15 Light Lunch Ideas That Won’t Weigh You Down These recipes are big on flavor and will leave you feeling energized. Close Credit: Christopher Testani Nothing hampers your day more than a heavy lunch that leads to fatigue for the rest of the afternoon. When preparing lunch to take to work or enjoy at home, it's ideal to opt for meals that are easier on your system and rich in lean proteins and vegetables. A light lunch serves as a midday meal that aims to provide sufficient energy to sustain you through the remainder of your day without causing that dreaded midday slump. To inspire your next light lunch, we’ve compiled a collection of our 15 favorite light recipes, all bursting with flavor. 17 Light Dinner Ideas to Add to Your Weekly Meal Rotation 01 of 15 Avocado-and-Sprout Club Sandwiches Credit: NGOC MINH NGO This avocado and sprout club sandwich can be served open-faced or as a traditional sandwich. This light lunch is packed with vegetables and includes healthy fats from the avocado and delicious goat cheese. You'll leave this midday meal feeling satisfied and ready to tackle the rest of your day. View Recipe 02 of 15 Kale Slaw With Red Cabbage and Carrots Credit: Bryan Gardner This kale slaw with red cabbage and carrots is a light and refreshing lunch that delivers a tangy flavor with its Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar dressing. It's the perfect way to get in a majority of your greens for the day and is topped with pumpkin, sunflower, and hemp seeds for added crunch and protein. View Recipe 03 of 15 Chicken Zoodle Soup Credit: Armando Rafael We lighten this classic comfort soup by using zoodles instead of pasta. This substitution makes the dish lighter and packs it with even more nutritious protein and vegetables. If you're appetite calls for it, have some toast or sliced baguette on the side. View Recipe 04 of 15 Chicken Club Salad Credit: decorvow Our chicken club salad captures everything we love about the classic sandwich, without the bread. We serve this traditional meal in crisp lettuce cups, packed with protein from the chicken and bacon. This lunch will give you lasting energy to power through the rest of your day. View Recipe 05 of 15 Chicken, Red Cabbage, and Carrot Salad with Soy-Lime Dressing If you're a fan of meal prepping lunches for work, this recipe is perfect for you. This chicken, red cabbage, and carrot salad with soy-lime dressing only gets better as it sits and marinates in the fridge. For the chicken, you can use leftover rotisserie chicken or poach it so that it shreds perfectly. View Recipe 06 of 15 Grilled Halloumi and Vegetable Wraps Credit: Paola + Murray Swap your weekly grilled chicken for grilled halloumi and vegetable wraps. Halloumi, a cheese high in protein, tastes delicious too. This dish comes together in just 30 minutes and makes enough for four people or provides leftovers for the next day. View Recipe 07 of 15 Split-Pea Soup With Spinach and Barley Credit: Kate Mathis If you're serving your family a light lunch, this recipe is ideal because it serves six. Our split-pea soup with spinach and barley is high in protein and fiber, providing an additional healthy boost to your day. View Recipe 08 of 15 No-Mayo Mediterranean Tuna Salad Credit: Johnny Miller This lighter take on the deli classic replaces the mayonnaise with grainy mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, and capers to freshen it up. For a light lunch, pair it with crackers, a lettuce wrap, or create an open-faced sandwich on a slice of toasted multi-grain or sourdough bread. View Recipe 09 of 15 Salmon and Scrambled Eggs Credit: Romulo Yanes A salmon and egg scramble is a light lunch that is best prepared and enjoyed at home. This easy dish comes together quickly and will sustain you for hours. Garnish it with dill and add a side of hearty toast. View Recipe 10 of 15 Thai Cucumber Salad Credit: Bryan Gardner Use an entire cucumber for this delicious Thai salad. This recipe is ideal for meal prepping because you can toss it together in advance, and it only tastes better with time. The tangy rice vinegar dressing paired with roasted peanuts delivers a satisfying flavor. View Recipe 11 of 15 Gazpacho Salad With Croutons Credit: Christopher Testani Thick-cut red onion, tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, and croutons combine to create a delicious light lunch perfect for taking on the go or keeping in the fridge. The Dijon mustard and sherry vinegar pair well, adding a burst of flavor, and the crusty croutons add a satisfying crunch and make it filling enough to tie you over. View Recipe 12 of 15 Lemony-Yogurt Salmon Tartine With Dill Credit: Nico Schinco The next time you have guests over for lunch, try this lemony-yogurt salmon tartine with dill. The pumpernickel bread and salmon will keep your guests feeling satisfied until dinner, and the tangy yogurt, lemon juice, and dill will provide fresh flavors that everyone will love—and it looks impressive. View Recipe 13 of 15 Green Bean, Shell Bean, and Sweet Onion Fattoush Credit: NGOC MINH NGO Fattoush is a Middle Eastern salad that is full of vegetables, fragrant herbs, pita bread, and beans. This recipe requires you to blanch all the beans to release their starch, making it the perfect light lunch option to add to your rotation. View Recipe 14 of 15 Crumbled Tofu and Shiitake Lettuce Cups Credit: Nico Schinco A plant-based, light lunch that will satisfy all your midday cravings. The tofu and shiitake mix is rich with umami flavor and topped with peanuts for a little extra crunch. View Recipe 15 of 15 Grilled Vegetable Pizzas Credit: Christopher Testani Flatbreads make great appetizers for when guests, and they also make a perfect light lunch that's fun to prepare. Grill a bunch of your favorite produce and then pile it onto rounds of store-bought flatbread. This is an easy summertime lunch to enjoy outside or prepare in advance to bring to work. View Recipe Explore more: Food & Cooking Recipes Lunch Recipes