Eating clean is a good way to fill your body with fresh, healthy foods that offer up the nutrients you need to fulfill your daily quotas for optimal health. Clean eating lunches are surprisingly easy to whip up and are ideal for work or home. By filling up on fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains and lean meats, you have energy to finish the afternoon and have loads of options for putting together a delicious meal for the middle of the day. A big shout out to SkinnyMs.com for sharing these absolutely delightful meals with us. Yum!
1. Quinoa Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette
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This salad is bursting with mangoes, blueberries, strawberries and mandarins. Adding quinoa gives it some protein and makes it filling but the tasty dressing is what really puts this salad over the top.
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
2. Spring Greens with Strawberries and Candied Pecans
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Crunchy, sweet pecans and juicy berries make this salad special.
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
3. Skinny Taco Salad in a Jar
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Cut back on carbs, calories, and dishes by making your taco salads in jars!
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
4. Mediterranean Tuna Salad
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This mayo-less salad does not sacrifice on flavor and is filled with yummy ingredients like olives and sun dried tomatoes.
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
5. Slow Cooker Minestrone
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Simply prepare the ingredients for this minestrone and let the slow cooker do the work for you. Prepare a big batch once a week, and you can have it for lunch for a few days! It also freezes well.
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
6. Skinny Burrito in a Jar
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Make a bean burrito in a jar with layers of salsa, beans, cheese and sour cream. Shred any leftover chicken or lean beef into it for the extra protein if you would like!
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
7. Chickpea and Tomato Salad with Grilled Chicken
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Protein-rich chickpeas and chicken will keep you full longer than a lettuce-filled salad ever could! The vinaigrette and the juicy tomatoes in this salad are pretty tasty too.
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
8. Pasta Salad with Pesto, Mozzarella and Tomatoes
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We love the rich, Italian flavors in this delicious pasta salad. Make the whole recipe and have it for lunch all week.
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
9. Spinach and Bean Burrito Wrap
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With canned beans, leftover rice, and a simple spinach sauté, this burrito can come together pretty easily. Top it with a delicious salsa and look forward to lunch all morning.
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
10. Grilled Chicken and Blueberry Salad
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Savory Chicken and sweet blueberries make this antioxidant-rich, protein-filled salad a healthful treat.
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
11. Clean Eating Chicken Salad
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Greek yogurt keeps this clean eating version of classic chicken salad creamy and red grapes add a bit of sweet juiciness.
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
12. Spicy Chili with Fire Roasted Tomatoes
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Cook this in the slow cooker while you are busy with other things and take it to lunch all week. Chili freezes well too.
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
13. Clean Eating Cobb Salad
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There’s nothing like this classic salad with hard boiled eggs, chicken, vegetables and a creamy dressing to keep you feeling energized and focused all afternoon long.
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
14. Overstuffed Veggie Sandwich
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This sandwich is filled to the max, and one bite will let you know that all that vegetable chopping and layering was well worth the effort.
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
15. Spring Salad in an Avocado
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We love the idea as using half an avocado shell with the fruit inside and the pit taken out as a salad bowl. The shell works both as portion control and holds all of the good-for-you nutrients from the yummy avocados.
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
16. Vegetarian Panini with Roasted Peppers and Goat Cheese
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A crisp panini with warm, creamy goat cheese and smoky sweet peppers is sometimes all you need to bite into to feel indulgent.
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
17. Asian Chicken Sandwich
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Asian flavors keep this chicken sandwich from being anything but the same old boring sandwich! Using real chicken is especially great because then you avoid putting any processed deli meat slices on it.
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
18. Soba Salad with Honey Ginger Dressing
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You’ll be surprised at how quick and easy this salad comes together and at how flavorful it is. The nice thing about soba noodles, aka buckwheat noodles, is they are actually gluten-free and a whole grain (they are not wheat).
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
19. Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
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Sometimes a l’il comfort food in the middle of the day is nice. And this one is a healthful version! Put all of the ingredients in the slow cooker, and then have this mac n’cheese with a simple side salad for a delicious lunch.
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
20. Superfoods Smoothie
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Lighten up lunch with a smoothie. This recipe contains plenty of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is a great option for eating lunch on the go.
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
21. Thai Lettuce Cups
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Have you been looking for a light, healthy, and tasty Thai dish that is quick and easy to make? Here is a yummy recipe that you can make in a flash!
Recipe here: skinnyms.com
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is clean eating all about?
- Oh, it's super simple! Clean eating is just about enjoying whole, natural foods like fruits, veggies, lean meats, and whole grains. It's about skipping the processed stuff and loving real, delicious ingredients!
- Can I really make a healthy lunch in 10 minutes?
- Absolutely! It's totally possible and pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Quick and clean recipes are all about planning and having a few go-to ingredients on hand.
- What makes a lunch 'clean'?
- Great question! A clean lunch focuses on fresh, natural ingredients. We’re talking no artificial additives, refined sugars, or processed foods. Think of it as a colorful plate filled with goodness!
- Do I need any special equipment for these quick lunches?
- Not at all! Most clean eating lunches can be thrown together using basic kitchen tools. A sharp knife, a good cutting board, maybe a blender or a grill if you’re feeling fancy. Nothing too crazy!
- Are these lunch ideas suitable if I want to lose weight?
- For sure! Clean eating is a fantastic way to help with weight management since you're fueling your body with nutritious, whole foods. And these quick lunches? Perfect for keeping you on track without too much fuss!