21 High-Protein, Anti-Inflammatory Lunches By Eleanor Chalstrom Eleanor Chalstrom Eleanor is EatingWell's editorial apprentice. She attends Iowa State University, where she is a junior studying journalism, political science and history. During her time at college, she has worked as an editor and reporter at the campus newspaper, the Iowa State Daily, where she wrote about culture and lifestyle. She is an editorial director at TREND Magazine, an on-campus fashion publication. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 15, 2025 Reviewed by Dietitian Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD Reviewed by Dietitian Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD Christa Brown is a registered dietitian and business owner with a practice focus on diabetes management and content development for brands and fitness influencers. She is a licensed dietitian with a Master of Science in Nutrition Education and a certification in gut health by the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Close Protein is an essential nutrient that is important for keeping muscles healthy, promoting heart health and supporting healthy weight maintenance. Each of these healthy, filling lunch recipes follows our nutrition parameters for high-protein meals, containing 15 grams or more per serving. In addition to being high in protein, these lunches are also packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients like healthy fats, fruits, vegetables and whole grains to help you reduce chronic inflammation and its pesky symptoms, which can include stiff joints, digestive issues and brain fog. Recipes like our Cucumber-Chicken Green Goddess Wrap and Chicken-Quinoa Bowl with Strawberries & Pecans will make your lunch the healthiest and most delicious meal of the day. Love any of these recipes? Tap "Save" to add them to MyRecipes, your new, free recipe box for EatingWell. 01 of 21 Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowls View Recipe Save This pesto chicken quinoa bowl is packed with herbs from the basil pesto and the Italian spice mix, and gets a slight kick of heat from the red pepper. If you enjoy the flavor profile, this dish can also be made with orzo in place of quinoa. 02 of 21 Cucumber-Chicken Green Goddess Wrap View Recipe Save Brie Passano This quick and easy wrap rolls up for a casual stationary lunch or a meal on the go, with protein from chicken to keep you going. The green goddess dressing is creamy with cheese and avocado and bright from lemon and herbs. Cucumber and carrots add color and crunch to this healthy, robust whole-wheat wrap. 03 of 21 Roasted Salmon Rice Bowl with Beets & Brussels View Recipe Save Roasting vegetables and salmon together on one sheet pan while the rice cooks makes an easy, satisfying meal packed with protein, whole grains and veggies. To ensure that you're getting 100 percent whole grains, look for a wild rice blend that consists of wild and brown rice. 04 of 21 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 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. 05 of 21 Green Veggie Bowl with Chicken & Lemon-Tahini Dressing View Recipe Save For this healthy 30-minute dinner, treat your veggies like pasta and cook until al dente, or just done. If you have a little extra time, double or triple the lemon-tahini dressing and use it to quickly dress a salad or as a sauce for steak or shrimp. 06 of 21 Chickpea Tuna Salad View Recipe Save Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling / Ruth Blackburn This chickpea tuna salad with capers, feta and cucumber makes for the perfect lunch to pack for work or school. You can prep the salad the night before—just be sure to keep the spinach separate and dress the salad right before serving. 07 of 21 Tomato-&-Avocado Cheese Sandwich View Recipe Save Parmesan cheese is such a bold flavor, you only need 1/4 cup to add a big punch to this vegetarian toaster-oven sandwich. Get a serving of fruit too, when you enjoy the sandwich with a fresh pear. 08 of 21 Orzo Salad with Chickpeas & Artichoke Hearts View Recipe Save Photography / Fred Hardy, Styling / Kady Wohlfarth / Kay Clarke This hearty orzo salad features feta, lemon and dill, three ingredients often found in Greek cuisine. Enjoy for lunch or dinner. 09 of 21 Salmon-Stuffed Avocados View Recipe Save Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell Canned salmon is a valuable pantry staple and a practical way to include heart-healthy, omega-3-rich fish in your diet. Here, we combine it with avocados in an easy no-cook meal. 10 of 21 Chicken-Quinoa Bowl with Strawberries & Pecans View Recipe Save Charlotte & Johnny Autry This simple chicken grain bowl makes a perfect family dinner. Let everyone customize their meal by portioning the greens and grains into bowls, then serving the remaining ingredients buffet-style so eaters can pick and choose what they want to top theirs with. 11 of 21 Shrimp, Avocado & Feta Wrap View Recipe Save This easy wrap makes a great healthy lunch to pack for work. Buy cooked shrimp in the seafood department at most supermarkets and grocery stores, or check the freezer section for tailed and deveined shrimp that are easy to thaw and steam. Salty feta and chopped fresh vegetables keep this easy lunchtime wrap flavorful and satisfying. 12 of 21 Chicken & Apple Kale Wraps View Recipe Save Using kale leaves instead of bread to wrap your filling makes this healthy chicken lunch recipe low-calorie—and lower in carbs. If you can't find Lacinato (aka Tuscan or dinosaur) kale, try cabbage for your wrap. 13 of 21 Salmon Rice Bowl View Recipe Save Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco Inspired by the viral TikTok trend, this salmon rice bowl makes for a tasty lunch or dinner. With healthy ingredients like instant brown rice, salmon and veggies, you'll have a flavorful meal in just 25 minutes. 14 of 21 Spinach & Feta Turkey Meatballs with Herbed Quinoa View Recipe Save With a variety of flavors and textures—and a whopping 30 grams of protein—these meal-prep bowls will keep you fueled all afternoon. Look for tzatziki near the specialty cheeses and dips at your grocery store. 15 of 21 Chickpea Salad Sandwich View Recipe Save Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling / Ruth Blackburn This vegan chickpea salad sandwich is lemony, bright and surprisingly delicious. It's got all the flavors of a classic tuna salad sandwich—dill, lemon and a bit of garlic—but with chickpeas instead to add a vegan source of protein and a healthy boost of fiber. Celery brings a nice crunch. 16 of 21 Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl View Recipe Save Photography: Carson Downing, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabe Greco This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado, plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top. 17 of 21 Avocado Chicken Salad View Recipe Save Caitlin Bensel This avocado chicken salad is herbaceous, bright and creamy. The blend of cilantro, dill and chives pairs nicely with fresh avocado. Enjoy this easy chicken salad over lettuce, on crackers or in a wrap. 18 of 21 Citrus Lime Tofu Salad View Recipe Save This veggie-packed salad has plenty of protein and fiber, so you'll feel full and satisfied. Prep the ingredients ahead of time for an easy vegan lunch idea to pack for work. 19 of 21 Edamame Hummus Wrap View Recipe Save Made with protein-rich edamame instead of chickpeas, this easy hummus recipe is the perfect vegetarian filling for a grab-and-go wrap. Or double the recipe and use the hummus for a healthy snack with cut-up vegetables. 20 of 21 Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing View Recipe Save Ali Redmond Hearty yet simple to prepare, this stuffed sweet potato with black beans, kale and hummus dressing is a fantastic 5-ingredient lunch for one! 21 of 21 Vegan Burrito Bowls with Cauliflower Rice View Recipe Save These meal-prep vegan burrito bowls are healthier and more flavorful than takeout. Make them early in the week for grab-and-go meals when days are busy. We use frozen cauliflower rice, a low-carb substitute for white or brown rice, to cut down on prep time. Explore more: Healthy Recipes Nutrient-Focused High-Protein High-Protein Lunch Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit