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Ideas for your healthy work lunch

Every year “eating healthier” is one of the top new year’s resolutions for many people. We know that a healthy diet reduces the risk of many diseases, makes your bones and teeth stronger, is good for your skin and it will  give you more energy! However, every year people also struggle to actually change their habits. Many don’t know where to start, don’t have the time to shop and cook healthier or simply don’t find the motivation to really make a change. That is why we want to help you out with some healthy and quick recipes for your work lunch or dinner.

 

Quick and easy chickpea salad

Chickpea salad as a healthy lunch idea for work
A chickpea salad is healthy, easy and looks good!

If you don’t feel too confident in your cooking skills, a simple chickpea salad is the meal for you! It is easy to prepare, you can try out different versions and it won’t leave you hungry again after 30 minutes.

What you need: Cooked chickpeas, your favorite vegetables, dressing
Preparation time: 10 mins or less
Great for your office lunch because: You don’t have to heat it up. A great choice if you work in an office with way more employees than microwaves.

How to prepare it:
Your main ingredient, the chickpeas, come pre-cooked in a tin or a glass. The only thing you need to do is to rinse them before tossing them into a big bowl. Now you can either just chop some raw vegetables, like tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and add some greens like rucola salad and or go “the extra mile” and throw some of them in the pan first.
In either case, some feta cheese and fresh basil are always great additions for a chickpea salad.
The dressing is another thing that depends on your time and mood. Prepare a nice honey-mustard-dressing or just add some olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to finish things off.

 

Mess-free Hummus Grilled Chicken Wrap

Chicken wraps healthy work lunches
Chicken wraps make for healthy work lunches.

Let’s talk about wraps! They are basically a healthier alternative to burritos. Besides, they can be modified and adapted in many, many ways. This wrap will solve your “what should I bring for lunch?” dilemma in the tastiest way and gives you lean protein and fiber from whole grains and veggies!

What you need: Soft tortillas (whole-wheat tortillas if you want it to be healthier!), hummus, grilled chicken in cubes or strips, crunchy veggies (lettuce, spinach, arugula), avocado & cherry tomato, feta cheese (optional).
Preparation time:  25 minutes (if you haven’t cooked your chicken yet)
Great for your office lunch because: Easy to transport and mess-free, wraps make planning and eating lunch a breeze.

How to prepare it:
For the Hummus Grilled Chicken Wrap, you’ll use a variety of your fresh favorite veggies, your favorite hummus, and grilled chicken. Spread a layer of hummus on a wrap. Add the lettuce (or spinach or arugula) in a line in the center of the wrap, followed by chopped cherry tomatoes, strips of grilled chicken (if you do not have cooked chicken on hand, grill or sear chicken breasts for 10 minutes then slice into thin strips), dices of avocado and feta cheese. Drizzle them with flavorful ingredients like Sriracha, lime juice, and cilantro in order to get a burst of flavor without the guilt. Wrap like a burrito. TA-DA!

 

A Bibimbap to impress your colleagues 

Bibimbap - healthy lunch ideas for work
Enjoy a homemade Bibimbap!

You won’t go wrong with this dish if you want to surprise all your work colleagues! This colorful (and easy to prepare) dish comes from Asia and includes all the flavors of Korea in a single bowl.

What you need: Rice, vegetables, marinated beef (or tofu), an egg, dressing (soy sauce, sesame oil or Sriracha sauce)
Preparation time: 10 min
Great for your office lunch because: This is a very versatile dish. Switch up the vegetables or the dressing and you won’t get bored with it.

How to prepare it:
The main ingredient, as in many dishes from Asia, is rice. It should be round rice and it needs to be prepared the Korean way (rinse it a few times until the starch is completely removed and so it absorbs all the water).
The next ingredient is RAW vegetables. You can add as many as you want to: spinach, mushrooms, bean sprouts, zucchini, pickled beet, cabbage… Let your creativity fly! Then you add some protein: it’s usually made with marinated beef (with soy, ginger, sugar, and salt), but if you prefer a vegetarian version of this dish, you can use tofu instead! Last but not least, the key for a good Bibimbap is … a fried egg on top!
Toss all the ingredients together in your lunch box, and there you go! Oh, and if you really want to give it an exotic touch, prepare a dressing with sesame oil or soy sauce and if you like spicy foods, add some Sriracha sauce

 

Your favorite veggies – now with glass noodles!

Glass noodles healthy work lunch
Switch traditional pasta for some glass noodles!

Let’s look at another Asian style dish to your work lunch! Switching the base of your dish from Italian pasta or rice to glass noodles is an easy way of getting some interesting variety in your week’s lunch menu.

What you need: Glass noodles, rice vinegar, vegetables (bell pepper, cucumber, carrot, spring onions), lime, cashew nuts, cilantro
Preparation time: 15 minutes or less
Great for your office lunch because: It is fairly easy and quick to prepare and gives a new flavor and texture in comparison to your traditional office lunch sandwich.

How to prepare it:
First, you will need to boil your rice noodle for a couple of minutes while you cut your veggies. For the carrots and cucumber, it’s best to use a kitchen grater, it saves time and everything will end roughly the same size.
Once you drained the glass noodles, toss everything in a bowl, add the vinegar, lime juice and a pinch of salt, and you are done! Depending on which ingredients, you have at your disposal, you can switch up a bit and still keep the nice flavor and texture. You can also add some protein like fried meat, shrimps or tofu. Extra tip: treat yourself by topping it off with some nuts!

 

A protein salad for athletes in a rush

Healthy office lunch
A protein salad gives you fuel for your workout.

Always rushing between work and workout hours? If you are busy at the office but also don’t like it to miss out on your training, then this is for you! It’s simple without sacrificing flavor, quick to prepare and will fit perfectly into your daily routine. 

What you need: eggs and/or tofu, some of your fav salad ingredients (tomatoes, corn, cucumber, etc)
Preparation time: 10 minutes or less
Great for your office lunch because: It has all you need for a healthy lunch at work on a training day: calories, enough protein, carbs, fat and just the right amount of fiber.

How to prepare it:
The main ingredient here is BALANCE. First, chop a bunch of raw vegetables bike tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage and then add some greens like lettuce or haricot beans. After that, it’s time for some protein, because all athletes need their fuel! Add a pair of boiled eggs and/or some plant-based protein such as tofu. The dressing is up to you! Corn on top is always welcome of course.

 

We hope that these ideas have inspired you for at least a week of healthy office lunches! Remember, preparing your lunch at home and taking it to work is often cheaper than buying it every day. And with these ideas for a healthy work lunch, you are also giving your body what it needs.

 

What is your favourite recipe or office lunch? Let us know in the comments!

Where do you usually eat lunch?

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  1. Deborah a Shepard | 10 September, 2019

    looks yummy I eat with hummus and veggies and wrap

  2. gary a lacour | 23 February, 2019

    eat vege and in moderation.

  3. Melinda Vanhersh | 16 February, 2019

    My favorite reciept that sounds yummy is the Mess-free Hummus Grilled Chicken Wrap.

  4. Melinda Vanhersh | 16 February, 2019

    Try nicequeat for free. Give your opinion on products and get free gifts

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