21 Easy Lunch Ideas in 10 Minutes

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Updated on August 8, 2024

Caprese Sandwich — Photo: Photographer / Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Christine Keely

These easy lunch ideas come together in 10 minutes or less, so you can whip up a quick meal and still have time to spare during your break. Each of these healthy meals, from fresh salads to veggie-packed sandwiches, requires just six ingredients or less—other than pantry staples like salt and pepper—so you won't have to make a special trip to the grocery store. If you keep the ingredients on hand to make recipes like our Cucumber Sandwich or Shrimp Niçoise Meal-Prep Bowls, lunch will always be just a few simple steps away.

Many of these recipes can also be made a day ahead. For sandwich recipes where you want to keep the bread in the best condition possible, you can store all the ingredients separately in the refrigerator using glass containers or reusable food storage bags. This allows for a super quick assembly and the freshest-tasting lunches the following day.

01 of 21

Roasted Veggie & Quinoa Salad

Roasted-Veggie-and-Quinoa-Salad

Quick, simple and packed with satisfying protein and fiber, this salad makes a perfect lunch or easy one-dish dinner.

02 of 21

Cucumber Sandwich

Cucumber Sandwich — Photographer / Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Kay Clarke, Food Stylist / Ruth Blackburn

This creamy, crunchy cucumber sandwich recipe strikes a lovely balance between decadent and light. The cream cheese yogurt spread complements the crisp, refreshing cucumber, while the hearty flavor and texture of the whole-wheat bread hold everything together.

03 of 21

Chopped Salad with Sriracha Tofu & Peanut Dressing

Prep four days' worth of high-protein vegan lunches using just four easy ingredients from your local specialty grocery store, including a veggie-heavy salad mix as a base. Because this salad mix is hearty, you can dress these bowls up to 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors in this healthy chopped salad to marry. If you can't find a hearty mix, go with broccoli slaw or shredded Brussels sprouts.

04 of 21

White Bean & Veggie Salad

White Bean & Veggie Salad

This meatless main-dish salad combines creamy, satisfying white beans and avocado. Try mixing it up with different seasonal vegetables.

05 of 21

Caprese Sandwich

Caprese Sandwich — Photographer / Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Christine Keely

This caprese sandwich is fresh from the basil and hearty from thick, crusty ciabatta. The sun-dried tomatoes deepen the flavor. Topping the bread with a layer of basil leaves and using toasted bread helps to keep the sandwich from getting soggy if you need to make it a few hours ahead.

06 of 21

Avocado Egg Salad

This quick recipe takes classic egg salad to the next level with the addition of creamy avocado. Serve it on a piece of toasted whole-grain bread or inside a tender lettuce leaf. Avocados brown quickly, so plan on making it no more than two hours before you plan to serve it.

07 of 21

3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad

3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad — Carolyn Hodges

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.

08 of 21

3-Ingredient Chicken Tabbouleh Bowls

3-ingredient chicken tabbouleh bowls — Photo by: Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

This almost-instant grain bowl makes the most of the prepared-foods section at your grocery store. Toss together a ready-made salad with proteins for a healthy, quick dinner.

09 of 21

Shrimp Niçoise Meal-Prep Bowls

This low-carb meal-prep version of the classic composed salad comes together in about 10 minutes thanks to a handful of shortcut ingredients, like pretrimmed green beans and prepared olive tapenade. With a whopping 41 grams of protein per serving, these bowls will keep hunger at bay all afternoon. To switch things up, feel free to swap in canned tuna or leftover roasted salmon for the shrimp. We love going to Trader Joe's for fast shortcut ingredients.

10 of 21

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.

11 of 21

White Bean & Avocado Toast

Mashed avocado and white beans make for a fiber-rich and creamy topping, the perfect partner for a crispy slice of toast. Try it for a quick breakfast or snack.

12 of 21

Couscous & Chickpea Salad

Cooked couscous and canned chickpeas come together in this quick lunch salad. The basil vinaigrette makes it taste anything but basic! When in season, we recommend adding fresh chopped tomatoes for a spin on tabbouleh.

13 of 21

Mixed Greens with Lentils & Sliced Apple

This salad with lentils, feta and apple is a satisfying vegetarian entree to whip together for lunch. To save time, swap in drained canned lentils—just make sure to look for low-sodium and give them a rinse before adding them to the salad.

14 of 21

Avocado, Tomato & Chicken Sandwich

In this healthy chicken sandwich recipe, the avocado is mashed to create a healthy creamy spread.

15 of 21

Pickle Sub Sandwiches with Turkey & Cheddar

pickle sub

Cut down on carbs by swapping out the bread for slices of pickle to make these fun turkey and Cheddar sandwiches. Roma tomatoes are the perfect oblong shape for these mini sandwiches but feel free to use regular tomatoes—simply cut the slices in half so they fit nicely on the pickle sandwich. These sandwiches are an easy lunch, but they're also great on a party tray for a casual get-together.

16 of 21

Falafel Tabbouleh Bowls with Tzatziki

Meal-prepping a week's worth of lunches doesn't need to take hours in the kitchen. These Greek-inspired meal-prep bowls can be prepared in just 10 minutes and only require 4 ingredients—greens, falafel, tabbouleh and tzatziki. We love going to our local specialty grocery store for fast shortcut ingredients like these. The high-fiber falafel and tabbouleh will help to keep you feeling satisfied all afternoon.

17 of 21

3-Ingredient Farro Bowl with Rotisserie Chicken

3-Ingredient Mediterranean Farro Bowl — Carolyn Hodges

To make this hearty grain bowl, grab a salad kit from the grocery store. Then, top the kit with farro and chicken for a high-protein lunch or dinner that's ready in minutes.

18 of 21

Lentil Curry with Cauliflower Rice

Lentil Curry with Cauliflower Rice

Combine precooked lentils (often located in the produce section of your grocery store) with an Indian-style simmer sauce for a super-fast and flavorful curry. Serving it over riced cauliflower bumps up the vegetable count and keeps carb servings in check. This 3-ingredient dinner (not counting salt, pepper and oil) is really as easy as it gets. To be mindful of the salt, look for simmer sauces with less than or close to 350 milligrams sodium per 1/4-cup serving.

19 of 21

3-Ingredient Green Goddess White Bean Salad

3-Ingredient Green Goddess White Bean Salad — Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Bagged salad and slaw blends are great shortcut ingredients for adding variety without needing to wash and chop lots of different vegetables. Toss a kale-and-broccoli slaw mix with canned white beans and yogurt-based green goddess dressing for a crunchy main-dish salad in minutes.

20 of 21

Chopped Veggie Grain Bowls with Turmeric Dressing

veggie grain bowl in a glass to-go container

In about 10 minutes, you can prep a week's worth of lunches using 4 simple ingredients from your local specialty grocery store. To minimize prep, we're taking advantage of prechopped fresh veggie mix and frozen quinoa (which heats in the microwave in under 5 minutes). These crunchy chopped salad bowls are high in fiber but lower in calories, making them perfect for those following a reduced-calorie diet.

21 of 21

Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna

This power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 g 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.

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