21 Clean Lunches in Under 10 Minutes

Easy lunch ideas for a healthy afternoon!

ways to prepare delicious vegetables

Looking for ways to eat clean all day long? We’ve compiled 21 clean eating lunch ideas that can be made in under 10 minutes and are great options for packing lunch for school or work. The best way to save time during the week is to prepare some versatile ingredients, like quinoa and chicken on the weekend to throw into recipes throughout the week.

Thanks to these easy lunches, now you have some free time to work out on your lunch break! Try incorporating any of these routines:

21 Clean Lunches in Under 10 Minutes

spinach bean burrito wrap

Our clean eating lunch ideas will not only save you from making unhealthy choices during your busy day, it also lets you hold on to your hard-earned money by helping you to avoid expensive convenience meals.

1. Quinoa Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette

quinoa fruit salad

This salad is bursting with mangoes, blueberries, strawberries, and mandarins. Adding quinoa gives it some protein and makes it filling, but the tasty dressing is what really puts this salad over the top.

Get the recipe: Quinoa Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette

2. Spring Greens with Strawberries and Candied Pecans

spring greens with strawberries and candied pecans

Crunchy, sweet pecans and juicy berries make this salad special.

Get the recipe: Spring Greens with Strawberries and Candied Pecans

3. Skinny Taco Salad in a Jar

taco salad in a jar

Cut back on carbs, calories, and dishes by making your taco salads in jars!

Get the recipe: Skinny Taco Salad in a Jar

4. Mediterranean Tuna Salad

Mediterranean tuna salad

This mayo-less salad does not sacrifice on flavor and is filled with yummy ingredients like olives and sun-dried tomatoes.

Get the recipe: Mediterranean Tuna Salad

5. Slow Cooker Minestrone

Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup Recipe

Simply prepare the ingredients for this minestrone and let the slow cooker do the work for you. Prepare a big batch once a week, and you can have it for lunch for a few days! It also freezes well.

Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup Recipe

6. Skinny Burrito in a Jar

skinny burrito in a jar

Make a bean burrito in a jar with layers of salsa, beans, cheese and sour cream. Shred any leftover chicken or lean beef into it for extra protein if you would like!

Get the recipe: Skinny Burrito in a Jar

7. Chickpea and Tomato Salad with Grilled Chicken

chickpea and tomato salad

Protein-rich chickpeas and chicken will keep you full longer than a lettuce-filled salad ever could! The vinaigrette and the juicy tomatoes in this salad are pretty tasty too.

Get the recipe: Chickpea and Tomato Salad with Grilled Chicken

8. Pasta Salad with Pesto, Mozzarella, and Tomatoes

pasta salad with pesto and mozzarella

We love the rich, Italian flavors in this delicious pasta salad. Make the whole recipe and have it for lunch all week.

Get the recipe: Pasta Salad with Pesto, Mozzarella and Tomatoes

9. Spinach and Black Bean Burrito Wrap

Spinach Bean Burrito Wrap

With canned beans, leftover rice, and a simple spinach sauté, this burrito can come together pretty easily. Top it with a delicious salsa and look forward to lunch all morning.

Get the recipe: Spinach and Black Bean Burrito Wrap

10. Grilled Chicken and Blueberry Salad

grilled chicken and blueberry salad

Savory Chicken and sweet blueberries make this antioxidant-rich, protein-filled salad a healthy treat.

Get the recipe: Grilled Chicken and Blueberry Salad

11. Clean Eating Chicken Salad

clean eating chicken salad

Greek yogurt keeps this clean eating version of classic chicken salad creamy, and red grapes add a bit of sweet juiciness.

Get the recipe: Clean Eating Chicken Salad

12. Spicy Chili with Fire Roasted Tomatoes

spicy chili with fire roasted tomatoes

Cook this in the slow cooker while you are busy with other things and take it to lunch all week. Chili freezes well too.

Get the recipe: Spicy Chili with Fire-Roasted Tomatoes

13. Clean-Eating Cobb Salad

clean eating cobb salad

There’s nothing like this classic salad with hard-boiled eggs, chicken, vegetables, and a creamy dressing to keep you feeling energized and focused all afternoon long.

Get the recipe: Clean-Eating Cobb Salad

14. Overstuffed Veggie Sandwich

overstuffed veggie sandwich

This sandwich is filled to the max, and one bite will let you know that all that vegetable chopping and layering was well worth the effort.

Get the recipe: Overstuffed Veggie Sandwich

15. Spring Salad in an Avocado

spring salad in an avocado

We love the idea of using half an avocado shell with the fruit inside and the pit taken out as a salad bowl. The shell works both as portion control and holds all of the good-for-you nutrients from the yummy avocados.

Get the recipe: Spring Salad in an Avocado

16. Vegetarian Panini with Roasted Peppers and Goat Cheese

vegetarian panini with roasted peppers and goat cheese

A crisp panini with warm, creamy goat cheese and smoky sweet peppers is sometimes all you need to bite into to feel indulgent and is an amazingly comforting clean eating lunch idea.

Get the recipe: Vegetarian Panini

17. Asian Chicken Sandwich

asian chicken sandwich

Asian flavors keep this chicken sandwich from being anything but the same old boring sandwich! Using real chicken is especially great because then you avoid putting any processed deli meat slices on it.

Get the recipe: Asian Chicken Sandwich

18. Soba Salad with Honey Ginger Dressing

soba salad with honey ginger dressing

You’ll be surprised at how quickly and easily this salad comes together and at how flavorful it is. The nice thing about soba noodles, aka buckwheat noodles, is they are actually gluten-free and whole grain (they are not wheat).

Get the recipe: Soba Salad with Honey-Ginger Dressing

19. Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese

Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese

Sometimes a lil’ comfort food in the middle of the day is nice. And this one is a healthy version! Put all of the ingredients in the slow cooker, and then have this mac n’cheese with a simple side salad for a delicious lunch. Our Classic Cucumber and Tomato Salad would go nicely with a small portion of this clean eating  mac n’cheese.

Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese

20. Superfoods Smoothie

superfoods smoothie

Lighten up lunch with a smoothie. This clean eating lunch idea contains plenty of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is a great option for eating lunch on the go.

Get the recipe: Superfoods Smoothie

21. Thai Chicken Lettuce Cups

Thai chicken lettuce cups

Have you been looking for a light, healthy, and tasty Thai dish that is quick and easy to make? Here is a yummy recipe that you can make in a flash!

Get the recipe: Thai Chicken Lettuce Cups

These clean eating lunch ideas that you can make in under 10 minutes will make healthy eating, easier than ever! You might also like our Caprese Salad in a Jar or this The Best Detox Salad In A Jar.

Interested in easy breakfast ideas, too? We’ve got some great options:

Be sure to like our Facebook page and follow us on Pinterest for tasty recipes, clean eating tips, and healthy lifestyle resources.

Editor’s Note: Originally published April 27th, 2016

This post may include affiliate links.

SkinnyMs.

The SkinnyMs. team believes that all people, regardless of age, size, and fitness level, have the power to transform their lives — they just need the resources to do so. The SkinnyMs. method promotes healthy living through a combination of clean eating and regular exercise. We offer everything you need to be successful.

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24 Comments

    1. For 2 servings, mix 1 cup cottage cheese, 1/4 cup cooked and chilled peas, 1/8 cup sliced almonds, and 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes.

    1. Jenn, They all should be, though some consider buying organic or grass fed dairy products the way to go for clean eating.

  1. I just bought myself an Omie box (like a bento lunch box with a bowl to keep stuff hot or cold built in) & can’t wait to make some of these for myself. Such great ideas!

  2. Love the idea of the Omie box. But, WOW! When I went to their site, I was blown away by the price! $49.50! Anything else out there similar, but less $$?

    1. Teresa, We haven’t researched lunch boxes as of now. Pint-sized mason jars work well for salads and the like, and often a bento box style lunchbox works well for small portions of various items.

  3. I would love these recipes but need a gluten-free version to make . I could use some help lossing weight fast . I need to get rid of my belly fat and keep it off , so my other health issues can go away too.

  4. I have just resubscribed to SkinnyMs, I am lactose Intolerant. No Dairy!! I have done my research too. What do you suggest?

    1. Soy milk is a great alternative. When cooking, make sure you don’t accidentally use a vanilla or other flavor soy milk! There are also lactose free milk brands available at some stores which look, taste, bake and cook just like regular milk! Try a few and see what you like best.

    1. Jennifer, We may, but I’m not sure what they would be. Please check with your doctor about specific recipes after surger. 🙂

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