10+ 5-Ingredient Lunch Recipes in 5 Minutes

3 ingredient chicken tostadas — Photo: Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RDN

Lunch doesn't get easier than these healthy recipes. With exception to pantry staples like salt, pepper and oil, these lunches can be made with just five ingredients or less. Not to mention, everything comes together in only five minutes. Tasty meals like our 3-Ingredient Chicken Salad Tostadas and Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna are ready to eat in a flash.

01 of 14

Turkey Apple Cheddar Sandwich

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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.

02 of 14

3-Ingredient Chicken Salad Tostadas

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For this three-ingredient dinner, a premade salad kit is the perfect shortcut because it has everything you need in one bag, including the dressing. Swap in canned black beans for the chicken to make this vegetarian.

03 of 14

Mixed-Berry Breakfast Smoothie

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Smoothies are popular for breakfast, but many don't have enough calories or nutrients to be considered a complete meal. This creamy berry smoothie has the perfect balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat, and will keep you satisfied until your next meal.

04 of 14

Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna

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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.

05 of 14

Avocado, Tomato & Chicken Sandwich

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

06 of 14

Strawberry & Cream Cheese Sandwich

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Sliced strawberries and reduced-fat cream cheese come together in a sandwich for this quick and healthy lunchbox treat.

07 of 14

Peanut Butter-Banana English Muffin

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Peanut butter and banana are the original power couple. Top a simple toasted English muffin with the duo, then sprinkle everything with a hit of ground cinnamon for a healthy breakfast of champions.

08 of 14

3-Ingredient Teriyaki Edamame Sauté

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3 ingredient edamame salad — Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Whip up this high-fiber, plant-based stir-fry for a quick and convenient dinner. Look for bottled teriyaki sauce labeled less sodium or reduced sodium to cut back on the salt without sacrificing flavor.

09 of 14

Peanut Zoodles with Edamame

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3-Ing-Diabetes-Peanut-Zoodles-Edamame — Photo by: Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

A package of fresh zucchini noodles gets tossed with shelled edamame and store-bought peanut sauce in these 5-minute, no-cook vegetable noodle bowls. Because prepared sauces and dressings are commonly high in sodium, scan the label and opt for those that contain 150 mg sodium or less per tablespoon.

10 of 14

3-Ingredient Green Goddess White Bean Salad

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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.

11 of 14

3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad

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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.

12 of 14

Turkey-Cranberry Wrap

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

13 of 14

3-Ingredient White Bean & Cherry Tomato Salad

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a recipe photo of the White Bean & Cherry Tomato Salad — Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

This three-ingredient lunch takes a packaged salad kit to the next level with the addition of two pantry staples: cherry tomatoes and white beans. The Mediterranean flavor profile works well here, but another mix will be just as simple and satisfying.

14 of 14

Turkey Pastrami Sandwich

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If you're taking this sandwich to go, line one piece of bread with the pastrami and the other with Swiss cheese and tuck the sauerkraut and apple in the middle to keep the bread from becoming soggy.

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