A snack lunch can hardly be called a recipe. Rather, it’s a suggestion for rethinking what lunch looks like.

On weeks when meal planning and kitchen time are limited, this is our go-to lunchtime hack. Last weekend, our standard grocery store trip and meal prep time didn’t quite fit in our busy itinerary. BUT we’re still making healthy lunches happen this week with our little hack.

A “snack lunch” is composed of odds and ends and snacky foods that when put together, form a complete meal.

Snack lunches are simple to shop for, fun to eat and super easy to throw together. In fact, you can pack up all the components on Monday and keep them at the office!

Get creative with the components you choose (bits of leftover salads, tofu quiche, or muffins make great additions!). Here’s how we build a balanced snack lunch…

 

How To Build a Snack Lunch

Fruit

This one’s easy. Choose any fruit you’d like! We pick up whatever’s on sale and in season.

• Fresh berries
• Apple
• Orange
• Banana
• Kiwi
• Grapes
• Peach

Veg

Fresh, roasted, or leftovers – whatever is easiest!

• Roasted Brussels sprouts, potatoes, and cauliflower
• Carrot + celery sticks
• Simple salad (mixed greens + drizzle of vinegar or citrus)
• Steamed broccoli
• Snap peas
• Baked sweet potato
• Sliced tomato + cucumber drizzled with balsamic
• Sliced bell pepper

Whole Grain

As close to “whole” as possible.

• Leftover cooked grains (quinoa, brown rice, millet, etc.)
• Popcorn
• Ezekiel bread, toasted
• Whole grain crackers (we like Wasa crackers, woven wheats & Mary’s Gone Crackers)
• Rolled oats or granola

Nuts/Seeds/Beans

Choose 1-2 foods from this category.

• Edamame (with or without pod)
• Nut butter or seed butter
• Whole nuts or seeds
• Hummus or other bean dip
• Roasted chickpeas
• Baked tofu cubes
• Leftover beans
• Avocado (this is technically a fruit, but nutrition-wise it fits better in this category)