22 High-Fiber Lunch Recipes (2024)

We all know the 3 p.m. slump far too well. Lunch was a quick piece of pizza because we were too busy to prep a salad. Now we’re starving again and we’ll eat anything within arm’s reach. Hello, cupcakes in the office kitchen.

What that pizza lunch was missing was our (other) favorite f-word: fiber. You know, that stuff naturally found in fruits and vegetables that keeps you regular and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.Slavin J. (2013). Fiber and prebiotics: mechanisms and health benefits. DOI: 10.3390/nu5041417

If the phrase “fiber-filled” conjures up images of boring old cereal, fear not. You’ll actually be excited to start bringing your lunch to work when you know fiber-filled food can be this freakin’ fantastic.

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1. Honey mustard salmon with shaved brussels sprout salad

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Fiber per serving: 5 grams

This recipe is a super fun way to switch up your packed salad routine. The brussels sprouts are a filling, high fiber alternative to lettuce, while the broiled salmon needs to be served room temp, so it’s perfect at work.

2. 5-minute lentil tomato salad

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Fiber per serving: 9 grams

Don’t you hate meals that take longer to prepare than they do to eat? This isn’t one of those. It takes all of 5 minutes to throw canned lentils, plump cherry tomatoes, and chives in a bowl.

Keep it simple with just salt and vinegar, or take an extra 30 seconds to throw in some chopped basil and garlic for even more flavor.

3. Charred kale and farro salad with salmon

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Fiber per serving: 9 grams

With more fiber per serving than brown rice, farro is a pantry must-have. This recipe does require you soak it overnight before cooking, but it’s so worth it.

Pile it on a bed of kale, top with salmon for protein, and sprinkle with sesame seeds for a lunch that throws the “salad = rabbit food” stereotype out the window.

4. Spiced raisin and pine nut salad

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Fiber per serving: 17 grams

This lettuce-free salad takes the road less traveled in several ways: from the not-so-common barley base to the funky combination of curry powder, cinnamon, and turmeric to brighten it all up.

In your rush to get out the door, don’t skimp on the spices — they’re super easy to find, and they make all the difference.

5. Healthy chicken chickpea chopped salad

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Fiber per serving: 9 grams

It’s all about exciting textures and flavors in this recipe. Jazz up your standard chicken salad by throwing in some chickpeas for extra protein, natural sweetness from corn, and a savory bite from the goat cheese.

6. Marinated tempeh salad

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Fiber per serving: 17 grams

Between the tempeh, sweet potato, and veggies, there’s enough fiber in here for about half of the daily recommendation! Not too shabby for just one meal.

But as far as taste is concerned, it’s really all about the creamy tahini marinade. Let your tempeh soak in it as long as possible before grilling to get maximum flavor.

7. Zucchini noodle caprese salad

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Fiber per serving: 10 grams

Chickpeas give more oomph to the tomato and mozzarella combo to make it a fiber-rich meal with a little extra protein. And with the zoodles at its base, it’s basically like eating a big bowl of pasta.

8. Black bean avocado tuna salad sandwiches

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Fiber per serving: 6 grams

Forgot to pack lunch the night before but really don’t want to resort to takeout? Been there.

Here’s something that you can pull together 5 minutes before leaving for work without skimping on nutrition or taste. Pack your bread or crackers separately for easy assembly in the office kitchen.

9. Turkey tortilla wrap with avocado cream

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Fiber per serving: 11 grams

These wraps are made healthier by the swap of an avocado-Greek yogurt spread instead of regular mayo. And the no-fuss filling of tomatoes, lettuce and turkey may take you back to school days. Ah, such simpler times…

10. Roasted red pepper, carrot, and hummus sandwich

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Fiber per serving: 8 grams

Even something simple like switching from whole-wheat sliced bread to a whole-wheat baguette can make your typical sandwich a whole lot more exciting. Slather with a sriracha-spiced hummus, pile on your favorite veggies, and dig in.

11. Chickpea salad wraps

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Fiber per serving: 11 grams

For a lighter-carb meal in sandwich-like packaging, using collard greens or lettuce leaves in place of bread or wraps is a great option. Here, they’re the envelopes for a chickpea mixture that’s packed with fiber, so you’ll be full even without the grains.

12. Grilled vegetable wrap with hummus

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Fiber per serving: 16 grams

The grilled veggie wrap is a total lunchtime staple, but many restaurant versions come with way more oil and way larger tortillas than necessary.

This one uses just a touch of olive oil, hummus for extra flavor, and whole-wheat tortillas for a lunch that goes easier on the fat and carbs but still manages to pack in lots of fiber in every serving.

13. Mediterranean grilled chicken wrap

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Fiber per serving: 7 grams

Straightforward, simple, and satisfying: This Mediterranean recipe is the perfect no-nonsense weekday lunch, covering all nutritional bases in one neat package. While this blogger calls for roasted garlic hummus, feel free to use your favorite variety.

14. Green goddess sandwiches

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Fiber per serving: 25 grams

We can’t think of a better name for this recipe — after all, four of its seven main ingredients are green. With avocado, cucumbers, and sprouts tucked between thick slices of multigrain bread, this is one unforgettable vegetarian sandwich.

15. Turkey, apple, and brie sandwich with apple cider mayo

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Fiber per serving: 5 grams

Crisp apples, soft brie, sliced meat, and crusty French bread — this is pretty much a cheese plate in sandwich form. Pack in a good handful of arugula for some extra fiber, and you’ve got yourself a lunch that you’ll be tempted to dig into way before noon.

16. Black beans and cauliflower rice

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Fiber per serving: 15 grams

Make one head of cauliflower go a long way by pulsing it into a base for this grain-free take on beans and rice. With a bit of sautéing, some Mexican spices, and chopped veggies, it’ll be hard to tell the difference between this and the restaurant version.

17. The best avocado pasta

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Fiber per serving: 11 grams

Heat up this pasta in the office microwave if you’d like, but rest assured it’s actually delicious cold too. The creamy avocado sauce is rich, but thanks to lots of zesty lemon juice, the meal doesn’t feel overly heavy.

Pro tip: Make it vegan by omitting the Parmesan.

18. Greek quinoa bowls

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Fiber per serving: 9 grams

Swap out lettuce for protein-packed quinoa in this easy, perfect-for-toting-in-Tupperware dish. Ready in less than 15 minutes and even better tasting once it’s had time to sit, this is the ideal meal to make in advance.

19. Baked sweet potato tacos

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Fiber per serving: 11 grams

Forgoing the crispy shell altogether, the sweet potatoes in this recipe are a higher fiber vehicle for the spiced black bean mixture.

These unconventional tacos do run the risk of falling over a bit in your lunchbox, but what’s a little mess with a meal that tastes this good and takes hardly any time to make? Bring a fork, and you’ll be good to go.

20. 5-ingredient sweet potato black bean chili

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Fiber per serving: 9 grams

Make a big ol’ batch of this chili over the weekend to make your lunch a no-brainer throughout the week.

The store-bought salsa is a healthy shortcut that does most of the work, while pantry spices, sweet potatoes, and black beans add tons of fresh flavor and nutrients to make it a substantial meal.

21. Whole-wheat pasta with fresh tomatoes and herbs

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Fiber per serving: 8 grams

Don’t dismiss pasta as just a dinnertime dish. With whole-wheat pasta and fresh tomatoes in an olive oil dressing (instead of a heavy sauce), this is light enough to enjoy for lunch without sending you into a carb-induced nap afterward.

22. Healthy homemade instant noodles

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Fiber per serving: 5 grams

Ditch the brown paper bag at home for a mason jar that does double duty as your lunchbox and your noodle bowl in this super fun to eat, healthier take on instant ramen.

With no sketchy seasoning packages or excessive sodium, it’s all about fresh ingredients in this homemade ramen recipe. Just add water and slurp away.

It’s recommended that we each get at least 25 grams of fiber per day for women, or 38 grams per day for men, to keep our gut health in check. Yet, most Americans are falling short — as in, 95 percent of the population.Quagliani D, et al. (2017). Closing America’s fiber intake gap. DOI: 10.1177/1559827615588079

While 25 grams might seem like a lot, it’s easier than you think. Focus on squeezing in a few grams here and a few grams there throughout the day, rather than tackling the numbers in one meal.

Start with this list of fiber-filled breakfast recipes, then choose a lunch from our roundup to keep you full and fueled all afternoon. By the time you get to dinner, you’ll be well on your way to hitting the mark for the day.

22 High-Fiber Lunch Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How to get 22 grams of fiber a day? ›

Here are some high-fiber foods to include in your diet to fulfill the recommended 25 grams of fiber a day goal:
  1. Grains. Barley. Quinoa. Oats. Whole grain pastas and breads. Popcorn.
  2. Vegetables. Broccoli. Carrots. Brussels sprouts. Artichoke. ...
  3. Fruits. Avocado. Berries. Apples. Oranges. ...
  4. Nuts and seeds. Almonds. Chia seeds. Legumes. Lentils.

How to add fiber in lunch? ›

Whole fiber rich meal option

If you are at home, opt for a whole meal. This would include a soup, a salad along with vegetable and just about a small portion of roti. Asparagus Soup, Chatpata Chawli and Fruit Salad, Masala Karela and Lehsuni Bajra aur Kaddu ki Roti are a few recipes which are surely worth trying.

What foods are extremely high in fiber? ›

Fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, peas and lentils all help you reach that daily fiber goal. Fiber-rich foods have a mix of different fiber types. Some fiber helps keep stool moving in the large intestine. Other types of fiber help a person feel full for longer.

What do 25 grams of fiber look like in a day? ›

Baby carrots are a great snack, but each one only provides about 0.3 grams of fiber. At that rate, you'd have to eat 83 baby carrots to get 25 grams of fiber! Packing a large orange in your lunch each day is an easy way to get about one sixth of your daily 25 grams of fiber, as one large orange packs about 4.4 grams.

What is the easiest food to eat for fiber? ›

Beans, peas and lentils are excellent sources of fiber. Add kidney beans to canned soup or a green salad. Or make nachos with refried black beans, lots of fresh veggies, whole-wheat tortilla chips and salsa. Eat more fruit and vegetables.

Are eggs high in fiber? ›

Higher intakes of dietary fibre are associated with a lower risk of heart and circulatory disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. Animal products such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy products, like cheese and yoghurt, don't contain any fibre.

Is peanut butter high in fiber? ›

Peanuts and peanut butter are rich in soluble and insoluble dietary fibers, both of which help support regular bowel movements and improve constipation ( 3 , 4 ). Just two tablespoons (32 grams) of natural peanut butter contains 3 grams of fiber, equivalent to about 10% of your daily fiber needs ( 5 , 6 ).

What happened when I ate 25 grams of fiber every day? ›

Too much fiber can cause symptoms such as bloating, gas, and constipation. In rare cases, it can cause intestinal blockage. Fluids, exercise, and dietary changes may help the body manage more fiber.

Is pasta high in fiber? ›

Made from whole grains, every cup of cooked pasta (140 grams) boasts 43 g of carbohydrate, 3 g of fiber and 8 g of protein per serving, per the USDA. Most of us don't eat enough fiber, which is good for our heart and digestion, so consuming pasta is one way to boost our fiber intake.

Is sweet potato high in fiber? ›

With about 6 grams of fiber in one cup of cooked sweet potato, this root vegetable already gives you 26% of your recommended daily intake. Sweet potatoes are also a good source of prebiotics like oligosaccharides, which help improve the balance of your gut bacteria and overall gut health.

Is chicken high in fiber? ›

Fiber is found in many different plant foods, including grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes (dried beans, peas and lentils) and nuts and seeds. Meat, chicken, turkey, fish and dairy products do not contain dietary fiber. However, avoid tough meats because they may be difficult to digest.

What are the 10 highest fiber foods? ›

  • Nuts. ...
  • Popcorn. ...
  • Chia seeds. ...
  • Raspberries. ...
  • Oatmeal. ...
  • Avocados. ...
  • Asparagus. A half-cup serving delivers about 1½ grams of fiber. ...
  • Fiber supplements. Whole foods are generally the best sources of fiber, says Lategan-Potgieter.

How can I get 30g of fiber a day? ›

How to get your daily 30g of fibre
  1. Cereals. Wholegrain cereals are an obvious choice for breakfast. ...
  2. Bananas. They should be a bit green, said Prof John Cummings of Dundee University, one of the study authors. ...
  3. Apples. ...
  4. Nuts. ...
  5. Wholemeal or wholegrain bread. ...
  6. Baked potatoes. ...
  7. Wholemeal pasta. ...
  8. Pulses.
Jan 10, 2019

What single food has the most fiber? ›

Raspberries win the fiber race at 8 grams per cup. Mangoes, persimmons, and guavas are also good sources of fiber: A mango has 5 grams, a persimmon has 6, and 1 cup of guava has about 9. Dark-colored vegetables. In general, the darker the color of the vegetable, the higher the fiber content.

What should I eat daily for high Fibre? ›

Soluble fibre
  • oats.
  • legumes (split peas, dried beans such as red kidney beans, baked beans and lentils)
  • fruit.
  • vegetables.
  • seeds and nuts.
  • breads, cereals and pasta.

References

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