Are you looking for high protein lunch ideas that are healthy and ready in under 10 minutes? Look no further than these 7 easy high protein lunch recipes!
If youâre busy, it can be hard to find time to make a healthy lunch that meets your protein intake goals. But with the right recipes, you can easily prepare a delicious lunch in under 10 minutes.
Each recipe provides at least 25 grams of protein per serving while focusing on whole and unprocessed ingredients. The best part? These high-protein lunches offer a convenient way to stick to your goals without compromising on flavor.Â
Whether your goal is muscle growth or weight loss, eating enough protein throughout the day can be a challenge but with these protein-packed recipes, youâll have no problem hitting your goals.
And because protein is great at stabilizing blood sugar levels, these recipes will leave you feeling full, energetic, and productive all afternoon long.
So letâs dig into these 7 high-protein lunch ideas that you can prepare in under 10 minutes.
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7 Easy High Protein Lunch Ideas Ready in Under 10 Minutes
1. Make-Your-Own Protein Box
Have you ever had the protein box from Starbucks? Doesnât it feel like a bit of an adult lunchable? Try making your own and pack it full with the things you love. Choose one ingredient from each category below for a complete meal and an easy high protein lunch option.
Protein
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Deli slice roll-ups
- Sliced chicken breast
Healthy Fats
- Peanut butter or any other nut butter of your choice
- String cheese
- Cheese slices or crumbled feta cheese
- Nuts
- Dressing or dipping sauce
Veggies & Fruit
- Sliced apple
- Grapes
- Clementine
- Carrot sticks
- Cucumber slices
- Sugar snap peas
- Bell peppers
We absolutely love these cute bento boxes! They are perfect for packing your own protein box because they have divided containers to keep your different foods separated until you’re ready to eat them.
2. Tuna Salad and Crackers
No doubt, tuna salad isnât for everyone, but it packs a powerful punch where protein is concerned. Try switching it up with different tuna salad recipes — they donât all have to have mayo and celery! Plus tuna salad keeps well in the fridge for several days so it makes a great meal prep option too.
If you want to keep your protein-packed lunch low carb, opt for lettuce boats or cucumber slices instead of crackers!
Or if you’re looking for something a bit more indulgent, try making a tuna melt with high protein bread.
Really hate tuna salad? You can also opt for classic egg salad. To amp up to protein, we recommend using 2 egg whites for every egg yolk.
Here are some of our favorite tuna salad recipes:
- 10-Min Mediterranean Tuna Salad by The Mediterranean Dish
- Spicy Tuna Salad by Slender Kitchen
- Avocado Tuna Salad by Natashaâs Kitchen
3. Smoked Chicken & Crudités
This protein-pacled lunch is the perfect combination of healthy and easy and no cooking required! Pack your lunch with chicken and nutrition-rich veggies for the perfect meal prep idea. Pair it with a delicious dipping sauce for a little bit of extra spice.
This is one of our favorite high protein lunch for work options because, unlike tuna salad, it doesn’t have too much of a smell — no disgruntled coworkers here!
Recipe:
- Pack 3-6 ounces of smoked chicken (or whichever protein you prefer)
- Pack about 1-2 cups of crunchy snacking veggies cut into dippable shapes (bell pepper, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, fennel, snap peas, etc)
- Mix up some sauce of your choice and get dipping!
Some of our favorite sauces:
- Honey Mustard Sauce
- Korean Chogochujang Dipping Sauce
- Easy Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip
- Spicy Dip Made with Black Beans (this one adds a nice amount of protein too!)
One of our favorite time-saving hacks in the kitchen is using a vegetable chopper to make food prep a breeze. Our favorite part is that you can just throw it in the dishwasher and skip the handwashing.
4. Smoked Salmon with Veggies & Crackers
This is one of our favorite high protein lunch recipes. Not only will it hit your protein goals, but itâs also filled with healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Smoked salmon is a great source of protein and there are so many things you can pair it with. We like to keep it simple with plenty of veggies and crackers. Plus, a little squeeze of lemon juice and some fresh herbs go a long way too!
We also love this easy high-protein lunch to go from BBC Good Food. It’s a delicious smoked salmon bento with quinoa and dill! A great combination of veggies, whole grains, and high-protein food. Plus it packs in so much protein!
Tip: Weâre all familiar with cold smoked salmon that comes thinly sliced but have you tried hot smoked salmon? It comes in a filet and is sold at most grocery stores. Itâs a nice way to mix things up and try something new.
5. Turkey & Cheese Lettuce Wraps
It doesnât get more simple than this easy high protein lunch idea. Think of it like a wrap but with lettuce instead of a tortilla. You can pack them with your favorite sandwich toppings and condiments to make them filling and tasty. Or you can keep it simple with turkey, cheese, and mustard.
Recipe:
- 3-6 large lettuce leaves. We like iceberg, romaine, and butter lettuce.
- 3-6 slices of turkey or your favorite lean protein
- A couple of slices of cheese (optional)
- Pack an assortment of toppings and condiments like mustard, sliced cucumber, and pickled jalapenos.
- When youâre ready to eat lunch, assemble and enjoy!
6. Rotisserie Chicken Salad
High protein lunch meal prep can be really easy but itâs often the preparation of the protein that adds extra time and effort. The best hackâŠrotisserie chicken! Pick up a chicken at your local store and shred the meat into delicious protein goodness. You can even turn it into chicken salad for a great high protein lunch to go option!
Here are some of our favorite recipes:
- Chinese Chicken Salad by Recipe Tin Eats
- Copycat Sweetgreen Chicken Pesto Parm Bowl by Eating Well
- Curry Chicken Salad by The Real Food Dietitians
Do you like your chicken salad with diced or shredded chicken? We love the texture of shredded chicken but would typically go for diced to save time. But with this simple chicken shredder, it’s super easy to get the best of both worlds.
7. Greek Salad with Hummus & Eggs
Is it just us or do you also never get sick of greek salad? It’s easy to prepare, super tasty and lasts well in the fridge. Itâs a hallmark of the ever-praised mediterranean diet for a good reason. Paired with some extra protein like hummus or ggs and it makes a great high protein lunch idea.
Recipe:
- Chop up cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion.
- Combine with crumbled feta, olive oil, and red wine vinegar.
- Add a side of hummus, crackers, and 2 boiled eggs.
Tip: Try adding some extra flavor to your Greek salad with pickled peppers, olives, capers, roasted red bell pepper, garbanzo beans, or fresh oregano.
Weâve rounded up some of the best lunch ideas high protein meals that are perfect for meal prep or busy weekdays.
We hope that with these 7 high protein easy lunches on rotation, youâll be smashing your goals with little effort.
There are so many different ways to make your next meal healthy and delicious!
The perfect trifecta: healthy, easy, delicious.
A small note to my readers â Over here at VLHhealth, we occasionally include affiliate links in our posts. This means that if you purchase using our links, we will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Hungry for more?
- 13 Delicious High Protein Vegan Meal Ideas with 20+ Grams of Protein
- 10 Healthy Lunch Meal Prep Recipes Youâll Never Get Sick Of
- 7 Easy High Protein Breakfast Ideas Ready in Under 10 Minutes
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