10 fast and healthy lunch ideas

1. Veggie packed sandwich

Load up on fibre, nutrients and flavour with a sandwich packed with vegetables and hummus. Start with two slices of dark, grainy bread, as this will contain more filling fibre compared to white bread. 

Next, use hummus (or avocado if you have it) as a spread instead of butter. Now open your fridge and add any vegetables you have onto your sandwich!

Try rocket leaves, spinach, sliced cucumber, tomato, red onion or radish, sundried tomatoes, olives or even jalapenos for some spice. 

What you need:

• 2 slices grainy or sourdough bread
• Hummus or ¼ avocado
• Salad vegetables such as rocket, tomato, cucumber, radish, red onion
• Flavour toppers such as sundried tomatoes, olives or jalapenos 

2. Pre packed salad with tuna and feta

Most supermarkets now offer bags of premixed salad that might include a variety of leaves, grated carrot, cabbage and other vegetables.

Add a large handful to your food container with a tin of tuna and small handful of feta for a super fast but healthy lunch. 

What you need:

• Bag of premixed salad
• Tin of tuna (use tuna in olive oil for an extra Omega-3 boost)
• Feta cheese

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3. Pre packed salad with tuna and feta

This is a fast and easy option that can be made slightly different each time so it doesn’t get boring.

Start with vegetables. Try whole cherry tomatoes, baby carrots and cucumbers, sliced capsicum and radishes. Add some pickled vegetables for the gut health benefits by including olives, sauerkraut or pickled onion. 

Next choose your protein. Add cubed cheese, slices of smoked salmon or roasted beef, or shredded roasted chicken. 

Now add a dollop of dip. Healthy options include salsa, tzatziki, guacamole or eggplant dip. 

Finally include some crunch with seeded crackers, dried edamame beans or a handful of nuts.

What you need:

• Vegetables such as whole cherry tomatoes, baby carrots and cucumbers, sliced capsicum and radishes.
• Pickled vegetables such as olives, sauerkraut or pickled onion
• Cheese, slices of smoked salmon or roasted beef, or shredded roasted chicken. 
• Dip such as salsa, tzatziki, guacamole or eggplant dip. 
• Healthy fats such as seeded crackers or a handful of seeds/nuts.

4. Veggie and rice bowl

This hot meal can be whipped up quite quickly if you have everything you need on hand. A bag of microwavable brown rice is ready in just a few minutes. To save on time, add a bowl of frozen Asian vegetables to the same microwave so they can cook with the rice. 

Assemble by placing the rice in a bowl, top with the hot vegetables and add a drizzle of tahini and sesame oil for some satiating fats. Add a sprinkle of sesame seeds and chopped seaweed if you have them on hand for some crunch!

What you need:

• Bag of microwavable rice
• Bag of frozen Asian vegetables
• Dressing: tahini and sesame oil
• Optional: Sesame seeds and chopped seaweed

5. Falafel bowl with tzatziki

Most supermarkets now sell packets of falafel, which can be really handy for a quick snack or meal. Heat the falafel in the microwave while you assemble the rest of the meal. 

Fill your bowl with a big handful of dry slaw (you can buy this pre-made from the supermarket or make your own by mixing shredded carrot, cabbage, broccoli, beetroot, sliced red onion and spring onions).  

Top the salad with the hot falafel, add 1/4 avocado for some satiating healthy fats, add a dollop of protein-rich tzatziki and serve with half a warm pita. 

What you need:

• Packet of falafel (use 3-4)
• Dry slaw or salad leaves
• ¼ avocado or a handful of olives
• Tzatziki
• Pita bread 

6. Roasted vegetables + chicken

While this takes longer to cook, if you make the night before, it’s a quick meal to assemble the following day. 

Load up a baking dish with whatever vegetables you have in the fridge (we recommend tomato, capsicum, onion, broccoli and zucchini), one chicken breast per person and season with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, salt, pepper, rosemary and a squeeze of lemon. 

Pop into a preheated oven at 200 degrees and roast for 40 minutes or until the chicken and vegetables are cooked. 

Serve hot or cold the following day on its own, with a green salad, or in a wrap with a dollop of Greek yoghurt. 

What you need:

• Vegetables of choice
• Chicken breast (1 per person)
• Seasonings include Extra Virgin Olive Oil, salt, pepper, rosemary and a squeeze of lemon. 
• (Optional) Serve with green salad, or in a wholemeal wrap with Greek yoghurt

7. Burrito bowl

A hearty meal that can be whipped up in just a few minutes if you have everything on hand. Heat a bag of microwavable brown rice into the microwave and place this in the bottom of your bowl. 

Drain a tin of black bean and sweet corn. Top the rice with ½ cup of black beans, ¼ cup sweet corn, a dollop of store bought salsa, ¼ avocado and a handful of rotisserie chicken. Add some jalapenos or hot chilli sauce for extra spice! 

 What you need:

• Pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from the supermarket
• Bag of microwavable rice
• Tin of black beans
• Tin of sweetcorn
• Avocado
• Salsa
• (Optional) Jalapenos or hot chilli sauce. 

8. Sweet and savoury platter

Add some natural sweetness to your lunch with this easy lunch meal. Start by slicing your favourite fruits (aim for 1-2 pieces). To save time, use fruits that don’t need to be peeled or slices such as strawberries, blueberries or cherries.

Add a dollop of Greek yoghurt to be used as a dipping sauce for the fruit. Finish the sweet part of the meal with a small handful of dried fruit such as figs, raisins or apricots.

For the savoury part of the meal, try roasted nuts, pickles, sliced cheese, pita chips or whatever easy grazing food you enjoy! 

What you need: 

• Fresh fruit
• Dried fruit
• Greek yoghurt
• Choose your preference of roasted nuts, sliced cheese, pita chips or preferred savoury bites of choice. 

9. Baked potato

A great winter warmer meal that can be made in just a few minutes. Take a washed, medium sized potato and pierce the skin all over with a fork. Pop it in the microwave for 3 or 4 minutes, then flip the hot potato with a pair of tongs and continue with another 3 minutes of cooking time, adding more time as necessary until it’s soft and tender. Check doneness with a knife or fork - it should slide through the potato easily.

While the potato is cooking, assemble your toppings of choice. This could be tinned tuna with feta, leftover pasta sauce from dinner the night before, salsa with low fat sour cream and jalapenos or black beans with sweetcorn and sliced tomato with a squeeze of lemon. 

What you need:

• Medium sized potato
• Toppings of choice

10.  Roast beef and avo open-faced sandwich

An open-faced sandwich is a great lower-carb option for lunch. It also allows you to load up your slice of bread sky-high with healthy toppings!

Start with a slice of dark, grainy bread or authentic sourdough. Spread ¼ avocado on top to add some satiating healthy fats. Next add 2-3 slices of sliced roast beef and then load it up with whatever salad vegetables you have on hand!

What you need:

• 1 slice grainy or sourdough bread 
• ¼ avocado
• 2-3 slices roast beef
• A large handful of salad vegetables such as cos lettuce, rocket, spinach, sprouts, cucumber, tomato, red onion, capsicum or sliced pickles. 

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