Nutrition & Recipes

Our Best 15+ Make-Ahead Lunch Recipes in Three Steps or Less

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On May 25, 2025
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Our Best 15+ Make-Ahead Lunch Recipes in Three Steps or Less

Plan ahead to make some of our best easy lunch recipes! These tasty recipes have no more than three steps, so they’ll take minimal effort without sacrificing flavor. Plus, they’re highly rated options that are perfect for making ahead of time. Options Spinach, Broccoli & Mushroom Quiche or our Loaded Chicken & Broccoli Salad are easy ways to enjoy a satisfying lunch.

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No-Chicken Salad Sandwich

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer


This no-chicken salad sandwich made with chickpeas is a delicious plant-based alternative to the classic chicken salad. Serve it on whole-grain bread, in a wrap, over a salad or with crackers for an easy lunch.

Spinach, Broccoli & Mushroom Quiche

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen


This quiche is a high-protein dish that works for any meal of the day. You can enjoy it as a hearty breakfast, a light lunch with a side salad, or even a satisfying dinner alongside roasted vegetables. It’s the best way to get your veggies and protein all in one easy dish!

High-Protein Pasta Salad

Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle


Crunchy cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, roasted red peppers and red onions are all mixed together in a heart-healthy vinaigrette for a dish that is as delicious as it is eye-catching. Chickpea pasta, whole chickpeas and fresh mozzarella pearls add to the dish’s protein.

Loaded Chicken & Broccoli Salad

Photographer: Hannah Hufham, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley


With tender, juicy chicken and crisp, fresh broccoli as the base, this salad delivers a satisfying bite in every forkful. A creamy dressing ties everything together, while mix-ins like crispy bacon, shredded cheese and scallions add layers of flavor.

Marry Me Chicken Salad Sandwich

Photographer: Stacy Allen, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley


This Marry Me Chicken Salad Sandwich takes the satisfying combination of creamy, savory and tangy flavors from the original dish and gives it the sandwich treatment. We add a handful of peppery arugula to give a vibrant bite to every mouthful, but you can use baby spinach in its place if you prefer.

Beet & White Bean Sandwiches

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel


These sandwiches have a vibrant, creamy filling. Pickling the beets in rice vinegar and thyme leads to a tangy, herb-infused flavor. Combining the beets and beans with alfalfa sprouts, red onion and your favorite bread, these sandwiches are a satisfying plant-based lunch.

High-Protein Lemon & Turmeric Chicken Soup

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel


Turmeric, which is known for its anti-inflammatory properties, gives the soup its vibrant yellow hue. It’s the perfect meal for when you’re sick or simply warming up on a chilly day. We love tender-crisp baby kale, but chopped kale or baby spinach can be used in its place.

Turmeric Chicken & Avocado Wraps

Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley


Turmeric, with its bright golden hue, is well-known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, while chickpeas add fiber and plant-based protein to these wraps. Mix up the chicken salad at the beginning of the week to enjoy in a wrap or serve it over greens if you prefer.

Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps

Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley


These lettuce wraps are filled with a tasty tuna salad, which provides plenty of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. These wraps are packed with chopped apple, onion and celery to provide a welcome crunch.

Lemon-Dill Tuna Salad

Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Styling: Lindsey Lower


This lemon-dill tuna salad packs plenty of protein and gets a boost of flavor from sumac—a spice used in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and North African cooking that adds a citrusy touch, enhancing the lemon flavor without overshadowing the other ingredients. Serve this between two pieces of whole-wheat bread as a sandwich or by itself with tender Bibb lettuce or crunchy celery sticks.

High-Protein Mason Jar Salad

Ali Redmond


Mason jar salads make for a convenient lunch that can easily be taken on the go or enjoyed at home. With just a few ingredients, you have a well-rounded lunch packed with fiber, protein and micronutrients that won’t spike your blood sugars. This nutritious Mason jar salad allows plenty of room for customization based on your taste preferences.

Spinach, Sun-Dried Tomato & Cucumber Sandwich

Photographer: Stacy k. Allen, Props: Christina Brockman, Food Stylist: Lauren Odum


This protein-packed hummus sandwich features a topping of crisp veggies, feta cheese and sweet, tangy sun-dried tomatoes. Sun-dried tomatoes in oil have a soft texture perfect for sandwiches. You can use dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes in their place, but you may have to rehydrate them in water to soften them before using.

Ham & Spinach Quiche

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser


This ham and spinach quiche is ideal for any meal, from brunch to dinner and all the moments in between. This quiche skips the crust, making it incredibly easy to pull together even on short notice. Swap out the Cheddar cheese for Gruyère or use Swiss chard in place of the spinach for a slightly different spin.

Green Goddess Tuna Salad

Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco


Canned tuna makes this recipe convenient and pantry-friendly. Use the remaining herb sauce as a dressing for salads or grain bowls, as a spread on sandwiches or as a dip for vegetables. Serve on bread or in a wrap, over a bed of greens or scooped up with your favorite chips, crackers or cucumber slices.

Eat-the-Rainbow Vegetable Soup

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall , Prop Stylist: Shell Royster


This vibrant and wholesome soup recipe helps support your well-being. It’s packed with a variety of colorful vegetables, like tomatoes, which contain lycopene, a phytochemical that may help reduce inflammation.

Kale & Chickpea Grain Bowls

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

This veggie-heavy bowl is loaded with crunch and color, thanks to crispy carrots and chickpeas, fresh kale and a vibrant avocado dressing. Bulgur, also called cracked wheat, is a quick-cooking whole grain that works well here.

Elote-Inspired Pasta Salad

Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Anna Kelly, Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman


This zesty pasta salad draws inspiration from the flavors of elote—Mexican grilled corn on the cob that’s smothered in a creamy mayo-based sauce and sprinkled with chili powder, cotija cheese and lime. Corn kernels blister in the hot pan and a sprinkle of smoked paprika brings out the flavor.

Crustless Caprese Quiche

Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell


This light and fluffy crustless quiche is dotted with tomatoes, little bites of melty mozzarella and savory pesto. And the best part—it’s mixed, assembled and baked in a pie plate for easy cleanup.

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