02/10/25
#197 Quick and Healthy Lunch Ideas You'll Love
No More Lunch Struggles! Quick & Healthy Lunch Ideas You’ll Love
Are you struggling to make time for a healthy lunch? You are not alone many women miss lunch or grab processed snacks on the run.
But stepping away from your desk to eat a healthy lunch, may give you more energy and improved concentration levels in the afternoon.
Eating a balanced healthy lunch also helps to prevent overeating in the afternoon and evening,
Skipping lunch has also been shown in studies to slow down weight loss and metabolism.
Grabbing a white bread sandwich or a bag of crisps and a chocolate bar will give you an energy crash in the afternoon.
In this blog, we will talk about quick, easy healthy lunches that will fuel you, assist in weight loss, and keep your focus high in the afternoon.
Historically I never stopped for lunch.
I never scheduled a lunch break. I always grabbed something quick to eat at my desk.
I used to get terrible IBS in the afternoon from eating my lunch too quickly.
And by 4 pm I was looking for a snack (this could turn into a binge). Or when I got home from work I would graze my way to dinner time and then on into the evening.
This is precisely the wrong time of day to be eating for weight loss and energy.
But I also know that if I eat too much at lunchtime I will be sleepy in the afternoon. (needing a siesta!)
I will never forget a client phoning me on her way home from work to tell me that I had changed her life with simple lunch ideas and that this was the first time in years she had not been afraid of falling asleep driving home on the motorway!
Many clients who overeat or graze in the evening are not eating a balanced lunch.
For a balanced lunch, you need some protein, Low GI carb, and salad or veggies, with some healthy fat.
The protein keeps you full and prevents energy crashes. The low GI carb releases energy slowly into your bloodstream.
My Lunchtime Rules:
- Calendar in a daily lunch break- preferably 20-30 minutes.
- Eat away from the desk or computer.
- Concentrate on your lunch. I once had a client tell me she needed a big lunch so that she could read more of her book during her lunch break! Concentrate on eating. Eat slowly. Eat on purpose.
- Prep quick and easy lunches for the week ahead.
- Use leftovers and pre-cooked frozen or refrigerated meals.
7 Easy Healthy Lunch Ideas
- Microwaved or baked Kumara with Beans and Salad
- Leftovers in a wrap
- Beans, Rice, and Hummus
- Sweetcorn, leftovers, coleslaw
- Pre-baked potato and baked beans or chili beans
- Leftover tofu scramble on sourdough toast
- Pre-cooked Falafel in a wrap or on rice with veggies or salad
More Healthy Lunch Ideas
Here are 7 quick and easy meal assembly healthy lunches that are plant-based, nutrient-dense, and satisfying—perfect for busy days!
1️⃣ Mediterranean Power Bowl
- Carb: ½ cup cooked quinoa or brown rice (half a packet of microwave rice)
- Protein: ½ cup chickpeas (canned, rinsed) or 1 Edgell’s snacktime
- Veggies: Cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and spinach
- Extras: Kalamata olives
- Dressing: Hummus
2️⃣ High-Protein Wrap
- Carb: Whole wheat or gluten-free wrap
- Protein: ½ cup mashed butter beans
- Veggies: Grated carrot, shredded cabbage, baby spinach
- Extras: Avocado slices & hummus
- Optional: Edamame beans for extra protein
3️⃣ Asian-Inspired Tofu Salad
- Carb: ½ cup quinoa or rice, 2 cups shredded cabbage or mixed greens (bought coleslaw without the dressing)
- Protein: ½ cup cubed baked tofu (leftovers)
- Veggies: Red capsicum, grated carrot, shelled edamame beans
- Dressing: Peanut or sesame dressing
- Extras: Crushed peanuts & sesame seeds
4️⃣ Mexican Burrito Bowl
- Carb: ½ cup cooked brown rice ( or ½ packet steamed)
- Protein: ½ cup black beans (or Edgell’s snacktime black beans and corn)
- Veggies: Corn, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce
- Extras: Guacamole & salsa
- Optional: Sprinkle nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor
5️⃣ Protein-Packed Avocado Toast
- Carb: 2 slices whole grain or sourdough toast
- Protein: ½ cup mashed chickpeas mixed with lemon juice, garlic & herbs and ½ mashed avocado
- Toppings: Cherry tomatoes, rocket
6️⃣ Super Green Pesto Pasta
- Carb: 1 cup cooked whole wheat pasta
- Protein: ½ cup edamame beans
- Veggies: Baby spinach & cherry tomatoes
- Sauce: Blend basil, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and a few walnuts for a quick pesto
7️⃣ Kumara & Black Bean Power Bowl
- Carb: 1 fist-sized roasted or microwaved sweet potato, diced
- Protein: ½ cup black beans
- Veggies: Lettuce or rocket, red capsicum, and red onion
- Extras: Avocado slices & a squeeze of lime
- Dressing: Bought or homemade hummus
These are quick to assemble, high in protein, and nutrient-dense—ideal for energy and satiety without meal-prepping for hours! 🚀💚
Take time out for a healthy lunch.
Eat slowly and let your body register that you have eaten.
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Lunch can be quick and easy to make, and move you towards your weight and health goals.
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Lunches should include a Protein and Low GI carb that keeps you feeling full but not bloated
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Use leftovers with the carbs and veggie ideas.