For most people, lunch is the most challenging meal prep job. We can easily make overnight oats or baked muffins for breakfast the next day. These recipes help save time in the kitchen on busy weekdays when you only have time to heat up dinner. But lunch? What is that? Meetings and deadlines are often obstacles to sitting down to lunch, so we eat lunch instead. The key to brown bagging is to use simple, low-irritant ingredients so the habit sticks. These delicious soups, sandwiches, and salads are so easy to make and full of flavor you'll be looking forward to enjoying. From pesto pasta to buffalo tempeh rolls, these tabletop snacks are creative, delicious, and super quick to make.
First easy and healthy lunch idea is kale walnut pesto pasta with blistered tomatoes
If you have 20 minutes at home, the best option is pasta for lunch! To make a delicious kale walnut pesto, simply combine some kale leaves, fresh basil, walnuts, grated Parmesan, garlic, and olive oil in a food processor. Roasted grape tomatoes add a sweet smoky flavor to delicious pasta.
Second is Asian noodle bowl with ginger peanut dressing
This recipe is so quick you don't even have to cook the sauce. Peanut butter has an umami flavor that ranges from salty soy sauce to sweet peanut butter and spicy ginger. Rice noodles add rich flavor to the green onions, carrots, and tofu.
Best combo: cucumber avocado sandwich
Swap your cucumber and cream cheese sauce for these avocado and goat cheese piles. Garlic powder, smoked paprika, basil, and oregano enhance the goat cheese's smooth, buttery flavor. Plus, a chunk of chèvre is half the fat of a tub of full-fat cream cheese.
Healthy option is vegetarian spring rolls
Takeout has nothing to do with these colorful vegan spring rolls. These vegetarian spring rolls are a lifesaver from one session to the next. Crispy carrots, cucumbers, bean sprouts and lettuce nestle perfectly in the thin rice paper. Sprinkle with mashed nori flakes and sesame seeds for extra fiber and flavor. Do you need something to recover from your lunch break? Mustard garlic soy sauce will do just fine.