7 Healthy Lunches
Here’s a week’s worth of healthy lunch ideas to mix things up and help keep you going the rest of your day. All lunches are under 450 calories, easily fitting into the Daily Recommendations for a Healthy, Balanced Diet.
Depending on your age, sex, and physical activity level, your calorie recommendation may vary. Children and less active adults tend to need fewer calories per day and very active teenagers and adults tend to need more calories per day.
Tip: Eating small, frequent meals (including snacks) is important so adjust your calorie intake by increasing or decreasing your portion sizes at your main meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
Things to Remember …
Make Half Your Grains Whole
Vary Your Veggies
Focus on Fruits
Consume Calcium-Rich Foods
Go Lean with Protein
Day 1
| Meal |  |
Ingredients | |
Calories/Serving |
| Lunch |  |
Tuna Pasta Salad with Avocado, Watermelon Strawberry Shake, Salad 1 serving Tuna Pasta Salad with Avocado 1 serving Watermelon Strawberry Shake 2 cups green leaf lettuce, bite-size pieces 1 Tbsp mozarrela cheese, part-skim, shredded ½ Tbsp Italian dressing, fat-free 2 cups (16 oz) water |
|
446 Calories |
| Nutrition Info | ||
| Total Calories: 446 % Fat: 12% % Saturated Fat: 3% % Carbohydrate: 67% % Protein: 23% |
Sodium: 529 mg Cholesterol: 18 mg Fiber: 8 g Vitamin A: 49% Vitamin C: 108% Calcium: 23% |
Grains: 2 ounces Vegetables: 1 ½ cups Fruits: 1 ¼ cups Milk: ½ cup Meat and Beans: 1 ½ ounces |
Day 2
| Meal | |
Ingredients | |
Calories/Serving |
| Lunch | |
Chicken & Broccoli Stir Fry with Brown Rice, Cantaloupe 1 serving Chicken & Broccoli Stir Fry 1 medium wedge of cantaloupe (1/8 of melon half) 1 cup (8 oz) nonfat milk |
|
446 Calories |
| Nutrition Info | ||
| Total Calories: 446 % Fat: 18% % Saturated Fat: 3% % Carbohydrate: 47% % Protein: 35% |
Sodium: 409 mg Cholesterol: 75 mg Fiber: 5 g Vitamin A: 44% Vitamin C: 126% Calcium: 37% |
Grains: 1 ounce Vegetables: 1 cup Fruits: ½ cup Milk: 1 cup Meat and Beans: 3 ounces |
Day 3
| Meal | |
Ingredients | |
Calories/Serving |
| Lunch | |
Rainbow Veggie Pocket with Black Beans, Apple and Cottage Cheese 1 serving Rainbow Veggie Pocket ¼ cup black beans, drained and rinsed (add to veggie pocket) ½ apple, diced 1 cup cottage cheese 2 cups (16 oz) water |
|
459 Calories |
| Nutrition Info | ||
| Total Calories: 459 % Fat: 19% % Saturated Fat: 4% % Carbohydrate: 65% % Protein: 21% |
Sodium: 1120 mg Cholesterol: 5 mg Fiber: 15 g Vitamin A: 7% Vitamin C: 32% Calcium: 132% |
Grains: 2 ounces Vegetables: 1 ½ cups Fruits: 1 ¼ cups Milk: ¼ cup Meat and Beans: 0 ounces |
Day 4
| Meal | |
Ingredients | |
Calories/Serving |
| Lunch | |
Clementine, Raisin and Goat Cheese Salad, Tomato Juice, Rye Crisp Bread 1 serving Clementine, Raisin and Goat Cheese Sandwich (without bread) 2 cups mixed greens chopped 1 rye crisp bread, no fat added 1 cup (8 oz) tomato juice, low-sodium |
|
443 Calories |
| Nutrition Info | ||
| Total Calories: 443 % Fat: 31%* % Saturated Fat: 10% % Carbohydrate: 58% % Protein: 14% |
Sodium: 277 mg Cholesterol: 29 mg Fiber: 8 g Vitamin A: 76% Vitamin C: 111% Calcium: 30% |
Grains: ½ ounce Vegetables: 2 cups Fruits: 1 cup Milk: ¾ cups Meat and Beans: ½ ounce |
*Ways to Reduce the Fat: Skip adding the walnuts or reduce the amount of goat cheese used.
Day 5
| Meal | |
Ingredients | |
Calories/Serving |
| Lunch | |
Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili, Applesauce 1 Serving Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili 1 Tbsp cheddar cheese, shredded 3 slices avocado 1 cup applesauce, unsweetened 1 cup (8 oz) nonfat milk |
|
449 Calories |
| Nutrition Info | ||
| Total Calories: 449 % Fat: 24% % Saturated Fat: 6% % Carbohydrate: 64% % Protein: 18% |
Sodium: 471 mg Cholesterol: 12 mg Fiber: 11 g Vitamin A: 49% Vitamin C: 2% Calcium: 43% |
Grains: ½ ounce Vegetables: 1 cup Fruits: 1 cup Milk: 1 ¼ cups Meat and Beans: 0 ounces |
Day 6
| Meal | |
Ingredients | |
Calories/Serving |
| Lunch | |
Blueberry Shrimp Salad, Banana Raspberry Smoothie, Popcorn 1 serving Blueberry Shrimp Salad 1 serving Banana Raspberry Smoothie 2 cups microwave popcorn, low-fat and low-sodium |
|
447 Calories |
| Nutrition Info | ||
| Total Calories: 447 % Fat: 42%* % Saturated Fat: 7% % Carbohydrate: 41% % Protein: 21% |
Sodium: 596 mg Cholesterol: 117 mg Fiber: 11 g Vitamin A: 27% Vitamin C: 52% Calcium: 22% |
Grains: ½ ounce Vegetables: ½ cup Fruits: 1 ¼ cups Milk: ½ cup Meat and Beans: 2 ½ ounces |
*Ways to Reduce the Fat: Use less oil in the dressing or serve the dressing on the side and dip individual bites to reduce total fat.
Day 7
| Meal | |
Ingredients | |
Calories/Serving |
| Lunch | |
Apple Turkey Gyro, Sunshine Salad, Cucumber Citrus Salad 1 serving Apple Turkey Gyro 1 serving Sunshine Salad 1 serving Cucumber Citrus Salad 1 cup (8 oz) nonfat milk |
|
443 Calories |
| Nutrition Info | ||
| Total Calories: 443 % Fat: 12% % Saturated Fat: 2% % Carbohydrate: 72% % Protein: 22% |
Sodium: 673 mg Cholesterol: 27 mg Fiber: 11 g Vitamin A: 39% Vitamin C: 215% Calcium: 41% |
Grains: 2 ounces Vegetables: 1 ½ cups Fruits: 1 ¼ cups Milk: 1 cup Meat and Beans: 1 ounce |
Visit ChooseMyPlate.gov to determine your daily calorie recommendation.
- Protein: 10-35%
- Carbohydrates: 45-65%
- Fats: 20-35%
- Saturated fat: <10% of calories
- Total fat: <35% of calories (unless naturally occurring)
- Cholesterol: <300 mg
- Sodium: <2,300 mg*
- Fiber: 28g/2,000 calories
- Water: 64 oz/day
*Further reduce intake of sodium to 1,500 mg among persons who are 51 or older and those of any age who are African American or have hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease.
This Week’s Healthy Menu Idea Archive
Fruit and Vegetable Recipe Search
Fruit & Vegetable Database
Getting Kids to Help You in the Kitchen
Ask The Expert About Fruits and Vegetables
