Packing lunch is one of the easiest ways to make workdays run more smoothly. These healthy office lunch ideas are quick to assemble, easy to pack for work, and made with ingredients that keep lunch interesting.
Easy Office Lunch Ideas
I usually pack my office lunch after dinner, right alongside my kids' school lunches, using leftovers or whatever I have on hand. I start with protein, add fruit or veggies, then something filling like bread, rice, pasta, or crackers.
Most of these adult lunches follow that same formula. An adult lunch box makes packing them even easier. Click the section that interests you most, or scroll for ideas.
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Best Work Lunch Ideas
My favorite work lunches use what I already have, include plenty of protein and color, and are ready when I need them. Having lunch in the fridge means I can eat, get back to work, and skip cooking or picking something up.
Grilled Chicken Adult Bento Box
- leftover cooked chicken
- veggies
- cooked bacon
- hard-boiled eggs
- crackers or a snack
I pack this when I have leftover chicken because the bacon, eggs, veggies, and crackers turn a few odds and ends from the fridge into a substantial cold lunch.
Turkey & Avocado Deconstructed Salad
- sliced deli turkey
- black olives
- cubed cheese
- grape tomatoes
- diced avocado
- pesto
Pesto coats the turkey, avocado, cheese, and vegetables like a chopped salad without leaving you with a container of soggy lettuce by lunchtime.
Turkey Club Wrap
- flour tortilla
- chopped lettuce
- tomatoes
- deli turkey or ham
- hard-boiled egg
- cheese
- Ranch dressing
This gives me everything I like about a club sandwich in a wrap that packs neatly, holds up overnight, and is much easier to eat at my desk.
Charcuterie Box
- sliced salami
- cheese
- kalamata olives
- baby carrots
- sliced cucumber
- hard-boiled egg
- crackers
- hummus
This is my answer to wanting a snacky lunch that still feels like a meal, with enough salty, crunchy, creamy, and fresh things to keep every bite interesting.
Blackened Chicken Salad
- blackened chicken breasts
- chopped Romaine
- avocado
- cherry tomatoes
- bocconcini mini mozzarella
- basil shreds
- white wine or Champagne vinaigrette
The seasoned chicken does most of the heavy lifting here, so a handful of fresh vegetables, mozzarella, and vinaigrette quickly turns leftovers into a salad I actually look forward to eating.
Healthy Cold Lunch Ideas
No microwave or time to wait for one? These cold lunch ideas are ready to eat straight from the fridge.
Classic Bento Box
- rolled deli turkey
- berries
- sliced veggies
- crackers
- cheese
I pack this when I have five minutes and zero desire to cook because turkey, cheese, fruit, veggies, and crackers make a solid lunch without any assembly later.
Chicken Avocado Wrap
- cooked chicken
- mayonnaise or Ranch
- lettuce
- sliced tomato
- sliced avocado
- tortilla
This is an easy way to use cooked chicken when I want something cold and fresh, with avocado adding enough creaminess that the wrap never feels dry.
Chipotle Chicken Wrap
- chopped cooked chicken
- chipotle mayo
- mashed avocado
- black beans
- tortilla
Chipotle mayo gives leftover chicken plenty of smoky heat, while avocado and black beans make this wrap satisfying enough to carry me through the afternoon.
Asian Chicken Salad Wraps
- cooked chicken
- Asian salad kit
- tortillas
- Sesame Ginger dressing
An Asian salad kit does most of the work here, giving leftover chicken plenty of crunch and sweet-savory flavor without paying restaurant-lunch prices.
Turkey Provolone Lettuce Wraps
- Large lettuce leaves
- deli turkey
- Provolone cheese
- tomato
- avocado
- mustard
I make these when I want all the fillings from a turkey sandwich but something colder and crunchier, and doubling the lettuce leaves keeps everything together until lunch.
BBQ Chicken Wrap
- finely chopped or shredded chicken
- BBQ sauce
- mayonnaise
- lettuce
- tomato
- flour tortilla
BBQ sauce wakes up plain leftover chicken fast, and a little mayo keeps the filling creamy enough that this cold wrap still tastes good hours after you pack it.
Turkey Hard Boiled Egg Sandwich
- sandwich bread
- mayonnaise
- mustard
- sliced deli turkey
- American cheese
- hard-boiled eggs
- lettuce
Adding sliced hard-boiled egg makes an ordinary turkey sandwich much more substantial without adding any extra cooking if you already keep boiled eggs in the fridge.
Everything Bagel Sandwich
- Everything Bagel
- condiments
- deli ham or turkey
- Provolone cheese
- lettuce or microgreens
An everything bagel gives a basic turkey-and-cheese sandwich enough seasoning and chew that lunch feels more interesting without requiring any extra prep.
Chicken Bacon Wrap
- shredded chicken
- shredded mozzarella or cheddar
- chopped cooked bacon
- diced green onion
- Ranch dressing
- lettuce
- tortilla
Chicken, bacon, cheese, and Ranch is the kind of combination that makes yesterday’s cooked chicken feel like a lunch I would have happily ordered out.
Pita Pizza Lunchbox
- round pita
- marinara sauce
- shredded Mozzarella
- favorite pizza toppings
These little pizzas are easy to make with whatever toppings are in the fridge and still taste good at room temperature, which is exactly what I want from a packed lunch.
Rotisserie Chicken Wrap
- shredded rotisserie chicken
- shredded cheese
- Ranch dressing
- lettuce
- tortilla
A rotisserie chicken makes this one almost embarrassingly fast to assemble, and Ranch, cheese, and lettuce turn it into a wrap that needs nothing else at lunchtime.
Healthy Adult Lunchables
If you grew up on Lunchables, these adult-sized bistro boxes have the same snackable feel with enough food for lunch. I like them for busy workdays, and most can be packed a day or two ahead.
Deli Bento Box
- rolled deli turkey or ham
- hard-boiled eggs
- sliced veggies
- nuts
- cheese
- hummus
This is my dependable no-cook lunch when I want several things to snack on instead of committing to another sandwich.
Mexican Bistro Box
- Guacamole
- cheese
- veggies
- olives
- tortilla chips
Guacamole, cheese, veggies, olives, and chips make this feel more like picking at a snack board than eating a formal lunch, which works especially well on meeting-heavy days.
Tzatziki Dipping Bento
- cooked chicken
- cucumber slices
- cherry tomatoes
- pita sliced in wedges
- tzatziki sauce
Tzatziki makes plain chicken, pita, and crunchy vegetables infinitely more fun to eat, especially when I’m in the mood for a lunch built around dipping.
Italian Bento Box
- rolled salami or cold cuts
- sliced pear or apple
- veggies
- crackers
This charcuterie-style lunch gives me the salty-sweet combination of cold cuts, fruit, veggies, and crackers without having to make a sandwich.
Falafel Lunchbox
- falafel rounds
- mixed fruit
- side salad
- banana chips
Store-bought falafel makes this incredibly fast, or I can prep my easy falafel recipe once and use the extras to build several lunches.
Chicken and Hummus Bistro Box
- feta cheese
- cooked chicken
- cucumber slices
- grape tomatoes
- pita wedges
- hummus
This is a good use for a small amount of leftover chicken because hummus, feta, pita, and crunchy vegetables turn it into a complete Mediterranean-style lunch.
Salad Lunch Ideas
These salad lunch ideas use simple ingredients, filling toppings, and enough protein to be a full meal. Pack the dressing separately in a sauce container to keep the lettuce fresh, then drizzle it on right before eating.
Buffalo Chicken Salad
- shredded buffalo chicken
- hard-boiled eggs
- avocado
- blue cheese
- lettuce
- Ranch dressing
Buffalo chicken, blue cheese, avocado, and Ranch give me all the flavors I want from wings in a salad that’s a whole lot easier to eat during the workday.
Chicken Caprese Salad
- lettuce
- cooked chicken
- black olives
- cherry tomatoes
- chopped fresh basil
- mozzarella cheese
- diced avocado
- balsamic vinaigrette
Adding cooked chicken to tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and balsamic vinaigrette turns the Caprese flavors I love into a lunch that actually keeps me full.
BLT Salad
- chopped lettuce
- grape tomatoes
- shredded cheese
- avocado
- cooked bacon
- ranch dressing
Bacon, avocado, cheese, and Ranch turn a basic salad kit into the kind of loaded salad I’d normally be tempted to order for lunch.
Crispy Chicken Salad
- baked chicken tenders
- mixed salad greens
- tomatoes
- avocado
- red onion
- ranch dressing
I cook a few extra chicken tenders at dinner specifically for this because the crispy chicken makes a simple salad feel much more like lunch than a side.
Cobb Pasta Salad
- cooked pasta
- veggies
- bacon
- deli ham & turkey
- hard-boiled eggs
- shredded cheese
- ranch dressing
I make a big batch of my Cobb pasta salad recipe when I want one bowl in the fridge that can cover lunches for more than one person.
Salmon Nicoise Salad
- chopped lettuce
- tomatoes
- green beans & baby potatoes
- leftover cooked salmon or, canned
- hard-boiled eggs
- olives
- your favorite vinaigrette
Leftover salmon, potatoes, green beans, eggs, and olives make this Salmon Nicoise salad hearty enough that I’m never hunting for a snack an hour later.
Southwest Quinoa Salad
- cooked quinoa
- salsa
- canned corn and black beans
- tomatoes
- avocado
- cheese
- favorite dressing
This Southwest quinoa salad is one I don’t mind making ahead because the quinoa, beans, corn, and salsa taste even better after sitting together in the fridge.
Healthy Chicken Salad
- shredded chicken
- chopped celery
- lemon juice
- mayonnaise
- seasonings
- mixed salad greens
- tomatoes
- carrot chips
I like making a batch of chicken salad because I can put it over greens one day and use the rest in another lunch later in the week.
Italian Sausage & Peppers Salad
- cooked Italian sausage
- sliced bell peppers
- mixed greens
- salad toppings
- favorite vinaigrette
Leftover sausage and peppers give a bowl of greens enough substance and flavor that the leftovers feel completely different from dinner.
Roasted Vegetable Salad
- mixed salad greens
- leftover roasted vegetables- of any kind
- nuts & pomegranate seeds
- favorite vinaigrette
(I used Maple Dijon)
This roasted vegetable salad is one of my favorite ways to turn yesterday’s vegetables into something fresh enough that lunch doesn’t feel like another plate of leftovers.
Chicken Cobb Salad
- chopped Romaine lettuce
- hard-boiled egg
- sliced avocado
- cucumber slices
- halved cherry tomatoes
- blue cheese crumbles
- cooked and crumbled bacon
- grilled chicken breast
- creamy vinaigrette
Chicken, bacon, egg, avocado, and blue cheese make this the salad I choose when I need lunch to keep me full instead of feeling like I packed a bowl of leaves.
High Protein Lunch Ideas
Many of these lunches already pack plenty of protein. Here are a few favorites with the approximate protein amount included, so you can easily compare.
Salsa Chicken Burrito Bowls
- chicken breasts
- salsa
- steamed cauliflower rice
- burrito toppings
Protein: 40 grams
This copycat burrito bowl scratches my Chipotle-lunch itch while giving me a protein-packed meal that’s already waiting in the fridge.
Greek Chicken Bowls
- cooked chicken
- cherry tomatoes
- seedless cucumber
- kalamata olives
- red onion
- Tzatziki sauce
- crumbled feta cheese
- rice or farro
Protein: 48 grams
With 48 grams of protein plus crunchy vegetables, feta, olives, and tzatziki, this is the bowl I pack when I know lunch needs to carry me through a long afternoon.
Protein Bento Box
- rolled deli turkey (3-ounces)
- cheese cubes (1-ounce)
- hard-boiled eggs
- berries
- sliced veggies
Protein: 39 grams
I often assemble this 39-gram protein box while other lunches are being packed because nothing needs to be cooked, reheated, or put together once I’m at work.
Buffalo Chicken Bowls
- rice or steamed cauliflower rice
- shredded buffalo chicken
- avocado
- tomatoes
- blue cheese
- a drizzle of Ranch
Spicy buffalo chicken, creamy avocado, blue cheese, and Ranch make this bowl feel indulgent even though it starts with leftovers and takes minutes to pack.
Thai Chicken Bowls
- Thai chicken breasts
- white or Jasmine rice
- shredded cabbage
- shredded or grated carrots
- chopped cilantro
- chopped peanuts
- peanut sauce
The peanut sauce is what makes this bowl worth packing, coating the chicken and rice while cabbage, carrots, cilantro, and peanuts add plenty of crunch.
Salmon Salad Pita
- pita
- canned salmon
- mayo
- seasonings
- diced celery
- chopped lettuce
When I’m tired of tuna salad, canned salmon salad gives me the same easy pantry lunch with a completely different flavor.
Roasted Chicken Flatbreads
- roasted chicken or any cooked chicken
- flatbreads or pita
- chopped lettuce
- olives & feta
- hummus
- tomatoes & cucumbers or
tomato cucumber salsa
Hummus, feta, olives, and crunchy vegetables are my trick for turning cooked chicken into a Mediterranean-style flatbread that doesn’t feel remotely like reheated leftovers.
Korean Chicken Bowls
- Korean chicken breasts
- Jasmine rice
- Asian slaw
Sweet-savory Korean chicken over Jasmine rice with crunchy slaw gives me a meal-prep lunch with enough contrast in flavor and texture that I don’t get bored halfway through the bowl.
Deconstructed Egg Roll
- ground meat
- coleslaw mix
- seasonings
- Sriracha
- soy sauce
- rice
Protein: 27 grams
This savory, slightly spicy deconstructed egg roll reheats so well that I almost always hope there will be enough left from dinner to pack for work.
Cobb Salad Lettuce Cups
- large lettuce leaves
- tomatoes
- avocado
- hard-boiled eggs
- chopped deli turkey
- favorite salad dressing
Protein: 21.5g
These give me the turkey, egg, avocado, and tomato goodness of a Cobb salad in crisp lettuce cups that are easy to pick up and eat between tasks.
Sandwich Lunches for Adults
These sandwich ideas go beyond basic deli meat and cheese. Swap ingredients freely and use whatever you already have.
Toasted Ham & Cheese Sandwich
- sandwich bread
- sliced deli ham
- sliced cheese
- lettuce
- fruit & veggies
Toasting the bread gives an ordinary ham-and-cheese sandwich more flavor and structure, so it still feels like a good lunch several hours after I make it.
Turkey Bagel Sandwich
- everything bagel
- mayonnaise
- mustard
- ham or turkey
- cheese
- tomato
- lettuce leaves
An everything bagel makes a turkey sandwich much more satisfying than plain bread, especially once it’s loaded with cheese, tomato, lettuce, mayo, and mustard.
Salad Sandwich
- mayo
- sandwich bread
- salad greens
- super-ripe tomato
- avocado
- sliced cheese
- ranch dressing or hummus
I make this when a really ripe tomato is begging to be used because the greens, avocado, cheese, and creamy spread turn it into a fresh sandwich that still feels substantial.
Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich
- hard-boiled eggs
- ripe avocado
- Greek yogurt
- fresh lemon juice
- seasonings
- whole-grain bread
Avocado and Greek yogurt make this egg salad extra creamy without weighing it down, while lemon keeps the whole sandwich tasting fresh.
Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich
- sandwich bread
- green lettuce leaves
- egg salad
A container of egg salad in the fridge makes this one of the fastest sandwiches I can pack, with crisp lettuce adding a little freshness and crunch.
Grilled Pepperoni Sandwich
- sandwich bread
- mayo
- sliced tomato
- sliced cheese
- pepperoni
Pepperoni, tomato, and melted cheese make this taste like a pizza-and-grilled-cheese mashup without needing to order anything at lunchtime.
Caprese Sandwich
- baguette
- basil pesto
- sliced tomato
- sliced whole milk mozzarella
- fresh basil
- balsamic reduction
Pesto, ripe tomato, mozzarella, basil, and balsamic make this the sandwich I pack when deli meat sounds boring but I still want something substantial.
Ham & Cheese Tacos
- mini flour tortillas
- sliced deli ham
- sliced cheese
- chopped lettuce
When taco night leaves me with extra tortillas, I use them for ham and cheese instead of making another sandwich with the exact same fillings.
Hawaiian Grilled Cheese
- thick sandwich bread
- pineapple slices
- deli ham
- cheese
Pineapple gives an ordinary ham-and-cheese grilled sandwich a sweet-savory twist that makes it taste completely different from the one I packed last week.
Hummus & Veggie Club
- sandwich bread
- hummus
- basil pesto
- sliced cheese
- tomato
Hummus and pesto add enough creaminess and flavor that this veggie sandwich doesn’t need deli meat to feel like a real lunch.
BLAT Sandwich
- bread
- crispy bacon
- ripe tomato
- lettuce
- avocado
Adding creamy avocado to a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich is a small change, but it’s the part that keeps every bite from feeling dry.
Roast Beef Sandwich
- French bread
- Provolone cheese
- deli roast beef
- tomato slices
- Romaine or green leaf lettuce
- Mayonnaise or horseradish sauce
Roast beef and Provolone on chewy French bread makes a sturdier, more substantial work sandwich, especially with horseradish sauce when I want a little extra bite.
Toasted and grilled sandwiches can still pack well without getting soggy. The video below shows how I cool and pack them for work.
How to Pack Leftovers for Lunch
Leftovers are one of the easiest ways to pack a satisfying work lunch without cooking something separate. I usually portion dinner into individual containers before putting the rest away, so lunch is already handled for the next day.
Bowls, pasta, roasted vegetables, chicken, rice, and other dinner leftovers usually pack well. Keep sauces and anything crunchy in separate containers so the food stays fresh until lunchtime.
- Portion the food into a lunch container after dinner.
- Let hot food cool before sealing the container.
- Refrigerate leftovers promptly and use them within a few days.
- Pack sauces, dressings, and crunchy toppings separately.
- Reheat the lunch at work, then add the sauce or toppings before eating.
Soup is another great leftover lunch. Use this guide to keep food hot in a thermos until lunchtime.
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Cook once and have ready-to-eat meals for an entire week. These nutritious and filling recipes can be enjoyed as dinner or packed for lunch.
Adult Lunch Boxes for Work
The right container keeps packed food fresh and prevents it from shifting or leaking. Meal-prep containers are great for office lunches because they have compartments, can be kept in the fridge, and are microwave-safe.
I use these glass meal-prep containers for bowls, salads, vegetables, and rice, and these compartmented glass containers when ingredients need to stay separate. If you do not have access to a refrigerator, carry the container in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack.
Ready to make one? This Asian chicken salad is one of the most popular office lunches on the page, so I included the complete recipe below.
Healthy Office Lunch Ideas
Ingredients
- 2 slices bread, hearty options like French or sourdough
- ½ cup sliced grilled zucchini
- ½ cup sliced grilled red pepper
- fresh arugula
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Instructions
Build sandwich
- Spread mayonnaise on one slice of bread. Stack with red pepper slices, grilled zucchini and a handful of arugula. Add the sesame seeds. Close the sandwich with the other slice of bread, pressing gently to hold it all together.
Grill the sandwich
- Heat a medium non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Lightly butter the outside of the sandwich, grill for 2 minutes per side until the bread turns a crispy golden brown. Remove from heat and let it cool.
Pack for work
- When the sandwich has cooled, slice it in half and pack it in a hard lunch container. For added freshness, keep any sides like fruit, veggie sticks, or chips in a separate compartment or container.
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Elisa says
This post was super helpful and will get me started packing great lunches.
Emma says
Thank you for this post!! I decided to start eating healthier this year and these
lunch ideas for the office are amazing!!
Warner Cruce says
I AM LOVING THESE EASY SIMPLE SUGGESTIONS.
Laura Fuentes says
Thank you!