Meal planning: one of the best ways to lose weight, but also the one that keeps moving further and further down on the to-do list. Though meal planning can often feel like a chore, for many of us, it’s the cornerstone of our health and fitness routines. Seeking inspiration? Here are 10 delicious and healthy lunch ideas from women who lost 20 pounds or more… which just might be the jump-start you need to get excited about cooking up a week’s worth of meals again.
From crispy salmon to satisfying zoodles to salads that look nothing like that “sad desk lunch” you’ve been avoiding, these recipes are hearty, healthy, and thoroughly vetted by our favorite weight-loss bloggers. With bright veggies and protein-packed ingredients as the stars, these are lunches you’ll truly feel good about eating (…a feeling that will last for the rest of the day, too).
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Whether you’re actively trying to lose weight or just looking for some new recipes to spice up your weekly routine, these options are essential. Whole-food ingredients, healthy substitutions and more make these truly special recipes to try. While some food bloggers were simply trying to lose a few pounds with these creative recipes, others went the distance, losing more than 100 pounds and incorporating these picks into their all-time favorite food choices in order to maintain. Though they’re healthy, there’s nothing skimpy or lean about these lunches — they’re filling, packed with flavor, and colorful to boot. Trust us, these photos say it all.
MORE: Here’s Exactly What Three Top Healthy Bloggers Eat in a Day
Salmon Taco Salad
We love fish. We love tacos. We love fish tacos. So how come we never thought to translate this love into a taco salad? Melissa from Losing It With Melissa came up with this genius recipe that combines all the things we love about two of our favorite dishes… and is a go-to for her personal weight loss journey, having already lost 80 pounds. Click here for the recipe.
Sweet Potato and Kale Hash
Not only is this one of Carrots ‘n’ Cake’s go-to weekly meals for weight loss, but it’s also a one-pan, four-ingredient wonder… aka the fastest weight-loss lunch you’re likely to find. Cook up a big batch of this to make meal planning a breeze. Here’s the recipe.
Naan Bread Pizza
Not only does blogger Yum Yucky’s naan bread pizza look amazing, but — get this — she makes it at work in a toaster oven. We have to award major bonus points for how crafty and resourceful this healthy eater is… it’s easy to see how she lost over 40 pounds by making this a go-to meal.
Grilled Thai Vegetable Tacos
Thai tacos? We’re listening. These peanut sauce-laden tacos are a cross-cultural hybrid that we’re dying to try. The fact that they helped blogger Cookin’ Canuck lose 30 pounds is just an added bonus — we’d eat these no matter what.
Slow Cooker Chicken Pho
Though The Lemon Bowl advises making this slow-cooker meal for dinner, we love the idea of having a hot, comforting bowl of this at lunch, especially to break up a day at work… and stay full all the way to dinnertime. Check out the recipe here.
Apricot Pistachio Chicken Salad
With so many delicious mix-ins, this exotic salad is head and shoulders above any pre-packaged one you could buy for lunch. We love how Andie Mitchell transforms a simple salad into an entire meal with chicken and some unexpected additions. Andie has lost 135 pounds during her journey by swapping some unhealthy habits for meals filled with fresh vegetables, like this one.
Rainbow Noodle Salad
Who can resist all the gorgeous colors of this ultra-healthy lunchtime salad? Not us. Loaded with raw veggies and nuts and finished with a delicious zestysauce, it’s a tempting meal that Lauren Caris Cooks uses to stay fit.
Tortilla Pizza With Hummus
We love the idea of a crispy tortilla taking the place of thin-crust pizza… and this lunch recipe from Eating Bird Food seems like the perfect thing to replace those afternoon pizza cravings. It’s no wonder blogger Brittany used this simple substitute to help her lose 20 pounds.
Spiralized Salad Nicoise
Looking for something new to do with your spiralizer? Inspiralized used it to create spiralized potatos for a savory and filling salad Nicoise, packed with healthy fats and proteins.
Corn, Zucchini and Onion Flatbread
Unexpected combinations are king in this delicious and veggie-topped flatbread recipe from The Picky Eater. You can even substitute whole-wheat pita bread for naan if you’re in a pinch, making this recipe even simpler to shop for.
Related:
Heidi Powell’s Slim-Belly Diet Is Masterfully Crafted and Actually Full of Carbs
You’ll Be Surprised by the Number of Weight Loss Benefits From Just a Week of Intermittent Fasting
7 High-Protein Breakfasts That Are Perfect for Weight Loss
