Coming up with adventurous healthy lunch ideas every day of the week can be tough and usually leaves us eating the same thing on repeat which, let's be honest, can get a tad boring. We’re not judging, as we know that thinking up meal ideas is hard and takes up a lot of time too, especially when you have breakfast and dinner to think about.
That’s why we’ve rounded up some healthy lunch ideas that are not only tasty and easy to make, but will provide you with a decent amount of protein, carbs and good fats.
Remember, if you’re looking for healthy lunch ideas specifically for weight loss, you’ll need to be eating in a calorie deficit.
Tuna pasta
Simple, tasty and takes no more than 15 minutes to make. Tuna is also a great source of protein (which studies have shown helps you to stay fuller for longer), with one tin containing around 24 grams. Mix in a little light mayo or salad cream, season well and serve alongside a salad to bulk out.
Fajitas
Whether it’s lunch or dinner, fajitas are one of those foods that taste great but take absolutely no time at all to make. They’re also a great way to pack in your daily dose of veggies and if you don’t fancy chicken, you can always swap it out for another meat, such as turkey, beef or pork.
Related: Quick and easy veggie fajita recipe
Chicken salad
A classic dish spotted on lunch menus. Chicken salad is certainly a healthy lunch option, but it can also become unhealthy very quickly, it really depends on how much dressing and additional ingredients you want to add to it. We recommend adding some new potatoes, so you have some carbs alongside your protein (chicken), not to go too overboard with your dressing (or opt for a ‘lighter’ option) and to have a sprinkling of cheese.
Jacket potato
Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, jacket potatoes are great for lunchtimes, especially as you can either cook them in the microwave, or start them off in there and let them crisp up in the oven afterwards. There’s so many toppings you can have on it too, from classic beans to cheese, coronation chicken, chilli and tuna. You can even swap your regular potato for a sweet potato, which is high in vitamin A.
Omelette
Omelettes are great as they’re high in protein and you can add in your favourite veggies and serve alongside some wholemeal toast. Want a bigger omelette but don’t want to keep adding more eggs? Swap out a few for some liquid egg whites instead; your omelette will taste exactly the same but there will be a lot more of it.
Soup
There’s so many tasty flavours of soups available, from vegetable to tomato, chicken, carrot… we could go on forever! They’re usually low in calories (especially if homemade) and are packed full of vitamins and minerals. Serve alongside a piece of bread and enjoy.
Stir fry
Stir fry is super quick to make, packed with veggies and protein (if you choose to add meat, alternatively you could add some halloumi in your recipe too). Some supermarkets, such as Tesco, also do a stir fry meal deal, where you can choose your noodles, a pack of veg and stir fry sauce for a set price. It’s also a great healthy packed lunch too, if you’re on the go.
A super sarnie
We all know sandwiches have been a packed lunch go-to since primary school and there’s a good reason for it, they’re easy, tasty and it’s a great way to pack in those all important micronutrients. There’s so many filling options to choose; from classic ham and cheese salad, to chicken, tuna, egg, prawns, steak, pork, lamb - you name it! Add in some salad to bulk out your sarnie and try not to go overboard with the sauces.