It’s time to look forward to lunch again. Spruce up your meal routine with these simple, flavorful lunchtime favorites that come together in a matter of minutes — no more canned soup or boring lunch meat sandwiches! Prep a few of these 15-minute meals — all under 400 calories — on Sunday to stay energized at work all week long.
11 Fifteen-Minute Lunches Under 400 Calories
1. GREEK ROASTED RED PEPPER WRAPS | MAEBELLS
Make lunch in a flash with these fuss-free wraps featuring roasted red peppers, spinach, mushrooms, cucumber, feta, goat cheese, olives and green onions. Toasted whole-wheat wraps add a fiber boost, but feel free to substitute a gluten-free version if necessary. Serve with hummus on the side for dipping. Recipe makes 1 serving.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 236; Total Fat: 13g; Saturated Fat: 6g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 48mg; Sodium: 769mg; Carbohydrate: 27g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 9g
2. AIR FRYER SALMON WITH ARUGULA-BERRY SALAD | MYFITNESSPAL’S RECIPES
The air fryer cooks salmon to perfection, giving it a slight crust on the outside while keeping the interior moist — all in 8 minutes or less. If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake the salmon at 400°F (200ºC) for about 10 minutes. This recipe serves two. If you’d like to double it, be careful to not overcrowd the air fryer and cook the fish in two batches.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 345; Total Fat: 20g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 8g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 501mg; Carbohydrate: 13g; Dietary Fiber: 9g; Sugar: 9g; Protein 26g
3. MASON JAR QUINOA SALAD | FIT FOODIE FINDS
This salad in a jar is perfect for grab-and-go lunches throughout the week. Layering the greens on top with the crisp veggies on bottom prevents the lettuce from getting soggy by lunchtime. Simply shake up the quinoa, black beans, corn, tomatoes and Greek yogurt dressing for a delicious lunch in minutes. Recipe makes 4 servings.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 393; Total Fat: 21g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 6g; Cholesterol: 1mg; Sodium: 244mg; Carbohydrate: 52g; Dietary Fiber: 14g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 14g
4. HEALTHY BURRITO BOWL | POP SUGAR
Did you know the typical burrito bowl can have over 700 calories? Whittle your waistline and your wallet with this version that you can make right at home. Precooked chicken breast and a few healthy staples like black beans and Greek yogurt help this meal come together in minutes. Serve with guacamole on the side. Recipe makes 1 serving.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 350; Total Fat: 4g; Saturated Fat: 0g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2gg; Cholesterol: 77mg; Sodium: 241mg; Carbohydrate: 36g; Dietary Fiber: 8g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 43g
5. HIGH-PROTEIN CHICKEN SALAD | MYFITNESSPAL’S RECIPES
Put your leftover chicken to good use with this super-simple chicken salad. Creamy Greek yogurt, sweet grapes and crisp apples are a unique, tangy combo with lean shredded chicken. Recipe makes 6 servings at 3/4 cup + 2 slices whole-grain bread + 1 medium lettuce leaf each.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 317; Total Fat: 8g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 218mg; Carbohydrate: 54g; Dietary Fiber: 9g; Sugar: 3g; Protein: 12g
6. CURRIED EGG SALAD LETTUCE WRAPS | MYFITNESSPAL’S RECIPES
Up your egg salad game with these tangy, curry-flavored lettuce wraps. Vegan mayonnaise keeps the saturated fat in this recipe in check while still providing a creamy backdrop for the curry and lime. Look for thick, Indian curry paste (not Indian simmer sauce) where Indian ingredients are sold.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 212; Total Fat: 15g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 278mg; Sodium: 686mg; Carbohydrate: 5g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 2g; Protein: 12g
7. VEGAN GREEN GODDESS SALAD | MYFITNESSPAL’S RECIPES
This salad is vegan and incredibly satisfying — a big bowl of lettuce and radicchio smothered with a creamy, herby green goddess dressing made from avocado. Slices of roasted beets, cucumber and cherry tomatoes make it deliciously easy to devour your vegetables. The sunflower seeds up the protein to 8 grams per serving — and add a lovely crunch. Boost the protein even more with some edamame to make this a complete meal.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 268; Total Fat: 20g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 6g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 207mg; Carbohydrate: 19g; Dietary Fiber: 7g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 8g
8. LITTLE ITALY CHICKEN PITAS | COOKING LIGHT
This flavorful lunch uses the oil from sun-dried tomatoes to create an easy, tasty vinaigrette. Fresh basil, balsamic vinegar and grated Asiago cheese combine with leftover shredded chicken breast for a high-protein meal that comes together in no time. Serve in whole-wheat pitas with mixed greens, tomato and onion if desired. Recipe makes 6 servings at 2 stuffed pita halves each.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 342; Total Fat: 9g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 6g; Cholesterol: 56mg; Sodium: 397mg; Carbohydrate: 37g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 3g; Protein: 26g
9. AVOCADO BLT SALAD | GINA HOMOLKA
If you’re a fan of the classic BLT sandwich, check out this BLT salad with avocado from Skinnytaste. Creamy, mayonnaise-marinated tomatoes, romaine lettuce and diced avocados are topped with pieces of lean bacon. If you’re missing the bun, you can add it back in the form of crunchy croutons or serve a slice of your favorite, crusty bread on the side.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 204; Total Fat: 14g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 28mg; Sodium: 361mg; Carbohydrate: 11g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 10g
10. CANNED TUNA ONIGIRI | MYFITNESSPAL’S RECIPES
A staple of Japanese “conbini” convenience stores, these fun nori seaweed-wrapped rice balls are a great way to use canned tuna fish when ho-hum tuna salad sandwiches are played out. Serve with low-sodium soy sauce, for dipping, if desired.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 188; Total Fat: 3g; Saturated Fat: 0g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 9mg; Sodium: 397mg; Carbohydrate: 37g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 2g; Protein: 8g
11. CHICKPEA AND EDAMAME SALAD | MOTHER THYME
Take your lunch box up a notch with this wholesome, vegan-friendly meal piled high with crisp veggies, chickpeas, edamame and dried cranberries. A simple herb vinaigrette brings it all together without weighing you down. Serve over mixed greens. Recipe makes 4 servings.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 363; Total Fat: 19g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 7g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 718mg; Carbohydrate: 48g; Dietary Fiber: 16g; Sugar: 8g; Protein: 15g
Originally published May 2016, updated with new recipes May 2023
