EatingWell Magazine, March 2019

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Avocado-Grapefruit Salad with Jicama

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Ready in just 15 minutes, this spinach salad with grapefruit sections delivers a lovely contrast of creamy avocado and crunchy jicama in each bite. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Tex-Mex Bento Box

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Quesadillas make a quick and easy sandwich alternative. Even though they are often served hot, quesadillas also taste good cold or at room temperature. That makes them an ideal addition to this flavor-packed bento box, a collection of foods that you can meal-prep on the weekend for easy lunches at work or school. Source: Eatingwell.com, August 2018

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Tuna Salad Crackers

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A fun twist on a tuna salad sandwich. This Tuna Salad & Crackers recipe uses wheat crackers instead of bread! Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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Chipotle Turkey & Swiss Sandwich

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This better-for-you sandwich is made with whole wheat bread and reduced-fat mayonnaise and cheese, so you can feel great about your lunch choice. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine

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