16 Mediterranean Diet Lunches You Can Prep the Night Before

Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl

Tonight, lend “future you” a helping hand by preparing lunch ahead of time. You can make most or all of the components of these recipes the night before, so all you have to do is enjoy it the next day. These meals align with the Mediterranean diet, ranked as one of the healthiest eating patterns for seven years in a row. So, you’ll find that they’re packed with nutritious foods like lean proteins, healthy fats, whole grains, nuts, seeds and more to help you stay satisfied through the afternoon.

One reader writes that our Chickpea & Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce is “perfect to prepare on Sunday and enjoy for lunch most of the week.” Or, store the goat cheese spread from our Tomato & Cucumber Sandwich Recipe in your refrigerator, so you can throw something fresh together whenever you want.

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Chickpea & Quinoa Bowl with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl

Quinoa and chickpeas pack this vegetarian grain bowl with plenty of plant-based protein. Whip up a batch of these flavorful grain bowls and pack them in lidded containers to stash in the fridge for easy, healthy grab-and-go lunches all week long.

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Carrot Soup

Overhead view of two green serving bowls of Carrot Soup recipe

Photographer: Jen Causey

This easy carrot soup recipe is a great way to use up a bag of carrots that were forgotten in your produce drawer. The carrots cook together with aromatics like onions, garlic and fresh herbs before being pureed into a silky smooth soup that's delicious for dinner or packed up for lunch.

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Lemony Lentil Salad with Feta

Lemony Lentil Salad with Feta

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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Chopped Salad with Chicken & Creamy Chipotle Dressing

Chopped Salad with Chicken & Creamy Chipotle Dressing
Photography / Jennifer Causey, Styling / Melissa Gray / Kay Clarke

This chopped salad with chicken is smoky and zesty thanks to the creamy chipotle dressing. Cilantro adds a pop of freshness to each bite.

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Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl

Overhead view of a white bowl of Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl recipe on a reddish brown tile tabletop

Photography: Carson Downing, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabe Greco

This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top.

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Tomato & Cucumber Sandwich

a recipe photo of the Tomato & Cucumber Sandwich
Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf

This refreshing, tangy sandwich is easy to pull together when you're short on time. You can lightly toast the bread if you want to add a little crunch. Fresh dill adds a grassy flavor. If you don't have fresh, stir an 1/8 teaspoon dried dill in its place. Make it a vegetarian sandwich by skipping the bacon and adding sliced cheese or an extra slice of tomato instead.

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Pea Soup

Overhead photo of 2 bowls of Pea Soup.

https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/8066165/tres-leches-overnight-oats/?state=PREVIEW&et=1704825181693&kw=fakeAds

This simple pea soup recipe makes an elegant start to a spring meal. It's also a great way to use frozen vegetables when the produce section is looking bleak.

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Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls

overhead shot of vegan grain bowl filled with beets, edamame and avocado

Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey

This nutrient-packed grain bowl recipe comes together in 15 minutes with the help of a few convenience-food shortcuts like prewashed baby kale, microwavable quinoa and precooked beets. Pack these ahead to keep on hand for easy meal-prep lunches or dinners on busy nights.

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Green Goddess Wrap

Green goddess wrap cut in half on a pink plate

Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf

A soft and silky green goddess dressing blends with crunchy fresh cucumber and tender greens in this easy wrap. If you prefer, you can ditch the wrap and enjoy the filling as a salad instead.

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Caprese Pasta Salad

Caprese Pasta Salad
Photographer / Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Christine Keely

This light and fresh caprese pasta salad is brought together with a bright and tangy dressing, with fresh mozzarella pearls adding creaminess to every bite.

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Red Lentil Soup with Saffron

Red Lentil Soup with Saffron
Jacob Fox

This hearty red lentil soup uses spices common in Persian cuisine: turmeric, cumin and saffron. Enjoy it with a warm baguette or steamed rice.

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Chickpea "Chicken" Salad

Chickpea "Chicken" Salad

This chickpea salad is a vegetarian version of a classic chicken salad. It doesn't mimic the flavor of chicken; it swaps chickpeas in for the chicken. It's an ideal recipe if you're looking for simple, healthy lunch ideas. It is a delicious and fiber-packed vegetarian alternative! Plus, it's easily transportable, perfect for picnics and will surely step up your usual desk lunch. So, whether you're in need of healthy lunch ideas for work or school, or healthy lunch ideas for kids and teens alike, this fresh and creamy chickpea salad may be the answer.

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Vegetable Cabbage Soup

Vegetable Cabbage Soup
Photography / Jennifer Causey, Styling / Ali Ramee / Audrey Davis

Cabbage soup gets a boost of fiber and heartiness with the addition of beans. A simple tomato broth is brightened by fresh herbs and has slight heat from crushed red pepper. Serve with crusty bread.

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Green Goddess Salad

bowl of salad with creamy green dressing and shrimp

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

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3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad

3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad
Carolyn Hodges

We put a flavor twist on the classic chicken salad by using a lemon-herb mayonnaise. Try other mayo varieties, like roasted garlic or chipotle lime, in this fast, no-cook lunch recipe. Serve this rotisserie chicken salad recipe with whole-grain crackers.

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Kale & Chickpea Grain Bowls

a recipe photo of the Kale and Chickpea Grain Bowl w Avocado Dressing
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

This veggie-heavy bowl is loaded with crunch and color, thanks to crispy carrots and chickpeas, fresh kale and a vibrant avocado dressing. It also delivers more than 50% of your daily dose of fiber, key for weight loss, energy and healthy digestion. Bulgur, also called cracked wheat, is a quick-cooking whole grain. These bowls would be excellent make-ahead lunches. Pack the avocado mixture separately, adding a little water to thin it as needed.

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