Healthy Recipes Healthy Mealtime Recipes Healthy Lunch Recipes Our Top 15 Lunch Ideas to Make This Winter By Danielle DeAngelis Danielle DeAngelis Instagram Twitter Website Danielle DeAngelis is a rising journalist and current Fellow for EatingWell.com. Through her previous experiences as a news writer, she has focused on covering sustainability and human interest stories. Her passions of reading, writing and eating local all guide her in her position at EatingWell. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on November 12, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Joy Howard From cozy soups and stews you can make ahead to hot sandwiches for days at home, these lunch ideas are well-suited for winter afternoons. With four- and five-star reviews, these midday meals are comforting, healthy and tasty. Recipes like our 10-Minute Tuna Melt and Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew will be sure to warm you up. 01 of 15 10-Minute Tuna Melt View Recipe Joy Howard This variation of a classic sandwich uses mayonnaise, but not where you think! Mayo is brushed on the outside of the sandwich in place of butter to make the sandwich golden and crispy as it heats in a skillet. Plain Greek yogurt takes mayo's place in the salad—along with crunchy celery, roasted red bell peppers and scallions—for a satisfying lunch with less saturated fat. 02 of 15 Instant Pot Chicken Soup with Root Vegetables & Barley View Recipe Be sure to use bone-in chicken here--it enhances the flavor of the broth, and the bones are easy to remove after cooking. This healthy chicken soup can be made in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. 03 of 15 Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew View Recipe This satisfying stew comes together in a snap. Mashed chickpeas add body to the broth, and tomato paste adds a savory note without piling on the sodium. To simplify the prep, look for chopped fresh onion and shredded carrot or a soup starter mix in the produce section. 04 of 15 Stuffed Cabbage Soup View Recipe Like stuffed cabbage? You'll love this easy stuffed cabbage soup. It's got all of the classic flavors of stuffed cabbage without all the fuss of stuffing. Plus, you can make this warming soup ahead of time or freeze it for later for a quick dinner or lunch. 05 of 15 Spinach & Egg Scramble with Raspberries View Recipe Jen Causey This quick egg scramble with hearty bread is one of the best breakfasts for weight loss. It combines protein-packed eggs and superfood raspberries with filling whole-grain toast and nutrient-rich spinach. The protein and fiber help fill you up and keep you going through the morning. 06 of 15 Butternut Squash Soup with Apple Grilled Cheese Sandwiches View Recipe Layering apple slices into grilled cheese sandwiches adds a little crunch to a favorite soup dipper. And creamy butternut squash soup with ginger, cumin and turmeric is a nice change of pace from grilled cheese's usual tomato soup partner. If you have a sensitive palate, you can cut back on the spices. Be sure to use seasonal squash for the best squash flavor. Serve the duo for a comforting and easy weeknight dinner for the family. The soup keeps well in the fridge, so save leftovers for lunch or dinner later in the week. 07 of 15 BLATs (Bacon-Lettuce-Avocado-Tomato Sandwiches) View Recipe In this healthy BLT recipe, we use a creamy avocado spread flavored with garlic and basil, and add sprouts. Look for sprouted-wheat bread in the frozen section or with other specialty breads at your grocery store. 08 of 15 Hearty Minestrone View Recipe This version of the Italian classic soup Minestrone is packed with leeks, potatoes, beans, zucchini, spinach and orzo, making it perfect for a hearty lunch or supper on a cold winter's night. To make a vegetarian version use vegetable rather than chicken broth. Top each bowl with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for a zesty burst of flavor. 09 of 15 Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Kale View Recipe This healthy, easy soup is loaded with vegetables, protein and fiber to keep you full and fueled. Serve this winter soup topped with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, and a side of garlic toast. 10 of 15 Spinach & Feta Turkey Meatballs with Herbed Quinoa View Recipe With a variety of flavors and textures (and a whopping 30 grams of protein!), these meal-prep bowls will keep you fueled all afternoon. The spinach and feta turkey meatballs are adapted from 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. 11 of 15 Vegetable Cabbage Soup View Recipe Photography / Jennifer Causey, Styling / Ali Ramee / Audrey Davis Cabbage soup gets a boost of fiber and heartiness with the addition of beans. A simple tomato broth is brightened by fresh herbs and has slight heat from crushed red pepper. Serve with crusty bread. 12 of 15 Meal-Prep Roasted Vegetable Bowls with Pesto View Recipe Your co-workers will be jealous when you pull out this healthy lunch of roasted veggies and brown rice. Put together 4 lunches when you have time and you will have packable lunches (or ready-to-eat dinners) for several days--just grab a container on your way out the door in the morning. 13 of 15 Chicken Enchilada Soup View Recipe Corn tortillas thicken this chicken enchilada soup, but Cheddar and cream cheese give it the richness you'd expect from an enchilada. Serve it with something fresh and crunchy like a jicama slaw dressed with a little olive oil and lime juice for a healthy dinner that will appeal to the whole family. 14 of 15 Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl View Recipe This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top. 15 of 15 One-Pot Lentil & Vegetable Soup with Parmesan View Recipe Antonis Achilleos This lentil-vegetable soup is packed with kale and tomatoes for a filling, flavorful main dish. If you have it, the Parmesan cheese rind adds nuttiness and gives the broth some body. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit