When all you have in your lunchbox arsenal is Lean Cuisine, soup from a can, and peanut butter and jelly, your lunch hour can get a little repetitive (not to mention that your meal of choice probably won't help you power through your jam-packed afternoon).
What you really need is a healthy lunch that's easy to prepare, filling, and packed with some energy-boosting nutrients. Oh yeah—and preferably tasty.
Impossible? Not with this list of incredible lunch options we've compiled from across the web. So let go of the freezer meal, and embrace one of these tasty, healthy, and easy options.
Pasta
These recipes may start with a simple ingredient, but when topped with everything from beans to veggies to cheese, there are countless ways to make pasta dishes exciting. Whip up one big pot over the weekend, then dish it out all week.
1. The Healthiest Lasagna Ever, The Daily Muse
2. Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad, YumSugar
3. Three-Bean Pasta Salad, Martha Stewart
4. Chili-Spiked Orzo Salad With Pinto Beans, The Daily Muse
5. Chicken, Corn, and Tomato Pasta Salad, My Recipes
6. Spicy Sesame-Soy Soba Noodles, The Daily Muse
7. Roasted Pepper-Corn Pasta Salad, Women's Health
8. Steak Noodle Salad, YumSugar
9. Greek Orzo Salad, Allrecipes
10. Zucchini and Almond Pasta Salad, Smitten Kitchen
11. Chilled Sesame Soba With Cashews, The Daily Muse
12. Tuscan Bow Ties, Women's Health
13. Pasta With Quinoa Meatballs, The Daily Muse
14. Fast and Fresh Orzo Salad With Tomatoes, Basil, and Feta, Mel's Kitchen Cafe
15. Teriyaki Soba Salad, The Daily Muse
Soup
You may have left your thermos full of SpaghettiOs in the third grade, but there's something comforting about a steaming bowl of hot soup, stew, or chili—and it's the perfect excuse for a break during a hectic day at work. Pick up a fun bento lunch canister, pack some bread on the side, and whip up one of these perfect lunch recipes.
16. Chunky Moroccan Soup, Refinery 29
17. Chickpea, Vegetable, and Pesto Soup, Real Simple
18. Roasted Carrot-Coconut Soup, The Daily Muse
19. Easy Minestrone Soup, Greatist
20. Spicy Tomato Soup, YumSugar
21. Chunky Turkey and White Bean Soup, Fitness Magazine
22. Pasta e Fagioli, Cravings of a Lunatic
23. Quick and Easy Veggie Chili, Greatist
24. Tortilla Soup With Black Beans, Martha Stewart
25. Lentil Soup, Martha Stewart
26. Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Chili, The Daily Muse
27. Classic Tomato Soup, Martha Stewart
28. Chicken Noodle Soup, The Daily Muse
29. Chili with Chicken and Hominy, Better Homes and Gardens
Salads
When you default to a typical salad—lettuce, carrot shreds, and few strategically placed cherry tomatoes—it's hard to get excited for your lunch hour. But when you throw in an unusual mix of ingredients (um, blood oranges and feta?), those leafy greens get a whole lot more appetizing.
30. Mason Jar Salads, The Daily Muse
31. Warm Steak, Feta, and Artichoke Salad, Iowa Girl Eats
32. Chickpea, Cherry Tomato, and Feta Salad, Martha Stewart
33. BLT Lettuce Wraps, Skinny Taste
34. Asian Green Bean Salad, My Recipes
35. Avocado, Corn, and Cilantro Bliss, The Daily Muse
36. Cannellini Bean and Escarole Salad, Blue Apron
37. Neiman Marcus Chicken Salad, Saveur
38. Solie’s Signature Salad, The Daily Muse
39. Wheat Berry Salad With Blood Oranges and Feta, The Kitchn
40. Persian Shirazi Salad With a Protein Twist, The Daily Muse
41. Radish and Pecan Grain Salad, The Daily Muse
42. Mediterranean Garden Wraps, My Recipes
43. Spectacular Spinach and Persimmon Salad, The Daily Muse
44. Greek Tuna Salad, My Recipes
45. Kale Salad With Lentils and Apricot Vinaigrette, Buzzfeed
46. Arugula Salad With Roasted Chicken, Quinoa, and Lemon-Tahini Dressing, The Daily Muse
47. Tabbouleh With Chicken and Red Pepper, My Recipes
Sandwiches
Whether it's between bread, rolled up in a tortilla, or stuffed in a pita, whatever you put in a sandwich, you really can't go wrong. But instead of opting for blah tuna or turkey, try these fun twists on your go-to lunch item.
48. Black Bean Burgers Bento Style, Veggie Bento Love
49. Chicken and Hummus Wraps, Better Homes and Gardens
50. Spicy Vegetable Hummus Wrap, The Daily Muse
51. Mashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich, The Simple Veganista
52. Pan Bagnat: Le French Tuna Salad Sandwich, The Daily Muse
53. Mediterranean Turkey Wrap, Iowa Girl Eats
54. Thai Chicken Roll-Ups, My Recipes
55. Curried Chicken Salad on Flatbread, YumSugar
56. The World’s Easiest Falafel and Tzatziki, The Daily Muse
57. Grilled Zucchini Sandwiches With Sundried Tomato Pesto, The Daily Muse
58. Chicken Banh Mi, Blue Apron
59. Little Italy Chicken Pitas, My Recipes
60. Eggplant Pita Pizza, Shape
61. Healthy Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps, The Daily Muse
62. Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Better Homes and Gardens
Casseroles, Starches, and Grains
Potatoes, rice, and quinoa, oh my! If it's not between bread, in a broth, or plated on a bed of greens, you'll find it here.
63. One Pot Kale and Quinoa Pilaf, The Daily Muse
64. Quick Fried Rice, Bon Appetit
65. Homemade Chipotle Burrito Bowl, Iowa Girl Eats
66. Baked Quinoa Casserole, YumSugar
67. Heart Healthy Potato Salad, The Daily Muse
68. Tomato Basil Quinoa, A Couple Cooks
69. Fuss-Free Frittata, Shape
70. Louisiana Style Red Beans and Rice, The Daily Muse
71. Breakfast Fried Rice, iPackLunch
72. 20-Minute Kale and Quinoa Bowl, Buzzfeed
73. Mexican-Style Sweet Potatoes, Greatist
74. Miso Sweet Potato and Broccoli Bowl, Smitten Kitchen
75. Veggie Rice Bowls, Mary Makes Dinner
