13 Mediterranean Diet Lunches Perfect for Summer By Danielle DeAngelis Danielle DeAngelis Danielle DeAngelis is a journalist and Associate News & Trending Editor for EatingWell. Her current beat is focused on food and health news as well as exclusive celebrity features, regularly interviewing the top names of today’s entertainment industry. She previous worked as the 2022-23 fellow and as an assistant editor for the brand. Her passion for reading, writing and eating local all guide her in her position at EatingWell. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on July 6, 2022 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is the senior nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Close The Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest eating patterns to follow, and these lunches make following it easy and delicious. Filled with staple ingredients of the Mediterranean diet like chickpeas, fish, whole-grain bread and greens, these lunch ideas have flavors that are super nutritious and perfect for summer. Recipes like our Zucchini Frittata are a flavorful option to help keep you satisfied throughout the day. Love any of these recipes? Tap "Save" to add them to MyRecipes, your new, free recipe box for EatingWell. 01 of 13 Quinoa Salad with Feta, Olives & Tomatoes View Recipe Save Greg DuPree This quinoa salad, which takes loose inspiration from a Greek salad, is flavorful and filling. Broiling the olives along with the other vegetables softens their flavor and adds a smoky background note. A garnish of basil brightens the dish. 02 of 13 Baked Falafel Sandwiches View Recipe Save This street-style falafel sandwich is herbaceous, tangy and rich. The falafel gets nice and crispy in the oven while the veggies inside keep it simple and fresh. Make the tahini sauce (see Associated Recipes) ahead of time for easy prep. Wrapping the sandwich in foil makes it a perfect bring-along lunch and helps hold it together for eating on the go. 03 of 13 Tomato, Cucumber & White-Bean Salad with Basil Vinaigrette View Recipe Save This no-cook bean salad is a delicious way to use summer's best cherry or grape tomatoes and juicy cucumbers for a light dinner or lunch. Fresh basil elevates an easy vinaigrette recipe that dresses up this simple salad into something extraordinary. 04 of 13 Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl View Recipe Save Quinoa and chickpeas pack this vegetarian grain bowl with plenty of plant-based protein. Whip up a batch of these Mediterranean meals and pack in containers with lids to stash in the fridge for easy, healthy grab & go lunches all week long. 05 of 13 Salmon Rice Bowl View Recipe Save Ali Redmond Inspired by the viral TikTok trend, this tasty bowl makes for a satisfying lunch or dinner. With a handful of healthy ingredients, like instant brown rice, heart-healthy salmon and lots of crunchy veggies, you'll have a filling and flavorful meal in just 25 minutes. Looking to cut down on carbs? Try swapping in riced cauliflower in place of the brown rice. 06 of 13 Mozzarella, Basil & Zucchini Frittata View Recipe Save This vegetable-studded frittata recipe is one of the quickest meals you can make. Make it for breakfast, or serve for lunch or dinner with a tossed salad and a slice of olive oil-drizzled crusty baguette. 07 of 13 Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna View Recipe Save This power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Tossing the dressing and kale, and then letting it stand in the jar, softens it enough so you don't need to massage or cook it to make it tender. 08 of 13 Cucumber Salad, Hummus & Pita Bento Box Lunch View Recipe Save Enjoy this refreshing bento box idea over your lunch break that combines cucumber salad, hummus, pita and more for a satisfying work lunch. 09 of 13 Chickpea & Roasted Red Pepper Lettuce Wraps with Tahini Dressing View Recipe Save A tangy, nutty tahini dressing brings together no-cook ingredients like canned chickpeas and roasted red peppers for these easy meal-prep lettuce wraps. Make these wraps ahead of time for a grab-and-go lunch or dinner. A few wedges of warm pita finish off the meal perfectly. 10 of 13 Greek Meatball Mezze Bowls View Recipe Save With a variety of flavors and textures (and a whopping 30 grams of protein!), these Mediterranean-inspired meal-prep bowls will keep you fueled all afternoon. The turkey meatballs are adapted from Greek Turkey Burgers with Spinach, Feta & Tzatziki by Hilary Meyer. Look for premade tzatziki near the specialty cheeses and dips at your grocery store or make your own (see Associated Recipes). 11 of 13 Veggie & Hummus Sandwich View Recipe Save This mile-high vegetable and hummus sandwich makes the perfect heart-healthy vegetarian lunch to go. Mix it up with different flavors of hummus and different types of vegetables depending on your mood. 12 of 13 Chopped Veggie Grain Bowls with Turmeric Dressing View Recipe Save In about 10 minutes, you can prep a week's worth of lunches using 4 simple ingredients from your local specialty grocery store. To minimize prep, we're taking advantage of prechopped fresh veggie mix and frozen quinoa (which heats in the microwave in under 5 minutes). These crunchy chopped salad bowls are high in fiber but lower in calories, making them perfect for those following a reduced-calorie diet. 13 of 13 Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dressing View Recipe Save This hearty vegan salad is loaded with plant-based power ingredients: chickpeas, quinoa and hummus. We love the crunch of the sunflower seeds and the unexpected flavor of roasted peppers. Explore more: Healthy Recipes Regional Mediterranean Mediterranean Lunch Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit