When midday hunger strikes, you need a lunch that’ll keep you going all afternoon long, not weigh you down or send you straight to an afternoon nap.
Choosing foods that spike blood sugar, such as simple carbohydrates, will only lead to an inevitable crash. But including the right mix of elements in your midday meal—complex carbs, healthy fats, fiber, and protein—will offer the benefits of sustained energy and satiety.
Here, I’m going to share a few of my favorite healthy lunch ideas from my book The Omni Diet. Then I’ll give you a handy mix-and-match “cheat sheet” that’ll allow you to whip up healthy lunches on your own, on the fly, and with whatever staples you have on hand in your own kitchen.
Bon appétit!
Tana Amen’s Favorite Healthy Lunch Ideas
Rainbow Quinoa Salad with Chicken Recipe
This recipe serves 6, so you can feed the family and still enjoy leftovers the next day. Quinoa has more protein than other grains, and garbanzos and chicken increase the protein content further—to about 28g per serving—to keep you feeling full for longer.
Ingredients:
1 cup red quinoa
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
zest from 1 lemon
½ cup pomegranate seeds or ¼ cup dried cranberries
4 green onions, chopped
1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup baby spinach
1 cup garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained (soak them overnight and cook thoroughly; only use canned beans in a pinch)
½ cup fresh basil, chopped
3 cups baked or grilled chopped chicken breast (hormone-free, antibiotic-free, and free-range)
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Rinse quinoa well. Combine quinoa with 2 cups water in a medium pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy. Remove from heat and let cool.
In a small bowl, mix olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix quinoa, pomegranate seeds, green onions, yellow pepper, baby spinach, and garbanzo beans.
Stir in basil and toss with prepared dressing.
Top with chicken.
Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Serrano Chile Shrimp Recipe
This recipe has a delicious kick of spice that you can customize according to your taste. It makes 4 servings.
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
¼ cup vegetable broth or 2 tablespoons grape-seed oil for sautéing
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 serrano peppers, sliced in thin rings (if you don’t like food too spicy, slice the chilies in half and remove the seeds, then dice)
1½ pounds jumbo shrimp, 20 to 24 count, peeled, deveined
1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning, such as Spike
½ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 pound baby spinach
Directions:
In a medium pot, cook quinoa in water according to package instructions.
Meanwhile, heat broth or oil in skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic and serrano peppers till tender, about 1 minute.
Add shrimp. Sauté until shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Add the all-purpose seasoning. Turn off heat. Add cilantro and lime juice.
Just before removing quinoa from heat, add baby spinach and blend into quinoa. Remove from heat immediately. Only leave on long enough for the spinach to wilt slightly, 1 to 2 minutes.
Put quinoa/spinach mixture on a platter and arrange shrimp over the top. Drizzle the sauce over the entire dish.
Teriyaki Salmon Bowl Recipe
This dish is traditionally eaten with rice, but you can easily make it grain-free by serving the salmon over shirataki noodles and greens instead. Using purchased shirataki noodles, you only need to drain the water from the bag, then boil them in filtered water for 3 minutes. This recipe serves 2.
Ingredients:
4 teaspoons tamari sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon honey
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 salmon steaks (4 to 6 ounces each)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon gluten-free Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup cooked shirataki noodles
½ cup grated carrots
¼ cup chopped scallions
6 to 8 cups baby spinach or bok choy
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a medium bowl, mix tamari sauce, vinegar, ginger, honey, garlic, and cayenne pepper.
Place salmon steaks in a baking dish and cover with marinade.
Refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix sesame oil, mustard, and cilantro.
Stir in shirataki noodles, carrots, and scallions. Set aside.
Remove salmon from the refrigerator and roast for about 15 minutes, or until fish flakes with a fork. Cut salmon into cubes.
Meanwhile, steam spinach in a steamer basket for about 5 minutes, or until completely wilted. Drain well.
In bowls, put steamed spinach on bottom, layer with shirataki noodle mixture, and top with salmon.
Tasty Turkey Wrap
When you’re really pressed for time or need to take your lunch on the go, Tasty Turkey Wrap to the rescue! This easy recipe serves 4.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups mixed baby greens
½ pound turkey breast, sliced (free-range, antibiotic-free, and hormone-free)
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 small avocado, sliced
4 gluten-free tortillas or romaine or iceberg lettuce leaves
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper.
Add baby greens and mix well.
Divide turkey among tortillas or lettuce leaves.
Top with baby greens, tomatoes, and avocado.
Fold the wrap over about 1 inch on two opposite sides, and then roll up completely. Slice in half diagonally and serve.
DIY Mix-and-Match Healthy Lunch Ideas
I love the above lunches just as they are, but feel free to play around with their components. Try swapping out different herbs, veggies, or greens for the ones I’ve listed. Trade your salmon for shrimp, or your chicken for turkey.
It’s also fun to experiment in the kitchen and make up your own creations. And you don’t need to be a master chef—when you want to whip up a healthy lunch with only a few ingredients, you just need to keep in mind a simple formula. As a general rule, make sure you include the following 4 categories in your meal:
Complex carbs
Protein
Fiber
Healthy fat
Here are some ingredient examples in each category to choose from:
Complex carbs: Quinoa, lentils, sweet potatoes, or rice (choose brown rice, not white)
Fiber: Veggies like carrots, greens, red peppers, and broccoli
Healthy fat: Nuts, avocado, olive or grape-seed oil
Using this formula, you can easily put together a meal that meets your nutritional and energy needs at lunchtime. You can also change up your menu according to the seasons. In summer, a salad with chicken, lentils, veggies, and avocado, drizzled with a little olive oil and lemon juice, is light and refreshing. In wintertime, a soup or stew with chicken, sweet potato, and carrots, topped with nuts for a satisfying crunch, is a comfort-food option that won’t slow you down or make you feel sluggish. The possibilities are endless.
Maintain Your Energy All Afternoon Long
Lunch doesn’t have to be boring or an afterthought crammed into your busy day. In fact, because it does fall at midday, it’s crucial to make the right food choices. I know that when I’ve sailed through the hours after my morning workout and breakfast, I’m ready to fuel my body with a well-balanced meal that will power me through the rest of the afternoon. We all have a lot on our plate, so we must be mindful about what we put on our plate, especially in the middle of the day.
Meet the Author
Tana Amen, BSN, RN, Writer
Tana Amen, BSN, RN is a New York Times bestselling-author, health and fitness expert, Vice-President of Amen Clinics—the world’s leader in brain health, mentor, motivational speaker, and former neurosurgical ICU trauma nurse. By providing science-based guidance along with her authentic, no-holds-barred approach, Tana has won the hearts of millions with her simple, yet effective, strategies to help people win the fight for a strong mind, body, and spirit.
Tana Amen, BSN, RN is a New York Times bestselling-author, health and fitness expert, Vice-President of Amen Clinics—the world’s leader in brain health, mentor, motivational speaker, and former neurosurgical ICU trauma nurse. By providing science-based guidance along with her authentic, no-holds-barred approach, Tana has won the hearts of millions with her simple, yet effective, strategies to help people win the fight for a strong mind, body, and spirit.
Tana Amen, BSN, RN is a New York Times bestselling-author, health and fitness expert, Vice-President of Amen Clinics—the world’s leader in brain health, mentor, motivational speaker, and former neurosurgical ICU trauma nurse. By providing science-based guidance along with her authentic, no-holds-barred approach, Tana has won the hearts of millions with her simple, yet effective, strategies to help people win the fight for a strong mind, body, and spirit.
Tana Amen, BSN, RN is a New York Times bestselling-author, health and fitness expert, Vice-President of Amen Clinics—the world’s leader in brain health, mentor, motivational speaker, and former neurosurgical ICU trauma nurse. By providing science-based guidance along with her authentic, no-holds-barred approach, Tana has won the hearts of millions with her simple, yet effective, strategies to help people win the fight for a strong mind, body, and spirit.