Lunch Recipes

When packing Full Plate lunches, learn to look outside the sandwich. This week we're sharing cold lunch ideas so you can enjoy fiber-rich meals ready to be devoured. (And yes, we did include our favorite sandwich. 😉)

Want to receive more meal ideas like this in your email inbox? Sign up for the free Full Plate Living Membership now.

Seasoned Chickpea Taco Salad

Make it a Full Plate Meal: This recipe is already chock full of fiber. Pack the entire meal up and enjoy.

75% fiber foods – chickpeas, lettuce, corn, red onions, black olives, diced tomatoes
25% foods – walnuts, tortilla strips, dressing

Recipe Note: Use only enough dressing to get a nice flavor in the salad to keep 25% items in their allotted space.

Sweet Potato Chickpea Salad

Make it a Full Plate Meal: Serve this dish over 1/2 cup of brown rice and add a pear for dessert for a fiber-rich, gluten-free meal. Or, you can add in chicken or tofu for a 25% part of the meal.

75% fiber foods – chickpeas, sweet potatoes, red onion, garlic, fresh parsley, brown rice, pear
25% foods – oil, sesame seeds, chicken/tofu

Chuncky Chickpea Spread

Make it a Full Plate Meal: Two ways to add more 75% foods to this meal is to serve it with a cup of steamed veggies and try a portable fruit, like a pear as dessert.

75% fiber foods – chickpeas, celery, red onion, pickle relish, steamed veggies, pear
25% foods – fat-free mayo, bread

Cold Sesame Noodle Bowl 

Make it a Full Plate Meal: Prep the lunch as directed in the post and you’ll have lunch set for a few days. Add your favorite apple for dessert.

75% fiber foods – zucchini, carrot, chickpeas, green onion, lentil pasta, apple
25% foods – sesame seeds, dressing

Recipe Note: For better blood sugar control, choose lentil pasta since it’s less starchy and has more protein. It’s closer to a 75% option, but still choose only ½ cup cooked pasta per bowl.

Chickpea Cucumber Salad

Make it a Full Plate Meal: Stuff your whole grain pita with as much of the salad as you can. An orange would go nicely with this meal as well. Check out Diana's video for more ideas of how to enjoy this refreshing lunch salad.

75% fiber foods – cucumber, chickpeas, fresh parsley/mint/dill, grape tomatoes, red onion, orange
25% foods – whole grain pita, dressing

Recipe Note: The dressing is extremely high in fat, so only use enough to get a nice flavor for the salad.