Written by Cami Salisbury | Reviewed by Fit with Food Dietitians

We all need to eat, no surprise there! Food is what gives us the energy to accomplish our goals for the day and provides the nutrients we need to stay strong and healthy. But with life seemingly becoming busier every day, planning meals can be mentally exhausting, especially if cooking is not something you’re skilled at or interested in.

Oftentimes lunches for work can be the most difficult to plan and prepare because we’re exhausted after getting home from work and focused on dinner and the kids. By the time we’re rushing out the door in the morning, we realize we forgot to prepare a lunch for ourselves. So I’ve put together a few simple lunch options that are adaptable to your preferences, but will still take (most of) the thinking out of planning a tasty and nutritious lunch! 

Bento box “lunchables”

First, we’re going to throw it back to the good ole’ school days when all you wanted was those Lunchables that everyone else had. These usually include some kind of protein, whole grain cracker or bread, vegetables, fruit, and sometimes a dip. These meals are quick to make, satisfying to eat, and perfect for adapting to your preferences, or to what you have in your pantry and fridge. Here are some ideas to get you started: 

• Traditional Bento: deli meat, whole grain crackers, cheese slices, and vegetables of choice: cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers
• Protein Bento: hardboiled egg, whole grain crackers, cheese, apples, peanut butter, and edamame
• Mediterranean Bento: whole wheat pita, hummus, grapes, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, and olives

Buffalo Chicken Wrap

Similar to the bento boxes, wraps can be adapted to your preferences, but are a nice change from eating sandwiches every day. Take a tortilla wrap, toss some chicken in a little Buffalo sauce (I used Frank’s Red Hot), layer your lettuce and sliced tomatoes, and finish it off with a little drizzle of ranch. Complete your meal with a side of celery and you have a quick and tasty lunch on-the-go. Not a fan of Buffalo sauce or ranch? Try an Italian dressing for a tangy but not spicy alternative or a tzatziki sauce for light, creamy flavor. 

Mediterranean Chickpea Bowl

Finally, we have a Mediterranean chickpea bowl. This is so quick and easy to make since there is little to no cooking involved, and it’s so easy to toss in a bowl and go. Bonus: it also keeps in the fridge well if you’re meal prepping in advance! Start with a bed of brown rice or quinoa, then chop and add cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, and lettuce or greens (I chose spinach today). Next, drain and rinse chickpeas, then add them just like that, or toss them in some olive oil with spices and herbs (I like garlic powder, paprika, and oregano). Stir all the ingredients together and top with feta cheese and a drizzle of tzatziki sauce. 

Tips for Success:

• Prep food for the week. This takes a little more planning ahead but will save so much time overall. I like to prep all my vegetables and sometimes my protein of choice (chicken, eggs, beans, tofu…etc.) in advance, this is usually Sundays for me. For example, I’ll cook some chicken on Sunday to chop up for the buffalo chicken wrap and save a little to add to the Mediterranean chickpea bowl. 
• Use the same protein and/or veggies for multiple meals. You’ll save time not preparing multiple different items and money by reducing food waste, like that bag of salad you forgot about in your fridge last week… or maybe that was just me.  
• Purchase pre-cooked chicken, pre-chopped veggies, or minute microwave brown rice/quinoa. Some weeks are busier than others, so save some time by grabbing these convenient alternatives and still enjoy a filling lunch!