10 Simple Healthy Lunch Ideas for Weight Loss

It is not just having one healthy meal at a time. If you are having a balanced lunch that includes veggies, high-protein and other health-promoting food, all of it will aid in weight loss. We understand that it is only sometimes possible to have a healthy lunch. This goes especially when you are busy at work. You may always have some healthy lunch ideas for weight loss that will be in hand. Instead, it will save much of your time. You can easily stay prepared a day before and opt for healthier options at the same time.

The best is to opt for high-protein meals, it keeps your hunger satiated for a long time. You will not overeat but you will stay full for a long period of time. In this article, we will talk about the best and healthiest lunch ideas for weight loss.

Is it better to eat or skip lunch?

If you intend to skip lunch, you are mainly inviting higher hunger pangs. This will further lead to low blood sugar and high level of mood swings. You can only stay healthy and happy when you have a good and healthy meal, avoiding irritability. Furthermore, if you are skipping lunch, there is a higher possibility that you may consume more calories in the evening. It can take a toll on your health and create sleeping disorders.

Is a heavy lunch good for weight loss?

A big healthy lunch will keep your metabolism at its best. It makes sure that you are using the best of the energies from the food you are eating. If you are going to have a big meal at night, your metabolism will slow down automatically. So for those extra calories, you need a more healthy and heavy lunch. 

Simple healthy lunch ideas for weight loss

1. Healthy Frittata Lunchbox

Ingredients –

• 1 tbsp virgin olive oil
• 250g sweet potato noodles
• 250g zucchini noodles
• 2 chopped tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 2 thinly sliced green shallots
• ½ cup shredded basil leaves
• 8 large eggs
• ¼ cup grated parmesan and feta cheese

Directions –

• Heat the oil on medium flame.
• Add the sweet potato noodles in it to cook for nearly 8 min.
• Add the zucchini noodles and stir for 3-5 min more.
• Now add the tomatoes, garlic and green shallot to it. Cook for 2 min.
• Garnish with basil and serve in a bowl.

2. Chopped chicken and broccoli salad

Ingredients –

• 2 small pita bread
• Brocolli florets – 350g
• 250g skinless lean and chopped chicken
• 4 wedged radish
• 1 baby cos lettuce, well-trimmed
• ½ chopped mint leaves
• 1 ½ tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. olive oil and honey

Directions –

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced.
• In a baking tray, place the bread and bake for 10 min until crisp. Let it cool.
• Steam the broccoli for 2 min until tender. Chop coarsely.
• Cut the bread into little pieces. And combine all the ingredients in a big bowl.
• Whisk it well with lemon juice, olive oil and honey. You may even add spices, if you want to. Serve it with pomegranate and relish.

3. Lentil, shredded spinach and poached chicken salad

Ingredients –

• 3 cups water
• Halved brown onion
• Kosher salt
• 200g boneless chicken
• 400g brown lentil (well rinsed)
• 2 celery sticks
• 50g roasted capsicum
• 2 tbsp. freshly chopped chives
• 75g spinach
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 natural almonds, chopped

Directions –

• In a saucepan, heat water, brown onion, and black peppercorns along with a pinch of salt. Let it boil for some time on high heat.
• Add the chicken while lowering the heat. Cover and simmer it for 5 min. Remove and leave the chicken covered in poaching liquid for 30 min.
• Transfer the chicken to a plate for cooling. Shred it well.
• Toss the chicken with lentils, celery, fresh chives, shredded spinach as well as celery in a large bowl. Add in the rest of the ingredients for a boost in taste. Sprinkle some almonds as serving.

4. Vegan pasta bowl

Ingredients –

• 125g spiral pasta
• 150g sugar snap peas
• Snow peas
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. maple syrup
• ¼ finely chopped red cabbage
• 1 tbsp. tahini, lemon juice and olive oil each
• 1 peeled and chopped carrot
• 200g tofu

Directions –

• Cook the pasta and both the peas until they are soft. Drain the water and transfer to a large bowl.
• In another bowl, mix vinegar, maple syrup and salt. Toss it well with cabbage for coating. Let it pickle for 10 min.
• Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Serve with pepitas.

5. Black bean, avocado and lettuce wraps

Ingredients –

• 125g canned black beans
• 1 finely chopped tomato
• ½ cup finely chopped Lebanese cucumber
• ¼ finely chopped avocado
• 1 tbsp. chopped coriander
• 2 tsp. lime juice
• ½ tsp. olive oil and sweet paprika
• Lettuce leaves

Directions –

• Properly combine beans, tomato, cucumber, avocado and coriander.
• Whisk lemon juice, oil and paprika. Add to the above mix. Season it as per your choice. Wrap it up in lettuce leaves and enjoy.

6. Chili chicken and kale wrap

Ingredients –

• 1 tbsp natural yogurt
• 1 tbsp. yogurt
• ½ tsp. chipotle hot sauce
• 1 whole grain wrap
• 50g cooked chicken breast
• 1 pre-packaged kale slaw
• Coriander leaves and red chili flakes for dressing

Directions –

• Mix well the yogurt and chipotle sauce. It should be the spread for your wrap.
• Add chicken, kale slaw, and chili on top of the wrap. Enclose the wrap and enjoy.

7. Rainbow salad jar

Ingredients –

• 1 tbsp. orange juice
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp white balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• ½ cup cooked quinoa
• 1 small finely chopped beetroot
• ½ grated zucchini
• 1 coarsely grated carrot
• 2 tbsp. bulla cottage cheese
• 2 tsp pepitas

Directions –

• Combine the orange juice, olive oil, balsamic and cumin in a 500 ml glass jar with a sealed lid.
• Place the cooked quinoa right at the bottom of the jar. Top it with beetroot, zucchini, carrot and cottage cheese. Secure the lid. Keep it in the fridge up to 1 day.
• Turn and serve in a bowl with the dressing of your choice.

8. Chicken, mustard, watercress and roasted capsicum sandwich

Ingredients –

• 1 tbsp. natural yogurt
• ½ tsp. wholegrain mustard
• 50g cooked chicken breast
• 2 slices of wholemeal bread
• Lebanese cucumber slices
• 40g roasted red capsicum strips in water
• 10g picked watercress

Direction –

• Mix the yogurt and mustard in a bowl, coating it well in chicken.
• On 1 slice of the bread, top it with chicken mixture, cucumber, capsicum and watercress. Cover it up with the remaining for a sandwich.

9. Chicken, lentil and feta salad

Ingredients –

• 60g cooked chicken breast
• ½ cup canned lentil
• 1 celery stick properly chopped
• 75g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 30g baby rocket
• 2 tsp. lime juice and extra virgin olive oil (each)
• 20g feta, crumbled

Directions –

• Mix chicken, lentils, celery, tomatoes and rocket in a big bowl.
• Now add to it lime juice, oil and sambal oelek. Serve it well with feta cheese.

Conclusion

You may have gotten the best recipe in hand. You may get all the ingredients pepped up a day before to pack them for lunch at the office. Or you may even cook it in the morning. Just make sure that you are not skipping your lunch anyhow.

FAQs –