Looking for anti inflammatory lunch meal prep ideas that go beyond the same green salad? These colorful bowls, veggie-packed jars and little savory muffins give you plenty to work with.
There’s salmon, lentils, leafy greens and lots of ways to mix things up.
Keep it simple with a few favorites or try something different for lunch. These photos offer combination ideas rather than complete recipes.
An anti-inflammatory eating pattern is about your overall habits, not a promise that any single meal will reduce inflammation.
Colorful lunch ideas worth saving
quinoa and greens with golden dressing
We’re starting off strong with this colorful quinoa bowl. I love the dark leafy greens next to the purple-skinned potato pieces.
The sliced topping and bright yellow dressing give you even more to look at.
For your own version, try a lemon-turmeric dressing rather than guessing what’s in the pictured sauce.
salmon and avocado bowl
How good does this salmon bowl look? There’s avocado, halved eggs, orange roasted cubes and a generous pile of cooked greens.
I’d keep the same separate sections when packing this lunch. Add your avocado closer to serving if you want to limit browning.
lentil quinoa salad
If you’re looking for something beyond a leafy salad, this one is for you. Lentils and quinoa are mixed with orange vegetable chunks and chopped green herbs.
Try roasted sweet potato in your version. A squeeze of lemon would be a lovely finishing touch.
chickpeas and browned vegetables
I am obsessed with the colors in this bowl. The chickpeas sit between broccoli, orange carrot pieces and purple-edged vegetables with deeply browned sides.
That pale dressing is drizzled right across the top.
A lemon-tahini sauce would be a nice choice if you’re putting together a similar combination.
colorful noodle jar
Want something a little different from another grain bowl? This jar holds noodles, carrot strips, purple cabbage, leafy greens and pale cubes in an orange-colored broth.
I love the little green onion rings on top. For packing, use a leakproof container and keep your lunch refrigerated.
blueberries and walnuts over greens
This may just be one of my favorite salad combinations here. Blueberries and walnut pieces are scattered through dark ruffled greens, with a finely grated white topping.
If you usually save berries for breakfast, try adding them to your next lunch salad instead.
yellow rice and chopped salad
The bright yellow rice is so pretty beside those red tomatoes. Chickpeas, cucumber, dark olives and crumbled white cheese fill the other side of the bowl.
Keep your dressing in a little separate container if you’re packing this ahead. You can mix everything together when it’s time to eat.
creamy salad and veggie sticks
Don’t want everything tossed into one bowl? No problem!
This divided lunch box keeps the creamy chopped salad away from the carrot sticks and cucumber slices.
I especially love the little flecks of dill and red onion in the top section. Try this layout with your favorite chicken or chickpea salad.
roasted vegetables and cashews
This is another quinoa bowl worth saving. Broccoli and browned purple-skinned vegetables cover one side, with cashews and sliced green onions scattered over the middle.
The image identifies the golden drizzle as turmeric dressing. I’d keep the cashews separate until serving for a little crunch.
sardine salad on toast
Not every lunch needs to stay in a bowl! This sardine salad has leafy greens, white beans and peas, with a portion piled onto a piece of toast.
Pack your bread separately if you want to try the same serving idea. That way, you can add the salad right before eating.
salmon with broccoli and cauliflower
I love this salmon plate with its big broccoli and cauliflower florets. There’s quinoa tucked into the greens underneath, plus dill sprigs and a yellow sauce across the top.
This is a lovely combination to borrow when you want vegetables to take up more of your lunch box.
beets and arugula salad ingredients
Here’s a little inspiration before the salad is even assembled. The ingredient spread shows beets, arugula, pecans, lemon and balsamic vinaigrette, with feta or Gorgonzola listed as the cheese choice.
I’d choose feta for my version. Add white beans if you want to build this salad into a more substantial lunch.
sweet potato and black beans
How pretty is that green drizzle? Sweet potato cubes, black beans and dark leafy greens fill this bowl, with little red vegetable pieces mixed through the beans.
The pictured sauce is labeled garlicky avocado sauce. It’s a fun direction to try if you’re ready for something other than your usual dressing.
golden vegetable soup
If you love a brothy lunch, save this one. The golden soup has carrot slices, dark greens and small chopped vegetables, with herbs and sliced toppings scattered over each bowl.
Read also: 20 New Year’s Day Dinner Ideas From Black-Eyed Peas to Glazed Ham
Ginger and turmeric roots are shown alongside it. You could use those as inspiration when choosing a vegetable soup recipe.
peanut chicken lettuce cups
These little lettuce cups are such a colorful lunch idea. The chicken is covered in a glossy sauce, with carrot strips, red pepper pieces, chopped peanuts and plenty of green garnish.
For meal prep, I’d pack the filling separately from the lettuce. Fill the leaves when you’re ready to eat.
layered arugula jars
I love how you can see all the layers in these jars. Dressing and white beans sit near the bottom, followed by tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and a big handful of arugula.
The front jar also has a shredded pale filling.
Bring a bowl so you can tip everything out and toss it together at lunchtime.
shrimp and zucchini spirals
Want to switch up your noodle bowl? Try taking inspiration from these green-edged zucchini spirals with shrimp, halved tomatoes and leafy greens.
The green sauce coats both the spirals and shrimp. A basil pesto would be a lovely option for your own version.
greek-style salad boxes
Don’t want to go overboard with lunch prep? These salad boxes keep things simple with cucumber, tomatoes, olives, onion rings and green pepper strips over lettuce.
Read also: 20 Cold Sandwich Ideas for Lunch With Plenty of Variety
I love the big white cheese cubes in the middle. You could add chickpeas and a slice of whole-grain bread alongside your version.
golden tofu and green onions
The toppings are my favorite part of this bowl. Large tofu pieces sit in a yellow sauce beneath chopped nuts, black seeds and plenty of sliced green onions.
If you’re putting together something similar, try brown rice on the side. Keep a little of the green onion topping aside to add when serving.
little spinach muffins
Last but definitely not least, we have these cute savory muffins. I love the browned edges, leafy greens and little white cheese crumbles on top.
Try a spinach-and-feta egg muffin recipe for a similar lunch idea. Pair yours with a bean salad or whole-grain toast rather than treating the muffins as the whole meal.