33 Easy & Healthy Lunch Ideas for Adults for 2024

Lunch is an essential daily meal, but once you’re past your school cafeteria days, it can be hard to find healthy and enticing lunch ideas for adults.

Whether you’re trying to squeeze in lunch during a busy workday or find time for yourself while taking care of kids, figuring out lunch can be a source of stress, but most people can’t afford to skip it.

Per The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, most adults need 1,600 to 3,000 calories each day, which typically translates to at least three full meals.  

So, you might be asking, what should I eat for lunch for adults? Aside from making the time for lunch every day, it can also be a struggle to find meals that are healthy, tasty and easy to prepare. To help, we’ve put together a list of some of the best lunch ideas for adults.

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• Make Healthy Lunch Recipes With Top Chefs
• Simple Lunch Ideas for Adults for Work
• Hot Lunch Ideas for Adults
• Quick Homemade Lunch Ideas for Adults
• Easy Lunch Ideas for Guests

Make Healthy Lunch Recipes With Top Chefs

If your biggest obstacle to figuring out homemade lunch ideas for adults is your lack of cooking skills, it may be time to look for cooking classes near you.

Practically every metro area has great cooking classes available, from cooking classes in Dallas and cooking classes in Los Angeles to cooking classes in Denver. And if you prefer to practice in your own kitchen, you can always sign up for online cooking classes, instead.

Learning from a professional will boost your confidence and give you all the foundational knowledge you need to make yummy lunchtime meals. Once you learn to cook, you can enjoy any kind of lunch you want — from full vegan to keto-friendly meals. 

Simple Lunch Ideas for Adults for Work

1. Chicken Caesar Salad

For simple lunch ideas for work, you can always rely on a chicken Caesar salad. All you need is romaine lettuce, chicken, shredded cheese and a cream-based dressing.

You can make this lunch idea for adults as fancy or simple as you want, but even the easiest version of this salad will still get you fiber and high protein meals, as well as the fatty, salty satisfaction of cheese and cream.

For extra carbs and easy eating, put your chicken Caesar salad into a flour or spinach tortilla wrap.

2. Greek Salad

Greek salad is a simple lunch idea for adults that feels just a little more special than a basic salad. To achieve a classic Greek salad, you’ll need to include olives, feta cheese, red onion, cucumber and tomato.

You can use a store-bought Greek salad dressing, or whip up your own using olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic and oregano. 

3. Buddha Bowl

A Buddha Bowl is a quintessential grain bowl and a great healthy lunch idea for adults. Most Buddha bowls have a few basic ingredients: a grain, a protein, some greens, a vegetable and toppings.

Folks usually like to add a sauce, as well, for extra flavor. Since Buddha Bowls are usually served cold, this is a simple lunch idea for work that requires minimal effort.

4. Pinwheels

Pinwheels are an easy lunch idea for adults and are particularly well-suited for a packed lunch. Take a flour or spinach tortilla, layer up your favorite wrap ingredients (like lunch meat, cheese and dark greens) and then roll the wrap into a spiral. Cut the spirals into small sizes for a compact and yummy lunchtime treat.

5. DIY Sushi Rolls

Mix things up for your next workday lunch by having DIY sushi rolls. While you probably don’t want to be dealing with raw fish at home, you can easily make this lunch idea for adults with cooked fish and vegetarian sushi rolls.

If you work from home, rolling the sushi can be a nice creative activity to break up your day, and if you work at an office, you can make the sushi the night before and easily transport it in a lunchbox. 

6. Macaroni Salad

Macaroni salad is another easy homemade lunch idea for adults. Mix some cooked macaroni with a dressing of mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar, and add in chopped vegetables and seasoning.

This is a nice lunch option if you like pasta but can’t heat up food at work, or if you want something simple that you can make in bulk at the beginning of the week.

7. Edamame Salad

For a light, protein-rich, simple lunch idea for work, make an edamame salad. Edamame, or immature soybeans, have a yummy crisp flavor, and you can make it a full meal by adding in things like onions, cucumbers and cilantro.

For the dressing, you can look up a recipe or improvise a blend of soy sauce, red wine vinegar, oil and ginger.

8. PB&J

When in doubt, there’s nothing wrong with falling back on a reliable classic: PB&J sandwiches. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich is quick to make and deliciously satisfying, making it a totally acceptable lunch idea for adults on a workday. Even kids love this meal, making it a great school lunch idea as well.

To elevate an ordinary PB&J, focus on quality ingredients — get natural peanut butter, or a peanut butter alternative, and a fancy jam, like blackberry jam, and put the spreads on your favorite bakery bread.

Hot Lunch Ideas for Adults

9. Chicken Pesto Sandwich

Treat yourself to a restaurant-quality with a chicken pesto sandwich. This is a fun lunch idea for adults who want to feel a little pampered, and it’s surprisingly easy to make.

All it takes is a chicken breast or tender in the oven, some homemade pesto in a blender, melted cheese and toast or panini-pressed bread. 

10. Loaded Baked Potato

Some days, you just need an indulgent comfort food for lunch. On that kind of day, a loaded baked potato is a perfectly reasonable lunch idea for adults.

Put your favorite toppings on a potato, and put it in the oven about an hour ahead of lunchtime – you’ll thank yourself for indulging in a warm, cheesy snack idea. 

11. Avocado Toast

Avocado toast may have become a punchline for jokes about millennials, but it’s also a nutritious and easy lunch idea for adults.

All you need is a thick slice of freshly toasted multigrain bread, a mashed-up avocado and any veggies or seasonings you like. For extra protein, add a fried egg on top. 

12. Banh Mi Sandwiches

A Banh Mi sandwich is a great hot lunch idea for adults that you can make at home. This popular Vietnamese street food has a few simple components: meat, pickled veggies, cilantro and mayonnaise on a baguette.

Prep a big jar of pickled veggies and keep it in your fridge, and you’ll be able to whip up this sandwich any time you like. 

13. Vegetable Soup

On a cold day, a simple vegetable soup and a slice of bread for dipping might be the most comforting lunch idea for adults. Start your broth over the weekend or in the morning, and then throw in some sliced veggies about an hour before lunchtime.

If you’re a big soup fan, you can turn this into a sort of “forever broth” and continue to use it whenever you crave soup for lunch.

14. Taco Bowl

A taco bowl is a deconstructed taco that’s ideal for getting the hot lunch vibe without putting in a lot of effort. Depending on your timetable, you can prep the separate ingredients in advance and reheat it at lunch, or make it all fresh.

Typical taco bowls include ground meat, greens, veggies (like bell peppers) and cheese, as well as anything else you like on your tacos – a fun lunch idea for adults in a rush. 

15. Ramen

Skip the salty ramen flavor packets and make a homemade ramen broth for your next hot lunch idea for adults. Put aromatics like ginger and garlic in a vegetable broth, incorporate your ramen noodles and top off with sliced veggies and a hardboiled egg for protein (meat works, too, but an egg is easiest when in a rush).

For food prep purposes, try making a large pot of ramen in advance and heating it up later on for several days’ worth of lunches.

16. Chickpeas and Couscous

Chickpeas and couscous are another easy bowl meal that works great as a lunch idea for adults. The components for this Mediterranean-inspired grain bowl are easy: sauteed chickpeas, couscous, red cabbage and cucumbers.

You can swap out or add any vegetables or seasonings you like. With a quality topping, such as a yogurt dill sauce or feta cheese, a chickpea bowl will quickly become your favorite vegetarian hot lunch.

17. Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheeses are an easy hot lunch idea for adults that you can enjoy at home or pack with you to take to the office. The simplest version of grilled cheese is to throw butter bread and a few slices of cheese on a frying pan.

You can enhance the flavor of this quick hot lunch by adding veggies or bacon. To make an artisanal grilled cheese, experiment beyond cheddar or American cheese and try something fancier, like goat cheese, or, if you’re in the mood for Indian lunch ideas for adults, paneer.

18. Quesadilla

If you want a beginner-friendly hot lunch idea for adults, consider a quesadilla. Quesadillas are super simple to make, and on the most basic level it’s just shredded cheese and a tortilla on a frying pan.

To make the quesadilla more nourishing, you can include protein and veggies — black beans and bell peppers are great options for a classic quesadilla. 

19. Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers take a little bit of work, but if you have time in the middle of the day, this is a gratifying hot lunch idea for adults. For classic stuffed peppers, fill each pepper with a combination of ground beef, rice, cheese and tomato sauce.

With this meal, you get all your major food groups and you’ll feel satisfied until dinner.

Quick Homemade Lunch Ideas for Adults

20. Tuna Salad Sandwich

For lunch ideas for adults that don’t take much time, a tuna sandwich is your best friend. Canned tuna is relatively healthy as long as you get the kind without preservatives, and it takes only a few minutes to drain the tuna and mix it with mayonnaise to make a tuna salad.

Put the tuna on toast and you have a great homemade lunch. To add more fiber and a more gourmet vibe, try adding arugula to your tuna sandwiches. 

21. Chicken Salad

If fish isn’t your style, make a chicken salad instead. Combine shredded chicken with mayonnaise and any other flavors you wish.

Some people already have strong opinions about chicken salad, but if you’re new to this lunch idea for adults, two popular variations are chicken salad with walnuts and curried chicken salad. You can eat your chicken salad straight from the bowl or throw it on toast to make a sandwich.

22. Eggplant Sandwich

For a hearty vegetarian lunch idea for adults, try making an eggplant sandwich. Broil some eggplant slices in the oven or fry them up with breadcrumbs, and then put the eggplant on a sandwich roll. Add mayonnaise and basil leaves, and you’ll have a quick and tasty lunch.

23. Club Sandwich

A club sandwich is a far superior alternative to just having a plain B.L.T. for lunch. It’s a layered sandwich that uses three slices of toasted bread, and it usually contains sliced chicken or turkey, lettuce, bacon, tomato and mayonnaise.

This lunch idea for adults can be made in a flash and it’s perfect for a workday lunch break or for a lazy weekend. Plus, club sandwiches are great when you’re scrambling for picnic food ideas. 

24. Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Chickpea salad sandwiches are an awesome quick lunch idea for adults, whether you’re a vegetarian or not. For the best results, mash the chickpeas but leave a few whole for some texture.

Create a creamy, spicy dressing with mayonnaise and sriracha, and then top your sandwich with sliced radishes and cucumbers.

25. White Bean Salad

For a truly quick lunch idea for adults that’s still nutritious, you can throw together a white bean salad. Drain a can of white beans, like cannellini beans, and then mix in chopped red onions, cucumbers and some cherry tomatoes.

Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice on top and sprinkle with some fresh herbs to round out the flavor.

26. Falafel Pita

Falafel and pita is a quick lunch idea for adults as long as you make the falafel in advance. Falafel are grilled patties made of ground up chickpeas, onion, garlic, herbs and spices.

For a weekday-friendly lunch, make some falafel over the weekend and then reheat them throughout the week. Then, put the falafel in a pita pocket with red cabbage and tahini sauce for a simple, low-ingredient meal. 

Easy Lunch Ideas for Guests

27. Gazpacho

So what do you serve for lunch to guests? When hosting a lunch, focus on foods that can be made in large batches and that are filling without being too heavy.

If it’s a warm day, gazpacho is a great lunch idea for adults — this chilled Spanish soup is a mix of tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, stale bread pieces, sherry vinegar and olive oil, as well as any other veggies you like. Make it in advance and serve to your guests with a rustic bread for dipping. 

28. Macaroni and cheese

Macaroni and cheese is easy to make in bulk and is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. You can do a childhood throwback with a big batch of boxed mac and cheese, but for a more refined approach, make it from scratch with cavatappi noodles and several types of cheese. 

29. Chili

Chili is the ultimate winter lunch idea for adults and kids alike. Throw ground meat, tomatoes, bell peppers and beans in a pot, along with your favorite chili spices.

Start the chili about an hour before your guests arrive, and by lunchtime, you can treat them to a bowl of warm, spicy goodness. Be sure to include sour cream, shredded cheese and crackers as topping options. 

30. Homemade Pizza

Homemade pizza sounds a little elaborate, but it’s actually a quick lunch idea for adults and great for hosting a daytime gathering.

Make the dough a day in advance, and when your guests arrive, you can start adding sauce and toppings to the pizzas and throwing them in the oven.

You can either make large pizzas for folks to share, or make it an interactive lunch and have people make their own personal pizzas.

31. Salmon Rice Bowl

Salmon rice bowls are another impressive lunch dish for guests. Prep all the bowl ingredients ahead of time, including any vegetables or sauces. Ideally, give the salmon time to marinate in a sauce, as well.

When your guests arrive, heat up some rice and cook the salmon on the stove – everyone will be sure to love this nutritious, classic meal. 

32. Pesto Pasta With Tofu

For a light lunch idea for adults that’s vegetarian-friendly, try a pesto pasta with tofu. Homemade pesto is easy to make in a blender and only calls for greens, nuts and olive oil (plus cheese for a richer flavor).

If you have leftover pesto, be sure to save it for your upcoming charcuterie board ideas. Cube the tofu and sear it in a pan. For crispier tofu, coat it in cornstarch before you put it on the pan. 

33. Butter Chicken

Butter chicken is a popular Indian lunch idea for adults. It will be a big hit for your guests, and you can usually make it in less than an hour.

Most recipes will have you marinate the chicken in yogurt for a creamy flavor, then cook the chicken on the stove. The final step is adding a mild curry sauce and serving over rice.  

If you find yourself asking, “what are some good ideas for lunch?” remember that there are so many delicious lunch options out there, regardless of your level of cooking skills or how much time you have to make it.

Lunch should be a time to relax and refuel for the rest of the day, whether you’re a kid or an adult. So next time you’re thinking about skipping your midday meal, try one of these lunch ideas for adults instead.

For even more fun ideas, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!