Are you stumped on what to have for lunch? Are you bored of ham sandwiches? Are you just too busy to cook? Is Skip the Dishes and trips to Subway or Whamburg eating away at your bank account? Well, I have five solutions for you. Below are five healthy and easy lunch ideas that I seek out regularly, taking only 10-30 minutes to make.
- Snack Plates
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The easiest item on this list! Snack plates are highly customizable and are perfect for fridge/pantry cleanouts. They’re excellent for grazing in front of your laptop and will keep you full for hours! Here’s a blueprint you can follow:
- 2 fruits (I like to use grapes, apples, or whatever fruits are in season)
- 3 vegetables (I like to use some sliced cucumber (Persian/Lebanese cucumbers are my favourite), carrot, or bell pepper)
- 2 sources of protein (I like to use a hard boiled egg and a handful of nuts)
- Healthy dip for the veggies (I like to use hummus)
- 1 type of cheese (I like to use feta, halloum, or cheddar)
- Optional: incorporate a brined or pickled element for added flavour
- Yogurt Bowls
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If you crave a sweet treat or need to stabilize your gut, yogurt bowls are a great choice. No cooking is required, and this meal, high in protein and fiber, is super adjustable! Here’s my take on this trending treat:
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Sliced banana
- Blueberries
- Cherries
- Fiber cereal or granolaÂ
- Honey
- Nut butter (almond, peanut, or soy)
- Kale and Lentil Salad with a Lemony Tahini Dressing
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This high-fiber salad is ideal for meeting your fiber goals! Full of veggies and legumes, this salad will fuel you through long hours of studying and is an effective option for meal prep. Here are the ingredients:
- Brown lentils (cook according to package instructions)
- Kale (make sure you massage with olive oil and salt)
- Carrot (peeled and diced)
- Red bell pepper (diced)
- Cucumber (diced)
- Chickpeas
- Dressing
- Tahini (tahini is a sesame paste used in hummus)
- The juice of half a lemon
- The tiniest bit of apple cider vinegar
- Dash of olive oil
- Finely diced white onion
- Black pepper
- Turmeric
- Harissa
- Cayenne Pepper
- Cardamom
- Garlic powder
- Egg Salad
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This dish is not your typical egg salad. I often find egg salads bland or one-dimensional. I can assure you that this egg salad is anything but boring. My recipe is for eating as is—not between two slices of bread—and is packed with both flavour and crunch. Here’s the recipe:
- 2 hard-boiled eggs (I like them boiled for 10 minutes)
- Half of an apple (diced)
- Celery (diced, aim for approximately the same amount as the apple)
- Red onion (very finely diced, only a small amount)
- Cornichon (very finely diced, aim for a little more than the red onion)
- Dijon mustard (to taste)
- Mayonnaise (to taste)
- Salt
- Pepper
- Dried dill and parsley (bonus points if you have these herbs fresh)
- Curry powder (only a tiny bit)
- Dense Bean Salad
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Dense bean salads are a godsend for meal prep. They hold up fantastically in the fridge and don’t wilt or overheat. These salads, loaded with fiber and protein, will keep you full and energized throughout those long days on campus. Violet Witchel’s La Scala dupe salad inspired this recipe:
- Dressing
- Olive oil
- Dijon
- Red wine vinegar
- Herbs such as dried parsley and oregano (Italian seasoning works great)
- Parsley
- Cucumber (diced)
- Tomatoes (if you use cherry or grape tomatoes, slice them in half; if not, dice them)
- Red onion (diced)
- Thinly sliced salami
- Chickpeas (use a whole can as this is the base)
- Kalamata olives (halved)
- Artichoke hearts (chopped)
- Red bell pepper (diced)
- Mozzarella (cubed or very thinly sliced)
- Dressing
I hope these ideas/recipes will be of good use to you all! Happy studying and stay healthy!