Packing your own lunch may take a few extra minutes in the morning, but that’s time well spent when you can tailor meals to meet your nutritional needs and save money. This is particularly important when working long hours or doing physical labor. If you’re stuck in a rut of endless baloney sandwiches or greasy fast-food meals, here are a few fresh, nutrient-dense, and high-protein healthy lunches on the go to try: BBQ chicken sandwich, turkey cranberry wrap, or a taco salad lunch bowl!
Bringing your lunch to work saves more than money
Brown bag lunches might not have the same cache as food truck fare, but bringing your lunch to work can help you save money, eat healthier, and have more energy on the job. Food from restaurants tends to be higher in calories, fat, and salt than homemade food and lower in fiber and essential nutrients. You’ll also pay a premium for this unhealthy combo—meals eaten out can cost up to 50% more than the same meal made from scratch.
Although packing your own lunch may take more time than pulling out your wallet, it’s time well spent when it means tailoring meals to meet your nutritional needs. Maximizing nutrient intake is important when you’re working long hours or doing physical labor.
Dieticians generally recommend fueling your body with around 15-30 grams of protein per meal, and when your lunch also has a healthy balance of good carbs, healthy fats, and nutrient-dense ingredients, you’ll feel a lot better than you do after wolfing down a greasy burger.
3 healthy lunch sandwiches
The humble sandwich is a lunchbox classic, but these recipes are a far cry from those squished PB&Js you used to eat in grade school. Try a few of these tasty ideas for a grownup twist on a lunchtime favorite—they’re chock full of good carbs, fresh veggies, and hearty proteins to help you finish the workday strong.
To make any sandwich healthier, avoid processed deli meats high in sodium and nitrates and choose whole wheat bread and buns (or better yet, dare to dry gluten-free!).
BBQ chicken sandwich
334 calories | 26 g protein | 41 g carbs | 8g fat | 5 g fiber
Whip up one of these easy BBQ chicken sandwiches (or two if you’re hungry) to enjoy your favorite barbecue flavors without leaving the job site. With shredded chicken, barbecue sauce, crunchy carrots, and a dash of tangy ranch, this simple sandwich is a winner in our books.
Pro tip: Pick up a rotisserie chicken instead of cooking your own to cut down prep time.
Smashed black bean and avocado sandwich
540 calories | 24 g protein | 65 g carbs | 21 g fat | 18 g fiber
For a tasty, plant-based sandwich that’s fresh and filling, you can’t beat the smashed black bean and avocado sandwich. With simple ingredients that take just five minutes to assemble, this perfectly portable sandwich delivers a full 24 grams of protein, lots of healthy fats, and almost 50% of your daily fiber. If you’re a spice lover, we recommend adding taco spice to the beans or a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce.
Parmesan tuna sandwich
446 calories | 28 g protein | 31 g carbs | 24 g fat | 5 g fiber
This recipe gives the ol’ tunafish sandwich a fresh upgrade. Protein-rich canned tuna is mixed with bell peppers, green onions, parmesan, dijon, and basil leaves to make a flavorful spread that’s perfect on whole wheat bread. This parmesan tuna spread is simple and high-protein, making it a perfect workday healthy lunch pick.
Pro tip: Nothing is worse than a soffy sandwich. To stop that, we like to add a few leaves of romaine or iceberg lettuce between the filling and the bread.
(Nutrition information reflects one serving of tuna spread on two slices of whole wheat bread)
3 healthy wraps
Wraps are like the handheld version of sandwiches—a little easier to eat on the go and sometimes a little lighter on carbs, too. These recipes pair delicious fillings with solid nutrition, delivering portable meals that pack a punch at lunchtime.
Italian chicken wrap
349 calories | 18 g protein | 35 g carbs | 22 fat | 7 g fiber
With a burst of savory flavor, the Italian chicken wrap tastes like it came straight from a gourmet deli. Slices of roasted chicken nestle next to provolone cheese, red onions, tomato, and kalamata olives in a whole wheat wrap, topped with roasted pepper bruschetta, artichoke bruschetta, and balsamic glaze.
Turkey cranberry wrap
374 calories | 27 g protein | 40 g carbs | 12 fat | 1 g fiber
By blending turkey slices, oranges, dried cranberries, apples, and mozzarella, this turkey cranberry wrap gives you a taste of Thanksgiving all year round. This recipe makes eight wraps; prepare the filling ahead of time for easy lunch prep and pop it in the fridge. Then, when you’re making your lunch each day, just add it to a fresh tortilla.
Pro tip: Use whole wheat tortillas instead of flour to boost the fiber content of these wraps. If you want to cut back on carbs, swap the traditional wrap for Nuco Coconut Wraps or Egglife Egg White Wraps.
High protein veggie wrap
290 calories | 30 g protein | 36 g carbs | 4 fat | 10 g fiber
These high-protein, low-fat veggie wraps are freezer-friendly and ideal for meal prep. Make a big batch on the weekend and thaw as needed for a mouthwatering, plant-based lunch with 30 grams of protein.
2 healthy bowls
With their delicious flavors and nutrient-dense ingredients, this pair of recipes for healthy lunch bowls always hits the spot. Don’t forget your fork!
Taco salad lunch bowls
508 calories | 44 g protein | 49 g carbs | 17 fat | 13 g fiber
Taco salad lunch bowls have all the taste and convenience of a taco but are healthier, more affordable, and much less messy. Simply combine all the taco fixings: lean ground beef, black beans, taco seasoning, corn, lettuce, tomatoes, and jack cheese. Top with salsa and shake for a delicious lunch with a 44-gram helping of protein. This recipe makes four taco bowls, so it’s a perfect candidate for meal prep.
Pro tip: For vegetarians and vegans, simply swap the ground beef for another bean (or double the black beans).
Egg roll in a bowl
299 calories | 23 g protein | 15 g carbs | 16 fat | 3 g fiber
Another great meal-prep recipe is this low-carb egg roll in a bowl—it offers maximum flavor and maximum portability. In just thirty minutes, you’ll make four scrumptious lunches. With ground turkey, broccoli slaw, and green onions cooked in a handful of flavorful spices, this recipe is tasty and also ideal for those with dietary restrictions. It’s dairy-free, grain-free, gluten-free, egg-free, and nut-free and fits into the Paleo and Whole30 meal plans.
2 healthy salads
You might win friends with these salads. These recipes aren’t your standard iceberg-lettuce-and-ranch-dressing-situations; they’re bursting with fresh flavor, zesty dressings, and enough protein to keep you happy until quitting time.
Dill pickle chicken salad
264 calories | 13 g protein | 2 g carbs | 23 fat | 1 g fiber
Pickle lovers, rejoice! This dill pickle chicken salad is quick, easy to make, and absolutely dill-icious (sorry). Combining shredded chicken with crunchy cucumber, dill pickles, chopped fresh dill, and Greek yogurt, this salad delivers 13 grams of protein and just 2 grams of carbs. We recommend eating a double serving to keep you full.
Pro tip: If you want to boost the protein content and add more good carbohydrates to keep you going, eat it like a dip with some whole-wheat crackers—each serving of six Triscuit crackers contains three grams of protein and 20 g of healthy whole-wheat carbs.
Chopped cobb salad
481 calories | 17 g protein | 68 g carbs | 17 fat | 13 g fiber
This one is hearty. Chicken thighs, a hard-boiled egg, blue cheese, and honey-dijon dressing are the stars of the show, creating a substantial meal that leaves you feeling blissed out, not bloated. This chopped cobb salad can be prepared ahead of time for a grab-and-go healthy lunch option—just add the dressing later.
