72 Healthy Packed Lunches You’ll Actually Be Excited To Eat
Once you try these, you may never go back to picking up takeout.
When you’re trying to eat healthier, lunch can be a tricky time. We know healthy doesn’t have to mean boring, but it’s easy to fall into a rut when you’re packing your lunch 5+ days a week. Don’t even get us started on how easy it is to ditch that healthy habit and start hitting the takeout spots. Sound familiar? We’ve got you. Whether you’re looking for salads or wraps, grain bowls or sandwiches, we’ve got a ton of healthy recipes here for you. Bonus: You’ll save a ton of $$$ on takeout and delivery (win win!). Check out our 72 healthy packed lunches for ideas—once you start bringing these, you might never go back to boring, expensive lunches again.
We know health looks different to different people, so we’ve included options for a variety of diets here, like low-carb, vegan, pescatarian, and gluten-free. Looking for something low-carb? Try our taco tomatoes, our cilantro-lime shrimp wraps, our Italian sausage-stuffed zucchini, or our Philly cheesesteak cabbage wraps. They’re full of flavor, but skip the bread and tortillas. (Hot tip: If you are cool with bread and tortillas, these recipes are killer all wrapped up too!) Craving a plant-based lunch? Check out our vegan crunchwraps, our warm tahini ramen noodles, our Greek chickpea salad, or our caramelized tofu lettuce cups. They're great whether you're ditching meat for life or just for lunch. Love a rice bowl? Us too. Get inspired by the flavors of our copycat Chipotle burrito bowls, our steak grain bowls, our goddess bowls, our hot honey chicken & rice bowls, or our Reuben bowls. Swap in healthier, nutty brown rice when you can, and then swap in and out your favorite toppings 'til you find your perfect bowl. Craving a good old fashioned salad? Try our BBQ chicken salad, our copycat Panera Bread strawberry poppyseed salad, our taco salad, or our Caribbean Cobb salad. They’ll help you feel full, and will keep you going 'til dinnertime.
Speaking of getting through 'til dinner, check out our healthy snacks for work. They're just the pick-me-up to get you through whatever your work day throws at you. Need something to carry it all in? Check out our top lunch containers too.
Black Bean Tostadas
With only 5 ingredients, these black bean tostadas are the easiest and fastest meal to throw together. You can always add on additional toppings like corn salsa, avocado ranch, or endless crunchy veggies like radishes or pickled red onions, but here we keep things simple.
Get the Black Bean Tostadas recipe.
Chicken Caesar Wraps
Ask a random Delish employee what they’re going to order for lunch from a deli, and at least half of them will respond with a chicken Caesar wrap. And there’s very little question as to why! It’s one of the all-time best salads, tossed into a wrap. It’s simple yet timeless, like many of our favorite recipes are.
Get the Chicken Caesar Wraps recipe.
Copycat Chipotle Burrito Bowl
While we’re all about switching things up, when we want a tried-and-true perfect meal, we always go back to the chicken burrito bowl at Chipotle. It’s classic, reliable, and, best of all, completely customizable depending on our mood. We’ve included copycat recipes here for all our favorite burrito bowl toppings, but feel free to swap them in and out for yours!
Get the Copycat Chipotle Burrito Bowl recipe.
Big Mac Salad
Got a craving for a Big Mac, but avoiding the drive-thru? This salad is for you—it's got everything you love, minus the bun!
Get the Big Mac Salad recipe.
Ultimate Veggie Sandwich
There's something so special and refreshing about a sandwich that is absolutely packed to the gills with veggies. The miso eggplant in here makes this one extra special.
Get the Ultimate Veggie Sandwich recipe.
Greek Chickpea Salad
We’re no strangers to a great chickpea salad, so coming up with a Greek-inspired one was a no-brainer. It’s got all the flavors you love from Greek salad, turned into something more substantial and filling that pairs well with almost anything. It’s wonderful on its own, or served alongside chicken, seafood, or steak for a complete lunch.
Get the Greek Chickpea Salad recipe.
Best Chicken Salad
Classic chicken salad is a delicious lunch staple that expertly combines well-seasoned chicken, a rich mayo dressing, plenty of fresh celery, and a touch of acid. We'd argue that our balance of add-ins here is the pinnacle, but once you nail the chicken and the dressing, you can feel free to spread your wings and give it your own personal flair.
Get the Best Chicken Salad recipe.
Caramelized Tofu Lettuce Cups
Sweet, sour, and salty, these lettuce cups are ripe for improvisation and can be served with all sorts of accompaniments. Crunchy raw vegetables like cucumbers, bell peppers, and carrots can add heft, and a drizzle of chili oil is a must for spice lovers. If lettuce isn’t cutting it, a heaping spoonful of rice is a perfect pairing too.
Get the Caramelized Tofu Lettuce Cups recipe.
Taco Salad
When it comes to healthy salads, none are more hearty than a taco salad. Load it up with veggies, cheese, and ground beef for the perfect satisfying lunch. We love this classic version, but if you want to get fancy, feel free to swap in and out your fave toppings.
Get the Taco Salad recipe.
Warm Tahini Ramen Noodles
This quick and satisfying meal lands somewhere between savory instant ramen and creamy peanut noodles, sub tahini. Throw in your favorite raw veggies for a dish that's healthy, filling, and delicious (the trifecta!). For a little extra oomph, whisk part of a ramen flavor packet little by little, tasting and adjusting along the way.
Get the Warm Tahini Ramen Noodles recipe.
Buffalo Chicken Wrap
This wrap is just as easy to customize as it is to make. Feel free to adjust the spices to add more or less heat, swap out the slaw for lettuce, the blue cheese sauce with ranch dressing, use cauliflower or tofu instead of meat, or try Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise.
Get the Buffalo Chicken Wrap recipe.
Steak Grain Bowl
A double-purpose chimichurri acts as a marinade for the steak and a finishing sauce for these bowls; the not-too-spicy jalapeño sauce provides a tangy, creamy counterpoint—plus, its versatility means it can go on anything and everything (read: make extra, and put it on everything).
Get the Steak Grain Bowl recipe.
Greek Orzo Salad
Move aside plain ol' pasta salad—orzo is here to shake things up. While we love it in comforting, warming dishes (we're looking at you, creamy Tuscan orz0) it also makes for a great salad base. This easy, fresh recipe is filled with all of our favorite bright Mediterranean flavors and mix-ins, like sweet tomatoes, briny olives, cucumber, and tangy feta.
Get the Greek Orzo Salad recipe.
Greek Stuffed Peppers
Filled with zucchini, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives and sharp crumbled feta, these tender stuffed peppers have all the flavors you love from a Greek salad, plus a hearty addition from herby chicken breast and couscous.
Get the Greek Stuffed Peppers recipe.
BBQ Chicken Salad
Some salads are sides, but not this one: Juicy grilled BBQ chicken sits alongside festive South-of-the-border-inspired toppings like black beans, corn, cheese, and tortilla strips. Put that on top of some crunchy romaine and drizzle it with BBQ sauce and ranch dressing, and you’ve got yourself a hearty meal you’ll look forward to eating again and again for lunch.
Get the BBQ Chicken Salad recipe.
Pinwheel Sandwiches
Pinwheel sandwiches are here with their totally retro swirls, ready to be packed into lunchboxes or eaten as an afternoon snack. To make them, you'll layer flour tortillas with ranch-flavored mayonnaise, sliced cheese, deli meats, and lettuce. All that's left to do is roll them up tightly and slice. Simple!
Get the Pinwheel Sandwiches recipe.
Goddess Bowls
A good sauce changes everything, and this green goddess dressing is one of our favorites yet. The veggies here are interchangeable, but in the spirit of goddess dressing, we think green is the way to go. Roasted asparagus, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts are all good choices.
Get the Goddess Bowls recipe.
Roasted Vegetable Baked Falafel Sandwiches
Although these shortcut falafel aren’t as crispy as the classic fried variety, they develop a nice golden crust and contain all the key spices. A zippy roasted pepper salad is the perfect foil, and creamy tahini sauce (aka tarator sauce) ties it all together.
Egg Roll Bowls
If you're a fan of crispy savory egg rolls, then you might consider this unwrapped version your dream lunch. Without the need to wrap or fry, this veggie-packed meal comes together in well under an hour. Garnish with crispy raw scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and plenty of sriracha or chili oil.
Get the Egg Roll Bowls recipe.
Creamy Tomato Vegan Pasta
Rich and creamy with deep tomato flavor, this is the vegan pasta to make if you're a lifelong dairy lover. Vegan or not, this indulgent pasta is sure to have looking forward to lunch.
Get the Creamy Tomato Vegan Pasta recipe.
Camille Lowder is the digital food producer at Delish, otherwise known as our resident queen of recipe galleries. Previously, she attended the Natural Gourmet Institute for culinary school and worked at/managed a number of New York restaurants. She loves anything vegan, foods masquerading as other foods (hello, cauliflower), and a well-used Oxford comma.
