It Takes Less Time to Make These Low-Carb Lunches Than to Get Delivery, So No Excuses

The protein and healthy fats in this fresh salad will keep your stomach from rumbling an hour after you eat. Top it off with fresh basil and balsamic dressing.

Get the recipe: cucumber avocado caprese salad

With 16 grams of carbs and a just-sweet-enough dressing, this crunchy chicken salad may just replace your favorite recipe. Serve it over lettuce or atop a slice of whole-grain bread.

Get the recipe: Greek yogurt chicken salad

With this simple recipe, you can make four days' worth of salads in under 30 minutes, but if you want to make it even easier, use canned or precooked chicken.

Get the recipe: ranch chicken jar salads

This portable spin on egg rolls takes only 15 minutes to make (the only cooking involved is heating the ground pork). The recipe calls for serving this Asian dish over rice, but to keep it low-carb, simply omit the rice or use cauliflower rice instead.

Get the recipe: egg roll in a bowl

If chocolate for lunch is wrong, we don't want to be right. This low-carb chocolate smoothie is delicious on its own, but we would recommend adding a scoop of peanut butter or having some veggies or turkey roll-ups on the side to help fill you up until dinner.

Get the recipe: chocolate almond smoothie

This no-cook lunch is easy to make, is packed with veggies, and feeds a crowd. The creamy, herb-packed dressing is sweetened with monk fruit instead of white sugar, keeping it low-carb friendly.

Get the recipe: Mediterranean low-carb broccoli salad

Omelets are not just for breakfast, especially this caprese-inspired version, which is basically like having a tasty salad (except, you know, better). You'll love the fresh flavor and the fact that this whole meal comes together in 10 minutes.

Get the recipe: caprese avocado omelet

Using cauliflower to make this dairy-free faux potato salad cuts the carbs down to under 10 grams per serving. You will want to give it time to chill, so it's best to steam the cauliflower ahead of time and assemble the salad when lunchtime comes calling.

Get the recipe: cauliflower "potato" salad

This savory casserole does need about 30 minutes to cook in the Instant Pot, but the quick 10 minutes of prep earns it a spot on our list. Not to mention it serves six, so you'll be set for lunch all week.

Get the recipe: Instant Pot breakfast casserole with sausage

No bland, boring tuna salads on this list. This Mexican take on the classic incorporates black beans, corn, red onions, fresh cilantro, and a creamy lime dressing and can be served over lettuce or scooped up with low-carb crackers.

Get the recipe: fiesta tuna salad

Insta-worthy lunchboxes aren't just for kids. This bento-box-style lunch has a little bit of everything, including meat, cheese, eggs, fruit, and veggies, and still has only 20 grams of carbs.

Get the recipe: tuna protein box

These roll-ups use low-carb wraps to help keep the carb count within your daily goals while still giving you a decent option when you get bored with salad. They need about an hour in the fridge to firm up but take only 15 minutes to prep. We suggest assembling them in the morning so they are ready by lunch.

Get the recipe: turkey pesto tortilla roll-ups

Shrimp cooks quickly, so even though this recipe may look complicated, the whole thing is ready in under 15 minutes. This seafood salad has only four grams of carbs and can be eaten as is or in a low-carb avocado half or hollowed-out tomato if you're feeling fancy.

Get the recipe: shrimp salad

Hey, if you want to have dessert for lunch, who are we to judge? Each of these mini strawberry cheesecakes has only seven grams of carbs (less if you swap the maple syrup for a low-carb sweetener), so pop a few in your cooler for a fruity lunchtime treat.

Get the recipe: bite-size strawberry cheesecakes