Sometimes, you don’t have the time or energy to cook a complicated meal for lunch. You might be working from home, studying for exams, or running errands. But that doesn’t mean you have to settle for a boring sandwich or a bland salad. There are plenty of quick and easy lunch ideas that are delicious, nutritious, and satisfying. Here are seven of them:
- Wrap it up: Wraps are versatile, portable, and easy to make. You can use any kind of tortilla, flatbread, or lettuce leaf as the base, and fill it with your favorite ingredients. Some examples are chicken and avocado, hummus and roasted vegetables, tuna and cheese, or peanut butter and banana. Just roll it up and enjoy!
- Bowl it over: Bowls are another great way to combine different flavors and textures in one dish. You can start with a grain like rice, quinoa, or couscous, and add some protein like beans, eggs, tofu, or chicken. Then, top it with some fresh or cooked veggies, nuts, seeds, cheese, or dressing. Some examples are burrito bowl, buddha bowl, poke bowl, or Greek salad bowl.
- Soup it up: Soup is a comforting and filling option for lunch, especially on cold days. You can make your own soup from scratch using broth, vegetables, herbs, and spices, or use canned or instant soup as a base and add some extras. Some examples are tomato soup with grilled cheese croutons, chicken noodle soup with spinach, lentil soup with lemon and cilantro, or miso soup with tofu and seaweed.
- Salad it down: Salad doesn’t have to be boring or bland. You can make a hearty and tasty salad by adding some protein, cheese, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, or croutons to your greens. You can also experiment with different dressings like vinaigrette, yogurt, pesto, or salsa. Some examples are chicken Caesar salad, Cobb salad, spinach and strawberry salad, or quinoa and kale salad.
- Pasta it on: Pasta is a quick and easy meal that can be customized in many ways. You can use any kind of pasta shape and sauce you like, and add some meat, seafood, cheese, or veggies to make it more filling. Some examples are spaghetti with meatballs, macaroni and cheese, pesto pasta with chicken and broccoli, or shrimp scampi with linguine.
- Sandwich it in: Sandwiches are a classic lunch option that can be made in minutes. You can use any kind of bread you like (or skip the bread altogether and use lettuce leaves), and fill it with your favorite ingredients. Some examples are ham and cheese sandwiches, turkey and cranberry sandwiches, BLT sandwiches, or veggie burgers.
- Pizza it out: Pizza is a fun and easy way to use up leftovers or ingredients you have in your fridge. You can use any kind of crust you like (or make your own), and top it with sauce, cheese, and whatever toppings you want. Some examples are pepperoni pizza, margarita pizza, BBQ chicken pizza, or veggie pizza.
These are just some of the quick and easy lunch ideas you can try on busy days. Feel free to mix and match them according to your preferences and the availability of ingredients. Bon appetit!
