Affordable, Healthy, and Easy Work Lunch Ideas You've Got To Try

Tired of spending a fortune eating out for lunch? You're not alone! Unfortunately, most folks just don't take advantage of all the awesome work lunch ideas available at their disposal. Luckily, this article highlights 5 of the most scrumptious work lunch ideas that are extremely easy to make. Stop settling for sub par leftovers, vending machine snacks, and fast food. Add these lunches to your repertoire of food options and you'll be glad you did!

1.) Broccoli Ham and Pasta Salad 

This easy to follow recipe makes enough to share! Your office co workers will be asking for the recipe as soon as you open the lid to your lunch container. Rest assured, this work lunch idea is a real winner.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise

1/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

3 tablespoons rice vinegar or white-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey, or more to taste

1 1/2 teaspoons dried minced onion or dried chopped chives

1 1/4 teaspoons dried tarragon or dill

1/2 teaspoon onion salt or celery salt or 1/4 teaspoon of each

White pepper to taste 

Salad 
3 cups cooked whole-wheat fusilli or similar pasta (about 6 ounces dry)
4 cups chopped broccoli florets (about 1 1/2 large heads)
1 1/2 cups diced ham (8 ounces), preferably reduced-sodium
1 large red or yellow bell pepper (or a combination), diced
1/4 cup diced red onion, plus slices for garnish
1/3 cup raisins
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 cups spinach leaves
1 cup torn radicchio leaves

Preparation:

1.) To prepare dressing: Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, sour cream, vinegar, mustard, honey, onion (or chives), tarragon (or dill) and onion salt (and/or celery salt) in a bowl until well blended. Season with white pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings, if desired.

2.) To prepare salad: Combine pasta, broccoli, ham, bell pepper, diced onion and raisins in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss until evenly incorporated. Cover and refrigerate to blend the flavors for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.

3.)Serve on a bed of spinach and radicchio, garnished with slices of red onion.

2.) Mediterranean Wrap

Talk about delicious. This one will have your closest work friends jumping over their ergonomic office chairs to get a peek. This recipe is also incredibly simple and healthy! If your looking for a simple lunch idea with wow factor, this wrap has you covered.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water
1/3 cup couscous, preferably whole-wheat
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound chicken tenders
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 cup chopped cucumber
4 10-inch spinach or sun-dried tomato wraps or tortillas

Preparation:

1.) Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in couscous and remove from the heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Set aside.

2.) Meanwhile, combine parsley, mint, lemon juice, oil, garlic, 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper in a small bowl.

3.) Toss chicken tenders in a medium bowl with 1 tablespoon of the parsley mixture and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Place the tenders in a large nonstick skillet and cook over medium heat until cooked though, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a clean cutting board. Cut into bite-size pieces when cool enough to handle.

4.) Stir the remaining parsley mixture into the couscous along with tomato and cucumber.

5.) To assemble wraps, spread about 3/4 cup of the couscous mixture onto each wrap. Divide the chicken among the wraps. Roll the wraps up like a burrito, tucking in the sides to hold the ingredients in. Serve cut in half.

3.) Spaghetti Frittata

Don't settle for last nights boring spaghetti for the second day in a row! Save those left over noodles and try out the spaghetti frittata. This easy work lunch idea helps you spice things up in a major way. Using leftovers in an innovative new way is also smart and cost effective!

Ingredients:

8 ounces spaghetti, (or 4 cups cooked spaghetti)
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 onions, chopped
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup skim milk
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tomato, diced (optional)

Preparation:

1.) Cook spaghetti in a pot of boiling salted water until tender but firm. Drain and refresh with cold water.

2.) Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the onions to a small bowl and let cool slightly. Wipe out the pan.

3.)Whisk together eggs, egg whites and milk in a large bowl. Stir in the onions, Parmesan, parsley, basil, salt and pepper. Add the spaghetti.

4.)Spray the pan well with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat. Pour in the egg mixture and distribute evenly in the pan. Cook until the underside is golden, moving the pan around on the burner to ensure even cooking, about 6 minutes. Invert a large platter over the skillet, grasp the platter and skillet with oven mitts and carefully turn over. Lift off the skillet and spray it again with nonstick cooking spray. Slide the frittata back into the skillet and cook until the bottom is golden. Slide the frittata onto a platter. Garnish with tomatoes if using.

4.) Pizza Roll Ups 

Listen up readers, don't spend the whole day sitting at your office desks dreading the same old lunch. This pizza roll ups recipe is fun for the whole family. You and the kids will be adding this one to the favorites list in no time.

Ingredients:

1 8-inch whole-wheat flour tortilla
2 tablespoons prepared pizza sauce
12 leaves baby spinach
3 tablespoons shredded part-skim mozzarella

Preparation:

1.)Place tortilla on a plate and spread pizza sauce over it. Top with an even layer of spinach and sprinkle cheese on top. Microwave on High until the cheese is just melted, about 45 seconds. Carefully roll the tortilla up. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing into pieces, if desired.

5.) Tomato, Tuna, and Tarragon Salad

You won't see many guys jumping out of their executive chairs to try this recipe. However, that doesn't mean it's not a winner. On the bright side, if you don't let them try they'll never find out how awesome it is and that means more for you!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup diced red onion
1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 6-ounce cans chunk light tuna in olive oil, drained (see Note)
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup packed coarsely chopped fresh tarragon leaves
8 cups torn lettuce, or mixed greens
1 pound small ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges

Preparation:

1.) Place onion in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Drain.

2.) Whisk mayonnaise, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add tuna, celery, tarragon and onion; stir to combine. Serve on top of the lettuce (or mixed greens) with tomato and lemon wedges.

Hopefully you'll take the time to give these lunch recipes a try. Rest assured you'll be glad you did. These healthy work lunch ideas are all extremely easy to execute and will be a bright spot to look forward to every day.