15 Quick and Easy Lunch Ideas for Work (Recipes Included)

Need some cheap keto lunch ideas for work to keep you on the straight and narrow food-wise? Fed up with boring lunches?  Let me be the conveyor of good news!

Here are some cheap keto lunch ideas that cover everything from quick and easy salads to wholesome and satisfying burgers and meatballs. I have even thrown in some luxuries ideas like the peach and pan-fried scallops if are entertaining so you won’t be at a loss for ideas.  

Lots of the keto lunch recipes are handy, so why not try adapting to suit your own flavor, and then you will a have a burden of new lunchtime options! Some of the keto lunch on the go include:

1. Keto chicken legs

INGREDIENTS

 
  • 12 Chicken drumsticks
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
  • 3 medium onions (cut into wedges)
  • 3 cloves garlic (crushed)
  • 1 red pepper (deseeded and cut into thick slices)
  • 150 ml white wine
  • 60 ml of olive oil
  • 1 head broccoli (cut into florets)
  • Salt and black pepper

Instructions

      1. Preheat oven to 250°C (500°F)
      2. Place the cayenne pepper, white wing and sweet paprika in a bowl. Add the salt, olive oil, pepper and mix to combine.
      3. Add the chicken and garlic to the bowl and toss well to coat.
      4. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
      5. Place the chicken on a lightly greased baking tray and roast for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
      6. While the chicken is roasting, cut red pepper into thick slice and the broccoli in florets.
      7. Include broccoli, arrange them onto the same baking sheet around the chicken in the last 1o minutes of cook time.
      8. Rotate the in the pan sauces or pan juice and season with salt and pepper.
      9. Bake for 10 minutes more.
      10. Remove from the oven and let chicken rets a few minutes before serving to keep the juice inside.
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White wine and sweet paprika are the tricks that turn this recipe into an enticing dish, especially if marinate the chicken overnight. The longer they marinate the better they taste. But worry not if, in rush, chicken drumsticks must marinate at least 30 minutes before baking.

For crispy legs, baking at a high temperature for 20 minutes before flipping is necessary.    At this time broccoli need to be included in the baking tray and cook them for an additional 10 minutes on the other side. Flipping them once is enough and just ensures that they are cooked through both sides.

2. Keto Packed Lunch Ideas

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Instructions

  • Cuts up portions of veggies one for each day
  • Marinate meets for the week
  • Prepare at least 2 salads
  • Boils eggs for a quick bite (also good for breakfast)
  • 3 easy keto packed lunch ideas- quick and cheap recipe.

Preparing Packed Lunch For Work ​

The easiest way to sticks to diet on a workday is to bring keto packed lunch. Normally, so pressed for time (it’s more like lunch rush rather than a lunch break, right?) that finding a keto friendly option close by and ordering the right food is next to impossible.

You are lucky if your office has microwave otherwise could eat cold keto lunches, fine though. You got covered either way. 

Here are 4 tips for sticking to a diet:

Plan ahead: Plans a lunch for each day if no leftovers from the dinner.

Be prepared: Ensure to stock up on easy lunch foods. Create a big list and buy food at the supermarket Veggies, lunch meat, avocado, etc.

Heat up leftovers: Cook extra-large portions for dinner and heat them up at work the next day in the kitchenette. 

Use weekends wisely: Try to do as much planning, shopping, and cooking on the weekends as possible. It was found that everything could be prepared on Sunday alone. Below are useful strategies:-

Not all keto lunch ideas are created equal. Everyone has varying tastes, budget, facilities, and schedules. Let’s focus on 3 easy categories and recipes.

Sandwiches

White bread is contraband, but can still enjoy the ultimate portable food if the right substitute is found. Thankfully, there are plenty of options:

  • Cauliflower
  • Zucchini
  • Lettuce (for wraps)
  • Bread (Low-carb bread)

All needed is some lettuce, beef (preferably grass fed), tomato and bacon. Grill a few burgers over the weekend, peel off some big leaf of lettuce and cut up some tomatoes. Wrap the burger in the lettuce before work. Eat it cold or hot! 

In general, any lean meat, bacon or veggie filling is ideal for a lettuce wrap or sandwich.

Salads

With plenty of nutrition, tremendous flexibility and no microwave needed, salads are easy keto lunch snack. They are easy to prepare hence saves a lot of work at home.

Ensure to load up with:

  • Tomato
  • Baby spinach
  • Lettuce
  • Cucumber
  • Olives
  • Avocado
  • Meat (Bacon Bits)

Pro tip

Have got leftovers? Just mix them in with some lettuce and get a salad.

3. Omelets and pies

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Omelets

Get started by cracking three eggs and mixing them in a bowl. Place the eggs in a heated pan with some bacon fat and add in any of the following:

  • Bacon
  • Tomato
  • Chives
  • Salt and pepper (to taste)
  • A pinch of cheese
  • Mushroom

Pies

Egg pie and meat are relatively easy to make and packed with nutrition. They are great for a treat and can fill up for lunch. For taco pies, all needed is eggs, cream, cheese, ground beef, and taco seasoning. Salt and pepper are optional but taste great.

 

Preparation is also relatively easy; preheat the oven to 350, brown the meat in a skillet, garlic, mix 5 eggs with cream, salt, and pepper and combine them in a ceramic pan in the oven. Sprinkle some cheese on it and let it bake for 30 minutes.

Quick Keto Lunch

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Time is precious, but still, everyone wants to eat healthy and delicious food.  Below are delicious keto recipes for lunch that can be cooked or prepared in 20 minutes or less.

4. Keto Caprese Omelet

Soft mozzarella, fresh basil, and ripe tomato, yes, please! In an omelet even better! This is super-easy, Keto dish works for lunch.

INGREDIENTS

 
  • 2 tablespoon fresh basil or dried basil
  • 6 oz. cherry tomatoes cut in halves or tomatoes cut in slices.
  • 10 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese
  • Salt and pepper
  • 12 eggs
  • 4 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

    1. Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl; add salt and black pepper to your liking. Whisk well with a fork until fully combined. Add basil and stir.
    2. Cut the tomatoes in halves or slices. Dice or slice the cheese.
    3. Heat oil in a large frying pan, add sliced tomatoes and fry for a few minutes.
    4. Pour the egg batter on top of the tomatoes and add mozzarella cheese when a batter is slightly firm.
    5. Reduce the heat and let the omelet set, serve and enjoy!

5. Keto smoked salmon plate

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1.5 smoked salmon
  • 1 lime
  • Salt and pepper

Real food on a plate with spinach, salmon, mayo and lime because a keto lunch dosent have to be complicated.​

Real food on a plate with spinach, salmon, mayo and lime because a keto lunch dosent have to be complicated.

Serving  4 people

Instructions

    1. Put spinach, salmon, wedge of lime and a hearty dollop of mayonnaise on a plate.
    2. Add olive oil over the spinach and season with salt and pepper.
    3. This keto plate can be served with any fatty fish, enjoy!

6. Keto salmon-filled avocados

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1.5 smoked salmon
  • 1 lime
  • Salt and pepper

With no cooking avocado and salmon, this creamy dish is a luxurious quick keto meal on the go. 

  • ​Serving 4 people​

Instructions

    1. Cut avocados in half and remove the pit
    2. Place a dollop of mayonnaise in the hollow of the avocado and add smoked salmon on top.
    3. Season to taste with salt and a squeeze lemon juice for extra flavor.
    4. This keto plate can be served with fatty fish fried, boiled or smoked.

7. Spicy keto deviled eggs

Here is a perfect keto snack for lunch; with delicious deviled eggs with heat and flavor from the curry paste.

Serving 6 people

Ingredients

    • 0.5 cup of mayonnaise
    • 1 tablespoon red curry paste
    • 6 eggs
    • 0.5 tablespoon poppy seeds

Instructions

    1. Place the eggs in cold water in a pan, enough to cover the egg and boil without a lid.
    2. Let the eggs simmer for about 10 minute and cool quickly in ice-cold water.
    3. Remove the shells, cut off both ends and split the eggs in half. Scoop out the eggs yolk and place in a small bowl.
    4. Place the egg whites on a plate and let sit in the refrigerator.
    5. Mix eggs yolk, curry paste and mayonnaise into a smooth batter. Add salt to taste.
    6. Bring out the egg whites from the refrigerator and apply the batter.
    7. Sprinkle the seeds on top and serve.

8. Keto turkey plate

Here is an easy keto lunch for work on a plate with lettuce, avocado, turkey, olive oil and cream cheese.

Serving 4 people

Ingredients

    • 4 avocados
    • 6 oz. cream cheese
    • 12 oz. deli turkey
    • 4 oz. lettuce
    • 0.5 cup olive oil
    • Salt and pepper

Instructions

    1. Put the turkey, lettuce, sliced avocado and cream cheese on a plate.
    2. Add olive oil over the vegetables and season to taste with salt and pepper.

9. Keto tuna plate

Keto lunch does not have to be complicated! Here is plate of tuna, eggs spinach and avocado.

Serving 4 people

Ingredients

    • 4 oz. tuna in olive oil
    • 8 eggs
    • 1 cup of mayonnaise
    • 4 oz. baby spinach
    • 0.5 lemons
    • Salt and pepper

Instructions

    1. Boil eggs for 5-10 minutes depending on whether you like them soft or hard boiled.
    2. For easy removal of shell, cool eggs in ice-cold water for 3 minutes.
    3. Place spinach, eggs, tuna and avocado on a plate. Serve with a dollop of mayonnaise and perhaps a wedge of lemon.
    4. Season with salt and pepper.

10. Keto chicken doner kebabs

Loaded with flavor and east to customize to taste the keto chicken doner kebab is a lunch to have.

Serving 4 people

Ingredients

    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 chicken thigh
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon coriander ground
    • 1 teaspoon cumin ground
    • 1 teaspoon paprika ground
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup lettuce shredded
    • 4 ounce cheddar cheese shredded

Instructions

    1. Place the chicken in a bowl and add lemon, garlic, oil and spices.
    2. Preheat oven to 200c 
    3. Thread the chicken onto thick bamboo or metal skewer and lay across a roasting tray, lined with foil, so that the chicken isn’t touching the base.
    4. Until cooked through, bake for minutes with 1 hour, turning halfway through.
    5. While preparing the kebab rest the chicken.
    6. Fill each of the wraps with 1 tablespoon of garlic sauce, 1 ounce of cheddar cheese and 0.25 of cup of lettuce.
    7. Slice the chicken, add to the wraps and top with hot sauce.
    8. Roll up the wrap and enjoy immediately.

11. Keto salmon poke bowl

With low carb vegetable and high fat dressing with keep you filled and fueled for hours, Keto salmon poke poke is a quick and easy lunch to have.

Serving 2 people

Ingredients

    • 2 cups cabbage shredded
    • 4 ounces cucumber sliced
    • 8 ounces fresh salmon (skinless and deboned)
    • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
    • 1 teaspoon tamari sauce
    • Pinch salt
    • 4 ounces cucumber sliced
    • 0.5 avocado diced
    • 0.25 cup cilantro
    • 2 tablespoon keto sesame mayonnaise

Instructions

    1. Cut the salmon into cubes and place into a small bowl.
    2. Add tamari, sesame oil, and salt and set aside to marinate.
    3. Assemble the cucumber, avocado, cabbage, radishes and cilantro into two bowls.
    4. Top with the marinated salmon and drizzle over the sesame mayonnaise.
    5. Enjoy immediately.

12. Keto lamb stuffed eggplant

It’s a great all in one that can be enjoyed alone or with a side of cauliflower rice; this delicious keto lamb eggplant is way to go for lunch.

Serving 4 people

Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 small onion diced
    • 2 medium eggplants
    • 2 clove garlic crushed
    • 1 pound ground lamb
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 tablespoon cumin ground
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 0.5 teaspoon ground pepper
    • 0.5 cup tomato passata

Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 180c/355f
    2. Slice the eggplants in half length and cut a wide border around the edge of each eggplant. Scoop out the centers, dice and set aside.
    3. Place the eggplant shell on a cookie sheet and set aside.
    4. Put a non-stick frying pan over high heat.
    5. Add the onion, oil and garlic and sauté until the onion start to turn translucent then add the lamb.
    6. Sauté the lamb, breaking it up, until browned; Along with the dice eggplant add the salt, pepper and spices.
    7. Cook for 5 minutes before adding the passata. Then simmer for 10 minute and remove from the heat.
    8. Stir through the spinach and allow wilting.
    9. Spoon the lamb mixture between the eggplants shells the place in the oven to bake for minutes.
    10. Top with the feta cheese than bake for another 8-12 minutes.
    11. Serve straight away.

13. Keto chicken with herb butter

This keto meal is so quick and delectable; you will be singing its praises to family and friends! Melts the large dollop on top of this delicious butter-friend chicken.

Serving 4 people

Ingredients

    • Herb butter
    • 1 garlic clove
    • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 0.5 tablespoon garlic powder
    • 0.25 cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)
    • 0.5 tablespoon
    • 6 oz. butter (at room temperature)
    • Fried chicken
    • Salt and pepper
    • 3 tablespoon butter or olive oil
    • 4 chicken breasts 
    • 8 oz. leafy green for example baby spinach

Instructions

    1. Start with the herb butter. Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a bowl and let sit until it’s time to serve.
    2. In a large frying pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Fry in butter until the filet is well cooked and registers 75°C with a meat thermometer.  To avoid dry chicken filet lower the temperature toward the end.
    3. Serve the chicken on a bed of leafy green and place a generous amount of herb butter on top.

Keto lunch meal prep

Thinking up different keto lunch for work each day that is both delicious and easy can be a hard task.  I know the key to success with any diet is keeping it interesting and being prepared.

Below is a compiled easy keto lunch recipes to help keep the track:-

15.Keto Bacon sausage meatballs

These tasty bites come together with only 5 ingredients, one being bacon. And who can ever say no to bacon! They can be enjoyed for breakfast or even a meal. Add a sauce if you like, but the bacon really gives it enough.

Prep time 10 minutes

Serving    9 meatballs

Ingredient

    • 9 sliced sugar-free bacon
    • 1 pound spicy Italian sausage (Whole 30 if needed)
    • 2 tablespoons garlic (minced)
    • 2 tablespoon white onions (diced)
    • 1 tablespoon dried oregano

Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 375 F and prepare a standard muffin pan by greasing 9 cavities lightly with coconut oil.
    2. In mixing bowl, combine the Italian sausage, onion, garlic, and oregano.
    3. Roll the mixture into 9 equal balls with hands and place on a plate.
    4. Wrap each ball with a slice of bacon t and place each one in a muffin cavity.
    5. Bake at 375 f for 30 minutes and cook under a higher broiler for 5 minutes to get the bacon crispy.
    6. Remove from the oven and prep!

Conclusion

Hopefully, these lunch ideas have given some inspiration! Eating healthy isn’t hard if prepared for it!