Get out of your lunch rut with this FREE printable with over 100 lunch ideas!
I don’t know about you, but I can tend to get in a lunch rut. We eat the same few things, over and over again. This may keep things simple, but it can also get boring pretty quickly. Not to mention, trying new foods is good for everyone and a great way to make sure you are getting a variety of vitamins and nutrients in your diet.
This week I am working on getting organized. Not in my house so much. In my BRAIN. Too many thoughts jumbled around up there and not enough brain space to keep track. Hashtag, somanysmallchildren. I just bought a new planner and I’m so excited to fill out all.the.pages. (My husband thinks I’m weird).
One of the things I am doing to get my mind organized is getting back into meal planning. I shared about my simple, backwards meal planning method on FB live over the weekend. You can check out the video and get the printables if you are in the market for a new method.
To help with meal planning, I have put together master lists of lunch and dinner ideas. This is going to be soooo helpful, and a major time saver instead of constantly pulling up my recipe index or checking my Pinterest boards for reliable meals we enjoy.
I hope that this list helps you get out of your lunch rut, too. When I asked on Facebook, many of you were just as eager for new ideas as I am.
You can check out the list in full below, and also download a printable PDF list to keep for quick reference. I plan to keep one in my planner, and laminate one to keep in my kitchen as well (right next to this oft-used laminated reference sheet).
The list below has links to recipes when applicable. The beauty of this list, though, is that you can use it to make innumerable combinations based on what your family likes and what you have on hand at the time. Make a pasta salad with what is in your fridge. Throw together a creamy vegetable with the veggies in your produce drawer and broth from your freezer. Pick a handful of snack lunch ideas and head out on a picnic or enjoy a quick meal in the kitchen.
I put together this list, so of course, many of these are recipes you’ll find here on This Pilgrim Life. They are recipes we love and eat often. Pizzas, soups, sandwich ideas, and so on. I also left several blank spots at the top of the printable for you to add in your family’s favorite lunches. Personalize this list and make it your own!
One final note: our Instant Pot truly makes many of these meals much easier and faster! I love using it to make soup, cook baked potatoes, make perfect hard boiled eggs every time, and so on. If you have more questions about what an Instant Pot is, or what it can do, you can check out this post and find recipes here.
Master List of Lunch Ideas
- Sheet pan nachos
- Loaded baked potatoes/ potato wedges (quick and easy in the Instant Pot!)
- Three cheese and spinach stuffed breadsticks
- Leftovers
- Freezer burritos
- Stromboli
- Mexican rice bowls/ taco salad
- Tex-Mex tortilla pizzas
Sandwiches, Wraps, & Roll-Ups
(with homemade sandwich bread or whole wheat tortillas: full disclosure- I never make our tortillas anymore. I get organic tortillas at Costco)
- grilled cheese
- buffalo chicken grilled cheese
- grilled cheese with garlicky swiss chard, caramelized onions, & roasted chicken
- peanut butter & jelly
- deli sandwiches
- BLT
- chicken caesar wraps
- chicken salad wraps
- peanut butter and banana roll-ups
- cream cheese and jam roll-ups
- deli meat & cheese roll-ups
Quesadillas
Filling ideas:
- black beans
- pinto beans
- roasted chicken
- cheese (queso fresco, mozzarella, cheddar, etc)
- spinach/ mixed greens
- avocado slices/ guacamole
- salsa/ chopped tomatoes
- chopped peppers
- corn
- ground cumin
- pinch of chili powder
Dip in salsa, guacamole, plain yogurt, sour cream
Soups
- honey roasted carrot (Instant Pot adaptable)
- butternut squash & apple (Instant Pot)
- creamy potato soup
- chicken noodle
- sausage and kale (Instant Pot)
- extra green broccoli cheese (Instant Pot)
- white bean & swiss chard
- egg drop soup
- creamy tomato (Instant Pot recipe coming)
- cheesy chicken & salsa (Instant Pot version)
- spicy sausage & lentil
Pizza
Pizza can be a quick and easy lunch with a variety of sauce ideas and a simple no-rise dough!
- spinach & bacon alfredo pizza
- garlic infused EVOO pizza with proscuitto and bacon
- pesto pizza with ricotta and mushrooms
- marinara sauce & toppings
- buffalo chicken pizza
- Greek/Italian dressing & toppings
- margherita pizza
Salad
Topping ideas:
- lettuce/greens
- hard boiled eggs
- roasted chicken
- chopped bacon
- cucumbers
- sunflower seeds
- nuts
- pepper slices
- olives
- cheese (feta, cheddar cheese, goat cheese, parmesan, fresh mozzarella, blue cheese)
- tomatoes
- apple slices
- strawberry slices
- fresh berries
- craisins/dried fruit
- croutons
We usually love this best-ever ranch dressing and an easy homemade Greek dressing (look at the bottom of the post for the dressing recipe) on our salads!
Dips, Spreads, and Dippers
Keep a variety of these on hand and you have a simple grab-and-go lunch!
- hummus
- tuna salad
- ranch
- pimento cheese
- chicken salad
- pesto
- peanut butter
Dippers:
- pretzel sticks
- carrot sticks
- pepper slices
- cherry tomatoes
- crackers
- french bread/ crostini
- pita slices
Pasta Salad
The combinations are (almost) endless!
- pasta (bowtie, macaroni, orzo, farfalle, etc)
- chopped bacon
- roasted chicken
- pepperoni/salami slices
- chopped ham
- peas
- asparagus
- cherry tomatoes (halved)
- slow roasted cherry tomatoes
- cheese (feta, goat, chopped cheddar, fresh mozzarella, etc)
- chopped spinach
- fresh basil
- almond slices
- grape halves
- olives (black, kalamata, etc)
- celery
- red onion slices
Common Combinations:
Greek: (kalamata olives, feta cheese, red onion, cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes)
Mexican: (avocado, black beans, corn, green onion, tomato)
Italian: (salami, black olives, chopped tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers)
Dress with oil & vinegar, Italian dressing, Greek dressing, ranch dressing, etc
Snack Lunch
Pick 3 or more
- yogurt parfaits
- pudding cups
- carrot sticks
- fresh fruit
- smoothies
- cheese slices/sticks
- chips & salsa
- carrot raisin muffins
- chocolate zucchini muffins
- popcorn
- veggie straws
- dried fruit & nuts
- sweet broccoli salad
- salami
- hard boiled eggs
- pickles
- applesauce
Download the printable PDF version of the Master List of Lunch Ideas
Printing Tip: Select 2-Sided to print this front to back on one page.
Lorrie Roa says
Love these idea! What a wealth of yummy, healthy lunch-box ideas! Now I have no excuse to say what’s for lunch? All I need to do is revisit this helpful post for a spark of inspiration.Those are absolutely wonderful ideas for school lunches and for all others as well! Such healthy, appetizing and fun ideas in a beautiful and creative presentation! Thank you for your inspiration!
Sarah | Baby Brain says
I love this concept! With a 6-month-old and a 9-to-5, one of the most important things I did for myself was simplify dinner time and pre-prep lunches for the week. One of the things I’m grateful for is that my local grocery store is amazing about having fresh, pre-prepped produce. Sure it costs more, but not as much as dining out and it’s SO much healthier. Thanks for sharing! 🙂