26 Wow-Worthy Packed Lunches To Brighten Up Your Day (2023)

Credit: Jennifer Causey

No sad sandwiches allowed here. These perfectly-packable wraps, salads, soups, and treats are sure to give the work or school day a boost. Plus, with healthy ingredients that also taste great, these easy lunches make it a snap to get enough greens, fruit, and grains into your day.

Chicken Salad Lunch Box

Chicken Salad Lunch Box Recipe

Whoever said that packing your own lunch had to be lame? These packed lunches offer plenty of fresh ideas for stunning and delicious meals that are sure to fuel you or your kids through the afternoon. First up—this stunning Chicken Salad Lunch Box. Whip up a tasty lemony chicken salad, then pair it crunchy celery, goat cheese-stuffed Peppadew peppers, and fresh cantaloupe for a complete meal.

Veggie Salad in a Jar

Veggie Salad in a Jar Recipe

Make these salads up to a day ahead; pack them tightly with the dressing on the bottom, followed by denser ingredients that won't get soggy while they marinate. The recipe easily doubles if you need lunch for 4 people.

Sushi Sandwich Lunch Box

Sushi Sandwich Lunch Box Recipe

Love sushi rolls, but feel intimidated by the rolling technique? Then sushi sandwiches—actually a traditional Japanese dish called onigirazu--will be right up your alley. They require simply layering ingredients onto a piece of nori (seaweed) then folding the nori around to form a packet.

Packable Power Salads

Packable Power Salads Recipe

Pack dressing separately, and drizzle onto salads just before serving. You can also stuff each salad into a quart-sized jar with lid.

Tomato Seashell Soup

Tomato-Seashell Soup Recipe

Pack this simple but tasty soup in an insulated thermos and top off with hot water at home. Use a spiralizer to make fun zucchini noodles, or a vegetable peeler for ribbons. Or just finely chop for faster prep.

Kale, Farro, and Feta Salad

Kale, Farro, and Feta Salad Recipe

This easy whole-grain-plus-veg combo checks all the boxes of a satisfying winter side: hearty yet bright with zingy notes, and full of texture and color. Pair with roasted chicken thighs or as a side for pureed vegetable soup. Top leftover salad with chopped cooked chicken, apples, and pecans for an easy lunch.

Orzo Salad with Chicken and Radishes

Orzo Salad with Chicken and Radishes Recipe

Because the lemon and basil flavors become even more vibrant with some time to marinate together, this five-ingredient salad makes the perfect to-go lunch. Pack it up the night before, and skip the cafeteria for a bright and luscious midday meal.

ck-Ploughman's Lunch Box

Ploughman's Lunch Box Recipe

Think of a ploughman's lunch as a snacker's paradise. With a smorgasboard of breads, cheeses, meats, and pickles, you can mix and match any items based on what you have in your pantry.

Chickpea and Sausage Pesto Soup

Chickpea and Sausage Pesto Soup Recipe

Prepared pesto creates a rich flavor base for this Mediterranean-inspired soup; we've found that refrigerated versions taste fresher and more vibrant. If you have a spiralizer, you can make lovely carrot noodles in place of matchstick-cut carrots. With a whopping 20g of protein, this soup is just what you need to keep you full and satisfied.

ck- Greek Chopped Salad with Grilled Pita

Greek Chopped Salad with Grilled Pita Recipe

We take the extra step of grilling the bell peppers along with the pita wedges to add a bit of char and smoky depth to the salad. You could also broil the peppers in the oven until blackened and peel them, and then toast the pita until browned.

mr-Lemony Chicken and Spinach Soup image

Lemony Chicken and Spinach Soup Recipe

While we call for rotisserie chicken and store-bought stock for convenience sake, you could certainly roast your own chicken, then make chicken stock with the carcass for an even more flavorful pot of soup. We specifically developed this soup to make a large batch so that there's plenty to share with friends, or stash in the freezer for the next time you're feeling a bit under the weather or simply need a warming, fuss-free meal.

Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups

Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups Recipe

Rotisserie chicken is a great time-saver on busy evenings. Freeze any extra meat in portion sizes, and use in future recipes.

White Chili with Avocado Cream

White Chili with Avocado Cream Recipe

Try thisrecipe for a flavorful and satisfying white chickenchili.

Tuna, Arugula, and Egg Salad with Pita Chips

Tuna, Arugula, and Egg Salad with Pita Chips Recipe

If your budget allows, try a premium jarred tuna, like Ortiz, which is rich, firm, and meaty. And purchase precooked, peeled eggs from your supermarket.

Tahini Chicken Salad Sandwich

Tahini Chicken Salad Sandwich Recipe

Nutty, creamy, and of course, topped with greens, tomatoes, and onions, this hearty, easy-to-prep chicken salad sandwich is the perfect, packable lunch. Eat it immediately, or wrap it up and allow the rich, deep flavors of the tahini run into your hearty, toasted bread.

Tuna-Salad Pita

Tuna-Salad Pita Recipe

This tuna salad keeps in the fridge for up to one week. When you're ready to enjoy it for lunch, spread the tuna salad in pita pockets and add lettuce and tomato.

ck-Farro Salad Lunch Box

Farro Salad Lunch Box Recipe

Turn crunchy farro, green bean, and kale salad into a balanced, portable lunch with a hard-cooked egg, prosciutto, and a clementine orange.

Spinach, Hummus, and Bell Pepper Wraps

Spinach, Hummus, and Bell Pepper Wraps Recipe

Fresh, flavorful, veggie-packed, and ready in a 10-minute snap—now that's a lunch we can stand behind! Make this wrap the night before and store in the fridge—just grab it in the morning on your way out the door.

ck-15-Minute Chicken Shawarma Bowls

15-Minute Chicken Shawarma Bowls Recipe

This Middle Eastern-inspired bowl is all about big flavor with minimal effort. A garlicky, tahini-spiked yogurt brings all the elements together and takes just minutes to make. Assemble a few bowls at the beginning of the week for easy make-ahead lunches.

Mediterranean Tuna Salad

Mediterranean Tuna Salad Recipe

You can keep this Mediterranean-style tuna saladin the fridge for up to a week makingit the perfectmake-ahead lunch.

Hummus in Pita

Hummus in Pita Recipe

Spread our Classic Hummus in pita halves and fill with a fresh vegetable mixture to make an easy lunch that's perfect for taking on-the-go.

Soba Noodle Salad with Pork, Snap Peas, and Radishes

Soba Noodle Salad with Pork, Snap Peas, and Radishes Recipe

This cold soba noodle salad comes together quickly, thanks to leftover pork tenderloin. You could also substitute rotisserie chicken in place of the pork.

ck-Tuna-and-Pickled-Vegetable Pita Pockets

Tuna-and-Pickled-Vegetable Pita Pockets Recipe

We've packed plenty of clever shortcuts into these easy tuna, veggie, and hummus pitas. Microwave-in-Bag Haricots Verts are a trusted timesaver—simply throw the entire package into the microwave for crisp-tender green beans in about three minutes. The Pickled Vegetable Salad, which can be marinated ahead of time, packs a ton of flavor. Lastly, hummus acts as a great alternative to mayo for a sandwich spread.

Caesar Salad Bagels

Caesar Salad Bagels Recipe

Spin creamy Caesar salad into a handheld lunch with this easy recipe. You can use your favorite type of bagel, but we suggest whole-grain, onion, or "everything" bagels.

Soba Edamame Noodle Bowl

Soba-Edamame Noodle Bowl Recipe

Soba noodles are made from buckwheat, a wheat-free grain (look for packages that specify gluten-free), and they cook in only 3 minutes. Look for them in the international aisle.

Cherry, Chicken, and Pecan Wheat Berry Salad

Cherry, Chicken, and Pecan Wheat Berry Salad Recipe

Fresh summer cherries shine in this bright and refreshing salad featuring hearty ingredients. If you can't find fresh cherries,add 1/4 cup boiling water to 1/4 cup dried cherries. Let stand 10 minutes; drain and chop.

View our collection of even more great lunch ideas.