Healthy lunch ideas for work

Build a bowl full of goodness using a few key components. For the base, use grains such as quinoa or bulgur wheat; for protein go for leftover cooked chicken or beans; and add plenty of greens, such as spinach, kale or broccoli and fresh herbs, if you have them. Pack a light dressing and when you're ready to eat, drizzle over and enjoy. Bowl recipes, like this black bean burrito bowl, can easily be packed up into a lunchbox and transported to work.

Give it a go with these good-for-you bowl recipes:

Quick chicken hummus bowl
Salmon & purple sprouting broccoli grain bowl
Roasted cauli-broc bowl with tahini hummus
Easy salmon sushi rice bowl
Spinach falafel & hummus bowl
Sweet potato & cauliflower lentil bowl
See all our healthy bowl recipes

Satisfying sandwiches

Forget soggy sarnies – our filling pittas, club sandwiches and toast toppers are packed with delicious, nutrient-dense ingredients. Guaranteed to hit the spot is our healthy caesar pitta, with lean chicken breast, crunchy lettuce, cucumber and tomato with a light anchovy, garlic and yogurt dressing. Pack up the ingredients separately and assemble at your desk for a fresh open sandwich.

Discover more sandwich inspiration:

Stuffed Moroccan-style pitta
Green club sandwich
Smoked trout & cucumber open sandwiches
Chicken & avocado sandwich topper
More healthy sandwich ideas

Hearty salads

Salads are one of the quickest and easiest lunches to throw together – just pop everything in a bowl, give it a mix and go. With almost endless flavour combinations, they’re also a great way to mix up your midweek menu and use up whatever you have at home. Experiment with different leaves, grains or pulses as your base, layer up the toppings with colourful fruit and veg, protein-rich meat, fish, tofu or eggs, then amp up the flavour and texture with nuts, seeds, herbs, spices and dressings. Here, we've gone for ready-cooked puy lentils with canned tuna, cherry tomatoes, parsley and a zingy mustard dressing.

Try these nutritious salad recipes:

Puy lentil salad with beetroot & walnuts
Guacamole & mango salad with black beans
Minty beetroot, feta & bulgur salad
Smoky chickpea salad
Waldorf salad
More healthy salad recipes

Pasta salads

Pasta is a portable lunch staple that's equally delicious served cold in a pasta salad or quickly reheated in the microwave. Cook once and eat three times with our easy meal prep pasta, allowing you to make three different dishes – salmon pasta, chicken pasta and aubergine pasta – in one go, ready to pop in the fridge for when you need some midday fuel.

Turn up the flavour with our simple, healthy pasta recipes:

Linguine with avocado, tomato & lime
Garlicky mushroom penne
Squash & spinach fusilli with pecans
Broccoli pasta salad with eggs & sunflower seeds
Ratatouille pasta salad with rocket
More healthy pasta recipes

Homemade wraps

Flatbreads and tortillas make a great alternative to bread, or you could use crisp lettuce leaves if you’re looking to cut the carbs. Protein-rich chicken and fish make great filling options, or pile on the veg for a lunchtime nutrient hit. These spicy chicken & avocado wraps will leave you satisfied without causing a post-lunch slump.

Try our healthy wrap recipes:

Butter bean curry wraps
Roasted chickpea wraps
Veggie olive wraps with mustard vinaigrette
Tuna mayo lettuce wraps
Lemony salmon & lettuce wraps

Portable soups

Soup is budget-friendly and super healthy. Cook a big batch on the weekend to keep you going all week long. To avoid leakage, pour into a flask with a tight seal. You could even freeze (use a tub that's suitable for the freezer and the microwave), then thaw and reheat when you want to eat. Give this filling black bean & tortilla soup a go – just pack up the toppings of feta, tortillas and coriander separately.

See more nutritious soup ideas:

Mexican-inspired bean soup with shredded chicken & lime
Seeded wholemeal soda bread
Rustic vegetable soup
Carrot & ginger soup
Bean & barley soup

Rice salads

Choose high-fibre brown rice to keep you feeling satisfied all afternoon. Our easy meal prep rice recipes are designed to give you two delicious lunches in just one prep session.

Try more healthy rice recipes:

Zingy salmon & brown rice salad
Miso brown rice & chicken salad
Lentil rice salad with beetroot & feta dressing
Miso brown rice & broccoli salad with fiery prawns

If you’re cooking your rice from scratch (instead of using a pre-cooked rice pouch), make sure you cool it quickly and refrigerate, following the FSA’s food safety tips.

Protein pots

Protein is an important part of a balanced diet. If you’re looking to increase your protein intake from time-to-time, our homemade protein pots make for a perfect snack or light lunch, and all contain around 30g protein:

Steak & broccoli protein pots
Tuna Niçoise protein pot
Chicken protein pots

Try our best ever high-protein lunch recipes.

Enjoyed this? Discover more...

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This article was last reviewed on 19th February 2024.

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