Healthy Recipes Recipes for Specific Health Condition Healthy Diabetic Recipes Diabetic Vegetarian Recipes 17 Diabetes-Friendly Vegetarian Lunches That Can Be Made Ahead By Leah Goggins Leah Goggins Instagram Website Leah Goggins is a digital fellow for EatingWell. Based in Birmingham, Alabama, she is a devotee of old movies, farmers' markets and Ina Garten's tomato sandwich with basil mayo recipe. Leah has a degree in news media and English from The University of Alabama. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on March 29, 2022 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Instagram Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, has been with EatingWell for three years and works as the associate nutrition editor for the brand. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Whether you're headed into the office or needing a grab-and-go lunch at home, you can't go wrong with these delicious, take-along lunches. From veggie-packed sandwiches and wraps to meal-prep grain bowls and salads, these lunches are perfect for midday munching. Each meal fits our parameters for a diabetes-friendly eating pattern, including heart-healthy levels of saturated fat and sodium and a focus on complex carbs, like whole grains. With recipes like our Thai-Style Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu and Spring Veggie Wraps on the menu, you're sure to find a meal that's perfect for you. 01 of 17 Chopped Veggie Grain Bowls with Turmeric Dressing View Recipe In about 10 minutes, you can prep a week's worth of lunches using 4 simple ingredients from your local specialty grocery store. To minimize prep, we're taking advantage of prechopped fresh veggie mix and frozen quinoa (which heats in the microwave in under 5 minutes). These crunchy chopped salad bowls are high in fiber but lower in calories, making them perfect for those following a reduced-calorie diet. 02 of 17 Thai-Style Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu View Recipe 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. 03 of 17 Chipotle-Lime Cauliflower Taco Bowls View Recipe A bold, smoky marinade elevates roasted cauliflower in this meal-prep version of our popular Chipotle-Lime Cauliflower Tacos (see Associated Recipes). To cut down on prep time, look for precut cauliflower in the produce department. You can also save time by using microwaveable quinoa pouches (you'll need one 8-ounce pouch for this recipe) instead of cooking quinoa. 04 of 17 Veggie & Hummus Sandwich View Recipe 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. 05 of 17 Spring Veggie Wraps View Recipe A tangy tahini-ginger-soy mixture both marinates the tofu and serves as a sauce for this colorful veggie wrap recipe. Look for spinach tortillas for an additional pop of green. 06 of 17 Lemon-Roasted Vegetable Hummus Bowls View Recipe 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. 07 of 17 Quinoa, Avocado & Chickpea Salad over Mixed Greens View Recipe Protein-rich quinoa and chickpeas add staying power to this zesty and healthy salad recipe. 08 of 17 Vegan Kale Caesar Salad with Tofu Croutons View Recipe Swapping tofu for the bread in these meal-prep Caesar salad bowls bumps up the satiety factor with 18 grams of protein. These crispy tofu croutons originally appeared in Lauren Grant's recipe for Diabetic Living magazine (see Associated Recipes). Lacinato kale, also known as dinosaur kale or Tuscan kale, has flat, dark green-blue leaves--and its tenderness makes it perfect for eating raw, like in this salad. 09 of 17 Meal-Prep Vegan Moroccan Lettuce Wraps View Recipe For these meal-prep-friendly lettuce wraps, we swap the traditional warm filling for a cold plant-based bean salad filling loaded with fresh herbs and lemon. Topping each lettuce leaf with a little quinoa before adding the filling helps to keep the lettuce from getting soggy. 10 of 17 Tex-Mex Pasta Salad View Recipe A light and creamy green-salsa dressing highlights this easy pasta salad with Southwestern flavors. 11 of 17 Vegetarian Niçoise Salad View Recipe This vegetarian take on a traditional Niçoise salad omits the fish and piles on plenty of vegetables. 12 of 17 Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls View Recipe 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. 13 of 17 Crispy Chickpea Grain Bowl with Lemon Vinaigrette View Recipe Our favorite part of these vegetarian grain bowls is the tangy lemon vinaigrette, which ties together a satisfying combo of quinoa, toasted pumpkin seeds, and roasted chickpeas and kale. Whip them up for easy meal-prep lunches or a healthy and satisfying dinner. 14 of 17 Vegan Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowl with Creamy Green Sauce View Recipe In a vegan riff on green goddess dressing, cashews provide a creamy base with tons of flavor from herbs and apple-cider vinegar. Drizzle it all over this bowl of quinoa and roasted vegetables to make a satisfying vegan dinner or easy packable lunch that is ready in just 30 minutes. 15 of 17 No-Cook Black Bean Salad View Recipe A classic black bean salad is a must for picnics and potlucks. This vegan version gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick. 16 of 17 Spinach Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, White Beans & Basil View Recipe Roasted sweet potatoes are paired with spinach, cabbage and white beans and tossed together with a bright basil dressing in this healthy main dish salad. 17 of 17 Mixed Greens with Lentils & Sliced Apple View Recipe 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. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit