The hardest part of sticking to a diet plan? Boredom. That’s right – the moment you start feeling bored with your meal plans, your mind will start to wander. Those favorite foods that you can’t eat – for me, that’s pizza, burgers, and creamy alfredo pasta – start floating before your eyes. Eat me, they’ll call to you, and the urge to break your diet plan may be greater than your resolve. These are the moments when you need easy lunch & snack ideas that won’t get old.
I’ve found success with losing the weight (and keeping it off) by having a few lunch and snack ideas in my back pocket that never get old. I simply swap these meals in when I’m feeling uninspired and, just like that – I’m back on track! Here are 12 of our favorite easy lunch & snack ideas that won’t get old.
Easy Lunch & Snack Ideas To Inspire Your Creativity
1. Asparagus, Cherry Tomato, and Feta Tart
This is my go-to snack when I’m feeling like ditching the diet and going out for a slice of pizza. It has all the elements I love about pizza but with nutrient-dense vegetables instead of heavy, salty meat toppings.
2. Cheesy Chicken Chili Dip
It’s impossible for me to get tired of this cheesy chicken chili dip because it’s so damn delicious! Full flavored and rich, you can keep it fresh by switching how you use it. Go fresh with raw crudite vegetables or go savory with your favorite crackers.
3. Caramelized Cauliflower
You will barely believe that this is cauliflower the first time you make it! The edges get a beautiful sweetness when they’re roasted but they retain their characteristic cauliflower crunch. You can use these to dip into your favorite sauce or just snack on them plain – they’re that good!
4. Grilled Zucchini Caprese
Give your salad game a one-up by skipping the lettuce and making the caprese directly onto zucchini slices. When you grill the zucchini, they become super tender and get a slightly smoky flavor. Absolutely perfect for a midday snack.
5. Green Goddess Dip
I keep coming back to this recipe again and again when my routine gets a little stale. It has all the flavors of the classic salad dressing but you can use it in so many other ways. It’s thick and creamy, so you can dip your favorite pita bread into it or spread it on the same pita bread to make a sandwich. Perfect!
6. Cauliflower Nachos
What can’t you do with cauliflower? You can make bread for sandwiches or use it for the base of a pizza. I love how we use it for this nachos recipe. Just swap out the chips for a riced cauliflower base – an extra serving of vegetables without sacrificing any of the flavors.
7. Baked Asparagus Fries with Creamy Chipotle Dip
French fries may be made from potatoes, but they certainly aren’t healthy. Sometimes all I want is that crunchy texture and creamy interior when I’m craving french fries. These baked asparagus fries are a great replacement. They have the same texture as a french fry but without all the extra calories. And, I could basically drink that creamy chipotle dip, it’s so delicious!
8. Tuna Cucumber Sandwiches
This is the ultimate, guilt-free snack (and it never gets old, either). Instead of using bread to make a sandwich, plop your favorite tuna salad onto cucumber slices. It’ll be crunchy, filling, and delicious!
9. Baked Parmesan Butternut Squash Chips
You can make chips out of any root vegetable, and it’s a great way to keep things fresh in your diet routine. These chips can be used for any of the dips, and you could also make nachos on them! They’re infinitely variable, so you’ll never get tired of them.
10. Avocado Hummus
This recipe is a mixture of the classic chickpea hummus and guacamole. That means it has all the protein and fiber from hummus with all the healthy-fats from avocados. It’s my go-to snack when I’m not sure what I’m in the mood for.
11. Sweet Corn and Kale Muffins
It’s always good to have a ready-to-eat snack around. These muffins make it easy – you can whip up a batch of 12 muffins and have them around all week, ready for snacking. It’s pretty hard for me to get tired of any cornmeal muffin, especially one that has cheddar cheese in it!
12. 5-Ingredient Butternut Squash Fritters
I love to make fritters because you can use almost any vegetable that grows in the garden. In the summer, it’s all about zucchini but in the winter I love the sweet flavor of butternut squash. Play around with the vegetables you use in these fritters and they’ll never get old!
Lunch Ideas
1. Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Forget boring old lasagna – stuff it inside a spaghetti squash and now you have yourself an elevated lunch! These are so great because you can make them ahead of time and warm them up in the microwave when lunchtime comes around. Get ready to be the envy of your office!
2. Winter Buddha Bowl
It’s hard for me to imagine that I’d ever get sick of this delicious lunch bowl. Loaded up with some of my favorite ingredients, a bowl like this is super easy to prep the night before. You could also prep a bunch of them on the weekend so they’re ready to go all week!
3. Mediterranean Eggplant Wrap with Creamy Tahini Sauce
You won’t miss the meat in this savory eggplant wrap. In fact, you wouldn’t miss anything if it’s covered in this creamy tahini sauce! It’s super savory but hits all the notes that I miss about that unhealthy bottled ranch dressing.
4. Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
We stuff these sweet potatoes with quinoa, cranberries, and spinach for a sweet-and-savory lunchtime experience. These never get old, though, because you can vary up the stuffing any way you like! It’s a great way to repurpose your leftovers while keeping your diet routine fresh and exciting.
5. 10-Minute Vegetarian Sushi Bowl
Sushi is a great way to break up your normal lunch routine, but let’s face it – who has time to make sushi? Especially for lunch! Well, now you do because these bowls have everything you love about sushi without a fraction of the effort.
6. Quinoa Salad
You can go so many ways with quinoa. Add some meat for a burst of protein or chop up a boiled egg to go vegetarian. Make it sweet with cranberries and go savory with a ton of vegetables. There’s no way this lunch will ever get old!
7. Skinny Salmon, Kale, & Cashew Bowl
We all know that salmon is filled with beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and that kale is a superfood. Combine them together with some sweet cashews and you’ll be in health heaven! This one tastes so good, too, I could eat it at least once a week.
8. Mushroom Fajitas with Lentils
Did you know that mushrooms and lentils as a meat replacement? They bring all of the meaty and crumbly textures of ground beef with a huge burst of flavor. This is a great swap-in for a plant-based lunch when your normal routine is going a little stale.
9. Cranberry and Brussels Sprouts Detox Salad
The color of this salad alone will be enough to revitalize a stale lunch routine! This salad will also detox your system, so it’s a great way to start a new diet or get a boost in the middle of a current one. The salad dressing for this lunch is pretty amazing, too, so don’t be afraid to use it on other salads.
10. 5-Ingredient Pesto Pasta Salad
Switch up your normal pasta salad routine with the flavorful punch of pesto. Filled with savory herbs and creamy cheese, pesto pasta is one of my favorite lunchtime treats. Top it off with some grilled chicken if you want a protein boost.
11. Skinny Chicken and Roasted Potato Bowl
This lunch is so easy to pull together. It’s a great one to have in your back pocket when you’re feeling uninspired. We use broccoli as the third component, but feel free to swap in your favorite vegetable to keep it from getting old.
12. Tabouleh Salad with Whole Wheat Pita Crisps
If you’re tired of rice and quinoa, give tabouleh a try. It has the same grainy texture as quinoa but it will definitely have a bit of a Mediterranean flair. This recipe stores well, too, so make a big batch on the weekend and serve it up at lunch with lettuce or a lean protein.
Want to get inspired to cook great food and get fit? We have the best resources for you! Check out our Instagram and Pinterest page for some visual inspiration, and our Facebook page and email newsletter when you’re looking for a newsfeed source. There’s so much good content, something will be sure to grab your attention!
The post 12 Easy Lunch & Snack Ideas That Won’t Get Old appeared first on Skinny Ms..
source https://skinnyms.com/12-easy-lunch-and-snack-ideas-that-wont-get-old/
No comments:
Post a Comment