A busy day can make you feel like you don’t have time to eat, let alone cook something healthy and delicious. But you don’t need to live off fast food or microwave meals! You need some quick, easy lunch ideas for nurses that will save you time and energy. Nutritious food does not have to be a luxury if you don’t have time. Here are five of our favorites—each takes less than 30 minutes from start to finish.
Salmon and Avocado Salad
This meal is perfect for a busy day because it’s quick to prepare, easy to customize with your favorite ingredients, and can be eaten hot or cold. Just boil some water for the quinoa, toss the salmon in olive oil and garlic powder, then bake it in the oven while you prepare your salad. Toss together cooked quinoa with avocado, cucumber slices (or diced cucumbers), tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes), parsley leaves, and minced garlic. Add salt and pepper as desired. Top the salad with salmon fillets and serve. Add feta cheese, olives, or other ingredients to your salad.
Three Bean Salad
Another delicious, healthy dish perfect for summer and one of the best lunch ideas for nurses looking for protein-rich meals. Three Bean Salad is a quick and easy side dish serving as an appetizer or light lunch. You can make this salad with canned beans or dried ones, but it requires planning to prepare all the ingredients when needed.
The key to this delicious dish is the dressing. You can make your own or buy it from a store. If you’re going to make your dressing, try mixing olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt and pepper (to taste), and a little bit of sugar or honey if you like sweet dressings.
BLT Sandwich With a Twist
If there’s anything more popular in the category of sandwiches, it is BLT Sandwich. It’s very easy to make and can be customized in many ways. All you need is good bread, crispy bacon, tomato slices, and lettuce leaves. Here are some ideas for how to make your twist on this classic dish:
- Add avocado slices or guacamole instead of lettuce
- Use whole wheat bread or a baguette instead of regular white bread
- Add thinly sliced red onion instead of tomato
Boiled Chicken Soup
One of the most classic dishes that’s easy to make is chicken soup. It’s good for you, as long as you don’t add too much salt or other ingredients that could be unhealthy. Here is a simple recipe for boiled chicken soup:
- Place the chicken pieces in a large pot with enough water to cover them completely. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat until it simmers.
- Cook for about 10 minutes, skimming off any foam that forms on top of the water if necessary.
- Add salt and pepper to taste and other seasonings such as thyme or parsley.
- Cover partially with a lid and cook for another 20 minutes or so until the chicken is cooked.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside for later use.
Sauteed Chicken & Veggies
Chicken and vegetables are often underestimated for how they can make such a wholesome meal together. You can sautee chicken with any combination of vegetables that you like.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and set them aside.
- Chop your favorite mix of veggies by hand or with a food processor.
- Heat some olive oil in a large pan over medium heat, then add the chicken pieces to cook for about 10 minutes until they are browned on all sides.
- Add the veggies and saute them until they are soft and cooked.
- Enjoy!
Final Word
Eating healthy doesn’t have to be hard. You can start eating healthier without sacrificing flavor or time by making simple changes in your diet and meal prep. Bringing these meals on the go is easy and convenient for busy families so that everyone gets their fill of nutrients daily.