Let’s face it — lunchtime is a tricky time of day, and for those of us who don’t like to cook, we may be happy to just get a solid breakfast in and snack until dinner. But, even amidst all the craziness that we all have going on right smack in the middle of the day, we have hacks to help you get a nutritious lunch in. And, fueling your body is only going to help you power through the rest of your to-dos with a bit more energy. Read on as we share five healthy lunch ideas that literally anyone can make with just a few minutes and a handful of ingredients.
5 Healthy Lunch Ideas That Require Little to No Cook Time
#1 Easy Veggie Wrap
You can’t beat the ease of making a healthy veggie wrap. It requires zero cook time (yup, zilch), and you can put this together in under ten minutes.
Here’s the play by play on how to make this in a pinch.
Step 1: Start by choosing your favorite wrap. We love coconut, almond, or cashew wraps (like Siete brand). You can also use lettuce leaves if you are watching your carbs.
Step 2: Pick your fill-ins. We love hummus with sliced cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, onion, and lettuce. Want a protein boost? Add some cooked chicken in there.
Step 3: Add a pinch of sea salt and pepper, and roll into a wrap!
Yup, it’s really that simple, and you now have yourself one of the easiest healthy lunch ideas you can either enjoy at home or bring with you on the go.
#2 Mixed Up Salad
Salads are always a good idea (as long as you choose a healthy dressing). And, even those who don’t like to cook can easily toss one together.
Grab some lettuce, spinach, or arugula (or mix them all together) and add your greens to the bottom of a large mixing bowl.
Next, look in your fridge for any veggies you have on hand. Some great salad picks include:
- Red onions
- Bell peppers
- Cucumbers
- Tomatoes
- Celery
Next, add some crunch by looking in your pantry for some nuts and seeds.
Lastly, top your salad with some crumbled feta cheese or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for a dairy-free option.
Drizzle with some raw apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or freshly squeezed lemon juice.
#3 10 Minute Egg Salad
Egg salad is one of our fav healthy lunch ideas because it’s easy to make, packed full of protein, and you can add a ton of flavor, according to what you like.
We love making egg salad with avocado-based mayo. Simply add two hard-boiled eggs to a mixing bowl along with one tablespoon of the mayo and add in chopped chives, chopped red onion, and some fresh dill.
Season with sea salt and pepper and enjoy over lettuce leaves or with a slice of gluten-free bread. Yum!
#4 Gluten-Free Pasta Salad
Boil some gluten-free pasta and toss it into a large mixing bowl with a drizzle of healthier Italian dressing (like Primal Kitchen brand). Add some sliced grape tomatoes, chopped red onion, black olives, and crumbled feta cheese.
Stick in the fridge until ready to enjoy, and you have yourself an easy lunch that you take with you on the go.
#5 Meal Replacer Shake
If you really don’t have the time or the desire to make an actual meal, try blending up a ton of nutritious ingredients to make a healthy meal replacer shake.
Here’s a recipe for inspo.
Chocolate Coconut Shake
Serves: 1
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 handful of fresh or frozen spinach
- 1 tbsp raw unsweetened cacao powder
- 1 tbsp coconut butter
- 1 tbsp flax seeds
- 1 scoop of collagen protein
- 1 tbsp raw honey
Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
Enjoy!
Tips When You Don’t Want to Cook at All
We all have crazy days where even the easiest recipes just aren’t going to happen. So, here are some hacks for throwing together some no-cook lunches.
- Break out the canned beans! Use beans in things like salads to add some protein to a no-cook lunch option.
- Use canned tuna or salmon and mix with some avocado mayo to serve over lettuce leaves.
- Grab some pita wedges and serve them with hummus and sliced veggies.
- Enjoy an apple with almond butter, and two slices of nitrate-free deli turkey (like Applegate Farms brand) rolled up with sliced avocado.
Don’t Skimp on Lunch
It’s easy to skip lunch — especially if you aren’t a big fan of cooking. But, loading up on snacks all afternoon may lead to overeating the wrong kinds of foods, and probably won’t keep you full up until dinner.
So, even if you hate cooking, try these five healthy lunch ideas to finally make lunchtime easy, stress-free, and totally delish.
