It's a new year, and we're all back to the races — school, work, the daily routine. So, what's for lunch? Lunch has become important again, now that leisurely holiday brunches and Christmas cookies are behind us. Are you freshly resolved to pack a homemade lunch every day? Are you trying to eat more vegetables and whole grains? Let us help you.

A hearty, satisfying lunch salad is one of the best make-ahead meals — a big bowl of farro and roasted vegetables can carry you through a week of lunches. Legumes like chickpeas and lentils also make delicious, protein-rich salads that satisfy. Read on for 15 of our favorite hearty lunch salads. There's a salad of brown rice and sweet apples, another of couscous and butternut squash, and plenty of bean inspiration, including a delicious mix of white beans and roasted vegetables. Is it time for lunch yet?

RICE SALADS
• 1 Brown Rice Salad with Apples, Walnuts, and Cherries
• 2 Black Rice Salad with Avocado and Grapefruit
• 3 Chicken (or Tofu!) and Wild Rice Salad
• 4 Sweet and Savory Wild Rice Salad

GRAIN SALADS
• 5 Winter Wheat Berry Salad with Figs & Red Onion
• 6 Couscous Salad with Butternut Squash and Cranberries
• 7 Whole Wheat Pearl Couscous with Cherries & Arugula
• 8 Wheat Berry Salad with Blood Oranges, Feta, and Red Onion Vinaigrette
• 9 Golden Quinoa Salad with Radish, Dill & Avocado
• 10 Warm Farro Salad with Roasted Vegetables and Fontina
• 11 Grilled Halloumi and Quinoa Salad

BEAN & LEGUME SALADS
• 12 Colorful Lentil Salad with Walnuts & Herbs
• 13 One Bowl Mung Bean Meal
• 14 White Bean & Roasted Vegetable Salad
• 15 Adzuki Bean Salad

What's your favorite sort of lunch salad?

(Images: See linked recipes for full image credits)

You might also like