Quick Healthy Easy Lunches

Choose from this large variety of healthy lunch ideas. No heating or microwave needed. Everything can be served chilled or at room temperature (perfect for packing school or work lunches). Use our printable recipe list to mix and match hundreds of lunch combinations.

If you’re in need of lunch inspiration we’ve got the solution! These ideas work great for school, work, road trips, or picnics. When you don’t have access to a microwave or oven but you still want a delicious and healthy lunch, we’ve got ya covered!

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I just did the math and I have packed over one thousand(!!) school lunches for my kids. In full disclosure, there are days when they get Uncrustables or leftover cold pizza, but most days I *try* to give them a healthy packed lunch. Here are some combinations we’ve come up with over the years.

Healthy Lunch Ideas (adult & Kid Options)

NOTE: If packing lunch for school, make sure that you are aware of any peanut or other food restrictions that the school might have in place.

Bagel with cream cheese, hummus, chickpeas, celery and carrots, fruit, dark chocolate chips. Not pictured: bag of tortilla chips or pita chips.

Print the RECIPE CARD below for lists that you can mix and match to create your perfect lunch OR click here →LUNCH IDEAS PRINTABLEfor a pretty printable to hang in your pantry or cabinet.

Healthy Lunch Ideas In 10 Minutes

The lunchbox pictured is the Rover lunchbox from PlanetBox. All the food stays separated, nothing leaks, or gets squished. It’s made from safe stainless steel, it’s eco-friendly,

In a lunch rut? Here are healthy and easy lunchbox ideas for adults or kids. No heating or microwave needed; everything can be served chilled or at room temperature. Use my printable recipe list to mix and match hundreds of lunch combinations.

NOTE: If packing lunch for school, make sure that you are aware of any peanut or other food restrictions that the school might have in place. Any recipes including peanut butter can be swapped for another nut or seed butter, if necessary.Need some quick, simple, and healthy lunches for back to school or work? I'm sharing 5 cold lunch box ideas that contain a good mix of protein, carbs & fats, along with fresh fruits & veggies to keep everyone full & satisfied. Make them ahead of time so lunchtime is budget-friendly and stress-free.

Healthy Lunch Recipes

Since we're heading into the back to school season, many folks are wondering what to pack for lunches for their kids, themselves, and/or their significant others.

Lots of adults are working from home right now and many are also immersed in distance learning or homeschooling for their kiddos, so having to fix three square meals a day for everyone on top of work + teaching adds a lot of extra stress.

Why not simplify things and prep some quick cold lunches instead? Your wallet & brain will thank you! Literally, it's one less thing to worry about AND your brain needs plenty of fuel to juggle all those responsibilities.

Easy & Healthy Salad Recipes

Instead, I'd like to highlight protein boxes (I call them snack packs). I'm sure you've seen them at grocery stores, gas stations & coffee shops in the refrigerated section. They have ingredients like sliced salami or deli meat, aged or soft cheese, hard-boiled eggs, roasted nuts, dried fruit & crackers. I've been obsessed with them for the past two years.

They used to be my go-to for a convenient afternoon snack, but they've slowly turned into lazy lunches for times when I'm wrapped up in work and only many hours + several cups of coffee later do I realize my stomach is grumbling.

So, in order to save myself money and ensure that I'm eating enough protein, carbs & fats for lunch, I've started making my own protein box-style lunches at home, which is what I'm sharing with y'all today.

Easy Lunches To Take To Work (so You Love Lunch!) • A Sweet Pea Chef

The boxes I like to make right now go beyond the typical meat, cheese & crackers theme because I want them to feel more like a mid-day meal rather than a snack or appetizer (as much as I love charcuterie boards).

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But I also keep them light (i.e. not super carb-heavy or packed with sweets) so I don't feel sleepy after eating one. The key is to include plenty of protein, so I made sure all of mine had at least 20 grams.

To save time & money, I used O Organics® products for almost all of my lunch box ingredients. The only exceptions were a few things I already had in my pantry & fridge. Having everything I need on my grocery list available from the same brand and all at one store? It's immensely convenient!

Quick Lunch Ideas

I don't have to stare at the back of boxes or bottles to speed read the ingredients list, then calculate the price per ounce on my phone to see what's the better value between two brands. If I see their version on the shelf, I grab that instead.

Why? All their products are budget-friendly without compromising on quality and taste. (I'm currently snacking on their jerky as I type this. I eat a lot when I write. Brain food is important!)

They also offer high-quality, USDA-certified organic products in every aisle of the store. Their line of products is HUGE. So many options for yummy organic food at affordable prices. I love it!

Healthy Meal Prep Ideas That Will Save You On Busy Days

If you're looking for high-quality USDA-certified organic back to school essentials? Shop O Organics® products available in the Dallas, Texas area exclusively at Tom Thumb stores.

TIP: Do you live in the Dallas area and don't want to go inside to shop? Tom Thumb also offers Grocery Delivery and DriveUp & Go™ for convenient ways to shop!

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Note: Live outside the Dallas area? I shopped at Tom Thumb in my local area, but you can also find O Organics products at the Albertsons Companies family of stores, including exclusively at the Albertsons Companies family of stores, including Albertsons, Safeway, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Randalls, Shaw’s Supermarket, and Star Market.

Quick And Healthy Recipes

Browse through my themed lunch box ideas below for inspiration and create a meal plan for what you'd like to make for lunches in the coming weeks. I tried to re-use some of the same ingredients throughout the boxes in order to save money & prevent food waste. You can always add more variety if you like.

For breakfast, my go-to is either overnight steel cut oats, make-ahead freezer-friendly breakfast sandwiches, or banana pancakes (the egg version or using a pre-made mix).

For dinner, I recommend my crock-pot BBQ ribs (it's almost a dump & go recipe with barely any prep) or slow cooker pork shoulder, which you can shred & use in a variety of meals like tacos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, BBQ sliders, or sandwiches.

Healthy 5 Minute Lunch Recipes

My smoked sausage, potatoes & veggies sheet pan dinner is also super budget-friendly if you don't mind turning on the oven. Or if you have some cans of tuna on hand, fix my delicious tuna patties on the stovetop in less than 30 minutes.

Not into nut butter for veggies or need a nut-free lunch for school? Substitute ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, caesar dressing, or homemade pesto instead.

Not big on tuna? Use wild-caught canned salmon instead to make the salad. Or even canned chicken (or shredded rotisserie chicken) to make chicken salad. You have options!

Cheap

Quick Healthy Dinner Ideas (30 Minutes Or Less)

I kept it super simple by using uncured ham & Colby jack cheese for theses wraps but you can get way more creative than me, especially if you're making this for adults!

Need some quick, simple, and healthy lunches for back to school or work? I'm sharing 5 lunch box ideas that contain a good mix of protein, carbs & fats, along with fresh fruits & veggies to keep everyone full & satisfied. Make them at the beginning of the week or the night before to keep lunchtime budget-friendly and fuss-free.

For school or day trips with no access to a fridge, place each lunch in a bag with several frozen ice packs to keep the proteins (meat, cheese, egg, yogurt, cottage cheese) cold until mealtime. For kiddos or adults who aren't huge fans of raw veggies, pack a small container of ranch dressing or hummus dip in each box that contains veggies so they're more likely to eat them. For the freshest tasting muffins, store them in the freezer within a few hours of baking, and only pull out what you need for each lunch box the same day you plan to eat it (they come to room temp quickly).

Easy Lunch Bowls

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