A healthy lunch doesn’t have to be expensive. Stick to your budget by making your lunch at home and packing it for work. With 55 cheap lunch ideas for work to inspire you, including cold sandwiches, salads, grain bowls, and warm soups and burritos, there is something for everyone.
55 Amazing Cheap Lunch Ideas For Work
1 Chicken Caesar Lettuce Cups
You can upgrade your lunch at work with these tasty Caesar salad lettuce cups. Classic Caesar Salad is made with fresh romaine lettuce, crispy croutons, and grated parmesan cheese.
You can twist it by making Chicken Caesar Salad in cups. They make excellent appetizers or may be turned into a full lunch idea at work. It is ideal for individuals following a low-carb diet. Additionally, you can use a homemade Caesar salad dressing (prepared with Greek yoghurt!) to give this meal a healthy facelift. Add bacon to make it more decadent (everything tastes better with bacon, right?). Use the outer leaves of a head of romaine lettuce to form beautiful cups.
2 Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls
Next on our list of easy lunch ideas for work is the southwest black-bean pasta salad bowls. In this Southwestern-style pasta salad, you will use pasta made with black beans to bump the fibre to an impressive 14 grams per serving. Paired with spicy chicken strips and a flavorful corn salad–shortcut ingredients you can usually find at your local speciality grocery store–this meal-prep lunch is one you’ll get excited for.
3 Chopped Veggie Grain Bowls with Turmeric Dressing
In just 10 minutes, you can prep a big bowl of chopped veggie grain using 4 simple ingredients from your local grocery store. You can use prechopped fish veggie mix and frozen quinoa to get started. These crunchy sliced salad bowls have high fibre content and low calories. Therefore, it is ideal for those following a reduced-calorie diet.
4 Chickpea “Chicken” Salad
I’m sure you have your mind fixed on eating chicken. This chickpea salad is a vegetarian version of a classic chicken salad and can be eaten similarly. It contains highly packed vegetarian alternatives that are not chicken. This type of meal is perfect for lunch at work, picnics, etc.
5 Meal-Prep Curried Chicken Bowls
Curry does not have to be time-consuming to cook. You can prepare these meal-prep bowls in just a few minutes with our sheet-pan meal-prep chicken and some cooked nutritious grains! Keep them in the fridge for a quick evening meal or nutritious grab-and-go lunches throughout the week.
6 Avocado Ranch Chicken Salad
The dressing for this chicken salad is made using avocado, which is both creamy and healthy. Ranch dressing with pickled jalapeno offers a tart twist to the lunchtime favourite. Serve it open-faced on a slice of whole-wheat bread or a lettuce cup for a low-carb lunch.
7 Tuna, White Bean & Dill Salad
Purists would insist on imported Italian canned tuna fish for the Tuscan classic, but we think plain old tuna from the supermarket is just cool. However, ensure the fish is packed in oil; the tuna will be infinitely more flavorful, and we also use the oil as part of the dressing.
You can take canned tuna to new heights by adding cannellini beans, red onion, and dill, tossing it in a lemon-pepper-Dijon dressing, and serving it over a spinach salad with canned beets.
8 Quinoa Salad
Cook the quinoa according to the package guidelines. Then combine it with chopped vegetables, beans, nuts, cheese, spices, herbs, and dressing to make a colourful and healthy salad that will keep you going all day. Begin with a recipe, or create your own up as you go. You can’t go wrong with this one if you stick to the ingredients you enjoy.
9. Ramen Noodle Bowls
We’re talking the kind you’d get in a really good ramen shop—noodles and broth topped with colourful veggies and a protein or two. In other words, we mean the kind of ramen that’ll make your colleagues envious of your meal.
You can prepare your ramen noodle bowls in roughly 10 to 15 minutes. All you need is a big pot of ramen noodles and a stove. Add chicken, pork, shrimp, or soft-boiled eggs for protein. Or use a batch of flavorful kimchi eggs throughout the week. Try carrots, cabbage, mushrooms, and spinach for your veggies. Once everything is done, divide your noodles between bowls or lidded containers. Then, layer in your veggies and proteins; cover with your favourite style of ramen broth—shio, miso, shoyu, or tonkotsu. There you go!
10 Chopped Kale, Farro, and Chickpea Salad
This combination of meals is an excellent source of protein and fibre. While the recipe asks for red miso paste, you may replace it with another dressing (who has red miso paste?). But if you happen to have it, go for it! This passes for a cheap lunch idea for work.
11 Burrito Bowls
Prepare some burrito ingredients—rice, beans, chicken, and chopped vegetables. Then split them up between several small containers to create individual burrito bowls. Add salsa, cheese, sour cream, ranch dressing, cilantro, or whatever else you’d like.
Fresh avocados and guacamole brown quickly, so don’t add them until you’re ready to eat. Use these easy tips for keeping avocados and guacamole fresh. Or look for single-serve containers of guacamole in the produce section. They’re perfect for sticking in lunch boxes.
12 Chicken curry cup of noodles
With this recipe for chicken curry zoodle (spiralized zucchini noodles), you can make your cup of quick soup at home. Pack multiple jars at once to take to work for quick lunches all week.
13 Hummus and Veggie Sandwich
This sandwich’s blend of veggies (plus fruit—ahem, avocado) delivers a range of textures to keep your palette interested. You can pack it and take it to work.
14 Peanut Butter, Pickle, and Potato Chip Sandwich
Yes, you read that correctly. I did not inadvertently type “pickle” instead of “jelly.” These tastes complement each other nicely, and the chips add a nice texture.
15 Avocado Tea Sandwiches
Cucumber sandwiches are a tea party classic. Instead of sticking to the standard menu, why not try something new? Avocados add a subtle yet unexpected flavour to tea sandwiches. They are generally served with cucumbers but can also be used in egg salad sandwiches. This wikiHow will provide you with several recipes for avocado tea sandwiches. Once you’ve mastered the fundamentals, you can even develop your own!
16 Mediterranean wrap
This wrap is filled with chicken tenders, couscous, a splash of lemon and a good dose of fresh herbs. Any leftovers may be wrapped up for a quick lunch. Serve with a salad of mixed greens and a glass of fresh white wine.
17 Red Pepper, Goat Cheese, and Fresh Mint Wraps
This wrap has four ingredients (not including some extra salt), and the contents have strong and complementary flavours. Plus, it takes less than 10 minutes to prepare. It is an amazing lunch idea for work.
18 Chicken salad
Chicken salad is a wonderful way to use leftover roasted or poached chicken. You can make this lunch in less than 10 minutes if you use leftover meat. This recipe is simple to scale up or down, and you may add your favourite flavours like fresh herbs, chopped apples, walnuts, or grapes.
19 Egg roll in a bowl
Egg roll in a bowl has all of the flavours and textures of the classic takeout egg roll without the carbs and hassle of a wrapper. Ditching the deep frying makes it healthier but still fun to eat. Using a coleslaw mix makes it extra quick.
20 Edamame & veggie rice bowl
The ingredients for this vegan grain bowl dish may be prepared for a quick lunch to take to work. The tart citrus dressing pairs well with the sweet caramel of the roasted sheet-pan vegetables.
21 Buddha Bowl
This dish is highly protein, thanks to the hard-boiled egg, salmon, and edamame. Whether you eat it with or without the noodles, it’ll fill you up.
22 Chicken and Asparagus Lemon Stir-Fry
Cooking the chicken and asparagus in lemon juice, garlic, and soy sauce transforms the primary components from bland to delicious. You can try this out for lunch in the workplace.
23 Black bean and rice salad
It only takes a few moments to cook white rice, chop the veggies, and combine everything in a bowl for this black bean and rice salad. You can also use leftover rice the night before to save even more time. Try adding corn kernels or diced avocado.
24 Pasta salad
You can prep this dish at the start of the week for easy grab-and-go lunches. Experiment with classic mayonnaise-based pasta salads—BLT, Jalapeno popper, Mexican street corn—or take a lighter approach with pesto, taco, or Asian pasta salad. Since these use herbs, sauces, or a small amount of olive oil instead of the mayor, they’re lower in fat but still just as satisfying.
Divide your pasta salad into lunch-size portions, so it’s ready to eat when you are.
25 Turkey and hummus sandwich
This turkey sandwich goes above and beyond the norm with creamy hummus, savoury feta cheese, spicy red onions, and juicy tomato. Don’t worry if you don’t have all of the precise components. The most crucial components are good turkey, decent bread, and superb hummus; everything else is optional. One good thing about this cheap lunch idea for work is that it is easy to prepare.
26 Buddha Bowl
This dish is high protein, thanks to the hard-boiled egg, salmon, and edamame. Whether you eat it with or without the noodles, it’ll fill you up.
27 Apple Sandwiches With Almond Butter and Granola
These Apple Sandwiches with Almond Butter and Granola are portable and don’t require refrigeration, making them ideal for work lunch.
There’s so much opportunity to make this recipe your own. From the apple to the granola and all the almond butter in between, the possibilities are endless for this beautiful combo. All you need to do is pick the right almond butter and granola.
28 Green goddess salad with chickpeas
In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese, and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk, and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious and served with grilled vegetables.
29 Pita pizza
Keep pita bread, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and your favourite pizza toppings on hand when the urge arises. This one couldn’t be much easier. Simply spread some tomato sauce on a pita, top it with your favourite toppings, then set it in the microwave or oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese. We’re talking about 30 seconds to a minute in the microwave. That’s much faster than ordering a pizza; there’s no need for a tip.
30 Southwest Hummus wrap
Hummus is the perfect ingredient to tie this wrap’s ingredients together and make every bite the perfect fusion of flavours. You can try this out for lunch at work.
31 Bagel sandwiches
Tired of eating the same old sandwiches every day? Switch up your normal sandwich bread with bagels to mix things up. Spread your favourite sauces, layer on some meat, and then top with fresh vegetables and herbs. Cooking chicken breasts and bacon ahead of time can help you save time in the kitchen.
32 Vegetarian bean and rice burrito
Fresh or leftover beans (black, pinto, or kidney beans) and rice combine to produce a simple yet delicious meal. Spices, garlic, and spicy sauce flavour the beans, while lime juice and cilantro garnish the rice. If desired, add more ingredients to the tortilla and serve with salsa.
33 Vegetarian Sushi Grain Bowl
If you are a vegetarian, this is perfect for you. Start with a base of brown rice and add veggies, dressing, and creamy avocado for a delicious and easy meal. See the full recipe below.
34 Grilled Chicken and Mozzarella Panini
Next on our list of cheap lunch ideas for work is the grilled chicken and mozzarella panini. This delicious grilled chicken panini recipe is fast and easy to make. Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for well-seasoned lean protein and scented with rosemary and garlic. The chicken breasts can be grilled beforehand and then used to make slices for sandwiches for the next couple of days. The grilled chicken can also be added to salads for a quick, healthy dinner or lunch.
#34 Cold noodle salad
This Asian-inspired cold noodle salad with peanut butter, snow pea pods, chicken, and bell pepper is easy to make ahead and pack for lunch.
36 Spicy Ramen Cup of Noodles
Make your cup of instant soup at home with this vegetarian ramen recipe. Pack several jars at once to take to work for easy lunches throughout the week.
37 Salad in a jar
Cut up fresh veggies like lettuce, peppers, maize, tomatoes, cucumbers, and broccoli. Then put them together to make a week’s worth of jar salads. To keep your lunches interesting throughout the week, use the same mix or a variety of items. Add cheese, almonds, hard-boiled eggs, beans, and meats to make your salads more full. This is a fantastic way to use up all your fridge leftovers, so get creative with what you have.
Put your salad dressing at the bottom of the jar to keep your salad fresh. Then, layer in the hard vegetables, soft vegetables, proteins, and your salad greens. Bring croutons, corn chips, and other toppers in a separate container, so they don’t lose their crunch.
38 Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl
Quinoa and chickpeas provide lots of plant-based nutrition in this vegetarian grain dish. Make a batch of these Mediterranean dinners and store them in containers with lids in the fridge for quick, nutritious grab-and-go lunches all week.
39 Chopped Cobb Salad
This single-serving recipe for Cobb salad swaps chicken in for bacon, making it a great protein source for lunch at work. If you prefer another salad dressing, feel free to use that instead of our honey-mustard vinaigrette.
40 Tomato & Provolone Sandwiches
A basic bread-and-tomato sandwich is wonderful, but this one is even better with melted provolone cheese and tarragon-garlic mayo on top.
41 Chipotle chicken quinoa burrito bowl
This chipotle-flavoured burrito bowl dish tastes even better than takeout and cooks in the same time. Loading it with veggies and substituting quinoa for rice adds nutrients for a nutritious supper.
42 Avocado Ranch Chicken Salad
The dressing for this chicken salad is made using avocado, which is both creamy and healthy. Ranch dressing with pickled jalapeno offers a tart twist to the lunchtime favourite. Serve it open-faced on a slice of whole-wheat bread or a lettuce cup for a low-carb lunch.
43 Tijuana Torta
A torta is similar to a burrito, except that the “wrapper” is a hollowed-out roll rather than a tortilla. It’s stuffed with mashed spicy black beans and guacamole. Melt Monterey Jack cheese over the bean side of the sandwich to take this vegetarian version to the next level (and add calcium). Serve alongside grilled corn on the cob or Spanish rice.
44 Quick and Easy Canned Tuna Fish Tacos
Make a quick sauce, briefly heat the tuna in a pan, and crisp the taco shells; you’ve got yourself a meal. Tuna fish tacos are a tasty alternative to tuna salad and take only a few minutes to prepare. You may use leftover flaked tuna fish with canned tuna.
45 Coconut Sweet Potatoes and Wild Rice
You’re missing out if you haven’t added coconut milk to a dish. It adds a different flavour profile to all dish ingredients, especially potatoes and rice.
46 Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls
With just 5 easy ingredients and 20 minutes, you can meal-prep a week’s worth of tasty and filling high-fibre meals. In this Southwestern-style pasta salad, we use black bean pasta to boost the fibre content to an astounding 14 grams per serving. This meal-prep lunch, along with seasoned chicken strips and a delicious corn salad—shortcut items you can frequently get at your local specialized grocery store—is one you’ll look forward to.
47 Panzanella salad
Panzanella salad is a wonderful blend of fresh tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, crispbread, and tangy vinaigrette. It’s a fantastic way to use up leftover bread, especially if it’s French or sourdough. If desired, top with cubed mozzarella.
48 Chopped Veggie Grain Bowls with Turmeric Dressing
You can prepare a week’s lunches in just 10 minutes by utilizing four basic products from your local specialized food shop. We’re using a prechopped fresh veggie mix and frozen quinoa (which heats in the microwave in under 5 minutes) to cut down on prep time. These crunchy chopped salad bowls are strong in fibre yet low in calories, making them ideal for low-calorie diets.
49 Chicken Salad-Stuffed Avocados
Are you looking for a healthy, packable lunch for work? This nutritious homemade chicken salad, served inside an avocado instead of bread, is ideal. See the recipe below to know how to go about it.
50 Curry Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps
These decadent wraps are lightened with fat-free Greek yoghurt instead of mayo, and lettuce serves as a crisp, fresh alternative to a flour wrap.
51 Veggie Egg Salad
This vegetarian egg salad dish is brightened with crunchy carrots, cucumbers, and scallions. Pair it with some crisp crackers and tomatoes for a nutritious, light lunch.
52 Sweet Potato, Chickpea, and Quinoa Veggie Burger
Sure, these may take a little extra time to prepare. But if you prepare a bunch of them at once, you must grab one out of the freezer or fridge and pack it for lunch.
53 Avocado, Tomato & Chicken Sandwich
The avocado is mashed in this healthy chicken sandwich dish to make a nutritious creamy spread.
54 BBQ Chicken Sandwich
You can toss leftover cooked chicken with barbecue sauce and crunchy carrots for a quick and healthy lunch at work.
55 Cuban Cauliflower Rice Bowl
To reduce carbohydrates and increase veggie servings, we use cauliflower rice instead of another full-grain, like brown rice, in this spin on a healthy grain bowl recipe. A simple citrusy mojo sauce on top adds a Cuban flavour to this quick lunch or dinner.
Conclusion
Our list of work lunch ideas is easy-to-make foods that won’t cost you much to prepare. You can click the link below each lunch idea to see the recipe.
References
- themuse.com – 52 Creative (and Easy!) Ideas for Lunch at Work That’ll Make Everyone Jealous
- thespruceeats.com – 10 Cheap but Tasty Lunch Ideas for Work and Home
- eatingwell.com – 59 Cheap Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work
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