Healthy Portable Lunch Ideas for Work
If you’re like many people, during a busy day you’ll be lucky to scrounge up a last-minute meal or order takeout straight to your desk. But with proper planning, a healthy meal doesn’t need to be swallowed up in the craziness of work life. Instead, you can take one of these portable lunch ideas with you to work and enjoy quick, simple, healthy meals on-the-go.
Here are a few portable lunch ideas for work, so you can be happy and healthy even at your desk.
Portable Lunch Ideas That Make Eating at Work a Breeze
Mediterranean Plate
Make a personalized version of your favorite takeout platter by packing up dips and dippables: crudités (like carrots, cucumber and grape tomatoes), hummus, babaganouj, pita or crackers and a handful of olives.
Seek out a multi-compartment food storage container or use several smaller ones to tote your goodies from home (and prevent soggy pita at lunchtime).
Healthy Leftovers
We’ll take any excuse to have a warm, hearty meal midday. Use a recipe planner like PlateJoy to not only make delicious meals for dinner, but make enough for leftovers the next day with no extra prep required.
If you want to stretch your meal even further, prep a batch of rice or quinoa on the weekend and enjoy leftovers as a grain bowl, or serve over greens as a salad.
Lettuce Wraps
For a low-carb alternative to the traditional sandwich, pack up the ingredients for DIY lettuce cups. Combine shredded chicken or turkey, lentils or pinto beans with a few pinches of your favorite spices and sauce (we love peanut sauce), then pack up these fillings in a container. Pack another container with shredded veggies like carrots, kale and cabbage. Wrap your lettuce leaves in paper towel and place in a reusable storage bag. Voila! With some quick assembly, you have a portable lunch idea that’s as easy as it is delicious.
Cheese Board
Who says you can’t have a fancy French-inspired meal at the office? You can. We’ve decided.
Slice up a selection of a few cheeses, add dried fruit and nuts, crackers or sliced baguette, salami or prosciutto, and perhaps a little jam or honey to round things out. If you’re feeling extra inspired, bring along a bottle of flavored sparkling water. Filling and fancy!
Chopped Superfood Salad
Hearty salads are a great way to get your greens and feel satisfied at the same time (and by hearty, we don’t mean iceberg lettuce, tomato and a sad cucumber). Prep your favorite ingredients the night before, combine in a food storage container, and bring a dressing on the side to add just before serving.
Some of our favorite portable lunch ideas include:
- kale + sweet potato + baked tempeh + avocado + dried cranberry + hazelnuts + hemp seeds + balsamic vinaigrette
- spinach + roasted chicken + olives + red onion + cucumber + cherry tomatoes + roasted potatoes + lemon juice + olive oil
- romaine lettuce + tuna + parsnips + green beans + olives + hard boiled egg + red wine vinaigrette
Chicken Salad
Not only is chicken salad easy to make, but it saves well and can be made on Sunday night and enjoyed throughout the week. Plus, this portable lunch idea is packed with protein and will keep you full through that infamous afternoon slump. We’re loving this crunchy asian chicken salad that combines roasted chicken with apples, greens, and peanuts.
Poke Bowls
Okay, okay, we know the shame of being the person in the office with fish, but these poke bowls are fresh and delicious and since they’re a no-heat meal, you won’t be “that person” who microwaves fish in the office. Instead, you’ll be known as the person who brings colorful, healthy lunches every day (read: all your coworkers will be jealous). Poke bowls make the perfect portable lunch idea because you can just throw everything together and enjoy.
Noodle Salad
When you think of noodles at work, you likely only think of reheated spaghetti or other traditional pasta, but this soba noodle salad is fresh, delicious, and easy to make. It also includes lots of veggies to get those greens in throughout the day.
Summer Roll Bowls
Don’t let the name fool you, you can eat these summer roll bowls all year round! They’re made with many fresh ingredients like cucumber and fresh mint, and are complemented by a delicious peanut sauce. This portable lunch idea is sure to have you anticipating your week-day meals throughout the day. Plus, they’re light enough to not cause a sugar crash in the middle of the afternoon.
Slow Cooker Bolognese
When planning out your meals, a slow cooker is your best friend. You can easily make a batch of something over the weekend and have meals prepared for the whole week. This slow cooker Bolognese recipe is a perfect example of that preparation. Serve over pasta, spaghetti squash, or zucchini noodles for a delicious weekday lunch.
The Takeaway
We all have a million things to do throughout the day, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your mealtime or healthy lunches. These healthy portable lunches are perfect for quickly warming up or, in some cases, you can eat them straight out of the fridge. From delicious vegetarian meals to protein packed salads, wraps, and rolls, we’re here to help you eat healthy from 9 to 5 (and beyond).
