HealthTip: 20+ New Lunch Ideas..Finally!

A friend of mine recently mentioned how she's gotten tired of eating the same old lunch over the past 2 weeks. It can be challenging to come home after a long day and try to think of something new to prepare for the next day's lunch! Friends and family members have been asking me to post meal ideas and recipes, so why not take a look at what I've come up with so you have to do less thinking?

• Spinach salad with onions, mushrooms, toasted nuts (e.g. pecans), goat cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Example recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Jamies-Cranberry-Spinach-Salad/Detail.aspx
• Turkey chili or lentil vegetable soup cooked the night before, and take leftovers for lunch with half a pumpernickel bagel. Example recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Terrific-Turkey-Chili/Detail.aspx
• A creative sandwich e.g. roasted red peppers, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, turkey/chicken, avocado slices, and hummus on whole grain bread; with fruit- apple/orange/pear/kiwi/raspberries/ blueberries/pomegranate/watermelon/banana..etc; and a healthy drink like low fat milk or a fortified soy beverage, carrot juice, vegetable juice, or a smoothie
• Beet, orange, and jicama salad (why not try some new vegetables?). Example recipe: http://www.dietitians.ca/Downloadable-Content/Public/Recipe-Beet-Orange-Jicama-Salad.aspx
• Quick and easy lunchbox chili rice and beans. Example recipe: http://www.dietitians.ca/Downloadable-Content/Public/Recipe-Lunch-Box-Chili-Rice-and-Beans.aspx
• Pita or wrap stuffed with lettuce/spinach, peppers, onions, ground chicken/ turkey/ tofu (cooked from the night before), shredded cheese, and salsa
• Home-made pizza leftovers are always easy, or make pizza on pitas, buns, or thick tortilla shells!
• Chicken salad with chickpeas, carrots, broccoli, and greens. Example recipe: http://simpledailyrecipes.com/3491/healthy-chicken-salad/
• Grilled chicken, aged cheddar, and chutney wrap. Example recipe: http://www.besthealthmag.ca/recipe/grilled-chicken-aged-cheddar-chutney-sandwich
• Stir-fry your favorite vegetables and meat (or alternatives) the night before (e.g. tofu/ shrimp/ chicken/ lean beef, green and red peppers, mushrooms, onions, sugar snap peas, broccoli..etc), add your favorite seasonings and sauce (e.g. black pepper; small amount of sweet Thai chili sauce or soy sauce), throw in some toasted peanuts, and serve on top of brown rice
• Roasted vegetable and pasta bake. Example recipe: http://www.besthealthmag.ca/recipe/roasted-vegetable-and-pasta-bake
• Vegetarian sloppy joes served on a whole wheat or whole grain bun. Example recipe: http://www.besthealthmag.ca/eat-well/recipes/vegetarian-sloppy-joes
• Rice and beef burritos. Example recipe: http://www.besthealthmag.ca/eat-well/recipes/rice-and-beef-burritos
• If you're craving breakfast for lunch, pack a whole-grain pancake filled with fruit and yogurt!
• Veggies (cherry tomatoes, zucchini sticks, peppers) and whole-wheat pita with hummus, fruit salad, and yogurt or cottage cheese 
• Pasta from the night before or quickly make some by cooking vegetables, garlic, spices, tomato sauce, and whole wheat pasta
• Chickpea patties with lemon-yogurt dressing in a whole-wheat bread /bun /wrap/ tortilla. Example recipe: http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/vegetablevegetariandishes/r/chickpeapatties.htm
• Roasted potato salad with rosemary, a simple vinaigrette, scallions, chopped spinach, and cherry tomatoes 
• Tomato soup with whole grain crackers, low-fat cheese, red and green pepper strips, and natural orange juice
• Greek salad, whole wheat/ whole grain bagel with light cream cheese, and fruit (cantaloupe, orange, apple, pear..etc)
• Salmon or tuna wrap/ sandwich/ burger with lettuce/ spinach, tomato, green onion, chives, light mayonnaise and lemon juice (can use any type of salmon, e.g. canned, grilled)
• Snack idea: make a big batch of whole-wheat muffins and freeze for later use. Grab one "to-go" in the morning and have it with your tea or latte at work. Example recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Morning-Glory-Muffins-2/Detail.aspx (substitute half of the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour)
  

Remember, you can always change any of these recipe to meet your preferences! So if you hate mushrooms and a recipe that includes mushrooms, just don't add them in! Experimenting with new foods and changing recipes is a great way to making a recipe "your own!"
Also, I wanted to share that I haven't tried all of the recipes I posted today. My goal with this post was to provide you with some new ideas that you can alter to fit your taste, likes, and dislikes. Hopefully this sparks a little imagination and creativity!