Whether working in an office or on the floor, whenever comes the time to decide on what to bring for lunch, I unmistakably lack inspiration or motivation. I always end up bringing the same sandwich or simple salad and frankly grew tired of it. More often than I would like to admit, I found myself bringing a nondescript frozen meal that likely has a day’s worth of sodium as the main ingredient. I would love to have more options that are both healthy and easy to prepare. I did some research and found a lot of different lunch ideas that either require a little preparation the night before or can be made and ready the morning (or evening) before a shift.
Quick and Easy Packable Lunches for Nurses
- Pistachio and dill chicken salad from The Adventures Of J-Man And MillerBug
- Tuna avocado lettuce wraps from Flour On My Face
- Succotash salad from Just Us FourExpress chicken Caesar salad from JadeLouise Designs
- Easy pork chili from Life Love Liz
- Pesto chicken roasted pepper and swiss sandwich from Mom Foodie
- BBQ chicken salad from Not Quite Susie Homemaker
- Tomato Zucchini Soup from SimmWorks Family Blog
- Chef salad in a jar from Slick Housewives
- Goats cheese, zucchini, and cherry tomato frittata from Not Enough Cinnamon
- Chickpea sunflower sandwich from Minimalist Baker
- Spanish rice, buffalo tempeh, kale, bell pepper wraps from Vegan Richa
- Warm gnocchi and heirloom tomato salad from Love And Olive Oil
- No-cream cream of broccoli soup from Chocolate-Covered Katie
- Curried quinoa broccoli salad from The Pretty Bee
- Mexican hummus salad from Vegan Family Recipes
- Orange and almond, black rice salad from Our Four Forks
- Lemon pesto pasta from Texanerin Baking
- Sweet potato and quinoa salad from Chelsea’s Messy Apron
- Creamy cucumber-dill sandwich from Amy’s Healthy Baking
Which one will you try first?
Packed Lunch Storage fit for a Nurse
Having a healthy and delicious lunch to take to work with you is fantastic, but what are you going to store it in? Here are some of my favorite lunch boxes and portable food storage options that are perfect for any busy nurse.
Rubbermaid LunchBlox Sandwich Kit
Don’t let the “sandwich” in the name fool you. This little beauty works great for hosting a variety of tasty dishes. I like that you get extra little compartments that stay assembled and upright thanks to the locking mechanism. All your meal components can have their own little homes and only come together when you are good and ready. Pick up yours on Amazon.
PackIt Freezable Lunch Bag with Zip Closure
The PackIt is probably one of the coolest (pun intended) lunch boxes you can get. Your food will be sure to stay at fresh and safe from germs and bacteria that could potentially set in if your meal were to rest at room temperature. Even if you have access to a fridge at work, it’s always nice to have this pack to keep your meal cool on the commute and in case you’re working fridge clean out day. You can pick up yours in a variety of colors on Amazon.
3 Compartment Stackable Meal Prep Containers
If you want to get your meal prep out of the way once a week, then these containers are just right for you. They are stackable, durable, and have compartments to keep your food from touching until you are good and ready. They are reusable, microwavable, dishwasher safe, and come with a lifetime guarantee. You can pick up yours on Amazon.
Human Organ for Transplant Insulated Lunch Tote
One of my best nursing friends (who happens to be a fantastic flight nurse), uses this very lunch box. I can only image the laughs and joy it brings whenever she pulls this sucker out of the fridge or when a new employee happens to catch a glance of it for the first time. Food should be fun, and I like when it extends to your lunch box as well. You can pick up your own transplant tote on Amazon.
Also, in case you are curious, there is such a thing as a Mini Personal Portable Oven, and I had a really hard time not buying one.
What are your favorite go-to meals to take to work?
What do you carry your lunch in?
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Thanks for including our Chef Salad in a Jar! Cannot wait to try the Orange and almond, black rice salad! Sounds Delish!
You are most welcome! It’s a great recipe and excellent for nurses to take on the go.
Thanks for sharing my salad recipe! That lunchbox is absolutely hysterical!