Food & Drink
10 Easy Lunch Recipes for Your Busy Workday
Find 10 easy lunch recipes for those workdays when you’re strapped for time and attention and you need something good and quick
August 13, 2020
Even as the pandemic has changed many things about our lives, the workday has remained as hectic as ever. Lunch can get sidelined. You get to 3 pm and are rudely reminded by your stomach and blood sugar level that you have yet to eat lunch. Or you do remember to eat lunch at a civilized time but don’t have the energy to cook, let alone cook something healthy.
So we want to help you find some easy and healthy lunch recipes to prepare the evening before or whip up and enjoy quickly.
We’ve gathered a variety of easy lunch recipes to help get you through the day. No more feeling your batteries drain while deciding whether you should eat a super-late lunch or just wait for dinner. Instead, take a few minutes and allow us to help you find some delicious new lunch options that will fit neatly into your day and your stomach.
1. Tex-Mex Taco Beef Sliders
Source: The Spruce Eats
Total time: 2 hrs 40 minutes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 2 hrs 25 minutes
Tiny sandwiches are the best. They’re just the right size to individually wrap and save the extras for next time. The meat requires a bit of time, yes, but not much attention: just throw it into a slow cooker! Substitute any filling, really: chicken, sliced veggies and hummus, deli meat and make it a club sandwich slider. Add feta and a touch of olive oil for a Greek slider. Try chicken salad or PB&J. We lost Tex-Mex a while back, but you get the idea.
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2. Baked Ham and Cheese Quesadilla
Source: The Spruce Eats
Total time: 17 minutes
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 12 minutes
Jazz up the classic ham and cheese with some guacamole, cheddar cheese and ranch dressing. Swap out flour tortillas for gluten-free wraps. We have a winner!
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3. Spicy Sweet Potato Fries
Source: The Spruce Eats
Total time: 30 minutes
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Healthy and tasty. Sweet and savory. And irresistible with the right dipping sauce, perhaps a chipotle ranch.
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4. Hot Tuna and Egg Salad Rolls
Source: The Spruce Eats
Total time: 30 minutes
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Easy to make ahead of time. Can’t beat a hot tuna and egg salad hybrid for a filling healthy lunch idea.
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5. Mac and Cheese
Source: The Spruce Eats
Total time: 40 minutes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
It’s classic. Yes, some mac and cheese is superior, and this is one of them. Use good cheddar and your favorite shape of pasta, and this recipe will do the trick every time.
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6. Crescent Roll Pizza Pinwheels
Source: The Spruce Eats
Total time: 25 minutes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
The simplicity-to-deliciousness ratio is off the charts. Crescent roll dough, pizza sauce and cheese, plus your favorite toppings, like pepperoni or bell peppers.
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7. Chicken Avocado Roll-Ups
Source: delish
Total time: 20 minutes
Prep time: 20 minutes
Prepare this the day before if you know you’re gonna have a busy day. Add a pasta salad on the side and lunch is done.
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8. Pizza-Stuffed Zucchini
Source: delish
Total time: 35 minutes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Veggies: check. Pizza: check. Just add pepperoni, mozzarella, Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese and pizza sauce. This is a delightfully healthy spin on the most glorious food on Earth. (That’s pizza, of course.)
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9. Cauliflower Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Source: delish
Total time: 25 minutes
Prep time: 25 minutes
Who would have thought that so much amazing food could be made with cauliflower? This time it ends up as crispy slices of “bread” for another brilliant variation on the grilled cheese sandwich, another highly versatile sandwich from humble beginnings.
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10. Mini Pepper Pepperoni Pizzas
Source: delish
Total time: 30 minutes
No bread? No problem. These tasty pizza treats get their special powers from the bell pepper halves.
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Bonus: Pesto Chicken Veggie Meatballs
Source: Super Healthy Kids
Total time: 35 minutes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Yet another testament to the versatility of veggies.
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Double Bonus: Black Bean & Corn Quinoa
Source: Taste of Home
Total time: 30 minutes
Here’s the one you’ve been waiting for: gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian glory. Simple. Healthy. This recipe is a win-win.
Also, consider keeping some pita bread or tortilla chips and hummus, fresh veggies or fruits low in sugar around for snacking.
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And remember to check with Gopuff for when you need ingredients in a pinch.
