16 Winter Lunch Recipes with 5 Ingredients or Less

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Published on December 10, 2023

Ham and Broccoli Topped Baked Potato

Make these easy and delicious recipes for lunch. With just five ingredients or less (not counting common pantry items like salt, pepper and oil), these seasonal recipes are packed with ingredients like broccoli, kale and sweet potatoes. Recipes like our Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna and Ham and Broccoli Topped Baked Potato are a satisfying, healthy and flavorful midday meal.

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Spinach & Egg Sweet Potato Toast

Skip the gluten and get some vitamin C with this healthy sweet potato toast recipe. Topped with spinach, egg and a dash of hot sauce, it's a delicious alternative to eggs Benedict.

02 of 16

Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna

This power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Tossing the dressing and kale, and then letting it stand in the jar, softens it enough so you don't need to massage or cook it to make it tender.

03 of 16

Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing

Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing

Hearty yet simple to prepare, this stuffed sweet potato with black beans, kale and hummus dressing is a fantastic 5-ingredient lunch for one!

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Chicken & Cabbage Bowls with Sesame Dressing

a recipe photo of the Chicken & Cabbage Bowls with Sesame Dressing — Photographer: Rachel Marek, Prop stylist: Holly Dreesman, Food stylist: Gabriel Greco

Four convenience products are all you need to prepare these tasty bowls. A bag of shredded coleslaw serves as the base that’s topped with seasoned chicken strips, crunchy flavored almonds and a drizzle of sesame dressing. Leftover chicken can easily stand in for the chicken strips. Traditional cabbage coleslaw works well, as does broccoli slaw for a slightly different look and flavor.

05 of 16

Ham and Broccoli Topped Baked Potato

Jazz up your simple baked potato with a quickly microwaved topping.

06 of 16

Whole-Wheat Veggie Wrap

Use whichever veggies you have on hand to fill up this veggie wrap. The avocado and hummus help hold the wrap together—and provide heart-healthy fat and fiber.

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Roasted Veggie & Hummus Pita Pockets

These satisfying and tasty pita-pocket sandwiches are packed with roasted veggies and greens. A spread of hummus adds creaminess and keeps everything from falling out.

08 of 16

Turkey Apple Cheddar Sandwich

It only takes 5 minutes to make this healthy sandwich with whole-wheat bread and the classic combination of Cheddar cheese and apples that your kids will love.

09 of 16

Chicken, Quinoa & Veggie Bowl

With a whopping 19 grams of protein, this one-dish meal will keep you feeling full and satisfied for hours.

10 of 16

Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Grilled Asparagus & Chicken Sausage

Stock the fridge with a week's worth of lunches using a handful of ingredients from your local grocery store. To save on carbs, we're swapping in riced cauliflower for regular rice and adding pregrilled asparagus, which bulks up these bowls and adds fiber. At lunchtime, just reheat to steaming then top with a bit of pesto. Try Trader Joe's for fast shortcut ingredients like these--see Tip (below) for our product recommendations.

11 of 16

Chickpea & Veggie Grain Bowl

This high-fiber vegetarian grain bowl is packed with colorful veggies and plant-based protein to keep you feeling energized and satisfied.

12 of 16

Brussels Sprouts Salad with Crunchy Chickpeas

This healthy high-fiber salad comes together in just 10 minutes. Serve it right away or pack it in individual servings for four super-satisfying high-fiber lunches for the week ahead. To cut down on prep time, we're using preshredded Brussels sprouts from the produce department and store-bought roasted chickpeas. Look for roasted chickpea snacks with the healthy snacks or nuts at your grocery store.

13 of 16

Chicken & Cabbage Salad Bowls with Sesame Dressing

Everything you need (just 4 ingredients!) to prepare a week's worth of healthy, low-carb lunches can be found at your neighborhood grocery store. A bag of prechopped red and green cabbage serves as the crunchy low-carb base in these chicken salad bowls, which only require 10 minutes to assemble. Top with sesame-flavored almonds and a sesame dressing and you have one irresistible lunch you'll look forward to all week. Shopping at Trader Joe's? See Tip (below) for our product recommendations.

14 of 16

Peanut Butter-Banana Roll-Ups

These healthy roll-ups with peanut butter and bananas make eating lunch fun! Kids will love the bite-sized version of this sandwich. Try sunflower seed butter as an allergy-friendly alternative.

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Grilled Vegetable Salads with Goat Cheese

Prepare a week's worth of lunches in about 10 minutes using a handful of ingredients from your local specialty grocery store. To save time, we're using a bag of frozen grilled and marinated vegetables, then adding big flavor with marinated goat cheese. If you want to bump up the protein, leftover chicken breast or salmon pair perfectly with this hearty salad.

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Turkey-Cranberry Wrap

This wrap is quick-and-easy to prepare and is the perfect lunch solution for all of those Thanksgiving leftovers.

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