Lunch is the meal that helps you power through the afternoon and evening. You want a balanced, nutritious senior meal that’s easy to make, easy to eat, and tastes delicious. Maintaining a healthy diet is critical to health, and a nourishing lunch is one of the best ways to stay strong, energetic, and vital. Simplify your day with these 5 healthy lunch recipes that make it easy to get all the nutrients you need.
Note: These are just a few easy, healthy lunch ideas. Make sure to follow your doctor’s recommendations when planning senior meals and menus. If you’re not sure how to make healthy lunch recipes yourself,, GoGoGrandparent offers services that can help with meal prep, meal planning, grocery shopping, and more!
1. Throw-together omelet
Eggs aren’t just for breakfast. They’re a great lunch option filled with nutrients like B12 and iron. Plus, you can throw just about any veggies, cheese, or meats into an omelet, so you always have new and easy lunch ideas every day. Plus, an omelet is fast, filling, economical, and easy to make.
Here are some popular omelet fillings that will add even more vitamins and nutrients to your senior meal:
- Chunks of fresh avocado
- Rinsed spinach
- Nutrient-dense mushrooms
- Leftover bacon or ham
- Shredded cheese
- Colorful bell peppers
- Chopped onions or scallions
- Omega-rich smoked salmon
- Fresh veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, or chopped carrots
How to make the perfect omelet for an easy, healthy lunch idea:
- In a bowl, beat two or three eggs with a fork.
- In a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, melt a little bit of butter. You can also use avocado oil, which has a high smoke point.
- Keep the stove on medium-low heat so your eggs don’t overcook or brown quickly.
- Pour the eggs into the pan. Let sit for one minute. Use a heatproof spatula to gently lift the cooked eggs from the edges of the pan. Tilt the pan gently so the uncooked eggs flow to the edge of the pan. This will help the omelet cook evenly.
- Add all the fillings you like. Be careful not to overstuff.
- Fold the omelet in half using a spatula, then slide it onto your plate. It’s okay if the omelet doesn’t look perfect. As long as the eggs and fillings are cooked well, the omelet will taste delicious.
- If you like your food spicy, add some chopped jalapenos, roasted salsa, or hot sauce to finish it off!
2. Whatever-you-like salad
Salads are one of the best easy lunch ideas for seniors because they don’t require lots of cooking or timing. You can just throw your favorite things in a bowl, add a healthy dressing, and enjoy. A “salad” can be just about anything, so feel free to get creative with it.
To make the perfect salad, try adding at least one from each of the following groups:
- Healthy grains like quinoa, farro, or rice
- Nutritious greens like spinach, romaine, kale, or spring greens
- Protein like boiled eggs, fresh salmon, canned tuna, or premade chicken
- Colorful veggies – the more colorful your salad, the more nutrient-dense
From there, you can play around with a sweet bowl or a savory one. For something sweet, try fresh fruit like berries, apples, and pecans. Top with a light dressing like a champagne vinaigrette or olive oil. If you like a savory salad, try roasted vegetables, red peppers, mushrooms, and pine nutswith a balsamic vinaigrette or hummus.
You can add your favorite ingredients (and leave out those you don’t like) for this easy, healthy lunch idea. Plus, you can make one big salad and save it in the fridge for a few days for quick lunch ideas on-the-go. (Leave the dressing to the side so your salad doesn’t wilt.) Check out this article on how to make the perfect salad with Bon Appetit.
The best part about salads is you can buy premade and pre-cut ingredients and just throw them all together. Our GoGo Grocery delivery services can even get these groceries delivered right to your door – whipping up a healthy lunch recipe has never been easier!
3. Ultimate protein tuna salad
Tuna and chicken salad are delicious, easy to chew, and packed with protein. Add some chickpeas for extra protein, magnesium, and potassium. Here is one of our favorite easy lunch ideas that you can have done in no time – and the leftovers will be just as scrumptious for a quick lunch idea tomorrow.
You’ll need:
- 1 can (15 oz) of low-sodium chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (5 oz) tuna or chicken, drained and flaked
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons olive oil mayonnaise or low-fat mayonnaise
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup green or black olives
- Spinach or torn salad greens
Add all the ingredients except the greens to a bowl. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Lay your salad greens on your plate and put a dollop of the tuna or chicken salad on top. If you prefer, switch the salad greens for two slices of bread to make a sandwich. This quick lunch idea is really that simple!
4. Easy sandwich senior meal
Sandwiches are no-cook easy lunch ideas that let you eat something familiar and comforting, while still getting vitamins and nutrients into your daily menu. Lunch is an important time to load up on protein and B12, so adding meat to your lunch is a good idea. But rather than having to cook meat (and worry it’s overcooked or undercooked), consider buying healthy pre-made deli meats or fish for a quick lunch idea. Add some sandwich toppings like tomatoes, greens, avocado, mustard, veggies, or pickles and stuff between two healthy, fortified pieces of bread.
One of our favorite easy, healthy lunch ideas is a salmon wrap. On a premade whole-grain tortilla, add wild-caught Alaskan boneless, skinless salmon. Add avocado, tomatoes, salad greens, and a dollop of your favorite plain yogurt. Wrap tightly, cut, and eat!
Want to make it even easier to make your senior meals? Order groceries through GoGoGrandparent to have your groceries delivered right to your door, so you can spend less time shopping and more time cooking your favorite meals. What makes GoGo different from other delivery services is that our GoGoGuardians help ensure the quality of your delivery; if something is out of stock, they’ll work with you to find appropriate substitutions or order from another store. You can even schedule your groceries in advance so you always have healthy lunch recipes on hand!
5. Steamed or roasted veggies
Vegetables are chock full of important micronutrients that promote health. Just throw some hearty vegetables on a pan, add a little olive oil and seasoning, and roast in the oven for a few minutes, and you’ll have a delicious and nutritious senior meal.
What are some vegetables that you can roast?
- Root veggies like potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and carrots
- Crucifers like broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts
- Squashes like zucchini, spaghetti squash, or butternut squash
- Others like bell peppers, cabbage, and onions
Here’s how to make the perfect roasted veggies for an easy, healthy lunch idea:
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. This temperature may vary depending on your oven.
- Cut your vegetables into bite-sized pieces. (Make this step even easier by buying pre-cut vegetables from the grocery store with GoGoGrandparent’s grocery service.)
- Toss your vegetables in some oil. Olive oil is a healthy option, but you could also try coconut or avocado oil. Use your hands to make sure the vegetables are evenly coated in the oil. This oil is important because this will help your veggies crisp up nicely.
- Add salt, black pepper, and any other seasonings you like. You may want to try Cajun seasoning if you like it spicy or try an Italian blend if you want roasted veggies to go with a pasta dish.
- Lay the veggies on a baking sheet. Make sure they are not too crowded, otherwise they will steam rather than roast.
- Your veggies are done when they are soft enough to pierce with a fork. Depending on which veggies you pick and the heat of your oven, it can take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. Check after 15 minutes and then every 5 minutes after that until you see the veggies start to brown. The biggest pieces should look soft. When in doubt, overcook by a few minutes rather than undercook so they’re easier to eat.
- Keep in mind that some veggies cook faster than others. Root veggies, for example, will roast slower than cabbage, so you may want to roast them separately.
Note: This healthy lunch recipe is a great senior meal for those who feel comfortable using the oven. If you don’t like using the oven, try pan-frying your veggies for a quick lunch idea instead.
Bonus: Have lunch delivered
Want even more easy, healthy lunch ideas? Why not call up GoGoGrandparent and have a meal delivered from our GoGoGourmet service? You can have senior meals delivered right to your door from your favorite local restaurants. But GoGoGourmet ensures your dietary needs and preferences are considered, so you can have food that suits your senior meal plan. Check out our grocery and meal delivery options here to make senior meal prep fast, easy, convenient, and healthy! Register for GoGoGrandparent to get your first grocery delivery, so you can start prepping these healthy lunch recipes today!
