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Easy Lunches That Satisfy

The following guide is filled with easy lunches that satisfy without killing your waistline.

By Julie BarnesPublished 7 years ago 4 min read
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Lunch might just be one of the most difficult meals of the day. Satisfying dinners are easy to whip up, as are built-up breakfasts. It's possible to get a stick-to-your-ribs dinner or lunch that also doesn't pack a powerful punch in the diet department.

However, finding recipes for low-calorie, easy lunches that satisfy hungry people seems to be a task much akin to trying to hunt a unicorn. Simply put, lunch foods are either too light or too heavy...and they always seem to find a way to magically cause weight gain.

Thankfully, there are some options out there that can make lunches satisfying, healthy, and low calories. We did the research, and found some of the most diet-friendly yet easy lunches that satisfy you - even if you're insanely hungry.

Chicken Marrakesh

Chicken Marrakesh isn't exactly what most people would think of when they think of quick and easy lunches that satisfy hunger without the added destroyed waistline. It's a great dish that's known for rich sauces, massive portions, and loads of fats.

This Chicken Marrakesh recipe trims things down but keeps things tender with the help of a slow cooker. Needless to say, it's a "set and forget" recipe that's perfect for just scooping into a container as you head to work in the morning.

Seared Salmon With Broccoli

You don't have to be a kitchen whiz to make seared salmon with a side of broccoli. Salmon is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and high in protein - both of which help fill people. Broccoli is rich in fiber and vitamins, which make it a perfect food choice to get that extra "full" feeling.

This reasonably quick recipe here would make enough for multiple servings while still remaining pretty low calorie. If you don't feel like doing such an involved recipe, simply cooking the salmon with a pre-mixed spice will do in a pinch.

Garlic Bacon Grilled Cheese

Whoever said that light lunches had to be totally bereft of comfort foods clearly hasn't seen what goodness can come from grilled cheese. The most basic grilled cheese sandwich is around 200-ish calories. At most, you might look at a top calorie count of 400 calories, assuming that you use a lot of American cheese slices.

This upgraded version, which was featured on the MyFitnessPal blog, packs a nutritional punch while still giving you that much-needed burst of flavor in every bite. In terms of easy lunches that satisfy, this one definitely ranks high up there - even if you're not the diet type.

Green Garden Salads

Yes, it's true. Salads can be turned into easy lunches that satisfy, even if they don't include bacon. That being said, the issue that most people have with salads is that they don't ever really feel substantial. All that lettuce tends to feel, well, airy.

The solution to this is to add some protein and fat to your salad. That's actually a task that's way easy. This recipe here shows you how to make a really satisfying, nutritionally rich salad that also can work for light dinners.

The best part about this salad option? You don't even need to cook anything to make it! As long as you have the ingredients on hand, this is a quick and easy way to make lunch on the go.

Spinach Artichoke Quiche

Quiche isn't one of those recipes that has a reputation for being an easy lunch to make, however, it is satisfying. They're protein packed, and often have a lot of heavy creams in them that can make them difficult to deal with in cases of a diet.

Leave it to Gimme Some Ovento come up with easy lunches that satisfy in the form of quiche. Moreover, we have to admit - the fact that these quiches are all under 400 calories make it pretty amazing. Oh, and they're incredible as a breakfast goodie!

Pulled Pork Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Potatoes are known for being filling. Pulled pork is known for being sinful. Yet, when the two are combined, it's hard to imagine that this could actually be a diet-friendly meal. But, yes, it's possible to turn baked potatoes into easy lunches that satisfy without breaking that caloric bank.

That being said, the folks at Whitty Paleo somehow managed to create a recipe that involves both elements in an incredibly filling yet light lunch that will keep you full for hours.

Pulled Pork Posole

Pulled pork is really easy to make, especially if you have a slow cooker in the kitchen. If you're looking for satisfying soups, look no further than a Mexican-style posole. It's warm, spicy, and absolutely incredible for weight loss.

BudgetByteshas been awesome enough to create an incredible pulled pork posole recipe that can be done with premade pulled pork, chicken, or beef. This goes to show you that you don't have to work too hard to make easy lunches that satisfy and last.

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About the Creator

Julie Barnes

Learning to laugh at life while feeding a family of five. Finding unique, unusual recipes on a budget.

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