How to Pack a Healthy Lunch Box for Work | Lunch Food Checklist

Medically reviewed by Abbey Sharp, Registered Dietitian (RD), BASc.

Packing a healthy lunch box is not just for kids or parents of kids. I share my easy guide to packing a balanced healthy lunch box for adults to take to work.

Bringing your lunch to work may have seemed lame in your early 20s, but now it is totally in vogue. Not only is packing a healthy lunchbox a great way to save money, but it’s also key to cutting on calories and fat, as well. I mean, it’s awesome if your cafeteria has a salad bar, but otherwise veggie options are usually limited to sad baby carrots and dip.

How to Build a Healthy Lunch Box for Adults

A balanced healthy lunch box requires a nice variety of yummy eats. Here’s my guide to help you create a healthy lunch box and some ideas for each food to include.

SNACKS

Choose 2-3 snacks with either protein, fibre, or both:

Milk

Plain Greek Yogurt with fruit

Almonds

Hummus and veggies

Homemade Granola Bar

Plain Cottage Cheese with berries

Almond butter and celery

Low Sodium Jerky

Cheese with Whole Grain Crackers

LUNCH

Lean Protein:

Grilled Chicken

Canned Beans

Hardboiled Eggs

Cooked Lentils

Baked or Grilled Tofu

Cooked Lean Ground Meat

Seared Steak

Baked Fish

Cooked Shrimp

Edamame

High Fibre Carbs:

Brown Rice

Quinoa

Wild Rice

Whole Grain Pasta

Whole Grain Crackers

Sweet Potatoes

Peas

Corn

Carrots

Oats

Barley

Low Calorie Vegetables:

Salad greens

Tomatoes

Bell peppers

Zucchini noodles (zoodles)

Cucumbers

Green Beans

Asparagus

Healthy Fat:

Vinaigrette

Avocado

Cheese

Olives

Nuts

Seeds

Healthy Sweet:

Dark Chocolate

Fruit

Berries

Power Balls/ Bliss Balls/ Energy Balls

Dried Fruit

Applesauce

Chia Pudding

Granola

Small Homemade Muffin

What’s in my Healthy Lunch Box?

Check out my treasure trunk of a healthy Lunch Box! This is what I’ve packed inside!

Natrel lactose free on-the-go milk – this is a great single-serving snack that offers healthy protein, Calcium and Vitamin D on the go. It’s also totally lactose free so you can avoid the discomfort you may find with regular dairy and it’s made with Canadian dairy. You can get it now in major supermarkets, convenience stores and mass merchants throughout Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes.

Greek Yogurt with Berries for a great morning snack.

Almonds to get through the 3 PM energy dip.

Steamed Zucchini Noodles for my low calorie veg!

Steamed Sweet Potato Noodles for a little bit of energizing carb.

Leftover Baked Lean Beef Meatballs for my protein (and they taste so good)

Dark Chocolate as my treat. We all need a treat in the work day.

What’s in your healthy lunch Box? What would be your ultimate picks from the list above? Leave me a comment below, I would love to hear your faves!

This post was sponsored by Natrel, however, all opinions are genuine.

Updated on October 4th, 2021