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These non-sandwich lunch ideas for adults are healthy, pack great, and can help you eat healthy at work or at home. So many to choose from!
These non-sandwich lunch ideas for adults are easy, tasty, and the perfect way to switch up your lunch routine.
From cold lunch options, salads, and wraps that can be packed for work to nice cozy warm meals you can heat and eat too!
In this post, you’ll find a variety of nutritious meals that have both nutrition and delicious appeal.
I pack 2 adult office lunches and 3 kid school lunches, 2 morning snacks, and 4 afternoon snacks daily. That’s a lot of packing!
If I relied on a sandwich day in and day out to provide the bulk of the meal, I would get tired of it pretty quickly. Though I do make pretty amazing sandwiches.
Lunch Ideas that Aren’t Sandwiches
Cobb Pasta Salad
Save some plain pasta from dinner and top it with everyone's favorite toppings like bacon, avocado, ham, and cheese.
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Deconstructed Egg Roll (Easy & Quick Recipe)
This filling meal is a low-carb lunch that's high in protein too!
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Roasted Chicken Wrap
Turn chicken leftovers into this epic flatbread wrap filled with veggies and drizzled with a simple hummus dressing.
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Roasted Veggie Salad
If roasted veggies are a staple at dinner, make extra and turn them into the hero of your next meal.
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Avocado Tortilla Pinwheels
When your avocados are very ripe, they're perfect for being mashed and rolled up with crispy bacon and cheese into a wrap or pinwheels!
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Crispy Chicken Tender Salad
Skip eating out for lunch and make your own crispy chicken tender salad at a fraction of the cost.
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Southwest Quinoa Salad Bowls
A fiber and protein-rich meal that's nutritious and convenient to make. A single batch can feed you for several days; it's so good, you'll want it on repeat.
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Buffalo Chicken Salad
Everything you love about buffalo wings but a lot healthier! Shredded buffalo chicken breasts over a salad loaded with your favorite toppings.
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Nicoise Salad with Salmon
Turn last night's salmon dinner leftovers into a classic salad that's both nutritious and delicious!
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Turkey Club Wrap
Swap another turkey sandwich for this epic wrap that provides lots of nutrition.
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Santa Fe Chicken Salad
Grilled chicken, black beans, corn, avocado… everything you love from the favorite restaurant favorite with an epic jalapeño ranch dressing!
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Chicken Salad with Greens
Need to add more leafy greens into your day? make a base and top them with this epic healthy chicken salad recipe!
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Pasta Salad with Turkey
With this easy recipe, you can turn leftovers into a healthy lunch in 5 minutes. It's simple, nutritious, and tasty!
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Chicken Farro Bowls
All the classic Mediterranean flavors in one meal. Use farro or rice for an easy-to-make-ahead lunch!
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Spinach Turkey Wrap
For days where you don't want another salad, wrap your spinach and tomatoes up with turkey for protein!
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Egg Salad Stuffed Avocado
Egg salad + avocado are the perfect match! Make this recipe in no time for a fresh, tasty, and satiating meal.
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Asian Chicken Salad Wraps
Everything you love from the crunchy and tasty salad, but handheld! This fork-free lunch idea is healthy, satisfying, and packed with nutrition.
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Burrito Bowls
No need to go to chipotle with this DIY recipe alternative! Use regular rice or cauliflower rice for a lower-carb lunch.
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BLT Salad (Quick & Easy)
Everything you love from a classic BLT sandwich deconstructed into a healthy and easy meal prep lunch that's spectacular!
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Pesto Salad
Got a little pesto in the fridge from another recipe? Use it up drizzled over your favorite salad ingredients like this!
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Chicken Caprese Salad with Avocado
More filling than the tomato + mozzarella option, this is a healthy lunch you can feel good about eating.
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Cobb Salad Lettuce Wraps
Loaded with protein, veggies, and super crunch for a fresh, low-carb, and incredibly easy-to-make meal!
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Thai Pasta Salad with Peanut Dressing
Super crunchy, filling, and packed with nutrition and protein this is a must-make recipe.
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BLT Lettuce Wraps
This recipe shows you how to skip the tortilla and use lettuce to wrap up your favorite ingredients instead.
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Related: Try these easy-prep adult lunchables!
Warm Lunch Ideas
If you’re heating lunch up at home, have a microwave at the office or a trusty thermos to pack your lunch in, try one of these warm lunches!
Chili Mac
A favorite of kids and grownups alike, this epic recipe is one of those that taste better the next day! Microwave your bowl or pack it warm in a thermos.
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Enchilada Soup
This is an easy recipe that you can make ahead, freeze for later in single portions, and warm up a bowl whenever you need it.
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Mac and Cheese
Grownups can eat mac and cheese for lunch too! Pack those leftovers in a thermos or microwavable container, and you've got yourself lunch!
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Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
Make this super delicious creamy pasta for dinner and enjoy leftovers for lunch packed in a thermos or in a microwave-safe bowl.
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Korean Chicken Lunch
If Asian take-out is a go-to for lunch, make this recipe at home that packs great and is much healthier!
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Salsa Verde Chicken Pasta
A simple dinner recipe that often yields leftovers can be packed for lunch in a thermos or microwavable lunch container.
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Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
Another take-out classic you can make healthier at home and enjoy for lunch for days to come.
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Baked Orange Chicken with Roasted Vegetables
Make it for dinner, save leftovers for lunch, or prep ahead… this is one epic recipe that will make you feel like you're eating healthy as an adult!
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Can’t wait to get started? Print one of my favorite adult lunch ideas below!
30+ Non-Sandwich Lunch Ideas for Adults
These non-sandwich lunch ideas for adults are healthy, pack great, and can help you eat healthy at work or at home. So many to choose from!
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Ingredients
BLT Lettuce Wraps
- 8 large leaves lettuce
- 8 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
- 1 large tomato, sliced thin
- Ranch dressing, for drizzling
Instructions
- Make a base for the wraps with two of the lettuce leaves.
- Top each base with tomato slices and bacon. Drizzle with ranch dressing if you plan to enjoy the lunch right away; otherwise, pack the dressing in small lidded containers.
- Fold lettuce leaves over and the sides in and pack inside a lunch container.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 wrap | Calories: 10kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.05g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 43mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 336IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.1mg
Abi Dickson says
This got me out of a lunch-making rut! Delish.
Stephanie says
just curious what type/brand of turkey you buy?
Laura Fuentes says
Typically I buy Applegate if I can’t get to Whole Foods.