Food Whole30 Lunch Recipes
January 5, 2023 byKari
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Clean Eating, Dairy Free, Entreés, Gluten Free, Paleo / Primal, Recipes, Whole 30
Packable lunches are both healthy and budget-friendly, and these Whole30 Lunch Recipes will give you lots of inspiration. You’ll find everything from my classic Chicken Salad to my super easy Meal Prep Tuna Salad. There are cozy soups like my Healthy Zuppa Toscana and Turmeric Chicken Soup. These recipes are gluten-free, and dairy-free, and only need the occasional modifications to be completely Whole30. And even better, they’re flavors the whole family will enjoy as well.
We rely heavily on leftovers for most of our work lunches because that’s what works best for us. Keeping it simple has always been the perfect and most sustainable solution for lunches.
I always make more than we need for dinner so we can pack the leftovers for lunch the next day. But we also mix things up by making something specific for lunch here and there so we don’t get bored.
You’ll find some super easy recipes here, along with some that would be better prepped the day before. My Meal Prep Tuna Salad is so easy you can mix it up before work in just 15 minutes.
But overall I recommend trying to prep your lunches ahead for ease in the mornings. If you are currently doing a Whole30, check out my 5 Ways to Make Simple Healthy Lunches for a little extra inspiration.
I go over the 5 different ways we pack all our lunches to work. And there are recipe suggestions for the easiest things to prep ahead that go nicely with all the options we’re talking about today.
Meal Prep Whole30 Lunch Recipes
- Healthy Tuna Salad Meal Prep
- Greek Chicken Meal Prep
- Thai Chicken Meal Prep
- Easy Sriracha Tuna Salad Meal Prep
- Meal Prep Turkey Taco Salad
- Sheet Pan Fajita Meal Prep
Cozy Soup Recipes
- Healthy Zuppa Toscana
- Paleo Sweet Potato Turkey Chili
- Chicken Zucchini Noodle Soup
- Asian Chicken Zucchini Soup Jars
- Turmeric Chicken Cauliflower Rice Soup
- Creamy Clam Chowder
I make a batch of soup almost every week for about 6 months a year when it’s chilly. Then we alternate between taking leftovers from dinner and taking some soup for lunch.
Soup is really quick and easy to reheat for lunch if you work from home. But it works great at the office as well. For Tyler’s lunch, I heat the soup to boiling and pour it into a thermos. That way he has a hot lunch at work where he doesn’t have any way of heating anything.
Salads Galore
- Classic Chicken Salad
- Fajita Salad Bowls
- Avocado Egg Salad
- Best Broccoli Salad
- Chicken Shawarma Salad
- Curried Mango Chicken Salad
- Mandarin Chicken Salad
- Strawberry Cobb Salad
The other 6 months of the year you’ll find me relying on fresh salads for lunchtime. Some of these salads can be prepped ahead.
But some recipes like the Avocado Egg Salad are best eaten within 1-2 days of when you make it. At the very least, you can always make the dressing ahead of time and prep some of the veggies to help your future self out!
Make ahead to take lunches
- Instant Pot Egg Roll Bowls
- Red Curry Shrimp Cauliflower Rice (use chicken if you don’t like shrimp)
- Thai Turkey Lettuce Wraps
- Instant Pot Chicken Tinga Lettuce Tacos
- Smoked Chicken Breasts – (We love to make large batches of smoked chicken to chop up and freeze for salads and such.)
- Best Baked Chicken Breasts – (These work great if you don’t have a pellet grill and want to make the chicken ahead for the freezer.)
- Anything from my Whole30 Dinner Recipes works for lunches as well. Simply make more than you need for dinner, and take it along for lunch. You can microwave to reheat, or use a thermos.
Whole30 Tips & Tricks
- Check the ingredients list on anything you buy. These recipes are Whole30, but only if your ingredients are compliant. Make sure things like balsamic vinegar don’t have additives, or bacon doesn’t have additives, artificial sweeteners, added sugar, etc.
- You’ll find a few ingredients that aren’t Whole30 in these recipes but are easily subbed out. For instance, if it says butter, use ghee or olive oil. It’s usually listed right in the recipe as an option. Also with recipes like my Sheet Pan Fajita Meal Prep, the recipe itself is Whole30. From there just choose the sides and toppings that are appropriate.
- Focus on quality protein, lots of veggies, and healthy fats to feel satisfied.
- If you’re craving all things creamy, try my comfort food options from Whole30 Dinner Recipes. Or you can add diced-up avocado to your favorite Mexican recipes or salads for the creamy aspect. My Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls are mostly Whole30 and better than Chipotle! Simply omit the cheese and beans, and use cauliflower rice as well as avocado in place of any sour cream.
- Keep things flavorful to taste with fresh herbs whenever possible. We love basil and cilantro, but green onions are another great option to add flavor.
- Add texture with crunch! Diced-up bell peppers, cucumbers, or carrots add a lot of texture.
- Be sure to season your recipe well to your taste with sea salt and black pepper.
- Choose recipes based on flavorful ingredients to keep cravings down. Ingredients like mustard, balsamic vinegar, fresh lemon juice, or anything fermented like kimchi add a lot to a meal.
- You can also make Whole30 sauces or buy your favorites to add a little punch.
- Be sure to have a meal plan before you head to the grocery store to avoid buying too much or overload!
- Look to simple substitutes to make your favorite recipes Whole30 whenever possible. If you have a favorite stir fry recipe like my Ground Beef Stir Fry be sure to omit any sweetener and use coconut aminos in place of soy sauce.
FAQ’s
What can you not eat on a Whole30 diet?
The main list of no’s are grains, legumes, no sweeteners (not even honey or maple syrup) except dates in certain cases, dairy/cheese, and anything artificial. For a full comprehensive list, check out theWhole30 website. The main idea is to focus on protein, vegetables, and healthy fats while avoiding inflammatory foods.
What can I have for lunch on a Whole30?
The quickest and easiest option for Whole30 lunches is to take your leftovers from dinner for lunches. You’ll also find lots of options with my recipes to make ahead and take for lunch from cozy soups to fresh salads. There’s also a whole section of meal prep recipes that are perfect to make ahead for Whole30 lunches.
That wraps up my Whole30 Lunch Recipes and lunch ideas. I sure hope you find this helpful, and if you make one of these recipes, please leave me a comment/rating on the recipe – it helps so much!
