There’s nothing worse than feeling starving at work, wanting to eat your lunch, and then you open it up and realize, oh yeah, this is my lunch today, right? You want something delicious to look forward to that’s gonna not wreck your health and nutrition goals, but it’s also gonna sustain you and satisfy your cravings during the workday.
You have to have something that’s gonna keep you thinking and keep you on your toes at work. You can’t go through the day starving.
1) Turkey Bowl
This is such a great idea because combining the cottage cheese with the turkey slices, cucumber, and tomatoes is so good. It’s colorful, it’s got plenty of protein, and then you have the fiber, of course, from the cucumber and the tomatoes. And if you’re not using cottage cheese as a protein-adding cheat, then you’re missing the train right now.
Cottage cheese is having a moment and I’m here for it, honestly, because it’s such a great way to add extra protein and it’s so versatile. You can get this to be around 500 calories, and it would be a high-protein, low-carb meal if that’s what you’re going for. If you wanna add carbs to this meal, you could.
2) Tuna Salad
This is super easy, and I feel like most of us have a can of tuna in our food cabinet. I try to always have some. Actually, I had it for lunch yesterday. You can make the tuna any way you want, but I always buy the tuna in water, not in oil, and you can put that right on top of your salad.
I like spinach as my favorite, but whatever kind of greens you like for your salad is great, and you can combine it with some sort of beans. You could do garbanzo beans or white beans, any sort of beans you like to add a little bit of fiber. You could do some tomatoes, celery, cucumbers, whatever you like, and it’s going to be delicious with whatever sort of dressing you decide to put on top.
You can keep it simple with olive oil or Greek yogurt or balsamic, whatever you like. If you use the Greek yogurt, that would help add a little bit more protein. You could slice up some avocados too, I feel like that would go well in here. If you’re looking for a high-protein but colorful meal, this is a really great choice.
3) Chicken Salad Plate
This is great because the chicken’s gonna give you plenty of protein, and you could use any chicken you like with this. It could be chicken that you cooked at home, or I even buy the canned chicken, I know, right? It already comes pre-shredded and it’s really versatile. So you can use that, or you can just boil or bake chicken at home, maybe the night before for dinner, and this is your leftover chicken.
You can plop this down on a bed of greens, whatever you like, mixed greens, spring, romaine, spinach, or kale. Then just add whatever toppings you’d like, like tomatoes, cucumbers, and avocado. You can even put some fruit in there if you like fruit in your salad, like strawberries or craisins, and you could add some nuts if you like a little crunch. Then top it off with whatever dressing you’d like, like a vinaigrette or some sort of homemade dressing.
4) Salmon Pita
You can use your leftover salmon. Say you have salmon for dinner the night before, you can bring it and put it on top of a pita or stuff it inside. Mix it with some Greek yogurt to add a little extra protein, and you could also put some mustard or lemon in there.
If you’d like to add any other toppings, you totally could. I could see you putting some cucumbers and tomatoes in there for color and fiber. For your pita, you could use any kind you like, a whole wheat pita or a regular pita. This is a fun spin on a high-protein sandwich, and using the pita makes it more fun.
5) Egg Wrap
You can use egg whites with this one if you’d like and put it with some spinach and some peppers. You could add some cheese, such as feta. Then use a tortilla, whatever sort you like. I like to buy the raw tortillas, I get them from Costco, and you can easily heat them up on the stove, flipping on either side, and they’re cooked really quickly.
You could use a high-fiber tortilla, a low-carb tortilla, or a spinach tortilla if you’d like, and wrap it all up. You’ve got the egg whites, spinach, peppers, and cheese all wrapped up in the tortilla, and it’s delicious.
6) Chicken Salad Toast
This is a favorite lunch of mine. I love chicken salad, and there are so many different ways you can make it, there are even curry chicken salad recipes out there. One thing for me when I make my chicken salad, I like to make sure there are some crunchy items in there, whether that’s celery or diced apples.
I like some cranberries or some sort of sweetness in there, and some people like raisins, so you could do that too. I also like a little mustard in mine. You could do whatever you like with your chicken salad, making it just the way you’d like it.
With the chicken, you can boil it and shred it yourself, or you can buy the canned chicken to make this even quicker and easier. Then use it on whatever sort of bread you like, one slice or two. I usually toast a little bit of whole wheat bread, and I like to put a little spinach or lettuce on mine as well, just to add a little more color and veggies.
7) Shrimp Fried Rice
Shrimp fried rice is such a delicious meal, and it’s a crowd pleaser in our home. When I make it for dinner, I’m definitely eating that as a leftover for lunch the next day. It’s really not hard. You preferably take some leftover rice, and I make my rice in the rice cooker, which makes it even easier.
You’re gonna wanna cool that rice down before you scramble eggs into a skillet with the rice, adding whatever you like to it. You could add some diced green onions, and I really like to add some frozen peas and carrots for a little color and fiber. Then of course the shrimp, the soy sauce, and the garlic, and I like ginger in mine as well. If you make this for dinner, you could definitely have it for lunch, and it reheats really well.
8) Chicken Lentil Soup
Yes, why not? Lentil soup, but with chicken in it, delicious. You’re gonna get some protein from the chicken, and of course all the health benefits like fiber and protein from the lentils too.
Lentils are so good for you, so it’s great if you can incorporate those into your diet without missing the mark on your protein goals. This is a great way to do both. I would definitely add some more veggies in there, and carrots go really well with lentil soup.
9) Tofu Noodle Salad
Tofu is so great because it literally takes on the flavor of whatever you put it with. Teriyaki, barbecue, whatever you combine tofu with, it’s just gonna take on that delicious flavor. It’s literally like a big sponge, so take advantage of that and flavor this however you like.
For this noodle salad, I would imagine a sesame ginger dressing and some noodles, some sort of soba noodles would be delicious with this. Of course, incorporate some edamame to really round out that flavor. You could add the canned mandarin oranges, the little ones, that would be really fun.
If you wanted those little crunchy wontons that you get from the produce section, that would be fun too, and then any veggies of your choice. I would definitely shred up some carrots because I feel like that would go really nicely.
10) Turkey Chili
This is a great meal because you’re gonna have some beans in there, which gives you fiber, and some ground turkey, which gives you plenty of protein. You can easily add any veggies into your chili. Some favorites for me are mushrooms and carrots, and if you dice those up tiny, you won’t even notice them, they’re so good.
You can top this off with whatever you like, and it reheats really well. You’re just giving everything more time together with all the flavor, and it’s gonna be even better the second day, I feel like. You could put some plain Greek yogurt on top if you’d like, for some flavoring. This is such a good meal to bring for lunch.
11) Steak Salad
Steak, as you know, is high in protein, so this would be a really great idea. I’m imagining having steak for dinner one night and saving a little bit of it. Then slice that up and put it on whatever lettuce you like, arugula, spinach, spring mix, or kale, and add some olive oil or whatever dressing you like on top.
You can add plenty of veggies into this salad as well, like tomatoes, cucumbers, and broccoli, whatever you like. And you’re gonna get a high-protein, low-carb meal.
12) Chicken Lettuce Wraps
This is such a yummy, delicious idea, especially with the blackened chicken, which is gonna have tons of flavor and protein. The mango salsa gives some sweetness and delicious flavor, and of course some lime on top. You’re gonna serve this over a bed of crisp lettuce, which gives you plenty of protein along with the colorful mango.
This is a high-protein, low-carb meal and super easy to prep for lunch, because you can easily reheat the chicken, have the lettuce on the side, and combine it at the last second before you eat.
13) Egg Salad Sandwich
Egg salad is a classic, right? It’s a favorite, and it’s a great idea for lunch because you just keep it in the fridge and it’s ready to go, no heating required. So if you eat lunch somewhere that doesn’t have a microwave, this is a really great option. There are a lot of ways to spice this up and make it however you want it to taste.
You could do Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise if you like that. I like to add mustard, and some paprika kind of reminds you of deviled eggs, and you could put chives in there if you’d like. Of course, serve it on whatever type of bread you like, like rye, pumpernickel, sourdough, or whole wheat. I might do some veggies on the side for this one too, like some carrot sticks or something easy just to round it out.
14) Tempeh BLT
If you haven’t had tempeh, it definitely has a certain texture and a nutty, hearty taste that comes with it, and it’s really fun to combine with a BLT. You’re going to sear it in the pan with some spices, then serve it up with the lettuce, tomato, and whole grain bread, which gives you plenty of fiber as well. This is a really fun spin, just something different to have for lunch.
15) Protein Pasta Salad
Have you had chickpeas on a salad before? If not, you’re missing out, it is delicious. A can of chickpeas is always great to have in your cupboard, so if you don’t have it, I would stock up, because you can do so much with them. You could eat them straight out of the can or roast them in the oven if you’d like.
If you have some chickpeas and some diced chicken, whether it’s leftover from last night’s dinner or rotisserie, you can combine it with some tomatoes, cucumbers, and whatever vinaigrette dressing you like. This is gonna give you a delicious and colorful chickpea pasta salad, and you can serve it with whatever sort of pasta shape you have around.
16) Salmon Sushi Bowl
This is a great lunch that doesn’t require any sort of microwave, so if you don’t have one available on your lunch break, no biggie. You can take some cooked salmon, which could be leftover from last night’s dinner, I usually have some when I cook it. It could also be the pouch of salmon, or some sort of canned or already prepared salmon.
Then you can have some rice, salmon, edamame, cucumbers, and carrots, whatever you like to combine with it. This is going to be a colorful, high-protein, well-balanced meal.
17) Turkey Burger Plate
This is super delicious because, of course, the turkey patty is going to be high in protein, which is what we’re aiming for. You could serve that with sweet potato, and I don’t know if you love sweet potatoes, but I love sweet potatoes. You can make your own burger with this, something totally different and totally fun. You’re going to have high protein, and then you’ll get lots of delicious nutrients from sweet potato coins as well.
18) Skyr Bowl
This one is delicious because you’re going to be using smoked salmon, dill, and cucumber all together, and it’s going to give you a deliciously flavorful, high-protein meal. If you wanted some carbs, you could add some with this as well, like some rice. Or if you’re just aiming for a high-protein meal, I think this one will hit the mark.
Think about bagel and lox in a yogurt bowl together. So this is going to be delicious and high-protein.
19) Beef Stir-Fry
This could be leftovers from the night before or something that you make just for lunch. We love beef and broccoli in our house, so having it for lunch would absolutely be amazing for me. It’s going to be high-protein from the beef, and then you’ve got lots of nutrients from the broccoli.
Fun fact, having a food high in vitamin C, such as broccoli, actually helps increase your absorption of the iron from the beef, which is why beef and broccoli is such a great combination together. I would serve this on a bed of rice if I wanted some carbs with the meal, and then it’s well-rounded.
20) Shawarma Bowl
I don’t know about you, but I love shawarma chicken, it’s so good. I really lean into the Mediterranean Greek side of this and add some cucumbers, tomatoes, and hummus. I like to put naan bread with it as well, there’s garlic naan and regular naan, so you can have a lot of fun trying out your different flavors of hummus.
It’s just a well-rounded meal because you’ve got lots of fresh, colorful veggies, the high-protein chicken, of course, and then the naan. You can even buy naan in the little tiny circles if you’re trying to cut back on carbs, and dip that in the hummus. Or you can get the large naan, pile it all on, and eat it kind of like a pizza.
21) Snack Plate Lunch
This is such a fun idea, combining hard-boiled eggs, turkey slices, crunchy veggies, and some hummus, so it’s kind of like a charcuterie board. You’re having this all together, and you can add a lot to it and really cater it to whatever foods you like, putting some prosciutto or some nuts on there. This would be so delicious and so fun to jazz up.
22) Stuffed Pepper
Think of a big bell pepper, right? You cut it in half and then stuff each half with plenty of meat. You could do whatever meat you like, shredded chicken, ground turkey, or ground beef. I would put some beans in there too, whatever kind you want, I like black beans, along with salsa, some diced tomatoes, and cheese on top. I would make this the night before, and then it’s easy and ready to go for lunch.
23) Sardine Toast
Hopefully you won’t offend any coworkers with this one, but sardines are very good for you, such a healthy choice. They’re tiny fish, and they actually have little tiny bones in there that you can eat because they’re so tiny, which gives you some added calcium as well. This is a high-protein alternative to salmon.
There’s a lot you could do with it, adding different flavors like capers, red onions, or tomatoes, whatever you’d like on top. Then plop this on whatever toast you’d like, like whole wheat, rye, or pumpernickel.
24) Chicken Soup
This would be a really great one to make the night before. Maybe it’s leftover from dinner, or maybe you’re just meal prepping. You could do some ginger and garlic, of course, adding in some cooked chicken, either rotisserie or leftover, and then some edamame and mushrooms. This is such a colorful and flavorful meal that you’re gonna look forward to eating at lunch.
25) Creamy Chicken Noodles
This is a lighter, higher-protein version of creamy chicken Alfredo. You’re gonna use that cottage cheese, I told you cottage cheese was gonna come back. Cottage cheese is a great high-protein food item, so you’re gonna blend it up with your garlic and Parmesan, and it’s gonna be so good.
You can serve this over whatever you’d like. You’ve got the chicken and the flavoring there, and you could serve it over some sort of noodles if you like, pasta or any shape of noodles that you have, it doesn’t have to be spaghetti.
I also like to make zucchini noodles, or zoodles, as a low-carb alternative. If you don’t have a zoodle, they’re really easy. You just take the zucchini and put it in this little device, mine is a manual, there are other ones that are more high tech, and you just spin it around and it literally makes zucchini noodles. So delicious, and it adds some beautiful coloring to this meal.
26) Fish Tacos
If I had fish tacos in my lunch, that’s something I would be looking forward to all day long. You can bake your fish at home the night before, and you could do whatever type of fish you like, cod tends to be a popular one. Then you’re gonna reheat that for lunch and serve it on your tortilla with whatever toppings you’d like, like tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, and salsa. And there you go.
27) Chicken Salad
This is delicious, of course, because you can use some chicken, which is gonna be high in protein, and you could add some shredded cabbage, carrots, and peanuts. Whatever you like on this one, it’s gonna give it a nice crunch and a lot of color. You could add thinner dressings to really jazz this up and add a lot of flavor, and you can have some lime juice on this as well.
Pantry & Tools I Reach For on Lunch-Prep Days
This kit will prevent your high-protein lunch from crossing the calorie line. Affiliate links: when you purchase through them, HomeViable gets a small commission at no extra cost to you.
- MUNBYN Digital Food Scale. The most useful tool for keeping any of these lunches actually under the calorie line.
- ThermoMaven Instant-Read Meat Thermometer. Instead of slicing and guessing, pull the chicken, turkey, salmon, and steak at temp.
- Rubbermaid Box Grater. Hand-grated Parmesan cheese on top of the chickpea pasta, zoodles and shawarma bowl is better than pre-shredded in terms of both taste and portion control.
