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Having healthy lunch ideas on hand are crucial for any weight loss journey. That’s why it’s so important to think a step ahead. Making your own lunch is a game changer for slimming down. With these lunch ideas, you’ll cut calories, nourish yourself with whole foods and optimize your energy levels as the day unfolds.
Certified personal trainer Chris Freytag knows that the best lunch options are ones that are high protein (to keep you full), made fresh ingredients and are veggie heavy.
There’s no substitute for cooking your own meals and knowing every ingredient that goes into each dish. Say no to processed carbs and be careful what fats you choose.
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Calorie Consideration For Lunch
There are a lot of reasons to want to eat a 300-calorie lunch. But when you are trying to reach a weight loss goal it’s important to be intentional about only eating food that is going to nourish your body and not leave you feeling sluggish.
Everything store-bought seems to be laden with calories and unhealthy ingredients, making it tricky to whip together a lunch at home. So I understand that it can feel like your food choices are limited.
The following lunch ideas are high protein, under 300 calories, and are totally delicious, too!
300 Calorie Lunch Ideas For Weight Loss
Beet Hummus & Greens Sandwich
by LaaLoosh
Deli meats and cheeses move aside. This sandwich livens things up by utilizing the simplest ingredients like whole grain bread, radishes, baby spinach, alfalfa sprouts, beet hummus, and avocado. Get the full recipe here!
Plus, the oleic acid in avocados’ healthy monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) keep feelings of hunger at bay.
Healthy Thai Coconut Quinoa Bowl
by Fit Foodie Finds
Buddha bowls are a great way to incorporate a ton of veggies into one meal, and this healthy Thai coconut quinoa bowl is no exception. Get the full recipe here!
It’s the perfect vegetarian lunch complete with so many weight loss-enhancing ingredients.
Ginger and garlic have long been recognized for their anti-inflammatory effects, while sweet potatoes, rich in fiber, help keep you full longer.
Related: Healthy and Delicious Lunch Recipes For Weight Loss
Mango Chicken Salad with Avocado
by The Real Food RDs
There’s so much goodness in this innovative recipe. Chicken salad is the perfect lunchtime option, but the same old recipe can get boring after a while.
This refreshing recipe features mango, kale, red cabbage, sweet bell pepper, green onions, and cilantro all beautifully combined into a delicious salad. Get the full recipe here!
Chicken is packed with protein, which is essential for weight loss, as it boosts satiety and increases post-meal calorie burn by as much as 35 percent!
Low-Carb Pesto and Turkey Cucumber Roll-Ups
by Ambitious Kitchen
When a salad isn’t cutting it and a sandwich feels too heavy, these roll-ups are perfect.
They’re great to take on the go and eat at your leisure, or even have one as a snack in the late afternoon. So easy to make, these cucumber rolls feature one stand-out ingredient for weight loss: bell peppers.
Rich in vitamin C, they can help to fight off cortisol, a hormone that causes fat to accumulate around the midsection.
At only 52 calories per rollup, you can snack on these all afternoon.
Low-Cal Southwestern Chicken Soup
A bowl of this hearty, delicious soup only comes in under 300 calories and I promise it will fill you up and become a new family favorite recipe. Get the full recipe here!
This lunch recipe is low-cal, easy to make, and a great way to sneak vegetables and fiber into your diet.
Strawberry Quinoa Salad with Goat Cheese & Lemon Vinaigrette
by Ambitious Kitchen
Who said salads can’t taste indulgent? This fresh and bright lunchtime meal is full of fun ingredients.
Quinoa is low on the glycemic index, which means it won’t spike your blood sugar, causing a sudden crash that will result in sugar or simple carbohydrate cravings soon after. Get the full recipe here!
The crunchy addition of the sunflower seeds means more protein, essential vitamins and minerals, and fiber.
Kale Rainbow Detox Salad
by Ambitious Kitchen
We’ve been hearing about kale as a superfood for some time now, but before you think this salad is played out, just listen up to the lively ingredients involved.
A delicious vegan and gluten-free salad, it offers an array of nutritious vegetables and fruits like red, orange, and yellow bell peppers, carrots, red onion, cilantro, parsley, roasted almonds, and avocado. Get the full recipe here!
Plus, kale is rich in phytonutrients, such as quercetin, which helps combat inflammation.
Blueberry Corn Salad
by A Healthy Life For Me
The search for the perfect summer salad has ended with this innovative recipe made with corn, jalapeño, and deliciously sweet blueberries that can help battle the bulge by providing you with vitamin C, potassium, powerful antioxidants, and fiber to assist your digestive system. Get the full recipe here!
Butternut Squash Lentil Soup
by PopSugar
Making homemade soups and stews is a great way to pack in a variety of healthful ingredients that can both serve as a meal for dinner and leftovers for lunch. This soup recipe requires minimal work, as you can throw the ingredients into a slow cooker in the morning and come home in the evening with dinner ready. At only 250 calories per serving, 17 grams of fiber and 18.3 grams of protein, it’s a great lunchtime meal for the next day that will keep you full and energized for hours.
Chicken Chickpea Chopped Salad
by Ambitious Kitchen
Salads are big in the world of weight loss, but the ingredients you use can make all the difference. Without enough nutritional depth, salads can leave you feeling unsatisfied and desperately reaching for unhealthy snacks. This chickpea chopped salad is big in size, low in calories and rich in nutritional value. The chicken breast and chickpeas provide you with protein and the avocados with healthy fat—two components in keeping you full and satisfied.
Curried Egg Salad Sandwich by The Real Food Dietitians
Eggs are low in calories and high in protein, which makes them ideal for not just breakfast but lunchtime, too. The curry powder is packed with antioxidants, the spinach is naturally low in fat and cholesterol, high in niacin, zinc, protein and fiber, and the red bell pepper and orange high in vitamin C.
Mason Jar Tex Mex Salad
by Fit Foodie Finds
Mason jars have been having a moment for a while now, especially since their generous size serves as a great alternative to typical plastic storage containers. A smart way to pack a salad for lunch, you put the dressing at the bottom of the jar to keep the ingredients from getting soggy until it’s time to eat. This recipe calls for an incredible array of vibrant and healthy ingredients that, together, will fill you up without weighing you down. Quinoa, avocados, Greek yogurt, black beans, corn, spinach, lime and garlic are among the many components that make this a must-have lunchtime meal.
Paleo-Friendly Meaty Veggie Rolls
by Skinny Ms.
This recipe offers three healthy and fun flavor combinations to choose from. Rich in protein, roast beef, chicken or turkey replace the bread, rolling up around an array of naturally low-fat and nutritious ingredients like red pepper strips, carrot sticks, apple slices, red cabbage and sliced avocado. They’re the perfect grab-and-go lunchtime item.
