Today I’m sharing all of my best lunch ideas for the new year!
These are lunch ideas that you can make and prep ahead of time. Woohoo!
While I’m all about having a fried egg for lunch or topping my avocado toast with a fried egg or grilling and roasting some vegetables for lunch, when you work out of the home I know that just isn’t feasible. These are all dishes that you can make or prep ahead of time and ones that will taste great come lunch time.
That’s the biggest thing for me. No matter how fantastic the salad was that I would make for lunch when I sat behind a desk, whether it had croutons or last night’s chicken on top, it still tasted like a sad desk lunch and I just wanted something more delicious. Now I AM sharing a bunch of my favorite substantial salads below, but there are a ton of other lunch ideas here that range from soups to bowls to full blown meals! Eddie requires an actual MEAL, so there are some of those below too.
45 LUNCH IDEAS FOR 2020
There are lunch ideas below that may take a few minutes to throw together once lunchtime comes (i.e. slicing a tomato or a hard-boiled egg, assembling a lettuce wrap, etc), but the idea is that you can actually prep the ingredients ahead of time to make your lunch WORTH IT. There are lunch ideas that can be made completely ahead of time and reheated. I’ve found that for me, the secret is having a lunch made that I really love, even if it takes some prep time the Sunday before. As mentioned above, I often eat breakfast foods for lunch too! I love doing some version of eggs if I’m home, but I also do lots of overnight oats and chia puddings that can easily be made ahead of time.
CLASSICS
These recipes are some of my most-lunched recipes on the blog. They are my favorites, the ones I eat frequently or that you guys tell me you’re loving.
Tomato and Avocado Bagelwiches
Crunchy Roasted Chickpea Pitas (pack the chickpeas separately, along with some hummus and tomatoes!)
Loaded Hummus Havarti Veggie Sandwiches
Thai Turkey Burgers (these are amazing made ahead of time and served on salads or in wraps!)
Asian Turkey Burgers (same as above!)
Southwest Chicken Salad Slider Melts
Chicken Salad Stuffed Avocados. (Be sure to peel and stuff the avocado right before eating.)
Shaved Egg Avocado Toast. (If you don’t want to actually shave an egg at work, just slice it!)
Breakfast Quinoa (this is so satisfying that I don’t mind having it for lunch)
Marinated White Beans with Toast (this is equally good with some whole grain crackers!)
Lemon Almond Roast Chicken Salad
SALADS & BOWLS
Most of these salads can be prepped the night before, and if they don’t have a protein, add one of your choice if desired. A few of them, like the greek salads and chickpea salad, get more delicious as they sit.
Cilantro Lime Tortellini Salad
Grilled Chicken Strawberry Poppyseed Salad
Honey Mustard Chicken Chopped Salad
Roasted Cauliflower Farro Salad
Summer Squash Pasta with Goat Cheese
Rosemary Chicken, Bacon Avocado Salad
Mediterranean Kale Salad with Chicken
Slow Roasted Tomato Farro Salad
Chickpea Bacon Ranch Chopped Salad
Black Pepper Balsamic Strawberry Pasta Salad
Goat Cheese and Arugula Pasta Salad
The Best Simple Chickpea Salad
SOUPS
All of these soups are delicious if you make them a day or so ahead of time. For the soups with pasta, you can always cook it separately and add it the morning of or right before eating so it doesn’t soak up too much liquid. I like preparing a soup for lunches, and freezing half of it. That way lunch will already be prepared in a few weeks/months or you can even have it for dinner at some point.
Fire Roasted Minestrone with Kale Pesto
Spicy Sausage, Kale & Whole Wheat Pasta Soup
MEALS
Of course, I use the term “meals” loosely here, because everyone’s idea of a meal is subjective! These meals have a little more substance. They feel more like actual MEALS than lunches, if that makes sense. They are served hot, they aren’t a cold bowl of salad. And if you’re anything like Eddie, that is what he loves – lunch that tastes and satisfies like dinner. These are some of my favorites that can be made a day or two ahead of time! If you prefer leftovers for lunch, these are for you.
Cashew Shrimp and Mango Stir Fry
Korean Chicken with Coconut Rice
Chicken Feta Meatballs with Zucchini Noodles
Pasta with Chickpeas, Spinach and Garlic
15 Minute Sesame Ramen Noodles
Farfalle with Arugula, Pine Nuts and Marinated Feta
Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Peppers
Sesame Chicken and Green Bean Skillet
Slow Cooker Mini Turkey Meatballs
Thai Drunken Zucchini Noodles with Honey Chicken
I’d love to hear more of your favorite lunches! Whether they are something you meal prep, or an easy idea that you throw together everyday. Share ’em below!
The post 60 Lunch Ideas for 2020. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.
