15 Easy Lunchbox Meals You Can Make Even When You’re Busy
Life as a college student or just beginning your career can be stressful and time-consuming. It can be easy to neglect eating healthy meals or eating meals at all. If you find yourself bored with basic lunch meat sandwiches but can’t be bothered with spending hours in the kitchen this list is for you. Below is a list of several easy lunchbox meals you can make even when you’re busy!
1. Basil Pesto Pasta, Fruit, Energy Balls & Nuts
Pasta isn’t just for dinner. Consider making basil pesto pasta for lunch and pair it with an assortment of sides to really make it pop.
2. Falafel Wraps, Potato Chips & Fruit
If you’re bored with typical wraps consider a falafel wrap. It will remind you of your favorite street vendor without having to worry about running around town to find the best one on your short lunch break. Pair it with some potato chips and fruit to complete your lunch!
3. Chicken & Avocado Sandwich, Peppers & Fruit
If you want a sandwich with a kick, consider one with chicken avocados and tomatoes. It’s significantly more of a treat than a plain turkey sandwich. Pair it with some peppers and fruit for a well-balanced lunch.
4. Ham Sandwich, Vegetable Salad & Fruit
There are those times when a simple sandwich can sound perfect though. It can be a simple but delicious lunch. Create the ham sandwich of your dreams and cut it in half. Set it in your lunch box sideways to ensure you have room for a healthy vegetable salad and some fruit!
5. Fruits, Nuts & Rice
These are all foods that complement each other very well. This is perfect if your job won’t let you really sit down and enjoy a full, interrupted lunch. Or if you’re someone who likes to eat throughout the day. These are all foods you can peck at throughout your workday!
6. Thai Peanut Chicken Noodles
This is a lunch that you can either make exclusively for lunch or you can decide to incorporate it from your dinner last night. Add a side of fruit and you’ll have a well-balanced, tasty lunch!
7. Rice & Beans, Veggie Salad, Raspberries & Cookies
Just because you aren’t a kid anymore doesn’t mean you can’t still have a treat for lunch. A healthy lunch of rice, beans, a veggie salad, and fruits will leave you earning delicious whole-wheat cookies at the end!
8. Oats, Hard Boiled Egg & Fruit
These are all superfoods that will be sure to help you fight the 3 o’clock fatigue we all feel. These foods will help stimulate your brain to ensure you’ll be able to focus for the rest of the workday!
9. Stir Fry Pasta, TeaTime Sandwich & Fruit
This is the kind of lunch that will use leftovers from the night before. Just pack the rest of your pasta from the night before, cut up an apple, add a sandwich and you have yourself the perfect lunch!
10. Waffles, Bananas, Almond Butter, Syrup & Fruit
Alright, this may be more of a breakfast meal but sometimes breakfast food throughout the day is the best. Plus this will also be great if you’re running late and didn’t actually have the opportunity to eat breakfast. Pairing some waffles with fruit is a classic breakfast that will be delicious at any time of the day. Bonus points if you cut your banana into stars!
11. Quinoa Salad, Peas, Fruit, Crackers & Cheese
These may look like a bunch of sides but they come together to create a well-balanced lunch. You can eat the quinoa salad with just a fork or you can use the crackers to dip them into the salad. You could also always put the cheese on the crackers as well!
12. Pico de Gallo Quinoa Bowl
Think a burrito bowl but healthier. Instead of using regular rice, which you still could definitely use, consider using quinoa instead. You’ll get the same effect you’d get with rice but it’s slightly healthier. Keeping the ingredients separate until you eat them all together will ensure nothing gets gross and soggy!
13. Green Wrap, Fruit & Popcorn
Popcorn is a very healthy and easy snack if you don’t pack on the butter. Consider using it in your lunches. Combine it with a green wrap and some fruit and you have yourself an out of the box lunch that is equally delicious!
14. Soyaki Tofu, Salsa & Veggies
This is a great lunch because you can choose to keep all of these ingredients separate or at lunch, you can mix them all together. Whichever you decide this is a lunch that will keep you full well into the evening!
15. Stuffed Sweet Potato & Berries
An alternative to a regular stuffed potato is to have a stuffed sweet potato. If you’re looking for something different to go with it or a dessert to compliment your potato consider piling on the fruit. The nuts will also be great to munch on throughout the day if you don’t finish it all!
