If you’re getting tired of the same old lunches and looking for some new delicious lunch ideas, I’ve got you covered!
From the best taco salad and triple decker sandwich to all the soup recipes you could want! I’ve even got lunch ideas for kids, so if you’re in a rut with packing school lunch, there are plenty of recipes your kids will love, like a crispy cheese quesadilla that’s sure to make their box lunch anything but boring. Of course, there are a bunch of healthy lunch ideas too, like refreshing salads and even some meal prep lunch ideas that only get better with time. So, without further ado, here are 50 lunch ideas to get you out of your lunch rut!
Sandwich & Wrap Ideas
These sandwich recipes are anything but average. There’s everything from crunchy lettuce wrap ideas to a tuna melt sandwich. And if you love a panini this one is next level!
Ginger Scallion Chicken Wraps
Triple Decker California Club
Chipotle Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Turkey Larb Lettuce Wraps
Open Faced Bell Pepper and Scallion Tuna Melt
Leftover Asian Chicken Wraps
Turkey, Brie and Pesto Panini
Smoked Salmon Tartine
Chicken Kefta Wraps
Salad
There’s no missing out on any of the flavors with these salad recipes. There’s a salad for every season of the year. Some of my favorites are the viral cucumber salad, a super colorful farmers market chicken salad, and the perfect taco salad topped with crispy homemade tortilla strips. Trust me, they’ll be your favorites in no time too.
Pesto Farmers Market Salad with Grilled Chicken
Brussels Sprouts Salad with Persimmons
Cucumber Feta Salad
Ginger Soy Herb Salad
Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad
Greek Salad with Salmon
Taco Salad
Avocado Kale Caesar
Soup
If you didn’t know, we’re big fans of soup over here, so you bet these soup recipes are going to be the best of the best! You must try the most delish potato soup, my all-time favorite lentil soup, and this minestrone soup loaded with every vegetable under the sun! Talk about easy lunch ideas right here!
Curry Lentil Soup
Italian Wedding Soup
Chicken Chili Verde
Potato Leek Soup
Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Sweet Potato Soup
Not your Grandma’s Minestrone Soup
Bowls
I’m all for a quick and easy lunch bowl! From a quinoa bowl to a grain bowl to my DIY burrito bowl that rivals the one from chipotle – I know it’s a big claim, and I stand by it.
Summer Grain Bowl with Green Goddess Feta Dressing
Quinoa Burrito Bowls
Chicken Shawarma Bowls
DIY Chipotle Burrito Bowl
Ginger Scallion Chicken Bowls
Chicken Larb Bowls
Salmon Shawarma Bowls
Meal Prep Lunch Ideas
These are the kinds of recipes that only get better with time which means they’re perfect for meal prep. So, for example, you could make a big batch of this greek pasta salad that would last you for days or whip up the chicken salad for these stuffed pitas, and boom, not only will you have a delicious lunch for work but also save yourself a ton of time.
Castelvetrano Greek Pasta Salad
Deconstructed Falafel Salad
Asian Chicken Slaw
Green Goddess Quinoa Bowls
Greek Chicken Stuffed Pitas
Lunch Ideas for Kids
I’ve even got school lunch covered for you! If you’re looking for lunch ideas for kids, I have plenty of kid-friendly recipes like gnocchi, cheesy quesadillas, and even how to make the cheesiest grilled cheese. Most of these recipes are also meal prep friendly, so you can make them ahead and pack them up in the morning before school drop off. And if you’re looking out for the best things to pack lunch in, this Yeti lunch box is great at keeping things cool, or if you’re wondering how to keep food warm for lunch, try using this Thermos which will keep everything hot for hours!
Pesto Pasta Salad
Garlic Buttered Angel Hair with Burrata
Cheesiest Grilled Cheese
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Mexican Corn and Quinoa Salad
Schinkennudeln (Ham & Cheese Pasta)
Crispy Cheese Quesadilla
Cheesy Baked Gnocchi
Best Lunch
Some of the most popular lunch recipes on What’s Gaby Cooking that I’m sure you’ll love as well, like these 25 minute chicken tacos or five different ways to make avocado toast. And I must add this chicken fajita Cobb salad is a must-try! I mean, it is seriously incredible. Think everything you’d normally wrap up in a tortilla but over a crisp bed of greens.
Chicken Fajita Bowls with Guacamole
Basil Vinaigrette Pasta (The ONLY summer pasta you need)!
Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
Chicken Fajita Cobb
Avocado Toast – 5 Ways!
Ground Chicken Tacos
Looking for more easy lunch ideas?
Take a look at this roundup of 10 easy make ahead lunches. If you’re looking for dinner ideas next check out this roundup of 50 easy dinner ideas.
Lunch Ideas: Quinoa Taco Bowls
Ingredients
For the meat:
- ¾ pound ground turkey or chicken
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
For the Bowls :
- 2 cups thinly shredded Romaine Lettuce
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 cup Pico de Gallo
- ½ cup freshly grated colby jack cheese
- 2 ears of corn shucked and corn sliced off the cob
- 2 avocados diced
- 3 green onions sliced
- cilantro leaves
- A few tablespoons red onion chopped or sliced
- 1 cup black beans rinsed and drained
For the Tomatillo Avocado Salsa
- 1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 1/2 jalapeno, you can remove the seeds if you want, or leave them in for an extra kick
- 1 small yellow onion, quartered
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 avocado
- 1 lime, juiced and zested
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the meat:
- Place a medium skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more. Add the ground chicken or turkey and continue to cook for 6-7 minutes until fully cooked. Add the taco seasoning and a few tablespoons of water and reduce heat to low. Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes while you assemble the bowls.
For the Bowls
- Divide the quinoa amongst 4 bowls and top with piles of the meat, romaine, pico, cheese, corn, avocado, green onions, cilantro, red onion, black beans and a dollop of the avocado dressing. Season with salt and pepper and serve as needed.
For the Tomatillo Avocado Salsa
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Remove the husks from the tomatillos. Rinse under warm water well and wipe clean. Cut the tomatillos in half and place into a baking pan with the onions and jalapeno. Roast for 20 minutes until they are tender. Remove and set aside to cool.
- Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add a few tablespoons of water if needed until it’s smooth like a salad dressing. Serve as needed. Keeps in an air tight container for up to 5 days.
