Healthy lunch ideas

Chickpea, hazelnut and butternut squash salad

This salad is a good mix of healthy fats, protein and vegetables. The hazelnuts and chickpeas make it very satisfying, and the cherry tomatoes and butternut squash is great for people with a sweet tooth.

Chickpea, hazelnut and butternut squash salad recipe

Wild rocket and salmon salad

This healthy lunch recipe looks and tastes great and is deceptively easy to make. Salmon fillets are baked in the oven with red pepper and red onion, and a delicious and easy dressing is made by mixing lemon juice and red wine vinegar with the sweet, flavourful juices from the baking tray.

Wild rocket and salmon salad recipe

Bruschette with sun dried tomato pesto

More and more research points to a Mediterranean diet being the healthiest diet to follow. This bruschette with sun dried tomato pesto recipe from Gino D’Acampo is a great example – full of good things like olive oil, tomatoes and garlic.

If you are avoiding bread you could toss mixed vegetables (eg courgettes, peppers, aubergines) in the pesto and roast in the oven until soft instead.

Bruschette with sun dried tomato pesto recipe

Forget-the-pastry quiche

This 'forget-the-pastry' crustless quiche recipe is much healthier than a normal quiche because it doesn’t use any pastry. It is similar to a frittata but baked in the oven for the same consistency as quiche. You can serve it warm with salad, but it can also be packed up and eaten cold for a work lunch or picnic.

Forget-the-pastry quiche recipe

Falafel in wholemeal pitta bread

Falafel can be made in advance so is a perfect thing to make in bulk on Sunday night to serve up with fresh salad and pitta pockets or wraps during the week. Falafel can take time to make but it does freeze well – simply arrange them with a line of baking paper between each layer to stop them sticking to each other and put in the fridge to thaw out before you cook them. Bake them in the oven instead of frying to make them healthier, and pair with a low-fat sauce like salsa or yoghurt sauce made from a low-fat yoghurt.

If you are really short of time you can, of course, buy falafel from any supermarket as either pre-made balls or as a dry mix you can make at home more quickly, but you have more control of the ingredients if you make your own.

Falafel in pitta pockets recipe

Carrot soup

Soup is an extremely versatile lunch and can be made in bulk at the weekend and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. You could also freeze it in portion sizes to defrost as needed. Soup can be taken to an office and microwaved - microwavable bowls with clip-on lids are easily available from most supermarkets.

This spicy carrot soup recipe is healthy, tasty and very low cost. Adjust the level of spice to suit your taste.

Spicy carrot soup recipe

Asian-style salad

Crisp and crunchy vegetables, noodles and an Asian-inspired dressing of soy sauce, peanut butter, chilli and rice wine vinegar. Pack into a jar with wet ingredients at the bottom and dry at the top for a portable packed lunch that's ideal for taking to work.

Asian-style salad recipe

Roast aubergine with yoghurt

A quick warm salad made with roasted aubergines and a creamy and zesty yoghurt and lemon drizzle.

Roast aubergine salad recipe

Superfood salad

A green salad that's chock full of superfoods kale and avocado. Cooked wild rice makes it a satisfying and filling healthy lunch.

Superfood salad recipe

Walnut and black bean wrap

A quick and easy burrito that's full of flavour and good fats, and a great way to whip up a quick and healthy lunch using pantry items such as walnuts, tinned beans, spices and sun-dried tomatoes.

Walnut and black bean wrap

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