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  6. 21 Easy Spring Lunches to Pack for Work

21 Easy Spring Lunches to Pack for Work

Leah Goggins headshot
Leah Goggins April 25, 2022
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Cucumber Sandwich
Credit: Photographer / Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Kay Clarke, Food Stylist / Ruth Blackburn

With just 20 minutes of active time in the kitchen, you can pull together any one of these simple and totable work lunches. These healthy, tasty recipes include delicious spring produce, like spinach, avocado and asparagus, so you can get in your veggies and enjoy something fresh and flavorful. No matter which lunch you choose, recipes like our Mashed Chickpea Salad with Dill & Capers and Cucumber Sandwich are perfect for a light and satisfying lunch break.

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Mashed Chickpea Salad with Dill & Capers

Mashed Chickpea Salad with Dill & Capers
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This creamy yet light vegan salad is full of bright, herby goodness. On its own, it's great to serve alongside a sandwich or veggie burger in place of potato salad or coleslaw. You can also make it into a light lunch by adding a handful of arugula to enjoy it as a green salad. Double the recipe and refrigerate to have on hand throughout the week.

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Chipotle-Lime Cauliflower Taco Bowls

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A bold, smoky marinade elevates roasted cauliflower in this meal-prep version of our popular Chipotle-Lime Cauliflower Tacos (see Associated Recipes). To cut down on prep time, look for precut cauliflower in the produce department. You can also save time by using microwaveable quinoa pouches (you'll need one 8-ounce pouch for this recipe) instead of cooking quinoa.

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Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl

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Quinoa and chickpeas pack this vegetarian grain bowl with plenty of plant-based protein. Whip up a batch of these Mediterranean meals and pack in containers with lids to stash in the fridge for easy, healthy grab & go lunches all week long.

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Cucumber Sandwich

Cucumber Sandwich
Credit: Photographer / Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Kay Clarke, Food Stylist / Ruth Blackburn
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This creamy, crunchy cucumber sandwich recipe strikes a lovely balance between decadent and light. The cream cheese-yogurt spread complements the crisp refreshing cucumber while the hearty flavor and texture of the whole-wheat bread holds everything together. Removing the crusts makes it more delicate than your average sandwich.

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Chickpea Tuna Salad

Chickpea Tuna Salad
Credit: Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling / Ruth Blackburn
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This chickpea tuna salad with capers, feta and cucumber makes for the perfect lunch to pack for work or school. You can prep the salad the night before (just be sure to keep the spinach separate and dress the salad right before serving).

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Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Credit: Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling / Ruth Blackburn
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This vegan chickpea salad sandwich is lemony, bright and surprisingly delicious. It's got all the flavors of a classic tuna salad sandwich—dill, lemon and a bit of garlic—but with chickpeas instead to add a vegan source of protein and a healthy boost of fiber. Celery brings a nice crunch.

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Veggie & Hummus Sandwich

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This mile-high vegetable and hummus sandwich makes the perfect heart-healthy vegetarian lunch to go. Mix it up with different flavors of hummus and different types of vegetables depending on your mood.

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Avocado Tuna Spinach Salad

Avocado Tuna Spinach Salad
Credit: Greg DuPree
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Avocado adds creaminess while sunflower seeds provide texture and crunch in this easy tuna-spinach salad.

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Caprese Sandwich

Caprese Sandwich
Credit: Photographer / Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Christine Keely
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This caprese sandwich is fresh from the basil and hearty from thick, crusty ciabatta. The sun-dried tomatoes deepen the flavor. Topping the bread with a layer of basil leaves and using toasted bread helps to keep the sandwich from getting soggy if you need to make it a few hours ahead.

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Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew

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This satisfying stew comes together in a snap. Mashed chickpeas add body to the broth, and tomato paste adds a savory note without piling on the sodium. To simplify the prep, look for chopped fresh onion and shredded carrot or a soup starter mix in the produce section.

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Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps

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We love the retro vibe of these egg salad lettuce wraps. Iceberg lettuce makes a perfect low-carb swap for bread to serve the egg salad.

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Spinach & Artichoke Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette

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Inspired by the classic warm party dip, this simple salad can be served up right away or divided into small lidded containers for a week of delicious lunches. To keep the hard-boiled eggs tasting fresh, we suggest adding them to your salad just before serving or in the morning before packing your lunch to go.

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Rainbow Veggie Wraps

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There's definitely a sushi vibe to these kid-friendly wraps, which are stuffed with vegetables, cheese and hummus and then rolled and sliced. Serve them with store-bought green goddess, a creamy herb-filled dressing, to take it up a notch with ease. They look impressive but they're easy enough for kids to assemble themselves for an easy lunch or dinner.

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Quinoa Avocado Salad

a bowl of Quinoa Avocado Salad
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Protein-packed quinoa pairs with creamy avocado in this refreshing grain salad. It's the perfect make-ahead side dish to bring on a picnic or take to a potluck. Or pack it for lunch or enjoy it as a light dinner.

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Spring Roll Salad

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All the tastes, color and fun of a spring roll without all the work! This healthy salad recipe is bursting with the colors of rainbow from generous amounts of fresh vegetables, shrimp and whole grains all topped with a peanut dressing for the ultimate satisfying salad.

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Green Goddess Quinoa Bowls with Arugula & Shrimp

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We're taking advantage of all the healthy items you can find at your local specialty grocery store to create these healthy meal-prep lunches. To add extra protein (while minimizing prep time), we're using fully cooked quinoa and cooked shrimp, both of which you can find in the freezer section. With a few more simple items, including bottled salad dressing, you'll have all the ingredients you need to make these high-protein lunch bowls in under 20 minutes.

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Prosciutto, Mozzarella & Melon Plate

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This perfect picnic for two is great for an outdoor date night or even just a quick, romantic dinner at home. The fresh fruit, vegetables and cheese pair perfectly with prosecco for sipping. Chocolate-dipped strawberries for dessert make the meal extra-special.

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Chicken Caprese Pasta Salad Bowls

chicken caprese pasta salad in glass food storage container
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Pasta salad is a classic summer side dish, but adding protein (leftover grilled chicken is perfect here) and extra greens makes it a super-satisfying lunch. We use baby spinach, but arugula or baby kale works too. Top with a bright and tangy basil vinaigrette just before serving. The great news is that these easy meal-prep lunches take just 20 minutes to prepare--that's 4 days of lunches in less than 30 minutes.

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3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad

3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad
Credit: Carolyn Hodges
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We put a flavor twist on the classic chicken salad by using a lemon-herb mayonnaise. Try other mayo varieties, like roasted garlic or chipotle lime, in this fast, no-cook lunch recipe. Serve with whole-grain crackers.

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Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Grilled Asparagus & Chicken Sausage

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Stock the fridge with a week's worth of lunches using a handful of ingredients from your local grocery store. To save on carbs, we're swapping in riced cauliflower for regular rice and adding pregrilled asparagus, which bulks up these bowls and adds fiber. At lunchtime, just reheat to steaming then top with a bit of pesto. Try Trader Joe's for fast shortcut ingredients like these--see Tip (below) for our product recommendations.

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Turkey, Cheese & Veggie Plate

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This colorful picnic dinner idea features tasty munchies you don't need utensils for and mild flavors that kids prefer, like deli meat, cheese and crunchy raw veggies. It's easy to assemble this complete menu, and adults will enjoy it as much as the kids. The menu calls for store-bought hummus and cookies, but you can easily make them yourself (see Tips, below).

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    1 of 21 Mashed Chickpea Salad with Dill & Capers
    2 of 21 Chipotle-Lime Cauliflower Taco Bowls
    3 of 21 Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl
    4 of 21 Cucumber Sandwich
    5 of 21 Chickpea Tuna Salad
    6 of 21 Chickpea Salad Sandwich
    7 of 21 Veggie & Hummus Sandwich
    8 of 21 Avocado Tuna Spinach Salad
    9 of 21 Caprese Sandwich
    10 of 21 Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew
    11 of 21 Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps
    12 of 21 Spinach & Artichoke Salad with Parmesan Vinaigrette
    13 of 21 Rainbow Veggie Wraps
    14 of 21 Quinoa Avocado Salad
    15 of 21 Spring Roll Salad
    16 of 21 Green Goddess Quinoa Bowls with Arugula & Shrimp
    17 of 21 Prosciutto, Mozzarella & Melon Plate
    18 of 21 Chicken Caprese Pasta Salad Bowls
    19 of 21 3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad
    20 of 21 Cauliflower Rice Bowls with Grilled Asparagus & Chicken Sausage
    21 of 21 Turkey, Cheese & Veggie Plate

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