These 15 easy healthy lunches to take to work are built to travel. They hold up in the fridge, reheat well or taste great cold, and most can be prepped on Sunday for the whole week.
You will find filling grain bowls, fresh salads, copycat deli chicken salads, wraps, warm soups and grab-and-go egg bites. Packing lunch saves money, keeps you away from the vending machine and gives you an afternoon that does not end in a slump.
Healthy lunch bowls and salads
Bowls and hearty salads are the easiest work lunches to prep: pack the protein, base and toppings in one container and you are done.
1. Easy Salmon Bowls
Flaky salmon, avocado, cucumber and spinach over rice or quinoa. Pack the avocado separately or add a squeeze of lemon so it stays green until lunch.
Get the recipe: Easy Salmon Bowls
2. Weight Watchers Chicken Burrito Bowls
Seasoned chicken, rice, black beans, corn and salsa make a filling bowl that tastes like takeout. It is one of the best make-ahead lunches on the list.
Get the recipe: Weight Watchers Chicken Burrito Bowls
3. Teriyaki Chicken Bowls
Juicy chicken in a sweet and savory teriyaki glaze over rice and vegetables. It reheats beautifully in the office microwave.
Get the recipe: Teriyaki Chicken Bowls
4. Avocado Chicken Mango Salad
Chicken over greens with mango, avocado, corn and tomatoes. Keep the dressing in a small container and toss it right before you eat.
Get the recipe: Avocado Chicken Mango Salad
5. Shrimp and Spinach Salad
Seasoned shrimp on baby spinach with tomatoes, red onion and roasted red peppers. It tastes great cold, so there is no need for a microwave.
Get the recipe: Shrimp and Spinach Salad
6. Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
A classic that travels well when you pack the romaine, chicken and dressing separately. Go light on the dressing to keep it healthy.
Get the recipe: Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
7. Zoe’s Kitchen Copycat Chicken Salad
Make the restaurant favorite at home and enjoy it all week. Serve it over greens, in lettuce cups or with whole grain crackers.
Get the recipe: Zoe’s Kitchen Copycat Chicken Salad
Wraps, chicken salads and protein to mix and match
These are the build-your-own lunches: make one batch and turn it into wraps, salads or snack plates all week.
8. Chick-fil-A Copycat Cool Wrap
Grilled chicken, crisp lettuce and cheese rolled into a flatbread, just like the fast-food favorite. It is easy to eat at your desk and great cold.
Get the recipe: Chick-fil-A Copycat Cool Wrap
9. Ina Garten Curried Chicken Salad
A flavorful twist on chicken salad with warm curry flavor. Pile it on greens or into a whole wheat wrap for a lunch that never gets boring.
Get the recipe: Ina Garten Curried Chicken Salad
10. Jason’s Deli Copycat Chicken Salad
Get the deli classic without the deli price. Scoop it into lettuce cups or pair it with fresh fruit and veggies.
Get the recipe: Jason’s Deli Copycat Chicken Salad
11. Chicken Kabobs
Seasoned chicken and vegetables that taste just as good cold as they do warm. Pack them with hummus and pita for a Mediterranean-style lunch.
Get the recipe: Chicken Kabobs
12. Easy Crockpot Shredded Chicken
Three ingredients and your slow cooker give you a big batch of tender chicken. Use it in wraps, salads and grain bowls all week long.
Get the recipe: Easy Crockpot Shredded Chicken
Soups and egg bites for the office
A warm thermos of soup or a few egg bites make an easy lunch on cold days or busy mornings.
13. Easy Ina Garten Butternut Squash Soup
A silky, cozy soup at about 148 calories per serving. Pack it in a thermos to keep it hot until lunch.
Get the recipe: Easy Ina Garten Butternut Squash Soup
14. Panera Copycat Turkey Chili
Lean turkey and beans make a hearty, filling lunch. A big batch on Sunday gives you lunches for days.
Get the recipe: Panera Copycat Turkey Chili
15. Scooter’s Copycat Egg Bites
Protein-packed egg bites that reheat in seconds. Pair a few with fruit and veggies for a light lunch or desk snack.
Get the recipe: Scooter’s Copycat Egg Bites
Tips for packing healthy work lunches
- Prep on Sunday. Cook one or two proteins and a grain, then build lunches in containers for the week.
- Pack wet and dry separately. Keep dressings, sauces and avocado apart so salads and wraps stay crisp.
- Use good containers. Glass meal-prep containers reheat well, and a small thermos keeps soup and chili hot.
- Keep it cold. Use an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack if there is no fridge at work.
- Mind the fridge clock. Most cooked lunches keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge, so prep Monday through Thursday and freeze extras.
Easy healthy work lunch FAQ
What are easy healthy lunches to take to work?
Grain bowls, hearty salads, chicken salad, wraps, soup and egg bites are all easy to pack and stay good until lunchtime.
What healthy lunches don’t need a microwave?
The salads, chicken salads, Cool Wrap, chicken kabobs and shrimp and spinach salad all taste great cold.
How far ahead can I prep work lunches?
Most of these keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Soups and chili also freeze well, so you can prep further ahead.
Lunch, handled
Pick three or four of these easy healthy lunches, prep them on Sunday, and enjoy a week of good lunches without the drive-thru.
Save this post to your Pinterest lunch ideas board so you always have healthy work lunch ideas on hand.
