Quick, Healthy Lunchtime Recipes

Credit: Alice Henly

College student or wage slave, we can all use quick lunch-for-one ideas that are easy on your waistline and your wallet (some take less than five minutes!).

I like to get my shopping done for the week in one fell swoop. Each Sunday, before heading out to my local farmers market and supermarket, I decide on a few of the following basic recipes to add a little variety my week’s lunches (after all, ham and cheese sandwiches get old after awhile).  Check out the approximate prep time, calories and cost listed for each recipe to see which ones suit you best. And feel free to play around with the ingredients depending on your preferences and/or whatever you have in the fridge. 

Whether you’re going to work, college, school or traveling these simple recipes are easy to swiftly assemble and transport in reusable containers. Glass containers are best, though I also like to reuse other food containers, such as plastic yogurt, humus and butter containers or even large glass sauce jars. While there’s no problem reusing glass containers for all purposes, be sure not to put plastic containers in the dishwasher or microwave (or heat them in any way).

Salads:

Mixed Fruit Arugula Salad

Egg Salad with Celery

Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Salad

Tuna Salad with Celery and Radishes on Sourdough

Fresh Beet and Carrot Salad with Mint

Watermelon Feta Salad 

Something a little different...

Open-faced Sandwich with Creamy Tofu Chickpea Spread, Heirloom Tomato and Herbs

Asparagus. Mango and Shitake Mushroom Rice Paper Rolls