19 Easy Lunch Ideas That Will Shake Up Your Usual Routine (2024)

On the hunt for a quick lunch? Each one of these easy lunch recipes can be made in 30 minutes or less. Find a make-ahead lunch to pack up and take to the office, or a quick meal you can whip up at home. Every single recipe will make lunchtime something to look forward to!

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Santa Fe Turkey Wraps

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19 Easy Lunch Ideas That Will Shake Up Your Usual Routine (1)

Spice up your traditional routine by making turkey wraps with a kick. These easy meal prep lunches can be assembled ahead in the morning and then chilled and toted to work. The combo of jalapeño cream cheese, turkey, roasted corn, and avocado will perk you right up.

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Chicken Cobb Pitas

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Turn one of your favorite salad recipes into a heartier lunch. Stuff each pita pocket with chicken, bacon, hard-cooked eggs, avocado, and tomato. If you want to speed this quick and easy lunch idea along even more, make the bacon and eggs ahead so you can just assemble and enjoy.

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Make-Ahead Taco Salad Cups

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Whether you're working from home, in the office, or just need a quick lunch for the weekends, this freezer recipe delivers. Make the taco cups and turkey filling whenever you have time, then freeze for up to three months. When you need a quick, easy lunch idea, heat the fillings up and add fresh toppings.

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Chipotle-Ranch Egg Salad Wraps

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It's time to give traditional egg salad an upgrade. For an easy lunch to make at home, mash eggs and avocado with ranch dressing and chipotle pepper. The result is a creamy, spicy, completely delicious egg salad that's great for wrapping up and eating in a tortilla.

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Turkey-Cucumber Sandwiches with Cilantro Spread

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If you aren't making your sandwiches with naan bread, you've been missing out. This quick and easy lunch idea layers spinach, yogurt sauce, turkey, cucumber, and red onion on top of naan. Make this recipe ahead and take it to work if you want, or just assemble it at home whenever you need something quick to eat.

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Salmon Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

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Great for welcoming spring or enjoying in the summer, this hearty salad is bulked up with no-prep precooked salmon. Add in fresh strawberries and a homemade vinaigrette to make this easy lunch idea one of a kind. If you love the vinaigrette but want to switch up the salad, try making it with leftover grilled chicken.

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Homemade Cup of Noodles

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Create a cup of noodles just the way you like them with this easy lunch recipe. Make the soup base up to five days in advance and store in the fridge. When it's time for lunch, just add water to the soup base, then microwave and dig in.

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Creamy BLT Pasta Salad

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Pasta salad is one of the best dishes for making ahead and pulling out at lunchtime. This ultra-yummy recipe gets its flavors from another lunchtime favorite sandwich. Stir together pasta, bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, and a creamy mayo dressing to prep this easy lunch idea, then grab it from the fridge (or your lunch bag) whenever you're hungry.

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Cubanos

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Take advantage of leftover pulled pork to make this hearty sandwich recipe in just 25 minutes. Assemble it with classic toppings—Swiss cheese, mustard, and dill pickle slices—then toast in a skillet or panini press. It's a delicious, hot meal to make on a weekend or when you're working from home.

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Paleo Waldorf Lettuce Salad Wraps

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These lettuce wraps are stuffed with goodies! Chopped apple, celery, cauliflower, grapes, and walnuts make a healthy, tasty, easy lunch recipe. If you use a lettuce wrap, your lunch is Paleo-friendly, but it can also be swapped for a tortilla, sandwich bread, or anything you want.

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20-Minute Ramen Noodle Bowls

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19 Easy Lunch Ideas That Will Shake Up Your Usual Routine (11)

Forget about the store-bought ramen soup mixes. You can make your own ramen in just 20 minutes with four ingredients. Combine your favorite broth, peanut sauce, stir-fried veggies, and ramen noodles. Let it all simmer for a few minutes, then enjoy.

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Lemon-Parsley Tuna Salad

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Tuna salad has always been a favorite for easy lunches, and for good reason. This version is dressed up just a bit with the addition of fresh parsley and lemon zest. Serve on your favorite sandwich bun for a super quick, 15-minute meal.

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Turkey-Apple Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

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19 Easy Lunch Ideas That Will Shake Up Your Usual Routine (13)

Upgrade plain grilled cheese and turn it into something to really get excited about. Sweet onions, apple jelly, roasted turkey, and Granny Smith apple slices take grilled cheese to the next level of lunchtime deliciousness. Assemble everything and cook in a skillet for a yummy, easy lunch.

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Tarragon Chicken Salad with Cranberries

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15-minute chicken salad? Yes, please! Cooked chicken, cranberries, and toasted almonds mixed with a creamy mayo sauce makes a quick and easy lunch. Serve on sandwich bread with a few leaves of lettuce, and lunch is ready to eat in no time.

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Spinach-Filled Egg Wrap

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Instead of grabbing a tortilla, add extra protein to your lunch by creating an egg sandwich wrap. The egg is cooked a little like an omelet so you can remove it from the skillet and add your favorite fillings. Try spinach, chicken, and roasted sweet peppers for a hearty, protein-filled easy lunch idea.

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Mushroom and Beef Ravioli Soup

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If you're craving something to warm you up, make this easy lunch idea. Frozen beef ravioli is the shortcut to this mushroom-loaded soup that can be ready in 20 minutes. Brighten the ultra-savory flavors with fresh thyme and red sweet pepper.

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No-Cook Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

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If you're looking for easy lunch ideas that don't involve bread, lettuce wraps are the way to go! These chicken-packed wraps get tons of flavor from crunchy sweet peppers, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Plus, this easy lunch recipe is no-cook thanks to leftover (or pre-cooked) chicken.

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Tomato-Tortellini Soup

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Just 15 minutes and four ingredients are all it takes to make this creamy and filling soup. Prep it in the morning and bring it to work for a quick lunch that will add some well-deserved lusciousness to your day. Top this soup with fresh chives just before eating it to give this quick and easy lunch recipe some extra flavor.

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Cucumber and Apricot Sandwiches

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If you're seeking easy lunch recipes that travel well beyond the predictable, take a look at these sweet and savory sandwiches. A slather of cream cheese on each bread slice will keep the bread from getting soggy for a few hours, making this a particularly good to-go option. And it's a great way to get away from the usual lunch meat sandwiches that are popular in brown bags.

19 Easy Lunch Ideas That Will Shake Up Your Usual Routine (2024)

FAQs

19 Easy Lunch Ideas That Will Shake Up Your Usual Routine? ›

Try a fresh salad, a time-saving sandwich or a speedy stir-fry you can whip up in no time. Try these speedy lunch recipes, then check out more easy lunch ideas.

What is a quick lunch? ›

Try a fresh salad, a time-saving sandwich or a speedy stir-fry you can whip up in no time. Try these speedy lunch recipes, then check out more easy lunch ideas.

What is the best lunch idea? ›

Quick Homemade Lunch Ideas for Adults
  • Tuna Salad Sandwich. For lunch ideas for adults that don't take much time, a tuna sandwich is your best friend. ...
  • Chicken Salad. If fish isn't your style, make a chicken salad instead. ...
  • Eggplant Sandwich. ...
  • Club Sandwich. ...
  • Chickpea Salad Sandwich. ...
  • White Bean Salad. ...
  • Falafel Pita.
Jan 10, 2024

What to serve 12 people for lunch? ›

19 Ideas For Easy Meals For Large Groups
  • Taco Bar.
  • Meatballs.
  • Butter Chicken.
  • Lasagna.
  • Chili.
  • Homemade Pizza.
  • Baked Pasta.
  • Skewers.
Apr 4, 2023

What is best lunch to eat? ›

Healthy People Usually Eat These 7 Things for Lunch
  1. Avocado and egg sandwich. ...
  2. Summer rolls with peanut sauce. ...
  3. Quinoa pear salad with spinach, cranberries and pecans. ...
  4. Protein Salad. ...
  5. Loaded Vegetable Sandwich. ...
  6. Lentil vegetable soup. ...
  7. Chicken burrito bowl with rice and beans.
Aug 30, 2023

How can I make my lunch in 5 minutes? ›

29 Healthy Lunches You Can Make in 5 Minutes
  1. 01 of 29. Roasted Veggie & Tofu Brown Rice Bowl. ...
  2. 02 of 29. White Bean & Avocado Toast. ...
  3. 03 of 29. Edamame & Veggie Rice Bowl. ...
  4. 04 of 29. Egg Salad Avocado Toast. ...
  5. 05 of 29. 3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad. ...
  6. 06 of 29. Cucumber & Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Wrap. ...
  7. 07 of 29. ...
  8. 08 of 29.
Nov 29, 2023

What is the easiest food to eat a lot of? ›

What are the easiest and fastest foods to digest?
  • canned or cooked fruit without seeds or skin.
  • canned or cooked vegetables without seeds or skin.
  • lean meat and other lean protein.
  • refined grains, like white bread.
  • low fat dairy products, if you aren't lactose intolerant.
  • fermented foods, like sauerkraut and pickles.
Mar 25, 2024

What can I eat for lunch instead of fast food? ›

Consider stocking:
  • Whole-grain breads and cereals, pasta, and prepared pizza crust.
  • Milk, reduced-fat shredded cheese, eggs, canned tuna, canned beans, peanut butter, lean ground beef patties, chicken, and meatballs.
  • Fresh, frozen, or no-added-salt canned vegetables; fresh and dried fruit; and fruit canned in juice.
Oct 1, 2009

What quick food can I eat? ›

WHAT TO EAT FOR DINNER WHEN YOU LACK INSPIRATION OR DON'T FEEL LIKE EATING
  • Homemade queso + chips.
  • Popcorn. ...
  • Eggs on or with toast.
  • Omelet – very accommodating to whatever you might have in the fridge!
  • Grilled cheese and soup. ...
  • Cereal. ...
  • One skillet meals like rice, chicken and veggies.
  • Pesto pasta.
May 27, 2020

What makes a good lunch menu? ›

Any well-balanced meal — lunch included — consists of lean protein, fiber-rich sources of carbohydrate and veggies, and healthy fats. The typical lunchtime staple of a sandwich can be made into a well-balanced meal if you include: 100% whole grain bread. Fresh deli turkey or leftover grilled chicken.

What to do when you don't know what to eat? ›

For example, if you are craving something sweet, a bowl of fruit with yogurt or a smoothie might hit the spot. A bag of chips or a bowl of popcorn might do the trick if you are craving something salty. And if you are craving something savory, a bowl of pasta or a grilled cheese sandwich might be just what you need.

What are the 5 food groups for lunch? ›

What are the five food groups?
  • Fruit and vegetables.
  • Starchy food.
  • Dairy.
  • Protein.
  • Fat.

Should you eat lunch 10? ›

Lunch should be about four to five hours after breakfast. For example, if you ate breakfast at 7 am, eat lunch between 11 am and noon. If it is not possible for you to eat lunch until 2 pm on a particular day, then plan a snack in between those two meals.

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