No Sad Desk Lunch Here! 20 Easy, Delicious Recipes to Bring to Work

By Kelly Vaughan
Updated August 27, 2019
Bryan Gardner
From inspiring salads to flavorful sandwiches (and even a few desserts!), create a fresh weekday routine with our ideas for delicious make-ahead work lunches.
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Bryan Gardner

Lunchtime just got a brand-new bag! We've reimagined basic sandwiches and ho-hum salads into creative meals you'll love taking to work with you—trust us, you'll be happy to break for these winning combos. Best of all, our ideas come together fast when you carve out a little prep time, which means you'll never have to scramble to throw lunch together again.

We recommend taking time on the weekends to prep the most time-consuming parts of these work lunches. This doesn't mean making a big batch of one dish and eating it for five days in a row. Instead, make something you can have for breakfast one day and lunch the next, such as a frittata that becomes a midday sandwich. A dinner that does double duty at lunch also works well. We like pulled pork, which can be eaten as a sandwich the first time then atop a salad the next day at lunchtime.

Leftovers certainly don't have to be lackluster or just heated in the communal microwave (though these make-ahead freezer burritos are created just for that purpose). Instead, slice up Sunday's meatloaf and turn it into a hearty sandwich with mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato come Monday. You could also flake the last piece of salmon from Tuesday's dinner and and turn it into a light salad served on crusty bread for lunch on Wednesday. No meal is complete without something sweet, and we think that goes for lunch, too. Weekends are prime time to bake a batch of cookies that you (and the rest of the family) can enjoy with your midday meals throughout the week.

Cute, creative lunches aren't just for kids either. Prep a fun bento box lunch to bring to work—the bento benefit is that it packs a portioned main, side, and dessert all in the same container. It's also eco-friendly so there's no need to pack snacks in multiple plastic bags. With these smart, easy lunch ideas on hand, there will be no more sad desk lunch.

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Italian-Hero Chopped Salad

Justin Walker; Prop Stylist: Carla Gonzalez-Hart
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Talk about a zero to hero desk lunch! The croutons and dressing for this meaty, cheesy salad can be made days in advance and will stay fresh for a week. Swap in any meat you have on hand, such as roast chicken for the turkey.

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Tuna-Apple Bento Box

Justin Walker; Prop Stylist: Carla Gonzalez-Hart
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Prep the tuna-apple salad and escarole the night before so that this lunch comes together fast in the morning. Be sure to use good quality jarred tuna, such as Ortiz White Tuna in Organic Extra-Virgin Olive Oil.

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Vegetarian Mezze

Justin Walker; Prop Stylist: Carla Gonzalez-Hart
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Pack a bento box with dips, vegetables, and protein for a fun lunch. Do most of the prep work like roasting vegetables, boiling eggs, and making the dressing the night before (or over the weekend). Use store-bought stuffed grape leaves, such as Divina Dolmas.

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Turkey Caesar Sandwiches

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Marry flavors from a Caesar salad and a turkey sandwich into one flavorful bite. To prevent the bread from getting soggy, place the lettuce on the bread first, then spread the mayonnaise on top.

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Pumpkin-Orange Bread

Marcus Nilsson
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When you want something a little sweeter for lunch, make this seasonal bread. It gets a boost of bright flavor from orange juice and zest, which enhances the orange color, too. It's easy to transport and doesn't require a refrigerator or a microwave!

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Chopped Winter Salad

Kate Mathis
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This salad is plenty hearty thanks to roasted shiitake mushrooms and cubes of acorn squash. Transport the dressing in a separate container so that the greens stay crisp until you toss it all together.

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Potato, Broccoli, and Cheddar Soup

Alpha Smoot
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Skip the soup line at the cafeteria and bring this tasty version of a classic to work: broccoli cheddar soup. The recipe calls for broccoli stems, which normally get tossed but add much more flavor to the dish.

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Plum-and-Blackberry Cornmeal-Almond Crumb Bars

Kate Mathis
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Don't forget dessert! These jammy crumble bars are versatile; in addition to making this version with plums and blackberries, try it with apricots, cherries, or peaches.

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Spring Chicken Niçoise

Sidney Bensimon
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Can't take the time off for a trip to Nice? Try some French flavor in your lunch bag instead. This variation on the classic Niçoise salad features steamed and shredded chicken and swaps snap peas for the usual haricot verts.

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Smoothie Parfait

Ngoc Minh Ngo
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Love a smoothie bowl? Pack it to-go in a mason jar for a colorful lunch. A base of coconut chia pudding gets layered with fresh berries, then topping with Greek yogurt and a healthy green smoothie. The chia pudding can be made up to five days in advance, which streamlines prep work.

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Late-Summer Chopped Salad with Cottage Cheese

Chelsea Cavanaugh
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The combination of apples, cucumbers, and fennel are everything we want in a desk lunch salad. These ingredients bring plenty of crunch and some sweetness. Scoop cottage cheese into a smaller container in the morning, then spoon on the salad when it's time to eat.

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Spicy-Sweet Maple Snack Mix

John Dolan
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Craving something salty? Snack mix isn't just for kids or big parties. This is a great savory bite to munch on throughout the day. Peanuts provide plenty of protein and pepitas are high in antioxidants.

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Frittata-Hash Sandwich

Armando Rafael
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Have some leftover frittata from Sunday brunch? Slice it up and layer it on toasted bread with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. Or make a potato-sausage frittata to take for lunch this week.

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Rice Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumbers, and Feta

Paola + Murray
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This filling salad is balanced with creamy, cheese, crisp vegetables, and brown rice. When transporting to work, keep the feta in a separate container and sprinkle on just before digging in.

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Pasta Salad with Tomatoes, Mozzarella, and Chickpeas

Ren Fuller
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Share this pasta salad with coworkers or feed your family; the recipe makes a generous amount for lunch portions. Keep it in the refrigerator until 30 minutes before eating, then let it come to room temperature for the best flavor.

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Zucchini-Parmesan Bread with Poppy Seeds

Marcus Nilsson
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Make it over the weekend and enjoy slices for several days. Zucchini not only adds flavor and a bit of color to this quick bread, but it also keeps it super moist. Throw it in the toaster to warm it up quickly or smear on cream cheese. This bread takes such little prep work in the morning (slice and pack) which is great when you're in a rush to get out the door.

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Tropical-Fruit Salad with Coconut Crunch

Petrina Tinslay
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Enjoy this fruit salad for a lunchtime dessert or as a healthy snack throughout the day. Add an irresistible topping of crunchy poppy seeds and toasted coconut to the top. The recipe feeds a crowd, but it's easy to adjust for just a couple of portions.

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Chocolate-Cherry Granola Bars

Chelsea Cavanaugh
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These nut- and gluten-free bars are packed with dried cherries and good-quality chocolate, and sweetened with honey so they're a wholesome alternative to store-bought options.

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Taco Salad with Sweet-Potatoes

Lennart Weibull
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Hearty and healthy all in one bowl? Yes, please! This lunch serves up the flavors of a vegetarian taco—black beans, jalapeño peppers, cilantro, lime juice—in one ready-to-go salad.

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Jennifer's Meatloaf Sandwiches

Linda Pugliese
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Make a batch of meatloaf on the weekend, then slice it up and turn it into sandwiches for the family. Choose a hearty bread that can hold up to the weight of the meat, such as brioche buns.

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