Top 50 easy lunch ideas
Looking for some easy lunch ideas? Whip up something quick for a simple work from home lunch, or make a healthy meal to eat on the go. See our salads, soups and more.
Not sure what to have for lunch? Deciding what to cook for yourself in the middle of the day can be a challenge, but our easy lunch recipes are here to help.
Try one of our fresh salad ideas, like leafy green salads, quinoa salad and vegetarian salad. Or, try one of our quick soup recipes, or plan ahead with our slow cooker soups.
Our pasta recipes offer a wide range of lunch ideas, from pasta salad to healthy pasta. Our bowl recipes are a great way to use up leftover proteins and veggies.
For even more lunch inspiration, see our healthy lunch recipes, vegetarian lunch ideas and our high-protein lunch collection.
Quick and easy lunch ideas
Soup
This simple lentil soup requires just five ingredients: stock, red lentils, carrots, leeks and a handful of parsley. It's low in calories and fat, and delivers three of your five-a-day.
This top-rated cauliflower soup is creamy and comforting, perfect for a midday pick-me-up. It's delicious topped with parsley and served with crusty bread.
This low-fat veggie soup is made with carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, lentils, celery and tomato, to provide you with three of your five-a-day. If you want to bulk up this riot of colour even more, why not try adding borlotti beans or chicken breast? For an injection of wholesome, healthy goodness, look no further.
Our highly rated meatball & tomato soup is super-filling, with chunky meatballs and giant couscous. Get three of your five-a-day in one serving with this healthy, low-calorie tomato soup.
Mexican bean soup with guacamole
This healthy spiced soup is low in calories and fat. It's a great way to use up storecupboard ingredients like canned tomatoes, beans and bouillon powder.
Make our simple, budget-friendly tomato, orzo and chickpea soup in just 30 minutes. This easy vegetarian family meal is healthy and low in fat.
Our five-star carrot & lentil soup is highly rated for a reason. This healthy soup is packed full of iron and low in fat. It's simple to put together, and can be made in a slow cooker.
Butternut squash soup with chilli & crème fraîche
Celebrate autumn with this creamy, warming soup. Blend butternut squash with onions, garlic and chilli, then top with a dollop of crème fraîche.
Curried squash, lentil & coconut
This vegan soup is loaded with Indian-inspired spices. Get ahead of a busy week by making a large batch and freezing for meals to come.
Another healthy soup, this one is loaded with fibre, vitamin C and folic acid. It's packed with chunky ingredients, like courgette, cannellini beans and peas.
Salad
Lentil salad with tahini dressing
Pack four of your five-a-day into each portion of this healthy lentil and sweet potato salad, which provides calcium, iron, folate, vitamin C and fibre.
This top-rated salad makes for a super-filling lunch on a busy weekday. It's a healthy dish that's low in calories and fat, and high in protein.
This light vegan salad comes together in just 20 minutes for super-speedy lunch. It's perfect for a quick working-from-home meal.
Halloumi with lemony lentils, chickpeas & beets
This gluten-free salad is a great way to use up storecupboard ingredients. It's topped with golden-brown halloumi and quick, homemade pickled red onion.
Make a big batch of this glorious summer salad to plan for the week ahead. It's packed with avocado, spinach, black beans, sweetcorn, feta cheese and mango, and topped off with a minty dressing.
Treat yourself to this chicken salad – it's bursting with colours and flavours, including basil, jalapeño and lime. It also boasts four of your five-a-day.
Guacamole & mango salad with black beans
Get four of your five-a-day with this healthy salad of mango, avocado and beans. It's a nutritional powerhouse that's also vegan and gluten-free.
Put canned tuna to work with this storecupboard salad recipe. Combine tuna with filling avocado, quinoa, cherry tomatoes, baby spinach and feta cheese crumbles.
This vibrant summer salad is loaded with radishes, edamame beans, peppers, almonds and herbs. Finish with a drizzle of homemade citrus dressing.
Miso brown rice & broccoli salad
Miso adds an extra-savoury umami flavour to this hearty salad. Use brown rice as a base, and toss with edamame beans, broccoli, spicy prawns and the miso dressing.
Sandwiches & wraps
Beetroot, hummus & crispy chickpea sandwich
Load up a sub with homemade hummus, beetroot, chickpeas and salad to make this filling vegan sandwich. This colourful sandwich is vegan-friendly for those on a plant-based diet.
Customise these rice paper wraps with whatever fillings you have on hand. Try dipping in a sweet chilli sauce, or make your own satay peanut sauce instead.
You can't go wrong with a classic sandwich filled with nourishing ingredients. Top wholegrain or rye bread with hummus, avocado, rocket and cherry tomatoes.
Try using lettuce in place of a tortilla for a low-carb lunch idea. These high-protein wraps are packed with omega-3-rich tuna, and boast three of your five-a-day.
Crispy chicken & smashed avocado baps
Pack these healthy chicken, avocado and lettuce sandwiches to enjoy a lunch on the go. The chicken has a crispy coating made from flour, almonds and sesame seeds.
Make these colourful rainbow wraps, with hummus, beetroot, carrot, feta and baby spinach for a quick and easy veggie lunch for the whole family.
Make our five-ingredient falafels to create these ultimate veggie wraps. They're packed with the falafels, some avocado and herbs, and topped with a delicious tahini sauce.
Raid the fridge and assemble this easy wrap with leftover ingredients. We used red cabbage, spring onions, courgette, basil and green olives.
This super-healthy vegetarian supper packs in four of your five-a-day, with avocados, roasted red peppers and spiced chickpeas.
Fill a baguette with hummus, pesto and colourful veggies, such as beetroot, red pepper, carrot and green leaves, to make this vegetarian rainbow sandwich.
Bowls
Poke bowls are a great option for a light lunch that's easy to throw together. Quickly marinate prawns in a chilli & lime dressing, then serve with grains, mango, radishes, avocado and spring onions.
This chicken hummus bowl is another great recipe for using up those leftovers. We've loaded ours with hummus, mixed grains, baby spinach, avocado, sliced chicken breast, pomegranate seeds and toasted almonds.
This vegan lunchbox is full of goodness, including fibre-rich wholegrain rice and protein-rich edamame beans, plus a tangy tamari & sesame dressing.
Peanut butter chicken rice bowl
Make your own homemade satay sauce with peanut butter, sesame oil and soy sauce. Use chicken thighs for a budget-friendly lunch idea.
This healthy burrito bowl is full of veggies and greens, perfect for a filling lunch. This is one vegetarian meal that tastes just as good as it looks.
These meal-prep grain bowls are made with one base and two deliciously different toppings. Choose from avocado, olives and rocket, or chickpeas, beetroot and orange.
Whip up a simple chicken burrito bowl for a satisfying lunch for two. Pile on avocado, sweet potato wedges and tortillas for an easy, filling meal.
Make a big batch of these coconut curry noodles to eat later in the week. We used pok choi, green beans, carrots and udon noodles in our stir-fry.
This speedy lunch contains a tasty mix of salmon, sushi rice, carrots, radishes and pickled red cabbage. It's a simple dish packed with loads of flavour.
Roasted cauli-broc bowl with tahini hummus
This vegan lunch bowl is healthy and gluten-free. Roast a pack of cauliflower and broccoli florets, then assemble your bowl with quinoa, beetroot, spinach, cauliflower, broccoli and walnuts.
Pasta
This top-rated salmon pasta is a great option for a filling midweek lunch. It's low in calories and rich in fibre and omega-3 fatty acids.
Enjoy our creamy pesto and kale pasta for a tasty and nutritious lunch. Make it with just a handful of ingredients and storecupboard staples.
Use up leftover ratatouille to make a substantial vegetarian lunch that's quick to prepare and also super-healthy, providing all five of your five-a-day.
Get all five of your five-a-day in this mildly spiced, healthy pasta dish. It's rich in iron, fibre and vitamin C, as well as being low-fat and low-calorie.
Use frozen, skinless wild salmon fillets for a cheap and filling lunch on the go. This low-calorie, healthy dish couldn't be easier to whip up.
Make a big batch of this pasta salad to enjoy throughout the week. It's loaded with cucumber, peas, cherry tomatoes and basil.
Tomato, courgette & prawn pasta
This healthy pasta dish is low in fat and full of fresh ingredients. It's packed with courgettes, cherry tomatoes, juicy prawns and leafy basil.
Asparagus & lemon spaghetti with peas
This healthy vegan pasta dish is ready in under 20 minutes. It's low in calories and provides three of your five-a-day, along with fibre, vitamin C and iron.
Charred broccoli, lemon & walnut pasta
Make this quick broccoli, lemon and walnut pasta with simple storecupboard ingredients. It’s healthy, low in fat and calories, and full of texture and flavour.
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