A little bit of planning and effort goes a long way when it comes to these make-ahead lunches. Each of these lunch recipes is high in protein, with at least 15 grams per serving. Plus, they’re lower in calories and high in fiber to support healthy weight loss if that’s your goal. With tasty make-ahead options like our Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps and our Caprese Pasta Salad, you’ll have a flavorful midday meal ready to go.
Get Your Greens Quiche
photographer: Jen Causey, food stylist: Julian Hensarling, prop stylist: Josh Hoggle
This crustless quiche is packed with nutrient-rich collard greens and broccoli, making it a delicious way to enjoy more veggies. Paired with nutty Gruyère cheese, the result is a quiche that comes together effortlessly and is a great make-ahead option.
Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps
Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley
Tuna and Greek-style yogurt in the dressing amp up the protein in these lettuce wraps, while chopped apple, onion and celery provide a welcome crunch. Make the filling up to four days in advance and assemble the wraps when you’re ready for lunch.
Caprese Pasta Salad
This light and fresh caprese pasta salad is brought together with a bright and tangy dressing, with fresh mozzarella pearls adding creaminess to every bite.
Tomato & Cucumber Sandwich with Bacon
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf
This refreshing, tangy sandwich is easy to pull together when you’re short on time. You can lightly toast the bread if you want to add a little crunch. Fresh dill adds a grassy flavor.
Spinach & Strawberry Meal-Prep Salad
These simple yet totally satisfying meal-prep spinach salad bowls require minimal prep and can be customized to your taste. Swap in roasted salmon for the chicken thighs, and almonds or pecans for the walnuts, and use any fresh berry that looks good at your market.
Buffalo Chickpea Salad
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly
We took all the flavors you know and love from Buffalo wings and used them in this plant-based chickpea salad. Celery adds a satisfying crunch, while blue cheese provides a cooling element to balance the spicy sauce.
Ham & Spinach Quiche
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser
This ham and spinach quiche is ideal for any meal, from brunch to dinner and all the moments in between. This quiche skips the crust, making it incredibly easy to pull together even on short notice. Swap out the Cheddar cheese for Gruyère or use Swiss chard in place of the spinach for a slightly different spin.
Chicken & Cabbage Soup with Pesto
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
This one-pot soup is topped with flavor-boosting store-bought pesto. Big, fiber-rich butter beans add a creamy bite, but you can easily swap them out for cannellini beans or navy beans if you prefer.
Tangy Chicken Salad with Grapes
Sweet red grapes and crunchy celery make this chicken salad sing, and also balance the slight tang from the yogurt and lemon. With ingredients you probably already have on hand, this satisfying salad comes together in 10 minutes.
Marry Me Chicken Soup
This creamy soup draws inspiration from “marry me” chicken, a dish that features chicken and sun-dried tomatoes. We add to the soup by including zucchini and carrots to create a cozy, warming meal.
Crustless Caprese Quiche
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
This light and fluffy crustless quiche is dotted with tomatoes, little bites of melty mozzarella and savory pesto. And the best part—it’s mixed, assembled and baked in a pie plate for easy cleanup.
Red Lentil Soup with Saffron
This hearty red lentil soup uses spices common in Persian cuisine: turmeric, cumin and saffron. Enjoy it with a warm baguette or steamed rice.
Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps
This recipe produces a large batch of sweet-and-spicy ground chicken studded with crunchy cashews and celery—making it great for easy weeknight entertaining or meal prepping.
3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad
We put a flavor twist on the classic chicken salad by using a lemon-herb mayonnaise. Try other mayo varieties, like roasted garlic or chipotle lime, in this fast, no-cook lunch recipe. Serve this rotisserie chicken salad recipe with whole-grain crackers.
Crustless Spinach & Asparagus Quiche with Gruyère
This light but filling crustless spinach-and-asparagus quiche features plenty of spring vegetables baked with richly flavored Gruyère cheese. Enjoy a slice for dinner with a salad on the side or as part of a simple spring brunch.
Chickpea Tuna Salad
This chickpea tuna salad with capers, feta and cucumber makes for the perfect lunch to pack for work or school. You can prep the salad the night before (just be sure to keep the spinach separate and dress the salad right before serving).
Chicken Caesar Lettuce Cups
Upgrade your work lunch with these tasty Caesar salad lettuce cups. This Caesar salad recipe gets a healthy makeover, thanks to homemade dressing made with Greek yogurt.
Spinach & Mushroom Quiche
Photographer: Jen Causey
This healthy vegetarian quiche recipe is as simple as it gets. It’s a quiche without the fussy crust! It’s filled with sweet wild mushrooms and savory Gruyère cheese. Serve it with a light salad for lunch.
Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Grilled Asparagus & Chicken Sausage
These bowls save on carbs by swapping in riced cauliflower for regular rice and adding pregrilled asparagus, which adds fiber. At lunchtime, just reheat to steaming then top with a bit of pesto.