Mediterranean Diet Inspired Packed Lunches

A collection of healthy and filling mediterranean diet inspired ideas for packed lunches to keep your lunch on the go from being dull and boring.

Enjoying Lunch on the Go

Taking packed lunches to work day after day can get monotonous. I don’t know about you but sometimes the only highlight of my day at work was looking forward to lunch.

In an effort to break up the typical “sandwich” or “salad” prepped lunch, I’m sharing some of my favorite mediterranean diet inspired lunch ideas.

All of these lunch recipes and ideas can be modified to be prepped in advance or taken on the go. They also don’t require any reheating since many people don’t have access to a microwave at work.

Check out these Tips for Packing a Healthy Lunch

Bowl Style Lunches

With just a little bit of prep, you can create a delicious and filling “bowl” style meal. Often called Buddha Bowls or Power Bowls, it’s basically a mini meal served in a bowl.

Lunch packing tip – if your “bowl” has a dressing, leave it on the side until just before eating so you meal doesn’t get soggy.

Some of my favorite “bowls” –

• Greek Chicken Bowls
• Mediterranean Plant Power Bowl
• Spicy Peanut Noodle Bowl from What’s Gaby Cooking

Wraps

I don’t know why I consider wraps so much fancier than sandwiches. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s served in a tortilla or pita style bread? I’m not sure exactly but I do think of them as fancier.

A wrap can make a great pack ahead lunch idea. Plus if you have a dipping sauce…even better! One of my favorites is to simply wrap your typically “sandwich” fixings in a whole wheat tortilla and then dip it into pesto. So good!

A few of my other favorite wraps…

• Spicy Tuna Wrap
• Collard Green Wraps
• Power Protein Wrap from Food Network

Lettuce Free “Salads”

While I am a huge fan of salad, I find that they aren’t something I always look forward to having for lunch. Maybe because the lettuce doesn’t pack well in advance and tends to get soggy.

These salad ideas are all lettuce free and can all be made in advance. Enjoy with a fork, a spoon, on crackers, in a wrap, however you choose.

• Rosemary Chicken Salad
• Curry Egg Salad
• Mediterranean Tuna Pasta Salad
• Radicchio Salad with Beans, Figs and Walnuts from Bon Appetit

Bento Box Style Lunch

Growing up, one of my favorite dinners was something we called “cheese and crackers”. It was like a picnic of dinners. A little cheese, crackers, some fresh bread, grapes, salami, etc. It was casual and easy and still one of my favorites.

Bento box style lunches are a great option for a “picnic” style lunch you can bring to work/school. A little of this, a little of that.

Some ideas for keeping it balanced and filling –

• Cheese and hearty crackers (ie triscuits or whole wheat)
• Dried fruit like cranberries, apricots, mango
• Seasonal fresh fruit – berries, grapes, an orange, melon
• Veggies to dip into hummus or tzatziki sauce
• Apple slices with peanut butter
• Mixed Nuts and olives