These Easy Ingredient Swaps Make Any Lunch Instantly Healthier and Delicious

Whether you’re eating at home, at work, or having an impromptu picnic toted in a cute basket, lunch should be delicious and nutritious. Here you’ll find nine recipes that take your midday meal up a notch. These made-over meals pack in extra helpings of key nutrients, vitamins, and minerals—plus protein, fiber, and health-boosting antioxidants. And they deliver big on flavor.

PB&J

The standard: Peanut butter and jelly on white bread.
The makeover: Make your own raspberry-chia jam: Defrost ¼ cup frozen raspberries (microwave on high 30 seconds). Stir in 1 tsp. chia seeds and let sit 5 minutes. Spread 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter on one slice of whole grain bread. Spread homemade jam on a second slice.
The boost: Berries and whole grain bread up the fiber. Chia seeds have omega-3 fats; store them right so they don't go bad. And because you're using homemade jam, there’s no added sugar.

Store-Bought Salad Kit

The Standard: Prepackaged salad kit with dressing and toppings.
The Makeover: Pour 1 salad kit into a medium bowl. Add ½ cup protein-rich food, such as chopped turkey, baked tofu, a leaner cut of beef such as flank steak or tri tip, beans, or hard-boiled eggs. Toss with half of the dressing and a splash of red wine vinegar. Swap out croutons for nuts and/or seeds. You can make your own toasted pumpkin seeds and sprinkle them in.
The Boost: Turkey, tofu, beans, and eggs serve up a good dose of protein, iron, potassium, and magnesium; nuts and seeds add healthy fats.

Tuna Sandwich

The standard: Canned tuna (a versatile ingredient you can use in many recipes), mayo, celery, white bread.
The makeover:  In a medium bowl mix together one 5-oz. can drained tuna with 2 Tbsp. plain low-fat Greek yogurt, 1 Tbsp. mayo, 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, 1 stalk diced celery, and ⅓ cup each diced fennel and apple. Assemble on whole grain bread. (Makes two.)
The boost: Yogurt adds protein and lowers fat; celery, fennel, and apple offer fiber plus vitamin C and antioxidants.

Caesar Salad Wrap

The Standard: White flour tortilla, chicken, Parmesan, lettuce, Caesar dressing.
The Makeover: In a small bowl toss ½ cup shredded rotisserie chicken (an easy ingredient to build many dishes around); ¼ cup chickpeas; ¼ of an avocado, cubed; and ¾ cup shredded kale. Add just enough Caesar dressing to coat everything. Give a generous squeeze of lemon juice and toss well. Pile onto a large whole grain flour tortilla and wrap.
The Boost: A whole grain tortilla and chickpeas add lots of fiber. Avocado gives you healthy fats, potassium, vitamin B, and magnesium. Kale adds calcium and vitamin C.

Turkey Sandwich

The Standard: Sliced turkey on a white roll, cheese, lettuce, mayo.
The Makeover: Smash ¼ avocado on the bottom of a whole grain roll. Add turkey slices, 1 slice sharp cheddar, 2 slices each tomato and cucumber, a pile of sprouts, and thinly sliced pepperoncini. Spread mustard on the top roll.
The Boost: Cucumber, tomato, sprouts, and pepperoncini give you a serving of veggies; avocado (you can freeze them to keep their flavor) adds creaminess plus protein and fiber. 

Pesto Pasta Salad

The Standard: Pasta, cucumber, tomatoes, cheese, pesto.
The Makeover: Toss 1 cup cooked whole grain or chickpea rotini, ½ cup chopped cooked chicken, a handful of arugula, 6 halved cherry tomatoes, and ¼ cup each sliced cucumber and red bell pepper. Add a few mini mozzarella balls, enough pesto to lightly coat the salad, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
The Boost: Whole grain pasta and chicken increase the fiber and protein; veggies add potassium, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and folate.

Tomato Soup

The Standard: One can of soup.
The Makeover: Pour one 10.75-oz. can tomato soup into a blender with ⅓ cup drained white beans and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Blend mixture, then transfer to a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Heat on the stove or in the microwave, then top with 1 to 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil, which is especially good to add if you're following the Mediterranean diet.
The Boost: Blending beans into the soup adds four times the amount of protein and fiber, plus iron. Olive oil gives you monounsaturated fats, known to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Sesame Noodles

The Standard: Soba noodles, sesame oil, soy sauce, green onions.
The Makeover: In a medium bowl whisk together 1 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter, 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar, 1½ tsp. toasted sesame oil, ½ tsp. soy sauce, ½ tsp. honey, and ¼ tsp. sriracha. Add 1 cup cooked noodles, ½ cup cooked edamame, ½ cup finely shredded red cabbage (or other crunchy vegetable), 1 thinly sliced green onion, and cilantro. Toss well.
The Boost: Peanut butter, red cabbage, and edamame give more fiber, protein, iron, and antioxidants.

Pot Stickers

The Standard: Pot stickers and dipping sauce.
The Makeover: In a small saucepan bring 1½ cups miso broth to boiling. Add 5 frozen pot stickers and 1 handful chopped bok choy and/or other leafy green and simmer until pot stickers are cooked through (3 to 4 minutes). Add ½ cup cubed extra-firm tofu. Serve in a bowl topped with chili crisp to taste.
The Boost: Tofu adds protein; the bok choy and leafy greens add fiber, calcium, potassium, and iron as well as vitamins A, C, K, and folate.