25 Healthy Lunch Recipes for All Day Energy

By MyRecipes
Updated July 16, 2018
Travis Rathbone

What's the best way to beat the afternoon slump? Pack a lunch with a healthy punch. These easy, make-ahead recipes are loaded with nutrient-rich ingredients that pack your brown-bag full of vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber. Perfect for grown-ups and kids with adventurous appetites.

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Packable Power Salads

Credit: Greg Dupree; Styling: Claire Spollen

Packable Power Salads Recipe

Pack dressing separately, and drizzle onto salads just before serving. You can also stuff each salad into a quart-sized jar with lid.

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Veggie Salad in a Jar

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Veggie Salad in a Jar Recipe

Make these salads up to a day ahead; pack them tightly with the dressing on the bottom, followed by denser ingredients that won't get soggy while they marinate. The recipe easily doubles if you need lunch for 4 people.

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Southwestern Bowl

Credit: Travis Rathbone; Styling: Megan Hedgpeth

Southwestern Bowl Recipe

Mango salsa, quinoa, black beans, red pepper, avocado, corn and pumpkin seeds? You can call this the healthy burrito bowl.

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Zucchini-Wheat Berry Salad

Credit: Travis Rathbone; Styling: Megan Hedgpeth

Zucchini-Wheat Berry Salad Recipe

Light and healthy, this layered salad will keep, covered and refrigerated, for 1 day. Shake container before eating to distribute ingredients.

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Overnight Oats with Stone Fruit

Credit: Travis Rathbone; Styling: Megan Hedgpeth

Overnight Oats with Stone Fruit Recipe

A buttermilk, syrup, vanilla and cinnamon mixture makes a super rich and creamy oatmeal. Refrigerate overnight and top with fruit and nuts just before serving.

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Asian Shrimp Salad

Credit: Travis Rathbone; Styling: Megan Hedgpeth

Asian Shrimp Salad Recipe

This fresh shrimp salad makes a light and healthy meal on the go.

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Heirloom Caprese Salad

Credit: Travis Rathbone; Styling: Megan Hedgpeth

Heirloom Caprese Salad Recipe

This light and fresh salad is the perfect grab-and-go lunch. Leave a little room at the top of the container so you can shake the ingredients together before eating.

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Tahini Chicken Salad Sandwich

Credit: Sara Tane

Tahini Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe

Nutty, creamy, and of course, topped with greens, tomatoes, and onions, this hearty, easy-to-prep chicken salad sandwich is the perfect, packable lunch. Eat it immediately, or wrap it up and allow the rich, deep flavors of the tahini run into your hearty, toasted bread.

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Asian Wrap

Credit: Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Asian Wrap Recipe

This umami-packed wrap packs canned wild salmon, mushrooms, spinach, and a creamy sriracha mayo. If you can't find coconut flour wraps, you can substitute whole-wheat wraps.

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Whole-Grain Veggie Burrito Bowl

Credit: Jennifer Causey Prop: Lindsey Lower

Whole-Grain Veggie Burrito Bowl Recipe

This is a Tex-Mex riff on the Korean rice dish bibimbap, in which various toppings are arranged over a bed of rice. Here, burrito bowl must-haves such as smoky black beans, fresh pico de gallo, and slaw top brown rice.

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Spicy, Barely Sweet Supercrunch Granola

Credit: Greg DuPree

Spicy, Barely Sweet Supercrunch Granola Recipe

Our supremely crunchy, irresistible granola almost feels more like party mix (but still contains all those great whole grains). It stores well at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week. Aside from eating out of hand, you can also try this on your morning bowl of yogurt, an ice cream parfait, or a hearty salad (think of it as a replacement for croutons). For folks with gluten allergies or sensitivities, be sure to use certified gluten-free oats.

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Cobb Salad Wraps

Credit: Helen Dujardin; Styling: Mindi Shapiro-Levine

Cobb Salad Wraps Recipe

You'll love these delicious Cobb Salad Wraps, clever handheld versions of the classic salad. Pack them for an easy, flavorful lunch and pair with fresh fruit for a balanced, nutritious lunch.

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Tabbouleh with Chicken and Red Pepper

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

Tabbouleh with Chicken and Red Pepper Recipe

Use rotisserie or leftover chicken for this dish, if you like. If you're making the mixture a few hours or more in advance, store the cucumber and tomato separately and add them close to serving time to keep the salad at its best.

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Ham-and-Fontina Sourdough Sandwiches

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Vanessa McNeil Rocchio

Ham-and-Fontina Sourdough Sandwiches Recipe

Bring life back into your lunch with Ham-and-Fontina Sourdough Sandwiches. Deli ham gets dressed up with a pesto-mayonnaise mixture, fontina cheese, and basil leaves.

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Caprese Sandwich

Credit: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Karen Shinto

Caprese Sandwich Recipe

Nothing says summer like ripe heirloom tomatoes in a Caprese salad. Even better: Put the same ingredients on a roll so the bread catches all the juices.

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Turkey Vegetable Wraps

Credit: Oxmoor House

Turkey Vegetable Wraps Recipe

These wraps are super easy to prepare and are full of healthy veggies like corn and bell peppers. Coming in at about 200 calories per serving, this is a great choice for an easy and healthy lunch.

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Quinoa-Arugula Layered Salad

Credit: Cooking Light

Quinoa-Arugula Layered Salad Recipe

We made over tabbouleh, turning it into an individually packed picnic dish. This salad holds beautifully, so you can pack it up a day ahead. For the easiest eating, choose wide-mouthed pint jars.

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Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Arugula Salad

Credit: Oxmoor House

Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Arugula Salad Recipe

Break out of a boring salad rut by adding grilled chicken with fresh veggies like zucchini and tomatoes. At only 243 calories per serving, you'll get a healthy lunch with protein that will help keep you full throughout the rest of the day.

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Chicken Salad with Olive Vinaigrette

Credit: Photography: Karry Hosford

Chicken Salad with Olive Vinaigrette Recipe

The flavorful combination of lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil soaks into the couscous to create a Mediterranean-style pasta salad with chicken. Throw in chopped tomatoes for a bit of color.

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Moroccan-Spiced Bulgur and Chickpea Salad

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Melanie J. Clarke and Celine Chenoweth

Moroccan-Spiced Bulgur and Chickpea Salad Recipe

Fresh mint gives this dish a pleasant aroma. Dried cranberries offer a hint of sweetness. Use any other dried fruit you like in their place: Try golden raisins, currants, dried cherries, or chopped dried apricots.

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Chicken Saté Wraps

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Melanie J. Clarke and Celine Chenoweth

Chicken Saté Wraps Recipe

Give your sandwich a flavorful kick with this spicy and sweet filling. To cut down on prep time, use rotisserie chicken, packaged angel hair slaw, and packaged matchstick-cut carrots.

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Roasted Chicken and Bow Tie Pasta Salad

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Lydia DeGaris-Pursell

Roasted Chicken and Bow Tie Pasta Salad Recipe

Celery and walnuts give added crunch to this dish while red grapes and fruit juice add a fresh, sweet flavor. Prepare this salad the night before to save time packing lunch on a hectic morning.

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Deluxe Roast Beef Sandwich

Credit: Hornick/Rivlin

Deluxe Roast Beef Sandwich Recipe

Jazz up this classic sandwich with mayo, horseradish, and chili sauce for a creamy spread with a bit of heat.

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Express Lunch Plate

Credit: Quentin Bacon

Express Lunch Plate Recipe

Grab the ingredients for this fast, filling lunch from the corner deli. This combo is rich in fiber, protein, and other metabolism boosters. If you prefer a different type of cheese, swap it.

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Kicked-Up Turkey Sandwich

Credit: Travis Rathbone

Kicked-Up Turkey Sandwich Recipe

Fig spread is rich and flavorful; watercress is crisp and hearty and holds up well in a lunch bag. Delicious with a tart pickle and pear.

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