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If you find that you are often starving by the end of the day because of an inadequate lunch, or are over-spending by eating out, these easy lunch ideas for work for men are perfect for you.
Preparing a nutritious lunch can feel challenging and time-consuming, and for some, it may just feel like another burden added to a busy work schedule. A study found that on average, men are more likely to eat out everyday than women, and the majority eat out 3.45 times a week, spending an average of $82 per week on dining out.
That’s just over $350 per month, for reference. Ouch!
Whether you’re just looking for some fresh lunch inspiration, or you’re in desperate need of saving money on your monthly food bills, this list of over 30 cheap and easy lunch ideas for work for men has what you need.
Recommended post: 45 Frugal Meal Ideas
Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
Photo Credit:www.barleyandsage.com
This super simple chicken pesto pasta salad is light, fresh, and comes together in less than 20 minutes! With creamy pesto grilled chicken, spinach, and tomatoes it's the perfect easy lunch!
Curry Chicken Salad with Leftover Rotisserie Chicken
Photo Credit:girlcarnivore.com
Use up leftover rotiserrie chicken for this simple curry chicken salad recipe. It's light, refreshing and the brightness from the mango and curry make it so much more than the usual chicken salad!
Corn and Black Bean Pasta Salad
Photo Credit:www.thetravelpalate.com
There's much to love in this Mexican inspired corn and black bean pasta salad. Similar to fiesta pasta salad, this dish is filled with corn, black beans, tomatoes, and is mixed with a delicious, creamy southwestern chili lime dressing.
Lemon Basil Chicken Salad
Photo Credit:www.therusticfoodie.com
This Lemon Basil Chicken Salad is easy and perfect for lunch! It's made with rotisserie chicken and tossed in a garlic basil mayo dressing.
Easy Tuna Pasta Salad
Photo Credit:www.feastforafraction.com
This tuna pasta salad is easy, filling, and packed with protein for the perfect lunch to keep any man or woman full all afternoon.
Four Bean Salad
Photo Credit:aussiehomecook.com
This quick and easy four bean salad is simple and delicious. With a tangy vinaigrette it can be made in advance and is perfect for a cheap and easy lunch. Tuck in!
Vegan Chickpea Salad
Photo Credit:feastingnotfasting.com
This chickpea salad makes for a light healthy meal that is full of flavor with kalamata olives, tomatoes, cucumber, lots of other veggies and fresh herbs. It’s entirely plant based and keeps in the fridge for several days making it a perfectinexpensive make ahead lunch.
Greek Pasta Salad
Photo Credit:richanddelish.com
Greek pasta salad is the perfect side dish for any occasion, made with cooked pasta, fresh veggies, kalamata olives, feta cheese, and homemade Greek salad dressing.
Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta (Gluten-Free)
Photo Credit:goodfoodbaddie.com
Enjoy this creamy avocado pesto pasta for lunch! It is a vibrant, herbaceous, garlicky, luscious pasta dish that can be made in less than 10 minutes!
Best Potato Salad Ever {Classic American Potato Salad}
Photo Credit:whatagirleats.com
This classic American potato salad is the perfect addition to any lunch box!
Prosciutto Mozzarella and Pesto-Marinated Tomato Sandwich
Photo Credit:www.livinglou.com
You’ll feel like you’re in Italy with Caprese-inspired, prosciutto, mozzarella and pesto-marinated tomato sandwich.
Open-Faced Tomato Sandwich
Photo Credit:twohealthykitchens.com
Use your very best tomato and a fresh, grainy loaf of bread to create delicious magic in just minutes. This Open-Faced Tomato Sandwich is quick and simple (just 4 ingredients and 3 minutes!) but it's bursting with flavor and texture!
Sun Dried Tomato Basil Pesto Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Photo Credit:4sonrus.com
These Sun Dried Tomato Basil Pesto Chicken Salad Sandwiches are quick & easy to whip up, making lunch time a breeze. It’s good, old fashioned comfort food with Italian flair served up on a buttery, flaky croissant roll.
Spicy Chickpea Wraps with Avocado and Spinach
Photo Credit:runningonrealfood.com
Looking for a super easy vegan meal? These spicy chickpea wraps with spinach and avocado take just minutes to make for a healthy and delicious lunch or quick dinner.
5-Minute Turkey Club Ranch Wrap
Photo Credit:foodmeanderings.com
This Turkey Bacon Ranch Wrap will take you 5 minutes to throw together. Make it with leftover turkey or turkey deli meat. Either way, this tortilla wrap recipe makes a great lunch box meal for kids and adults alike.
Caprese Grilled Cheese
Photo Credit:www.thatskinnychickcanbake.com
A simple yet delicious grilled cheese Caprese salad. A delicious light yet nutritious lunch for men.
Low Carb Turkey Roll-Up
Photo Credit:easyhealthllc.com
Low carb turkey roll-ups for lunch or snack ready in under 5 minutes! Great for men trying to watch their calories in the day.
Easy Chipotle Chicken Wrap Recipe
Photo Credit:kidtestedrecipes.com
This chipotle chicken wrap is super easy to make and tastes amazing, it's spicy and delicious.
Chicken Quesadilla Recipe
Photo Credit:twokooksinthekitchen.com
This Our best chicken quesadilla recipe with fresh basil, spicy sweet chili sauce, peaches, brie and a Balsamic glaze drizzle couldn't be easier.
Coronation Chickpeas Open-Faced Sandwich
Photo Credit:www.bytheforkful.com
A beautiful twist on coronation chicken, this vegan recipe uses chickpeas to make it lower in calories but just as delicious. This is a great open-faced sandwich to have for lunch.
Pasta With Fresh Tomatoes
Photo Credit:www.the-bella-vita.com
Quick, easy, and absolutely amazing, this Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes is one of my favorite easy meals!
Easy Ramen Stir Fry
Photo Credit:noshingwiththenolands.com
Here is an Easy Ramen Stir Fry that even your teenage kids can make and will love this recipe. It is inexpensive, quick, and full of flavor. A hoisin-forward tangy sauce helps kick up the humble ramen to a new level.
Pasta fa*gioli
Photo Credit:thecleaneatingcouple.com
The Best Pasta fa*gioli Soup recipe that is better than Olive Garden! Healthy, vegetarian & easy to make on the stove, crockpot or instant pot.
5 Ingredient Instant Pot Chili
Photo Credit:temeculablogs.com
This 5 ingredient Instant Pot chili is cheap and feeds a crowd, so is perfect for meal prepping your lunches for the week. Make with ground beef, turkey or sausage with beans and top with cheese for dinner.
Green Sauce Pasta (10 min)
Photo Credit:wholefoodsoulfoodkitchen.com
This green sauce pasta requires less than 10 simple ingredients. It's super creamy, packed with fresh greens and ready within a couple of minutes! You'll only need a blender so it's the perfect sauce when you don't feel like cooking.
Easy Greek Chicken Meatballs
Photo Credit:goodfoodbaddie.com
These greek chicken meatballs are perfect for an easy lunch. They are ready in less than 25 minutes and can be made in the air fryer or oven!
Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
Photo Credit:aubreyskitchen.com
This instant pot beef and vegetable soup is the perfect lunch idea! Quick, easy and delicious - not to mention easy on the wallet!
Crispy Pan Fried Gnocchi
Photo Credit:thelittlestcrumb.com
This crispy pan fried gnocchi is a simple and quick recipe to make only 20 minutes for an easy weeknight meal. Crispy gnocchi coated in a light sauce made with garlic, herbs, butter and parmesan.
Vegetarian Potato Curry Puff Recipe
Photo Credit:www.greedygirlgourmet.com
These Asian empanadas, or vegan/ vegetarian curry puffs with a delicious potato filling, use mainly cupboard staples. Best of all, it's a no-knead dough that doesn't leave you with sticky hands. Delicious, easy to make and perfect for meal prep as ittastes good hot and cold!
Beef and Mushroom Empanadas
Photo Credit:culinaryginger.com
Delicious beef and mushroom empanadas served with an easy chimichurri sauce for dipping.
Protein Snack Pack - Easy Lunch Meal Prep
Photo Credit:theforkedspoon.com
Protein Snack Packs filled with hard-boiled eggs, almonds, hummus, and crunchy veggies. An easy and delicious lunchtime meal-prep solution perfect for any protein lover, these fantastic little protein snack packs are perfect for easy and cheap lunches.
Vegetarian Empanadas
Photo Credit:flavormosaic.com
Loaded with a colorful vegetables, including sweet corn, red and green bell peppers, protein-packed beans, and aromatic spices, these Vegetarian Empanadas are wrapped in an irresistible flaky, golden crust.
Other top picks for Lunches Ideas for men:
Sandwiches
Effortless and quick to prepare, a Caprese Sandwich is an Italian special vegetarian sub. You can make a flavorful work lunch with simple ingredients like mozzarella cheese, Italian tomatoes, balsamic dressing, and basil.
Other great sandwiches for men: Cheesy Hot Beef Sandwich | Steak Sandwich | Italian Grilled Cheese | Veggie and Hummus Sandwich
Recommended post: How To Meal Prep On A Budget + 30 Cheap Meal Prep Ideas
Meatball sub
Meatball subs really can’t ever go wrong. Make yours with homemade meatballs or store-bought, load up with cheese and a tomato sauce, and you’ve got a fantastic lunch idea for men who need a filling meal to keep you going.
Chicken Ranch Wraps
Nutritious meals don’t have to be bland, especially when you’re trying to have them during lunch breaks. Chicken ranch wraps are jam-packed with ranch dressing and chicken, it is the perfect work lunch. You can prepare these delicious, filling, and healthy wraps within 15 minutes.
Other delicious wraps perfect for lunches: Beef Burritos | Mixed bean and butternut wraps | Hummus veggie wraps | Bean and rice burritos
Empanadas
Apart from being reenergizing, quick, and delicious, your work lunch should also be easy to carry. After all, you don’t want to make a mess and make your day more frustrating. Foods like meat pies, pasties, and empanadas are excellent if you’re looking for work lunch options that can be easy to carry.
Stuff some empanadas with onions, potatoes, and beef to prepare delicious, on-the-go food. While they taste equally delicious when cold, you can always reheat them in a microwave.
Recommended post: 120+ Vegan Meal Prep Ideas That Take 30 Minutes Or Less
Can Women Eat These Meals Too?
Yes, of course! These recipes are for everyone and anyone to enjoy. This list is simply described as being lunch ideas for men because it contains filling, nutritionally-dense, and cheap meals that might particularly appeal to men who are searching for the ideal work lunch to keep full all afternoon until dinner.
Tips for Making These Men Lunch Ideas Cheap & Easy
Work lunches should taste good and be nutritious while being simple and cheap to prepare. After all, you’re also trying to save money by not eating out every day. Here are a few helpful tips that you should know.
Buy in Bulk
Once you have decided on preparing your lunch yourself, the next step is to go grocery shopping.All the men’s lunch ideas listed above are ideal for buying bulk ingredients for a doing some meal prep.
Most people avoid buying in bulk as it may feel like an exhausting and tiring task. However, buying your essentials such as meat, pantry staples, and condiments in bulk quantities can help you save more money than you think – but only if you’ll actually use them!
For example, you can avail of deals and offers instead of buying separate items. Usually, you can save a significant amount of cash on bigger packets and offers. Additionally, doing so will save transportation costs that come with going to the grocery store.
Use Reusable Containers
Reusable containers are great for the environment and your wallet.
Grab a set of steel or plastic food containers the next time you’re out shopping. These containers are durable, and you can reuse them a hundred times over. If you’re looking for packed lunch ideas for your husband, or for yourself, a quality set of containers is a great place to keep your meals fresh and sealed.
Buy From Sales
The best way to buy the ingredients for your salads and lunches is to go out shopping when they’re on sale. This grocery shopping tip typically applies to cheeses, yoghurts, and meats.
For example, stock your freezer with chicken thighs when your favorite super-mart has a special offer.
These lunch ideas for men are all great places to start if you’re searching for inspiration for lunches for your husband, partner, or if you’re a man looking for meals to help you eat healthier and saving money!
You might also like to check out this guide to meal prepping to really minimize the cost of your food shopping.
