Switch up your midday routine with desk lunches guaranteed to be the highlight of your workday. These 20 great picks are perfect for a busy schedule, easy to whip up, and packed with flavors that’ll make you excited for your break. Forget the same old boring sandwiches and get ready to look forward to an afternoon meal that’s as convenient as it is delicious.
Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad Cucumber Boats
Perfect for those who like their lunches on the lighter side, these Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad Cucumber Boats are a fresh take on your usual meal. Packed with chicken, bacon, cream cheese, and jalapeños, all nestled in cucumber, they come together in just 30 minutes. You can even prep them beforehand for a fast, easy lunch option. They strike a great balance between being light and packed with flavor.
Get the Recipe: Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad Cucumber Boats
Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad
Shake up your lunch game with this Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad. A hearty mix of chicken, bacon, and jalapeños, all bound together with a creamy mayo dressing, it’s not only simple to make but also can be prepared in advance. This recipe is a great choice for anyone looking for a ready-to-eat lunch with a kick.
Get the Recipe: Jalapeño Popper Chicken Salad
Cottage Cheese Breakfast Muffins
Though named for breakfast, these Cottage Cheese Breakfast Muffins are an excellent choice for a workday lunch. Ready in 30 minutes, they’re packed with protein from eggs and cottage cheese, and you can toss in your favorite veggies or meats. Good for those busy days when you need something easy to bring along that will keep you full.
Get the Recipe: Cottage Cheese Breakfast Muffins
Broccoli Fritters
Broccoli Fritters are an excellent choice for an easy, light lunch to pack for work. Mix broccoli with Parmesan and a few pantry staples to create these fritters, then fry them until they’re crispy, all in about 35 minutes. They’re not only simple to make but also versatile, they taste great on their own or paired with Greek yogurt or sour cream. This dish highlights how easy it is to turn basic ingredients into a meal perfect for busy weekdays.
Get the Recipe: Broccoli Fritters
Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
Garlic Butter Chicken Bites are a flavorful and practical option for your work lunch. Cube chicken breasts and cook them in a rich garlic butter sauce for about 20 minutes. This recipe proves you can whip up a delicious and filling meal in no time, making it a great addition to our easy light lunches theme. It’s straightforward, quick to prepare, and packs perfectly for lunch at work.
Get the Recipe: Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
Big Mac Salad
The Big Mac Salad brings the iconic burger’s flavors into a fresh, easy-to-pack salad form, making it a creative choice for a work lunch. Combine ground beef, lettuce, cheddar cheese, pickles, and onions, then dress it all in a Big Mac-inspired sauce. It’s easy to prepare and perfectly aligns with the idea of having a light yet filling lunch ready for a busy day at work. This salad proves you don’t have to give up on taste when choosing lighter lunch options.
Get the Recipe: Big Mac Salad
Mini Spicy Canned Salmon Patties
Mini Spicy Canned Salmon Patties provides a quick, flavorful lunch solution with a mix of canned salmon, jalapeños, and cayenne pepper. Ready in just 30 minutes, these patties can be served with Lemon Dill Aioli for an extra flavor boost. They embody the theme of easy light lunches to pack for work, showing that simple ingredients can be transformed into something special and convenient for any workday.
Get the Recipe: Mini Spicy Canned Salmon Patties
Bell Pepper Sandwich
The Bell Pepper Sandwich is a novel and light lunch idea that swaps traditional bread for bell peppers. Fill the hollowed-out peppers with cream cheese, stone-ground mustard, and your preferred meats, cheeses, and veggies. Ready in about 10 minutes, this sandwich fits perfectly into the theme of easy light lunches, presenting a nutritious option that’s both quick to assemble and filling to eat.
Get the Recipe: Bell Pepper Sandwich
Canned Chicken Patties
For a light and efficient work lunch, try the Canned Chicken Patties. Mix canned chicken with a few ingredients, form into patties, and fry until golden. They’re ready in 20 minutes, making them a perfect choice for those days when you need something quick yet filling. This recipe proves how to make a filling meal with minimal effort, good for packing for work.
Get the Recipe: Canned Chicken Patties
Creamy Dill Cucumber Onion Salad
The Creamy Dill Cucumber Onion Salad combines cucumbers and red onions with a creamy dressing, featuring sour cream, mayo, and dill. It’s a refreshing side or main dish that’s ready in under an hour. This salad fits our theme of easy light lunches by being simple to prepare and great for packing ahead, ensuring you have a refreshing option for your workday lunch.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Dill Cucumber Onion Salad
Spicy Tuna Cucumber Boats
Spicy Tuna Cucumber Boats are a fantastic choice for a quick and light work lunch. Mix cream cheese, tuna, and seasonings, then stuff the mix into cucumber boats. Ready in 10 minutes, this dish is good for anyone looking for a flavorful, easy-to-make lunch that fits into a busy schedule. It’s a great addition to our collection of easy-light lunches to pack for work.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Tuna Cucumber Boats
Greek Salad Meal Prep Jars
Greek Salad Meal Prep Jars make packing lunch for work a breeze. Layer cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, olives, and feta cheese, then top with a simple vinaigrette. They’re ready in 10 minutes and serve a healthy, flavorful, and convenient lunch option that you can prepare ahead of time, making your workweek lunches stress-free.
Get the Recipe: Greek Salad Meal Prep Jars
Cauliflower Potato Salad
Cauliflower Potato Salad is a lighter alternative to traditional potato salad, featuring cauliflower, bacon, and cheese. It’s seasoned with hot sauce and paprika for an extra kick and is easy to prepare. This dish suits our easy light lunches perfectly, providing a filling yet light side dish or main for your work lunch. Enjoy classic flavors in a healthier way.
Get the Recipe: Cauliflower Potato Salad
Chicken Bacon Ranch Poppers
Chicken Bacon Ranch Poppers mix chicken, bacon, egg, cheese, and spices into bite-sized delights. Bake until golden and drizzle with ranch dressing. They’re ready in about an hour and perfectly match our theme of easy light lunches. They’re simple to make in bulk and good for freezing, ensuring you have a delicious and convenient lunch option available anytime.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Bacon Ranch Poppers
Avocado Tuna Salad
Avocado Tuna Salad is the epitome of quick and easy, needing just five minutes to prepare. Mix creamy avocado with flavorful tuna for a refreshing meal. This salad highlights our theme by presenting a healthy, quick-to-make lunch option. It’s perfect for those last-minute meal preps or when you need something light and filling at work.
Get the Recipe: Avocado Tuna Salad
Zucchini Bites
Zucchini Bites are made with shredded zucchini, Parmesan, cheddar cheese, and Italian seasoning, ready in 30 minutes. They’re a great way to add more veggies to your lunch in a delicious, easy-to-eat format. These bites align with our theme of easy light lunches to pack for work, proving that healthy, vegetable-packed meals can also be convenient and delicious.
Get the Recipe: Zucchini Bites
Spicy Egg Salad Cucumber Boats
Spicy Egg Salad Cucumber Boats combine the crunch of cucumber with a creamy, spicy egg salad. They’re an excellent choice for a flavorful, easy-to-make lunch that’s ready quickly. Fitting into our theme, these cucumber boats are perfect for those seeking a light, refreshing, and slightly spicy lunch option that doesn’t require much prep time. Your work lunch routine is a breeze with this recipe.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Egg Salad Cucumber Boats
Loaded Zucchini Boats
Loaded Zucchini Boats fill zucchini with bacon, cheese, sour cream, and green onions, creating a lighter version of loaded baked potatoes. They’re ready in less than an hour and are a flavorful yet light option for lunch. This recipe supports our theme by presenting a delicious, filling meal that’s easy to prepare and pack for work, combining convenience with taste.
Get the Recipe: Loaded Zucchini Boats
Bacon Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sliders
Bacon Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sliders are a fun, portable option that’s ready in 30 minutes. They combine eggs, bacon, cheese, and avocado, all held together in a convenient slider format. Perfect as easy light lunches, these sliders are great for busy mornings or lunchtimes, presenting a delicious, easy-to-carry meal that fits perfectly into a busy work schedule.
Get the Recipe: Bacon Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sliders
Keto Chicken Nuggets
Keto Chicken Nuggets are a light, quick lunch option made with canned chicken and coated in a crispy pork rind mixture. Ready in 30 minutes, they’re a fantastic choice for those looking for a fast, filling meal. These nuggets show how easy it is to prepare a light yet delicious lunch that’s perfect for packing for work, even when you’re short on time.
Get the Recipe: Keto Chicken Nuggets