Fight Afternoon Hunger and Stay Energized With These 11 Low-Carb, High-Protein Lunches

Published on July 11, 2019 at 7:45 AM

Lately I've been on a hunt for the perfect high-protein, low-carb work lunch. As much as I love a good sandwich, carbs in the middle of the day give me bloating and major energy crashes. Salads are better, but I'm inevitably hungry an hour later. How to solve the problem? For me, it's been keeping my lunches low-carb while giving the protein content a major boost.

Any one of these 11 low-carb, high-protein lunches is a great choice to satisfy and keep your energy humming right along in a busy work or school day. They've also been hand-picked for easy meal prepping and portability so you can brown bag 'em for the office, the classroom, or wherever you're off to this week.

Creamy Cauliflower Risotto With Chicken and Asparagus

Riced cauliflower is the low-carb secret behind this decadent "risotto," which packs 21 grams of protein per serving. The recipe makes six servings, so you can have it for dinner on Sunday and enjoy it for lunch the rest of the week.

Get the recipe: creamy cauliflower risotto with chicken and asparagus

Roasted Tofu, Cauliflower, and Broccoli

High in protein, low in carbs, and made in just one pan: it's hard not to love this easy vegan meal, especially when the garlicky, cumin-tinged flavor is so rich, too. Enjoy the roasted veggies and protein-packed tofu for lunch by simply reheating and chowing down.

Get the recipe: roasted tofu, cauliflower, and broccoli

Healthy Chicken Salad

Sub in nonfat Greek yogurt to keep the same texture and tang of chicken salad you love while cutting the calories in half. Skip the bread and serve your salad over a bed of lettuce for a light and satisfying lunch with a solid 20 grams of protein.

Get the recipe: healthy chicken salad

Whole30 Chicken Curry

This creamy, healthy take on chicken curry is packed with 19 grams of protein and so much delicious flavor. Whip it up on a weeknight and enjoy leftovers for the next few days!

Get the recipe: Whole30 chicken curry

Shrimp Salad

Besides being low in carbs, this simple shrimp salad is brimming with protein — 23 grams in all. You can serve it on a bed of romaine lettuce or in the hollow of an avocado for some healthy, filling fats. It only keeps for about a day in the fridge, so prep it on a Sunday for a work lunch to beat your Monday blues.

Get the recipe: shrimp salad

Butternut Squash Risotto With Crispy Salmon

Riced butternut squash is the secret behind this super-filling salmon "risotto," which is great for lunch or dinner. (But unless you want to make your whole work kitchen smell like salmon, you might want to eat the fish cold if you're doing lunch.)

Get the recipe: butternut squash risotto with crispy salmon

Greek Chicken Wraps

Perfect for meal prep, these healthy and delicious wraps take just 30 minutes to prep and will keep you satisfied for lunch all week long. Want to make them low-carb? Skip the tortilla and eat your wrap as a bowl, or use one of these low-carb tortillas.

Get the recipe: Greek chicken wraps

Low-Carb Lasagna Skillet

Yes, the words "low-carb" and "lasagna" do go together! Just replace the noodles with spaghetti squash, throw in ground beef for 25 grams of protein, and add your mozzarella and ricotta. Bake it ahead of time and bring it to work all week long. Buon appetito!

Get the recipe: low-carb lasagna skillet

Low-Carb Wasabi Grilled Salmon Bowls

So many healthy things going on in this meal prep lunch bowl: bok choy, mushrooms, zucchini, and crispy grilled salmon. Plus, just six grams of carbs and 38 grams of protein!

Get the recipe: low-carb wasabi grilled salmon bowls

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

A simple combo of red potatoes, onions, and chicken breast, this healthy chicken tikka masala takes three to four hours to cook in your slow cooker, so start it up on the weekend for a Sunday dinner and lunch for the rest of the week. With just 10 grams of carbs per serving, you can make this dish even healthier by subbing in quinoa for white rice.

Get the recipe: slow cooker chicken tikka masala

Crab Louie

This refreshing Crab Louie salad combines hard-boiled eggs and lump crab meat for a delicious lunchtime salad that has 35 (!) grams of protein and just 16 grams of carbs.

Get the recipe: Crab Louie