19 Three-Step Lunch Recipes for Weight Loss (2024)

Make these easy and refreshing lunches any day of the week. Each serving is under 575 calories and offers at least 6 grams of fiber to help you stay on track with your nutrition goals. Plus, these dishes come together in just three steps or less so lunchtime is easier and faster. Recipes like our Veggie & Hummus Sandwich and Lemony Lentil Salad with Feta are just the flavorful and nutritious meals you’ll want to eat to help you stay satisfied and ready for whatever the day holds.

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Veggie & Hummus Sandwich

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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.

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Lemony Lentil Salad with Feta

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This delicious and healthy lentil salad comes together in just 30 minutes and makes a wonderful hot-weather meal. Serve with whole-wheat pitas, if desired.

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BLATs (Bacon-Lettuce-Avocado-Tomato Sandwiches)

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In this healthy BLT recipe, we use a creamy avocado spread flavored with garlic and basil, and add sprouts. Look for sprouted-wheat bread in the frozen section or with other specialty breads at your grocery store.

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Vegan White Bean Chili

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Fresh Anaheim (or poblano) chiles add mild heat to this classic white bean chili and contribute lots of smoky flavor. Quinoa adds body to the chili, while diced zucchini provides pretty flecks of green and increases the veggie content.

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Salmon-Stuffed Avocados

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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.

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Spring Roll Salad

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All the tastes, color and fun of a spring roll without all the work! This healthy salad recipe is bursting with the colors of rainbow from generous amounts of fresh vegetables, shrimp and whole grains all topped with a peanut dressing for the ultimate satisfying salad.

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Green Goddess Salad

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This gorgeous green goddess salad combines fresh shrimp, cucumber, artichoke hearts and cherry tomatoes with homemade dressing.

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Butternut Squash Soup with Apple Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

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Layering apple slices into grilled cheese sandwiches adds a little crunch to a favorite soup dipper. And creamy butternut squash soup with ginger, cumin and turmeric is a nice change of pace from grilled cheese's usual tomato soup partner. If you have a sensitive palate, you can cut back on the spices. Be sure to use seasonal squash for the best squash flavor. Serve the duo for a comforting and easy weeknight dinner for the family. The soup keeps well in the fridge, so save leftovers for lunch or dinner later in the week.

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Strawberry-Chocolate Smoothie

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This creamy, rich strawberry-chocolate smoothie will satisfy any chocolate cravings. It's so decadent you might want it as a dessert, too.

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Tomato-&-Avocado Cheese Sandwich

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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.

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Orange-Mint Freekeh Salad with Lima Beans

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This salad is loaded with colorful produce: fresh mint, snap peas, radishes and oranges. For pretty snap pea slices, cut them into long, thin strips.

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English Muffin Pizza with Tomato & Olives

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This pizza-inspired English muffin topped with tomato, cheese, olives and oregano does triple duty—it's great as a snack or as part of a delicious breakfast or lunch.

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White Bean & Avocado Sandwich

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White beans mash seamlessly into a creamy protein-packed spread for a satisfying healthy sandwich that makes for an easy lunch or dinner. Mix it up by trying it with canned chickpeas or black beans. This vegetarian sandwich recipe is also a fiber superstar: avocado, beans, greens and whole-wheat bread team up to give it 15 grams of fiber, more than half of what most women should aim for in a day.

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Sweet Potato Soup with Crispy Tortilla Topping

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This easy tortilla soup is a satisfying vegetarian riff on the classic dish. Make this a vegan tortilla soup by using vegetable broth and omitting the queso fresco topping.

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Piled-High Vegetable Pitas

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Fresh, bright flavors come alive in these easy vegetarian pitas. Give yourself enough time to make the roasted vegetables called for in the recipe—or make them a day or two in advance for a healthy meal that takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. These pitas would also work well with whatever leftover cooked veggies you have on hand. No need to warm the roasted veggies up; this recipe tastes great chilled or at room temperature.

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Bacon and Avocado Topped Baked Potato

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A baked russet potato is topped with crumbled bacon, diced avocado, salsa, and shredded Colby Jack cheese--a meal in itself!

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Quick Lentil Salmon Salad

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In this budget-friendly salmon recipe, canned salmon tops lentils, carrots and celery--ingredients you probably have on hand already. Fiber-rich lentils come in a variety of colors and they typically cook faster than dried beans, so they're a great choice for a fast weeknight dinner.

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Lentil Burgers

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Walnuts and fresh marjoram accent these vegan lentil burgers. Substitute oregano for marjoram if you like. Serve with a smear of whole-grain mustard and roasted sweet potato wedges.

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Toaster-Oven Quesadillas

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We love finding new ways to use our kitchen tools and appliances. These toaster-oven quesadillas with peppers and avocado are the perfect example of an unexpected toaster-oven hack we had to share.

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