18 Easy Lunches You Can Make in 20 Minutes or Less

By Melanie Fincher

Allrecipes Magazine

Lunch gets a bad wrap: Breakfast holds the title for most important meal of the day, and we pull out all the stops for dinner. But what about lunch? It's time we stop neglecting lunch and start treating it with the respect it deserves — it's the meal that gives us the mid-day boost we need to keep going. You don't have to spend your Sundays meal-prepping to have healthy and satisfying lunches throughout the week. These quick and easy lunches are ready in 20 minutes or less and require no more than five ingredients. So stop with the sad PB&Js already! Keep reading for 18 easy lunches you can make in 20 minutes or less.

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Sweet and Spicy Turkey Sandwich

Skylar Christensen

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Pepperjack cheese and strawberry preserves mingle on this turkey sandwich for a sweet and savory lunch. Reviewer Jillian says, "I would have never thought to pair turkey, pepperjack cheese, and strawberry preserves but this definitely works and is a nice departure from your 'run of the mill' turkey sandwich."

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Mexi-Chicken Avocado Cups

bd.weld

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"This buttery avocado bowl came together with the chicken, cilantro, chili powder, and lime to make the perfect nutritional meal," says reviewer bd.weld. "Be sure to keep the chicken moist so you don't have dry tasting chicken. This would work as well with leftover turkey, or by adding diced onions."

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Cheesy-Crust Skillet Pizza

The Gruntled Gourmand

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No pizza dough? No problem. This pizza is made entirely in a skillet using mozzarella cheese as crust. Reviewer Theresa Ann Berry-Wilson says, "It is quick and easy to make, great for quick lunch…"

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Easy Chorizo Street Tacos

Allrecipes Magazine

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Get street-style tacos without ever leaving your house. Mexican chorizo brings the heat here. "I made this for Sunday family lunch and everyone loved them," says reviewer NoTimeMom. "Plus this was so easy and quick."

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Apple and Bacon Grilled Cheese

Jacolyn

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Honeycrisp apples and bacon help to upgrade your grilled cheese game. "This is a nice twist on traditional grilled cheese and it was a perfect combination of sweet and salty," says reviewer Jillian. "I used thick sliced whole grain bread, but whatever bread you use this is bound to be delicious."

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Cream of Mashed Potato Soup

lovestohost

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Use last night's mashed potatoes to make today's lunch with this five-ingredient recipe. Reviewer lovestohost says,"This is a great way to repurpose leftover mashed potatoes and is easily customizable to ingredients on hand."

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Easy Mini Bagel Pizzas

House of Aqua

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Recipe creator LEANANSIDHE describes this as, "A homemade take on a frozen favorite." Simply arrange bagels on a baking sheet, add pizza toppings, and bake!

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Simple Egg Salad

Baking Nana

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Chopped cucumber gives an added crunch to this five-ingredient egg salad. Reviewer Christina says, "This was tasty, and couldn't have been easier!"

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Summer Cucumber Jicama Salad

AllrecipesPhoto

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This light and refreshing cucumber salad makes for a light lunch or side dish that will keep well in the fridge for days. Reviewer Katzmagick in the Kitchen says, "I bought jicama for the first time, always thought it was a strange thing. But if you haven't tried it, this is a good recipe. The lemon tones down the jicama's sweetness. Nice balance of flavors."

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Arugula and Hummus Mini Pizzas

Kim's Cooking Now

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Spread hummus on naan bread and top with arugula, dates, and pumpkin seeds and drizzle with balsamic vinegar to make this no-bake "pizza." Reviewer Kim's Cooking Now says, "What a great snack (or light lunch - which is what this was for me today)! You get the sweetness from the chopped dates, the garlicky flavor from the hummus and then the peppery arugula!"

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Grilled Turkey and Swiss Sandwich

mommyluvs2cook

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Reviewer Jillian says, "Fabulous sandwich! I love anything with Swiss so I had to give this a try...I added some thin sliced tomato and a couple of slices of bacon which proved to be wonderful additions. No matter what you add, you can't go wrong. Perfect with a side of fresh fruit!"

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Orange, Fig, and Gorgonzola Salad 

Christina

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If you're lucky enough to get your hands on some fresh figs during their short season, what better way to put them on display than this colorful salad? Reviewer Christina says, "I've been eyeing my dad's fig tree waiting to get the perfect fig to make this salad...delicious! I didn't have any fresh oranges, so I used mandarin oranges, and they worked out fine."

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Ham and Dill Pickle Spread 

It's A New Day

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"Dill makes a difference! This ham salad with dill pickle is great for full sandwiches, and can also be used for tea sandwiches or as a snack spread on crackers or chips," says recipe creator kdsmom. "It is best with deli ham that is cooked rather than smoked or honey-baked."

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Heavenly Chicken Garlic Sandwiches

Marianne

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Melted garlic butter takes regular hoagie rolls over the top. "I only had hamburger buns so I toasted them at 350 degrees F for 5 minutes, then I brushed with the garlic butter and added the chicken and mozzarella cheese and baked as directed," says reviewer DREWSWIFE. "It was delicious! I will definitely be making this again."

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Caprese Salad Sandwiches

Baking Nana

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Your favorite summer salad is served sandwich-style for a refreshing yet filling lunch. Reviewer MsZabeth says, "I love this combination of flavors and so does everyone I make this for. I make it as more of an open-faced sandwich and use Italian bread which I toast for a few minutes on each side before I put the mozzarella, tomato, and basil on top."

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Kale Salad with Pineapple Dressing

Jennifer Baker

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Don't let looks deceive you, kale is packed with nutrients to keep you feeling full. Reviewer hollyglightly says, "I feel like you have to make this a day ahead and let the lemon juice and pineapple enzymes do their work to soften and remove bitterness from the kale. It's decent the first day, but amazing on the next! So if you have time, MAKE AHEAD. Cheap, tasty and sure to please lots of folks."

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Rick's Big Bad Bean Burrito

Baking Nana

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Recipe creator Rick O' Leary describes this as "a full meal in wrap." This is a simple bean burrito recipe that leaves nothing out.

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Crystal's Quick Avocado Salad

Christina

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Corn and avocado come together for a light salad that can be enjoyed on its own or with chips or pita bread. "Nice and refreshing...I will be making this again," says reviewer Christina.

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