If you're looking to lose a few pounds, your food options may suddenly be quite limited. Chances are, you think you're destined for bland, boring midday meals. But not. We're here to prove that you don't need to eat a salad for lunch every day if you're trying to lose weight.
Here we show you eight totally healthy lunch recipes for you. You will find many vegetables, but without limiting yourself to mixed salads.
Spiced Hummus Flatbread "Pizza"
- Calories: 332%
- Fat: 15 grams
- Carbohydrates: 35 grams
- Protein: 14 grams
We love a weight loss plan that includes pizza. This recipe provides a nutritional boost of good-for-you ingredients like legumes, a group of plants that includes peas, lentils, and peas. The base on this pizza? The chickpeas.
Hummus contains chickpeas, which are an incredible source of plant-based protein and fiber to keep hunger at bay for hours.
This flatbread pizza offers an impressive 14 grams of plant-based protein per slice, about the same amount as two eggs. Opt for a flatbread made from whole wheat or whole grains to add extra fiber to this meal.
Stuffed tuna and avocado salad
- Calories: 282%
- Fat: 22 grams
- Carbohydrates: 8 grams
- Protein: 14 grams
Are you looking to pack a load of good-for-you fats? Consider this amazing avocado recipe. This dish is packed with healthy fats from the avocado, fish, and even the mayonnaise.
Avocado is packed with healing fiber and contains heart-friendly monounsaturated fats, while fatty fish like tuna are rich in omega-3 fats, which benefit heart, brain and joint health.
A December 2017 review, published in the International Journal of Molecular Science, also noted that omega-3 supplements may help support immune function. Long-chain fatty acids are even thought to positively affect the composition of your intestinal microbiome.
What do we do with the mayonnaise? It is fine if you consume it in moderation. This sauce isn't considered a health food, but when you choose an avocado or olive oil-based mayo, you'll get a dose of "good" unsaturated fat.
Mediterranean Zoodles with Creamy Feta Dressing
- Calories: 212%
- Fat: 7 grams
- Carbohydrates: 17 grams
- Protein: 20 grams
This vegetarian lunch is high in protein with no meat, chicken or fish thanks to the Greek yogurt. Plus, it's low carb and gluten free for those who may be avoiding it.
At just over 200 calories, this bowl of zoodle (typical vegetable spaghetti) is more of a snack than a complete lunch. For bulk, I recommend adding a half cup of cooked quinoa and a quarter cup of chopped grilled chicken or chickpeas. Doing so will add about 200 calories, so your dish is still under 500 total calories.
Italian roast beef rolls
- Calories: 360%
- Fat: 15 grams
- Carbohydrates: 17 grams
- Protein: 39 grams
Processed meats, which include meat and poultry products that have been prepared using techniques such as smoking, curing, salting, and/or with the addition of chemical agents, should be eaten in moderation.
Since roast beef falls under the category of processed meat, it's best to enjoy this lunch once in a while. If you want to eat this meal more regularly, consider turning it into a 'pasta board' with grilled chicken breast strips instead of roast beef. So you can chew the ingredients separately instead of wrapping them up.
Whether you wrap it up or not, this protein-rich lunch is a great option for those on a variety of meal plans, from low-carb or keto, to gluten-free.
Black bean sandwich with cole slaw
- Calories: 416%
- Fat: 9 grams
- Carbohydrates: 66 grams.
- Protein: 17 grams
Move over, classic coleslaw. This vegetarian sandwich gets the satisfying crunch from a nutrient-dense cole slaw. The seasoning offers a tangy flavor thanks to ingredients like wine vinegar and whole grain mustard.
The black beans in this sandwich are a great source of protein and fiber from plants, both nutrients shown to support good health. And cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable that contains phytochemicals with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Collard Wrap
- Calories: 337%
- Fat: 14 grams
- Carbohydrates: 21 grams
- Protein: 32 grams
The more (natural) colors on your plate, the better. Fortunately, this nutrient-dense lunch is packed with healthy tones. The recipe is made mostly from colorful vegetables, so it's anti-inflammatory and packed with disease-fighting antioxidants. It's basically like eating the rainbow.
Collard greens are a great swap from traditional wraps thanks to their high vitamin C content and low calorie profile. One and a half cups of kale provides 50% of the daily value for vitamin C and only 25 calories.
If you want to add a bit more to this lunch, I recommend adding a half cup of whole grains, like brown rice, for a complex carb punch and extra fiber.
Vegan 3 Layer Mexican Dip
- Calories: 333%
- Fat: 12 grams
- Carbohydrates: 47 grams
- Protein: 9 grams
Is it just us or does eating out of a bowl make meals feel more fun? We love that this three-layered vegan Mexican salsa can be packed in a container and eaten on the go. This easy and tasty option contains healthy fat from the avocado and plant protein from the beans, making it a great balanced snack option.
At less than 350 calories, this dip is not a complete lunch. If you're looking to make this more of a meal, I'd suggest making it into tacos with whole wheat or corn tortillas instead of tortillas which may be higher in salt.
Cauliflower "Grilled Cheese" Sandwich
- Calories: 306%
- Fat: 24 grams
- Carbohydrates: 8 grams
- Protein: 15 grams
If you're on board with the keto craze, you need this cauliflower "grilled cheese" in your life. The innovative sandwich hits cauliflower "bread" (made from cauli, seeds, and eggs) in place of traditional bread to keep it low-carb and keto-friendly. The entire sandwich serves up just 8 grams of carbs, about the same amount as a third of a medium apple.
If making fake cauliflower bread seems like a lot of work, we don't blame you. Just try adding the versatile vegetable to other meals. For example, use cauliflower instead of rice to make healthy fried rice with chicken or shrimp, or replace mashed potatoes with cauliflower puree as a side to grilled salmon.