It’s easy to fall into a rut when it comes to making your lunches. Whether you practice weekend meal prepping to get everything ready ahead of time for your workweek or make your lunch right before you eat it every day, it’s time to come up with some new ideas.

After all, you can only eat the same thing so many times (turkey on rye with cheese and lettuce again?) before you get tired and begin to feel as though you’re going to turn into that sandwich. Rather than eat the same meal yet again today for lunch, consider one of these tasty ideas.

Best Lunch Ideas 

When it comes to finding healthy lunch options, some are better than others. You need to consider a number of different things when choosing which recipe to make, such as the number of macros in each sandwich, the carb content, and the overall amount of ingredients, before you start making each meal. Of course, you can just use one of these options, as all are healthy and good for you, as well as full of tasty ingredients.

Bento Boxes 

Bento boxes are a fun lunch method that allows you to get really creative. A bento box is a plastic lunch box that consists of several different compartments. It also has a lid, so you can fill it with food and then pop the lid on so you can eat it on the go. Many of the components of a bento box lunch are designed to be eaten with the fingers (sushi and edamame anyone?) although you aren’t limited to just those.

Consider making a wholesome lunch with a sliced hard-boiled egg, some sliced avocado, a scoop of hummus, and a handful of crispy crackers. You can also place steamed veggies in one compartment, then fill the rest with sliced flatbread, chunks of cheese, and even some thickly sliced lunchmeat, as a kind of deconstructed sandwich.

These are just suggestions. Whatever you come up with will work nicely!

A Ham Sandwich 

There’s nothing like a classic ham sandwich, especially when you spend the majority of your time eating turkey. Switch it up with some ham lunchmeat, a slice or two of cheese, and a thin layer of mayonnaise.

Add in some veggies, like lettuce, to round things out. And then, if you really want to make it healthy, make it on multigrain or whole-grain bread instead of white or wheat.

Avocado Club Sandwiches 

Have you ever had a club sandwich that includes avocado? Many of the other ingredients are the same, like bacon and slices of turkey and cheese.

The only difference is that on top of the lettuce and the tomato, you add in some slices of avocado as well. The end results, with three pieces of bread, each stacked with meat, cheese, and veggies, are quite good, filling, and healthy.

Carrot and Radish Salad 

If the thought of eating yet another salad for lunch makes you want to poke your taste buds out with a fork, then think outside the box. After all, no one ever said that a salad had to consist of lettuce and other veggies. Skip the lettuce altogether and instead, lay down a bed of shaved carrot and radish pieces.

Make sure that they’re sliced super thin using a mandolin. Top with a few sprigs of parsley, basil, or another fresh herb, and douse with a healthy dressing, like balsamic vinaigrette. Add a little salt and pepper to the top, and your lunch is done.

Mexican Pinwheels 

This lunch option really is different — not to mention tasty and good for you. Start with a piece of flatbread and spread your toppings out on them. Layer in some sour cream, black beans, and veggies like bell peppers, jalapenos, and tomatoes.

Don’t forget the cheese! Roll the entire flatbread up and then slice it into segments to make a series of bite-sized pinwheels. For extra flair, push a toothpick through each one.

Greek Chicken Bowl 

Have you ever had a Greek chicken bowl? If not, you’re missing out. It’s made up of chicken cooked with Greek spices and doused in a tart cucumber-based sauce, placed on top of a bowl of quinoa and cooked chickpeas, side by side with some salad greens.

This bowl has a little bit of everything, is low in carbs and fat, and loaded with protein. You’ll appreciate it even more once you’ve had one.

Split Pea Soup 

Rather than panic over the thought of making split pea soup from scratch, here’s an easy solution — a crockpot. Start with a piece of ham with the bone in (if you don’t have one, choose a standard chunk of sliced ham and a ham hock or two), and place them in the bottom of the crockpot. Add in your split peas, dried and straight from the bag, along with some diced pieces of carrot and onion.

Pour in some chicken broth and add salt and pepper to taste. Set your crockpot on high for 8 hours, and by the time you get home from work, tomorrow’s lunch will be done (although you’ll probably be tempted to eat some for dinner).

Open Faced Egg Salad Sandwich 

Now here’s something different. A typical egg salad, made of hard-boiled eggs that have been mashed and mixed with mayonnaise goes on top of two pieces of toasted bread (think pumpernickel, for a taste of something really special) or dark cracked wheat. Lay each piece of bread flat, side by side, and top with cheese. Add on your egg salad and then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Tuna Melt 

No one ever said that a tuna sandwich needs to be boring. Consider this option, which consists of a standard tuna salad (drained tuna and mayonnaise) and the addition of some extra ingredients. Choose thick slices of rye bread that will hold up nicely in the toaster, as well as some cheese, such as swiss or provolone.

For an extra touch, dice some celery and green onion and mix them into your tuna salad. The “melt” part comes from the toasted bread, as warmed-up mayo is never a good idea. Make sure that the cheese melts slightly before you eat it, and you’re good to go.

Egg Tacos 

What’s better than a scrambled egg? Easy. A scrambled egg placed on top of a warmed tortilla and then topped with salt, pepper, shredded cheese (mozzarella works well), and a spoonful of salsa.

The end results are simple, easy to make, and quite tasty indeed. Of course, if you feel like going all in, make some hash browns (the kind that come in a bag are fine) and add them to the mix. Who said that you should only eat breakfast in the morning?

Homemade Mac and Cheese

Macaroni and cheese isn’t as scary to make as it seems. You need to start with the roux, also known as a mix of flour and butter. Once the flour is slightly browned, add in your milk and stir continuously until it thickens and rises.

Then, add in the shredded cheese of your choice (make sure to mix in some fontina, if nothing else) and pour it over your cooked macaroni noodles. Toss in some diced ham, add salt and pepper, and then bake it for half an hour. Now you have enough mac and cheese to last for several lunches.

Chicken and Rice 

This dish also makes a great dinner. Sauté some sliced chicken alongside some onions, tomatoes, and garlic. Once the chicken is cooked, pour in a cup of rice, as well as two cups of chicken broth. Let it boil and then turn down the heat, making sure that it stays a little bubbly. After 15 minutes, the rice is done and so is your lunch. Can you say yummy?

Pro Tip: If you don’t feel like cooking, our Fit Chicken is delicious!

In Conclusion 

Rather than reach for the same old lunch day after day, it’s time to think outside of the box. These lunch options are all healthy, not to mention easy to make. If you really want a lunch that’s different and delicious, then consider adding one or more of these to your repertoire.

They’re all simple to meal prep on the weekends, or even just make ahead of time, depending on when and where you choose to take your lunch. No matter which one you choose, don’t forget to enjoy your meal. After all, variety is the spice of life, right?

Sources:

24 Easy Lunch Recipes That Take Ten Minutes Or Less | Buzzfeed

51 Easy, Not-Sad Desk Lunches | Delish

70 Healthy Lunch Ideas - Easy Recipes for Quick Healthy Lunches | Good Housekeeping