Unhealthy eating is becoming an epidemic. In the United States alone, there are 678,000 deaths each year related to poor nutrition. Improper nutrition also contributes to other health conditions like diabetes, which is a leading cause of blindness and amputations.
This is part of a larger epidemic. People are overworked, stressed, and lacking in free time. 20% of Americans worry that their bosses will think they’re lazy if they take a lunch break. 38% don’t feel that they can take a lunch break, even if they want to.
This leads to feeling burned out and disengaged at work. It’s impossible to function when you’re malnourished, let alone be your absolute best.
A healthy lunch is an essential component of being a productive employee. Even more importantly, it’s a vital part of being a good person and living your best life.
If you’re prone to feeling hangry or feeling faded by the end of the day, here are some healthy lunch ideas for work!
Great Healthy Lunch Ideas For Work
Don’t worry, we’re not going to limit our list to brown rice, tofu, and granola. Here’s a bunch of great healthy lunch recipes for all tastes!
Spicy Asian Chicken Salad
Eating your vegetables stops feeling like a drag once you start adulting in earnest. What once was a chore becomes the greatest thing since sliced bread. Probably greater, seeing as how gluten’s not all that great for you.
You’ll hardly be able to believe this Spicy Asian Chicken Salad is health food. It’s got a little something for everybody. It’s sweet, savory, and spicy, all at once.
It also requires basically zero preparation, as it’s made with packaged salad fixings which can be found at basically any supermarket. You can have an entire healthy lunch in less than five minutes.
It’s super pretty, too!
Greek Chicken Grain Bowl
People like to tease quinoa as the quintessential hippie food. They’re missing out, as it’s actually really good, and good for you, too!
This Greek Chicken quinoa bowl lets you take the deliciousness freshness of Mediterranean food with you to work. It’s crazy good when you add the fresh feta dressing.
You’ll feel like you’re lazing by the Mediterranean when you bite into a fresh, ripe Kalamata olive paired with the crisp snap of fresh cucumbers.
If you’re on a budget, you can make this quinoa bowl with chicken thighs instead of breasts. There’s nothing quite like fresh food for cheap!
Sriracha Lime Chicken Chopped Salad
Everything is better with Sriracha. And avocado. That makes this Sriracha Lime Chicken Chopped Salad absolutely irresistible.
Grilled chicken, fresh avocado, and a dollop of Sriracha would be amazing, in and of itself, simply served on a bed of fresh, crispy lettuce. Add in grilled pineapple and a delicious lime vinaigrette, and you’re going to lose your mind for this easy-to-make salad.
Just remember to put this one under lock and key if you’re leaving it in the company fridge. A coworker eating your Sriracha chicken salad is going to be bad for somebody’s health!
The Healthy Elvis
Elvis Presley wasn’t only the King of Rock and Roll. He was also the king of taking terrible care of himself. Some of his ideas have some merit, however.
Elvis was notoriously fond of his fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. They’re really rather good, despite how it sounds.
The Healthy Elvis is your chance to experience a healthy take on this old chestnut. For starters, you can replace the peanut butter with another, more healthful variety, like almond or cashew butter. Secondly, replace the honey with agave nectar.
Third, enjoy! Take your taste buds to Graceland.
Sonoma Chicken Salad Sandwich
The Sonoma Chicken salad sandwich is one of our favorite healthy lunch recipes for a number of reasons. First of all, it can be made with leftovers, if you have to have extra chicken from another recipe.
Secondly, it’s a sandwich, so it doesn’t take a lot of preparation. Yes, we’d all love to have the time to be fully-fledged chefs each and every night, but sometimes life gets in the way.
Thirdly, and most importantly, it’s completely delicious! You’ve got to try the poppy seed dressing – it’s too die for!
The Sonoma Chicken salad sandwich is an essential recipe for the warm weather months. Make sure to leave this recipe on the fridge in the spring and summer, if you’re looking for healthy lunch ideas for cookouts or potlucks.
Eggplant Pizza
There are few things in life as satisfying as pizza for lunch. Or for any meal, for that matter. It’s not exactly good for your waistline, your arteries, or your energy levels, however.
There are all kinds of ways you can make pizza more healthy while still being just as amazing. Like this eggplant pizza recipe, for instance.
It’s more like an eggplant personal pizza, however, as it’s based off of a pita pocket crust. The pita is topped with marinara and loaded down with a cup of mozzarella cheese, chopped tomatoes, and onions.
Finally, the piece de resistance. You add ½ cup of roasted eggplant as your protein source. It’s also a wonderful way to get your daily fiber and potassium.
You can season the roasted eggplant any way you like, as one final benefit. A bit of roasted garlic and a dash of lemon juice is particularly killer, in our opinion.
If you’d like to have fresh, healthy lunches available at your workplace, check it out!
Having a healthy lunch will help you feel your best, all day long. It’ll make you more productive, while you’re at it! It’s a win-win!
Looking for More Healthy Ideas?
Health comes in a lot of shapes and sizes. Mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health are all vital to living a fulfilling life.
Whether you’re looking for healthy lunch ideas for work or how to boost your mental health, we’re here to help you live your best life.
Contact us today with any questions or ideas for future blog posts!