easy and healthy weekday lunches.

Happy holiday season! This time of year is so hectic — trying to wrap things up at work, get the perfect gifts for everyone on your list, and balance your holiday party schedule while maintaining a ‘holly jolly’ attitude! It is tricky. One thing that has always centered me during a busy or stressful weekday is going home for lunch. It sounds so simple, but it really is a great way to step away from the office for a quick bit without any distractions to eat a healthy lunch and chill for just a bit.

Sometimes I will cook something quickly, and other times I will just reheat leftovers from the night before, but I thought I would share some easy and healthy weekday lunch ideas to keep you fueled during this busy time of year. Bonus: these are all so simple to make fresh or ahead of time.

Quiche 

I have been making quiche a lot lately. I love that you can have a slice (or two!) with coffee in the morning, or a slice paired with a kale salad for lunch or dinner. Plus, it is full of protein and you can play around with the flavors and use veggies left in your fridge depending on what you put into your egg mixture. I am gluten-intolerant, so I use a frozen gluten free pie crust as a shortcut. I use a family recipe to make mine, but here is a quiche recipe from Trisha Yearwood that has really high ratings and looks delicious!

Pesto Zoodles with Shrimp and Tomatoes 

This is one simple dish that can be made in less than 15 minutes. I make this a lot on days when I need to eat fast! This meal idea has been going around the fitness Instagram accounts for several months and is delicious! You can also substitute the zoodles for cauliflower rice or Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi. First, sauté the shrimp for about six minutes. It doesn’t take them long to cook. Remove them from the heat when they turn pink. While you are cooking the shrimp, sauté your zoodles and cherry tomatoes in another pan on medium heat. These will cook for about ten minutes to get the zoodles and tomatoes tender. When they have about a minute left to cook, add in some pesto sauce and then mix in the shrimp as well. And, you are all set with this healthy and fast lunch!

Homemade Bowls

On days when I wake up late or have to take my lunch to work and want something other than a salad, I will make a homemade bowl. I use these quinoa and brown rice packs from Costco as a base (they cook in just 90 seconds!), then add in some grilled chicken and baked butternut squash. You can also layer in other veggies depending on what you have in your fridge. These are easy to put in a Tupperware and microwave at the office for a healthy lunch option.

Veggie-filled Leftovers

One way to ensure you have a healthy lunch is to bring leftovers from a veggie-filled dinner the night before. One of my most favorite winter dinners is this Italian sausage white bean soup full of veggies. I always put one serving in a Tupperware as soon as it ready for dinner because Mr. S LOVES it and will have multiple servings! This way I know I have some for lunch the next day!

I hope these easy and healthy lunch ideas inspired you to mix it up from your typical lunch routine and take a breather during this holiday season!