7 Healthy Lunch Ideas That Aren’t Salad

Don’t get me wrong, a nice salad can be so tasty and refreshing when the moment is right. There are many different mix-ins you can try to get a completely different taste. Sometimes, though, eating salad three days or more in a row can make meals really boring and unappealing. If you’re looking to switch up your lunch game but still stay healthy, here are some options below that may be worth a shot.

1. Sweet Potato Skillet

One of my favorite, most flavorful dishes that’s relatively easy to whip up is combining chicken sausage, wilted spinach, steamed sweet potato, onions and garlic in a pan. I personally love to add some goat cheese, but know it’s not for everyone. Others may like to add black beans for some additional fiber. 

To keep steps easy, I usually steam the sweet potato in the microwave (poke it with a fork in various spots 8-10 times). In a frying pan, sauté onions and garlic in EVOO until translucent. Add in chopped chicken sausage and cook through. Add a few handfuls of spinach and cook until wilted. Lastly, peel and chop the steamed sweet potato and add it in. Plate and top with goat cheese if you wish. It’s so yummy, you’ll want seconds!

2. Fancy Tuna

Amp up your tuna fish game by adding in different textures such as sunflower kernels, red onion and/or diced apple. The additional textures will add more fiber to your dish while giving you a more Mediterranean vibe!

3. Salsa Chicken

This will be the easiest thing to throw in your crockpot, and is something you can eat for several days without getting bored. You can have it on low-carb tortillas, with some carrot and/or celery sticks or with a small scoop of brown rice. 

In a crockpot, add a pound of boneless chicken breast. Top with one tall jar of salsa. Cook on low for four hours. Shred with a fork and knife. Add cheese if you wish!

4. Adult “Lunchable”

Sometimes something you can eat in stages is good for the days you’re really busy. Make an adult Lunchable by getting slices of deli meat, cubed pieces of cheese and a handful of grapes, almonds or something else for some crunch. You’ll feel the nostalgia like it’s school lunch time and some fuel to keep you going throughout the day.

5. Lentil Dip

Another one of my favorite go-to lunches has lentils (I get the pre-steamed vacuum pack from Trader Joe’s) mixed with diced roasted tomatoes and crumbled goat cheese. The way these flavors marry is to die for.  I like to serve it with these seed loaded crunchy crackers TJ’s has. I eat it cold, but I’m sure hot would be yummy too. It’s amazing!

6. Hummus Wrap

Take a whole wheat wrap, smothering the inside with your favorite hummus, then adding the crunch and added flavors of various mixed veggies (I like red and yellow bell pepper and spinach). Then add some cheese and/or chicken if you want. This makes for a refreshing light meal. The hummus holds up well too and doesn’t make your wrap soggy. 

7. Quiche

I love whipping up a quiche on a weekend night. It makes dinner that night and usually lunch for two more days. Quiche and what you add to it can be so versatile, from ham, cheese and broccoli to spinach, mushroom and feta. It’s nice paired with some fruit and even a side salad (hey! A side salad isn’t a whole meal, haha!).

We hope these various meal ideas can help you find fun ways to mix and match up your lunches in the coming weeks. Do you have a favorite go-to healthy lunch idea that’s not salad? Let us know in the comments below.

Photo by Louis Hansel on Unsplash

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