The Good Health team are not just health-conscious, they’re foodies too, so they’re constantly on the lookout for new and delicious lunches to take to work. We’re pretty sure we’ve cracked it with these inspiring ideas, they’re full of nourishing ingredients so you can look forward to a midday meal that not only tastes great, but is good for you too.
Read on for all the inspiration you need for the perfect packed lunch. For top storage solutions, see our reviews of the best meal prep containers and lunchboxes.
Discover our full range of healthy lunch recipes or try a selection of our healthy dinner recipes, including our lighter lasagne and chicken katsu curry.
Healthy lunch recipes
Check out this bowl of goodness! When we create a lunch bowl we first choose a base – grains work well, here we’ve used rice but quinoa or bulgur wheat are great options too. Then we think protein – you could opt for leftover chicken or, like us, beans. Finally add plenty of greens, such as spinach, kale or broccoli and fresh herbs, if you have them. Pack a light dressing for drizzling and, when you’re ready to eat, pour over and enjoy. Bowl recipes like this can easily be packed up in a lunchbox and transported to work.
Nutritional summary (per serving): 573 kcal, 21g fat, 4g sat fat, 72g carbs, 16g protein
Give it a go with these ‘good-for-you’ bowl recipes:
Quick chicken hummus bowl
Salmon & purple sprouting broccoli grain bowl
Roasted cauli-broc bowl with tahini hummus
Easy salmon sushi rice bowl
Spinach falafel & hummus bowl
Sweet potato & cauliflower lentil bowl
See all our healthy bowl recipes
Guaranteed to hit the spot, this healthy caesar pitta is made using a lean source of protein, a wholemeal pitta for its extra fibre, and a lighter anchovy, garlic and yogurt dressing. Add plenty of crunchy lettuce, cucumber and tomato, and you have a lunch that’s full of flavour yet lower in fat than you might expect of a caesar salad. Pack up the ingredients separately and assemble at your desk for a fresh, flavour packed lunch.
Nutritional summary (per serving): 461 kcal, 17g fat, 3g sat fat, 34g carbs, 40g protein
Discover more sandwich inspiration:
Stuffed Moroccan-style pitta
Green club sandwich
Smoked trout & cucumber open sandwiches
Chicken & avocado sandwich topper
More healthy sandwich ideas
Salads are one of the quickest and easiest lunches to throw together – just pop everything in a bowl, give it a mix and you’re done. With endless flavour combinations they’re a great way to vary your midweek menu and to use up whatever you have in the fridge. Experiment with different leaves, grains or pulses, layer up the toppings with colourful fruit and veg, protein-rich meat, fish, tofu or eggs, then ramp up the flavour and texture with nuts, seeds, herbs, spices and dressings. Our lentil and tuna salad uses storecupboard staples including ready-cooked puy lentils and canned tuna – just add cherry tomatoes, parsley and a zingy mustard dressing.
Nutritional summary (per serving): 374 kcal, 15g fat, 2g sat fat, 26g carbs, 28g protein
Try these nutritious salad recipes:
Puy lentil salad with beetroot & walnuts
Guacamole & mango salad with black beans
Minty beetroot, feta & bulgur salad
Smoky chickpea salad
Waldorf salad
More healthy salad recipes
Looking for time-saving options? Then we’ve got you covered. Cook once and eat three times with our easy meal prep pasta, allowing you to make three different dishes – salmon, chicken and aubergine pasta – all in one go. These pasta salads offer you high protein, healthy fats and fibre, while all topping up your five-a-day. Simply pop in the fridge for when you need some midday fuel. This portable lunch is equally delicious served cold or quickly reheated in the microwave.
Nutritional summary (per serving) – chicken pasta: 475 kcal, 10g fat, 1g sat fat, 45g carbs, 47g protein
Turn up the flavour with our simple, healthy pasta recipes:
Linguine with avocado, tomato & lime
Garlicky mushroom penne
Squash & spinach fusilli with pecans
Broccoli pasta salad with eggs & sunflower seeds
Ratatouille pasta salad with rocket
More healthy pasta recipes
We’re always looking for a way to boost your everyday soggy sandwich, and flatbreads and tortillas quite often come to the rescue. Alternatively, if you’re looking to cut the carbs, you could use crisp lettuce leaves. Protein-rich chicken and fish make great fillings, or pile on veg for a lunchtime fibre boost. We think these spicy chicken & avocado wraps leave you satisfied and happy, and without that post-lunch slump.
Nutritional summary (per serving): 403 kcal, 16g fat, 4g sat fat, 32g carbs, 29g protein
Try more healthy wrap ideas:
Butter bean curry wraps
Roasted chickpea wraps
Veggie olive wraps with mustard vinaigrette
Tuna mayo lettuce wraps
Lemony salmon & lettuce wraps
Budget-friendly and super healthy, cooking up a big batch of soup at the weekend will ensure there’s always something nourishing and ready to go through the week. To avoid leakage, pour into a flask with a tight seal. You could even freeze (use a tub that’s suitable for the freezer and microwave), then thaw and reheat when you want to eat. Give this filling black bean & tortilla soup a go – just pack the toppings of feta, tortillas and coriander separately. A bowl of this delicious soup is fibre-rich, a great source of plant-based protein and contributes two of your five-a-day.
Nutritional summary (per serving): 169 kcal, 4g fat, 1g sat fat, 21g carbs, 8g protein
See more nutritious soup ideas:
Mexican-inspired bean soup with shredded chicken & lime
Seeded wholemeal soda bread
Rustic vegetable soup
Carrot & ginger soup
Bean & barley soup
Here we’ve opted for high-fibre brown rice to keep us satisfied through the afternoon. We’ve designed these easy meal prep rice recipes to give you two delicious lunches, one fish, one veggie, with just a single prep session – saving you time and effort! We’ve used nourishing additions like walnuts, chickpeas, red pepper and rocket to pack in extra nutrition.
Don’t forget if you’re cooking your rice from scratch (instead of using a pre-cooked rice pouch), make sure you cool it quickly and refrigerate, for more information check out the FSA’s food safety tips.
Nutritional summary (per serving) – tuna salad: 499 kcal, 13g fat, 2g sat fat, 58g carbs, 34g protein
Try more healthy rice recipes:
Zingy salmon & brown rice salad
Miso brown rice & chicken salad
Lentil rice salad with beetroot & feta dressing
Miso brown rice & broccoli salad with fiery prawns
When we create a lunch option we typically aim for a balanced plate – this means a meal with a combination of protein, carbs, healthy fats and fibre. That said, a few of the team are currently looking to increase their protein intake – this is because they find protein helps keep them fuller for longer or they are looking to build or maintain muscle mass. With this in mind we set out to create a selection of protein pots, such as this steak and broccoli pot. Using wholegrain rice and broccoli we’ve not skimped on the fibre, plus we’ve ensured a source of important vitamins and minerals while keeping protein levels high.
Check out our other protein pots, all containing around 30g protein per serving:
Tuna niçoise protein pot
Chicken protein pots
Nutritional summary (per serving) steak & broccoli protein pot: 385 kcal, 10g fat, 4g sat fat, 38g carbs, 30g protein
Want more high-protein lunch recipes?
Enjoyed this? Discover more…
All our healthy recipe collections
Quick lunch ideas for work
Our favourite low-calorie lunch ideas
10 healthy snacks you can make in minutes
How to pack a healthy lunchbox
How to eat a balanced diet
Have you got a favourite packed lunch? Share your ideas and inspiration in the comments below…
This article was last reviewed on 13 October 2025 by Kerry Torrens.
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