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As the vibrant spring days approach, dive into these colorful and flavorful lunch recipes. These meals are rich in a variety of vegetables, complex carbohydrates, whole grains, and low in saturated fat, making them suitable if you follow a diabetes-friendly eating pattern. Plus, these recipes feature seasonal ingredients like leafy greens, carrots, and strawberries. Recipes like Open Face Goat Cheese Sandwich with Tomato and Avocado Salad and Chipotle Lime Cauliflower Taco Bowl are delicious and satisfying ways to celebrate the change of seasons.
It’s an easy lunch that can be prepared in just 10 minutes, so it’s perfect for busy days.
This fun vegetarian sandwich is packed with flavor from yogurt sauce and easily pickled veggies, and only has 400 calories. Making pickled vegetables, falafel mix, and tzatziki sauce ahead of time makes it easy to prepare lunches and dinners later in the week.
Swap classic comfort dishes for healthier, low-carb versions packed with veggies. We use cauliflower rice to make gluten-free toast and make this green chile grilled cheese sandwich a delicious and healthy dinner.
Taco night meets baked potato night with this simple recipe for baked potatoes with salsa, beans, and avocado. This easy, healthy family dinner takes just 10 active minutes and can be made on even the busiest weeknights. This recipe is equally delicious using sweet potatoes instead of russets.
A bold, smoky marinade complements the roasted cauliflower in Carolyn Malkoon’s meal prep version of her popular chipotle-lime cauliflower taco. To cut down on prep time for these healthy taco bowls, look for pre-cut cauliflower in the produce aisle. You can also save time by using microwave-safe quinoa pouches (this recipe calls for one 8-ounce pouch) instead of cooking the quinoa.
Traditional Italian subs include meat, but this fun and easy sandwich packs a punch with artichoke hearts, red onions, and zesty pepperoncini instead. It is popular not only for lunch but also for dinner. If you’re packing a hoagie to take with you, separate the ingredients and assemble them just before serving to avoid a soggy bun. Serve with tomato and cucumber salad.
Using pre-cooked farro, this dish comes together quickly. You can make it in the same bowl you use to serve it, so you can keep washing up to a minimum.
Dinner doesn’t get any easier than this 5-ingredient salad. And the possibility of Sunday’s Super Bowl is exploding.
One of our most popular salad recipes, Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Feta and Walnuts, has been transformed into this simple yet totally satisfying meal prep spinach salad bowl. It requires minimal preparation and can be customized to your liking. Try roasted salmon instead of chicken thighs, almonds or pecans instead of walnuts, and any delicious-looking fresh berries from the market.
Roasted shiitake mushrooms marinated in soy sauce with a dash of smoked paprika make a natural vegan alternative to bacon. Try it in a vegan version of a classic BLT with creamy avocado and eggless mayonnaise, or on top of a salad in place of bacon bits.
These vegetarian wraps are perfect for school or office lunches.
Add a Southwestern twist to easy-to-pack egg salad sandwiches with this healthy wrap recipe.
Make a healthy Asian grain salad recipe with sesame oil and seaweed. Serve as a vegetarian main dish or as an accompaniment to grilled shrimp or baked chicken.
This delicious and healthy salad combines elements of Caesar salad, pasta salad, and chicken salad for an easy weeknight dinner that’s ready in under 30 minutes (most of the prep can be done in advance) I can). Use a blender to combine the tangy buttermilk-based dressing. This also goes well with salmon and chickpea salads.
Enjoy the classic BBQ flavor made with hearty vegan seitan, or wheat meat. Sliced seitan takes time to brown and crisp in a hot skillet. Grill them for the best texture before coating them with a tangy ketchup mixture. Served with sweet potato chips, it’s perfect for a quick weeknight meal.
Rich in fiber and monounsaturated fats, avocados are one of the best foods to eat to fight inflammation. Pair it with beets, which contain inflammation-fighting phytochemicals, and you’ve got a lunch that packs a healthy punch. A mixture of tahini and lemon adds brightness and nutty flavor to the wrap. To julienne beets, cut them into thin rounds and then slice them into matchsticks. Or, to save time, grate the beets on the largest holes of a box grater.
Try making two batches of this easy pasta salad. It’s still delicious the next day. The orzo will absorb the dressing if you let it sit, so add a little more olive oil and lemon juice if you like.
Tender cabbage and a bright applesauce and mustard pan sauce are the perfect accompaniment to mellow, low-carb cauliflower gnocchi. For added protein, add diced chicken apple sausage.
A bold, smoky marinade complements the roasted cauliflower in Carolyn Malkoon’s meal prep version of her popular chipotle-lime cauliflower taco. To cut down on prep time for these healthy taco bowls, look for pre-cut cauliflower in the produce aisle. You can also save time by using microwave-safe quinoa pouches (this recipe calls for one 8-ounce pouch) instead of cooking the quinoa.
This healthy version of a deli salad combines hearty quinoa and chickpeas with a little ham and mozzarella for maximum flavor without adding too much sodium. This healthy quinoa salad is perfect for dinner or makes a delicious lunch the next day.
Add a delicious twist to your healthy lunch wraps by easily pickling onions the night before.
This easy lunch recipe uses canned sockeye salmon, which is rich in heart-healthy omega-3s. If you’re taking this sandwich to lunch, keep the salmon salad separate and stuff it into pita bread right before serving.
This Mediterranean lentil salad is perfect for a quick lunch, served with chopped vegetables, feta cheese, and a light dressing.
Easy 10-minute spicy cabbage slaw serves as the low-carb base for this veggie-packed lunch recipe. Topped with high-protein edamame and shrimp, this satisfying lunch will keep you energized for the afternoon.
This vegetarian sandwich recipe is roasted to bring out the sweetness of the vegetables, and topped with smoked provolone cheese.
This cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese, and chickpea salad recipe makes a healthy green goddess dressing from avocado, buttermilk, and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious with grilled vegetables.
Take canned tuna to a new level with creamy cannellini beans, fresh dill, and zesty Dijon dressing.