22 Lunches Perfect for Working from Home
These lunch recipes are perfect for anyone working from home. The fillings in these sandwiches, bowls and salads can easily be made in advance so you just have to reheat or pull out of the refrigerator during the week. Recipes like Toaster-Oven Quesadillas and Greek Salad Wraps are delicious, veggie-packed and will keep you full through any afternoon meetings.
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Chicken & Quinoa Buddha Bowls
Arrange the toppings individually on these protein-packed Buddha bowls so each bite has a contrasting taste and texture. Make big batches of the salad dressing, quinoa and roasted chicken thighs and you'll have healthy meal-prep lunches or dinners for days. Though the chicken thighs take just 15 minutes to prep, you can also make the salads with leftover chicken or store-bought cooked chicken to make prep even faster. Source: EatingWell Magazine, September 2019
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Greek Meatball Mezze Bowls
With a variety of flavors and textures (and a whopping 30 grams of protein!), these Mediterranean-inspired meal-prep bowls will keep you fueled all afternoon. The turkey meatballs are adapted from Greek Turkey Burgers with Spinach, Feta & Tzatziki by Hilary Meyer. Look for premade tzatziki near the specialty cheeses and dips at your grocery store or make your own (see Associated Recipes). Source: Eatingwell.com, July 2019
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Toaster-Oven Quesadillas
We love finding new ways to use our kitchen tools and appliances. These toaster-oven quesadillas with peppers and avocado are the perfect example of an unexpected toaster-oven hack we had to share. Source: EatingWell.com, August 2017
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Chopped Chicken & Sweet Potato Salad
This easy salad recipe allows for a wonderful use of leftover cooked chicken. Look for escarole in the produce section near the leafy greens; if you can't find it, you can use romaine instead. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Spring 2019
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Indian Grain Bowls with Chicken & Vegetables
Look forward to a week of healthy, flavorful lunches with these high-protein meal-prep grain bowls. We're using bulgur wheat, which cooks up quickly and is higher in fiber than rice, but feel free to swap in any whole grain you prefer. The bowls are topped with broiled chicken (from our popular Indian-Spiced Chicken Pitas recipe) and cilantro chutney (see Associated Recipes). To balance the heat of the chutney, dress these bowls with a squeeze of fresh lime juice just before serving. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2019
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Roasted Veggies & Hummus Sandwich
Spruce up your sandwich game with a medley of roasted veggies. For extra vegetables throughout the week, roast a whole sheet pan in Step 1, then add the cooked veggies to salads, sandwiches, and pasta dishes, or serve them as a side dish. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Spring 2019
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Spinach & Egg Scramble with Raspberries
This quick egg scramble with hearty bread is one of the best breakfasts for weight loss. It combines weight-loss power foods, eggs and raspberries, with filling whole-grain toast and nutrient-packed spinach. The protein and fiber help fill you up and the whole meal clocks in at just under 300 calories. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2018
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Chicken Caesar Lettuce Cups
Upgrade your work lunch with these tasty Caesar salad lettuce cups. This Caesar salad recipe gets a healthy makeover, thanks to homemade dressing made with Greek yogurt. Source: 400 Calorie Recipes
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Greek Salad Wraps
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! Source: EatingWell.com, April 2018
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Asian-Style Chicken Salad Bowls
Everything you need (just 4 ingredients!) to prepare a week's worth of healthy, low-carb lunches can be found at your neighborhood grocery store. A bag of prechopped red and green cabbage serves as the crunchy low-carb base in these chicken salad bowls, which only require 10 minutes to assemble. Top with sesame-flavored almonds and a sesame dressing and you have one irresistible lunch you'll look forward to all week. Shopping at Trader Joe's? See Tip (below) for our product recommendations. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019
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Caprese Avocado Toast
Tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil--the building blocks of caprese salad--lend a creative twist to a standard avocado toast recipe. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Winter 2020
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Curried Chicken Apple Wraps
Shredded chicken and chopped green apples are a delightful combination in this quick and easy curried sandwich wrap. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine
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Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Grilled Asparagus & Chicken Sausage
Stock the fridge with a week's worth of lunches using a handful of ingredients from your local grocery store. To save on carbs, we're swapping in riced cauliflower for regular rice and adding pregrilled asparagus, which bulks up these bowls and adds fiber. At lunchtime, just reheat to steaming then top with a bit of pesto. Try Trader Joe's for fast shortcut ingredients like these--see Tip (below) for our product recommendations. Source: EatingWell.com, December 2019
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Quick Toaster-Oven Pizza
Have you ever tried making pizza with a tortilla before? It's super easy and makes a great vegetarian lunch. Just pop it in the toaster oven until the cheese is melted and the edges of the tortilla are browned. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2017
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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. Source: EatingWell.com, October 2019
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Homemade Chicken Ramen Noodle Bowls
Transform canned chicken noodle soup into quick ramen bowls 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. Source: EatingWell.com, January 2019
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Make-Ahead Spinach & Black Bean Burritos
These egg, bean and cheese burritos are designed to be made ahead and frozen. They are perfect for busy days and make a satisfying breakfast or lunch. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Summer 2019
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Chopped Rainbow Salad Bowls with Peanut Sauce
Make good use of crunchy and colorful seasonal produce in these meal-prep-friendly vegetable bowls. With just 30 minutes of prep, you get four healthy lunches that are ready to grab-and-go. We use bulgur, which cooks faster and is higher in fiber than brown rice, but you could swap in quinoa (or any hearty whole grain). Feel free to add chopped cooked chicken, shrimp or tofu for extra protein. Source: EatingWell.com, June 2019
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Seared Sesame-Tuna Bowls
This tuna bowl is quite an easy recipe you'll want to make again and again. Black sesame seeds make this dish look dramatic because they provide contrast against the fish, but if you can't find toasted black sesame seeds, you can use toasted white sesame seeds. The flavor will be the same. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine, Spring 2019
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Smoked Salmon Quesadilla
Smoked salmon, peas, and red onion are mixed with cream cheese and spread between layers of a soft tortilla wrap--resulting in an easy-to-make quesadilla with a mouthwatering and melty filling. Source: Diabetic Living Magazine
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Prosciutto & Spinach Grilled Cheese
Make grilled cheese for one with this quick and easy recipe! This sandwich packs in a healthy dose of veggies plus a delicious flavor boost from sliced prosciutto (Italian ham). Source: EatingWell.com, July 2018
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Chicken Club Wraps
Whole-wheat tortillas provide a tasty twist in this quick grilled chicken breast recipe that combines all the elements of a classic club sandwich into a wrap. Serve with extra napkins. Source: EatingWell Magazine, May/June 2014