Healthy Recipes Weight Loss 16 Gut-Healthy Lunch Recipes That Support Weight Loss By Dillon Evans Dillon Evans Dillon Evans fell in love with cooking at a very young age. He remembers the novel experiences of microwaving a bowl of oatmeal without his parents' permission and asking to make his mother's morning pot of coffee. These moments became catalysts for his interest in cooking and baking. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 5, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Close Photo: Jason Donnelly Bookmark this collection of recipes if your goal is to lose weight. For lunch this week, you can enjoy one of these flavorful sandwiches, soups, grain bowls and more while still meeting your nutritional goals. In every serving, there are under 575 calories and at least 6 grams of fiber. The fiber in these lunches comes from prebiotic-rich foods like bananas, garlic, beans, legumes and whole grains to promote healthy gut bacteria, regular digestion and heart health. You’ll love reaching for delicious and satisfying recipes like our crisp Veggie & Hummus Sandwich and Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili at lunchtime. 01 of 16 Veggie & Hummus Sandwich Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey This mile-high vegetable and hummus sandwich makes the perfect heart-healthy vegetarian lunch to go. Mix it up with different flavors of hummus and different types of vegetables, depending on your mood. View Recipe 02 of 16 Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke Make a double batch of this quick vegetarian chili, full of black beans and sweet potatoes, and eat it for lunch the next day or freeze the extras for another night. View Recipe 03 of 16 Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl Photography: Carson Downing, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabe Greco This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top. View Recipe 04 of 16 Lemony Lentil Salad with Feta Jason Donnelly This delicious and healthy lentil salad comes together in just 30 minutes and makes a wonderful hot-weather meal. Serve with whole-wheat pitas, if desired. View Recipe 05 of 16 Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl It seems grain bowls have as many variations as there are stars in the sky, and there is no wrong way to build one! But we prefer to keep things classic and simple with hummus, quinoa, avocado and loads of veggies! View Recipe 06 of 16 Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey This nutrient-packed grain bowl recipe comes together in 15 minutes with the help of a few convenience-food shortcuts like prewashed baby kale, microwavable quinoa and precooked beets. Pack these ahead to keep on hand for easy meal-prep lunches or dinners on busy nights. View Recipe 07 of 16 Bean & Barley Soup This hearty bean and barley soup tastes like it has simmered for hours, but actually it's quite quick to throw together. Plus this recipe for healthy bean and barley soup freezes beautifully. If you have cooked barley on hand, omit the quick-cooking barley and stir in 1 1/2 cups cooked barley along with the broth in Step 2. View Recipe 08 of 16 Strawberry-Blueberry-Banana Smoothie A smoothie with strawberries, blueberries and banana is delicately sweet and entirely kid-friendly, even with a boost of protein from hemp seeds. Freeze the fruits ahead of time for an extra frosty texture once blended. View Recipe 09 of 16 Salmon-Stuffed Avocados Canned salmon is a valuable pantry staple and a practical way to include heart-healthy, omega-3-rich fish in your diet. Here, we combine it with avocados in an easy no-cook meal. View Recipe 10 of 16 Green Goddess Salad Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell This gorgeous green goddess salad combines fresh shrimp, cucumber, artichoke hearts and cherry tomatoes with homemade dressing. View Recipe 11 of 16 Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl This flavorful burrito bowl features grilled chicken coated in a spicy chipotle glaze. Loading it with vegetables and using quinoa in place of rice adds nutrition for a healthier dinner. View Recipe 12 of 16 Avocado, Tomato & Chicken Sandwich In this healthy chicken sandwich recipe, the avocado is mashed to create a healthy creamy spread. View Recipe 13 of 16 Strawberry-Pineapple Smoothie Blend almond milk, strawberry and pineapple for a smoothie that's so easy you can make it on busy mornings. A bit of almond butter adds richness and filling protein. Freeze some of the almond milk for an extra-icy texture. View Recipe 14 of 16 Vegetable and Tofu Soup Tofu has a reputation for being bland, but when marinated in Italian seasoning for up to four hours, it's anything but in this veggie-packed soup. View Recipe 15 of 16 Spinach-Strawberry Salad with Feta & Walnuts Sweet strawberries, salty feta and crunchy walnuts jazz up a simple spinach salad. The balsamic vinaigrette is incredibly easy; fresh shallots add more zip than you'll find in any commercial dressing. View Recipe 16 of 16 Pasta Salad with Black Beans & Avocado Dressing Everyone will love this pasta salad recipe that's packed with tomatoes, corn and black beans. We lighten up the creamy dressing with avocado for a healthier version of a picnic favorite. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit