30 Packed Lunch Ideas

No sad sandwiches allowed here. These perfectly-packable wraps, salads, soups, and treats are sure to give the work or school day a boost.

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Chicken Salad Lunch Box

Jennifer Causey

Chicken Salad Lunch Box Recipe
Whoever said that packing your own lunch had to be lame? These packed lunches offer plenty of fresh ideas for stunning and delicious meals that are sure to fuel you or your kids through the afternoon. First up—this stunning Chicken Salad Lunch Box. Whip up a tasty lemony chicken salad, then pair it crunchy celery, goat cheese-stuffed Peppadew peppers, and fresh cantaloupe for a complete meal.

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Veggie Salad in a Jar

Photo: 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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Sushi Sandwich Lunch Box

Jennifer Causey

Sushi Sandwich Lunch Box Recipe
Love sushi rolls, but feel intimidated by the rolling technique? Then sushi sandwiches—actually a traditional Japanese dish called onigirazu--will be right up your alley. They require simply layering ingredients onto a piece of nori (seaweed) then folding the nori around to form a packet.

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Packable Power Salads

Photo: 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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Tomato-Seashell Soup

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Claire Spollen

Tomato-Seashell Soup Recipe
Pack this simple but tasty soup in an insulated thermos and top off with hot water at home. Use a spiralizer to make fun zucchini noodles, or a vegetable peeler for ribbons. Or just finely chop for faster prep.

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Kale, Farro, and Feta Salad

Caitlin Bensel

Kale, Farro, and Feta Salad Recipe

This easy whole-grain-plus-veg combo checks all the boxes of a satisfying winter side: hearty yet bright with zingy notes, and full of texture and color. Pair with roasted chicken thighs or as a side for pureed vegetable soup. Top leftover salad with chopped cooked chicken, apples, and pecans for an easy lunch.

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Orzo Salad with Chicken and Radishes

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen

Orzo Salad with Chicken and Radishes Recipe

Because the lemon and basil flavors become even more vibrant with some time to marinate together, this five-ingredient salad makes the perfect to-go lunch. Pack it up the night before, and skip the cafeteria for a bright and luscious midday meal.

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Ploughman's Lunch Box

Jennifer Causey

Ploughman's Lunch Box Recipe
Think of a ploughman's lunch as a snacker's paradise. With a smorgasboard of breads, cheeses, meats, and pickles, you can mix and match any items based on what you have in your pantry.

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Chickpea and Sausage Pesto Soup

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Claire Spollen

Chickpea and Sausage Pesto Soup Recipe

Prepared pesto creates a rich flavor base for this Mediterranean-inspired soup; we've found that refrigerated versions taste fresher and more vibrant. If you have a spiralizer, you can make lovely carrot noodles in place of matchstick-cut carrots. With a whopping 20g of protein, this soup is just what you need to keep you full and satisfied.

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Greek Chopped Salad with Grilled Pita

Photo: Caitlin Bensel

Greek Chopped Salad with Grilled Pita Recipe

We take the extra step of grilling the bell peppers along with the pita wedges to add a bit of char and smoky depth to the salad. You could also broil the peppers in the oven until blackened and peel them, and then toast the pita until browned.

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Lemony Chicken and Spinach Soup

Photo: Kelsey Hansen; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson; Food Styling: Mark Driskill

Lemony Chicken and Spinach Soup Recipe
While we call for rotisserie chicken and store-bought stock for convenience sake, you could certainly roast your own chicken, then make chicken stock with the carcass for an even more flavorful pot of soup. We specifically developed this soup to make a large batch so that there’s plenty to share with friends, or stash in the freezer for the next time you’re feeling a bit under the weather or simply need a warming, fuss-free meal.

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Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups

Photo: Alison Miksch Styling: Kellie Gerber Kelley

Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups Recipe

Rotisserie chicken is a great time-saver on busy evenings. Freeze any extra meat in portion sizes, and use in future recipes.

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White Chili with Avocado Cream

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Thom Driver

White Chili with Avocado Cream Recipe

Try this recipe for a flavorful and satisfying white chicken chili.

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Tuna, Arugula, and Egg Salad with Pita Chips

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Lindsey Ellis Beatty

Tuna, Arugula, and Egg Salad with Pita Chips Recipe

If your budget allows, try a premium jarred tuna, like Ortiz, which is rich, firm, and meaty. And purchase precooked, peeled eggs from your supermarket.

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Tahini Chicken Salad Sandwich

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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Tuna-Salad Pita

Photo: Ryan Benyi

Tuna-Salad Pita Recipe
This tuna salad keeps in the fridge for up to one week. When you're ready to enjoy it for lunch, spread the tuna salad in pita pockets and add lettuce and tomato.

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Farro Salad Lunch Box

Photography: Jennifer Causey.

Farro Salad Lunch Box Recipe
Turn crunchy farro, green bean, and kale salad into a balanced, portable lunch with a hard-cooked egg, prosciutto, and a clementine orange.

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Spinach, Hummus, and Bell Pepper Wraps

Photo: Victor Protasio

Spinach, Hummus, and Bell Pepper Wraps Recipe
Fresh, flavorful, veggie-packed, and ready in a 10-minute snap—now that’s a lunch we can stand behind! Make this wrap the night before and store in the fridge—just grab it in the morning on your way out the door. Use Flatout Light whole-grain flatbreads to keep calories in check; you can find them at most supermarkets. Pair this tasty wrap with whole-wheat crackers or a piece of fruit to round out a nutritious, delicious lunch.

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15-Minute Chicken Shawarma Bowls

Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Thom Driver.

15-Minute Chicken Shawarma Bowls Recipe

This Middle Eastern-inspired bowl is all about big flavor with minimal effort. A garlicky, tahini-spiked yogurt brings all the elements together and takes just minutes to make. Assemble a few bowls at the beginning of the week for easy make-ahead lunches.

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Mediterranean Tuna Salad

Photo: Ryan Benyi

Mediterranean Tuna Salad Recipe

You can keep this Mediterranean-style tuna salad in the fridge for up to a week making it the perfect make-ahead lunch.

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Hummus in Pita

Photo: Ryan Benyi

Hummus in Pita Recipe

Spread our Classic Hummus in pita halves and fill with a fresh vegetable mixture to make an easy lunch.

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Soba Noodle Salad with Pork, Snap Peas, and Radishes

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen

Soba Noodle Salad with Pork, Snap Peas, and Radishes Recipe
This cold soba noodle salad comes together quickly, thanks to leftover pork tenderloin. You could also substitute rotisserie chicken in place of the pork.

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Tuna-and-Pickled-Vegetable Pita Pockets

Photography: Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Tuna-and-Pickled-Vegetable Pita Pockets Recipe
We've packed plenty of clever shortcuts into these easy tuna, veggie, and hummus pitas. Microwave-in-Bag Haricots Verts are a trusted timesaver—simply throw the entire package into the microwave for crisp-tender green beans in about three minutes. The Pickled Vegetable Salad, which can be marinated ahead of time, packs a ton of flavor. Lastly, hummus acts as a great alternative to mayo for a sandwich spread.

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Caesar Salad Bagels

Photo: Levi Brown; Styling: Angharad Bailey

Caesar Salad Bagels Recipe
Spin creamy Caesar salad into a handheld lunch with this easy recipe. You can use your favorite type of bagel, but we suggest whole-grain, onion, or "everything" bagels.

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Soba-Edamame Noodle Bowl

Photo: Jennifer Causey Styling: Lindsey Lower

Soba-Edamame Noodle Bowl Recipe

Soba noodles are made from buckwheat, a wheat-free grain (look for packages that specify gluten-free), and they cook in only 3 minutes. Look for them in the international aisle.

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Cherry, Chicken, and Pecan Wheat Berry Salad

Photo: Squire Fox; Styling: Carla Gonzales-Hart

Cherry, Chicken, and Pecan Wheat Berry Salad Recipe

What a fantastic combo! If you can't find fresh cherries, add 1/4 cup boiling water to 1/4 cup dried cherries. Let stand 10 minutes; drain and chop.

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Neapolitan Crispy Rice Treats

Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Styling: Rishon Hanners

Neapolitan Crispy Rice Treats Recipe
This recipes makes 3 cups of each flavor of frosting, if that ends up being more than you to Neapolitan a few boxes of crispy marshmallow squares, you can save the leftover icings for dipping other store-bought baked goods like brownies or doughnuts. The idea is to make the Neapolitan Icing flavors, then dip to your heart's content.

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Ultimate M&M Cookies

Time Inc. Video Studio

Ultimate M&M Cookies Recipe

Feed your inner child (or your actual child) with these chewy-in-the-center, crispy-at-the-edges, candy-studded cookies.

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Pistachio-Apple Bars with Chia Seeds

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Kira Corbin

Pistachio-Apple Bars with Chia Seeds Recipe

These homemade bars combine fruit and nut flavors to make a tasty snack.

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Peanut Butter-Chocolate Bars

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Kira Corbin

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Bars Recipe

These homemade bars combine peanut butter and chocolate to make a tasty after-school treat.

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30 Wow-Worthy Packed Lunches To Brighten Up Your Day

1 of 31

Chicken Salad Lunch Box

2 of 31

Veggie Salad in a Jar

3 of 31

Sushi Sandwich Lunch Box

4 of 31

Packable Power Salads

5 of 31

Tomato-Seashell Soup

6 of 31

Kale, Farro, and Feta Salad

7 of 31

Orzo Salad with Chicken and Radishes

8 of 31

Ploughman's Lunch Box

9 of 31

Chickpea and Sausage Pesto Soup

10 of 31

Greek Chopped Salad with Grilled Pita

11 of 31

Lemony Chicken and Spinach Soup

12 of 31

Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups

13 of 31

White Chili with Avocado Cream

14 of 31

Tuna, Arugula, and Egg Salad with Pita Chips

15 of 31

Tahini Chicken Salad Sandwich

16 of 31

Tuna-Salad Pita

17 of 31

Farro Salad Lunch Box

18 of 31

Spinach, Hummus, and Bell Pepper Wraps

19 of 31

15-Minute Chicken Shawarma Bowls

20 of 31

Mediterranean Tuna Salad

21 of 31

Hummus in Pita

22 of 31

Soba Noodle Salad with Pork, Snap Peas, and Radishes

23 of 31

Tuna-and-Pickled-Vegetable Pita Pockets

24 of 31

Caesar Salad Bagels

25 of 31

Soba-Edamame Noodle Bowl

26 of 31

Cherry, Chicken, and Pecan Wheat Berry Salad

27 of 31

Neapolitan Crispy Rice Treats

28 of 31

Ultimate M&M Cookies

29 of 31

Pistachio-Apple Bars with Chia Seeds

30 of 31

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Bars

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