60 of Our Fastest Lunch Ideas
For many, the question “What’s for dinner?” is top of mind day in and day out. But for me it’s “What’s for lunch?” Even as someone who finds great joy in cooking and preparing meals — and does it for a living — the question befuddles me. Most days, I find myself staring into the fridge as the clock ticks until my next meeting, hoping lunch will magically present itself with a snap of a finger. Truth be told, I settle for hummus and carrot sticks more often than I care to admit.
If, like me, you crave some inspiration in the midday meal department, look no further. Here are 60 of Kitchn’s best ideas for easy and fast lunches. Whether it’s a big, veggie-packed salad recipe you crave; a cold, crisp sandwich; a glorious clean-out-the-fridge grain bowl, or something else entirely that you can’t quite put your finger on, but you know you want it to be healthy and delicious, I am pretty sure you’ll find what you’re looking for among these recipes.
And as for what keeps them fast and easy, some of these lunches can be pulled together in mere minutes, while others rely on just a few pantry ingredients and whatever you’ve got lingering in the crisper, and some can be made entirely in advance and leave you with leftovers for days to come. Lunchtime anxieties, meet your maker.
Veggie-Packed Salads
Lunch is a golden opportunity to get a few servings of vegetables into your day. I am not talking about munching on a boring green salad, though. These salads are so packed with good things — feel-good protein, nuts, cheese, and flavorful dressings — your fork won’t know what to spear next.
Whole Grains and Pasta
Things like farro, quinoa, couscous, and pasta are ideal lunch candidates because you probably already have one or two of them in your pantry. All that’s required is to jazz them up with a few interesting add-ins and you’ve got a meal that not only lasts for days in the fridge, but that you can also eat warm, room temperature, or cold.
Beans and Lentils
These protein-packed ingredients deserve lots of lunch love because they’ll keep you satisfied through the afternoon, thanks to all their good protein and fiber. Plus, just like pasta and grains, you probably have a can of chickpeas or a bag of lentils in your kitchen at this very moment.
Sandwiches and Wraps
You can’t talk about lunch without talking about sandwiches. While you don’t particularly need a recipe for one (hello, PB&J), a little inspiration after you’ve slipped the same thing between two slices of bread over and over again is always welcome.
Other Healthy Lunches
Looking for a non-sandwich lunch and tired of salads? These ideas have your back. Things like veggie patties, stuffed baked potatoes, and frittatas keep lunchtime interesting.
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