20 Best Fall Lunches for Healthy Aging

As you age, you may lack essential nutrients like fiber, protein, vitamin D, and calcium. These popular breakfast recipes provide 20% of the daily value of at least two of these nutrients, so you can enjoy a flavorful meal packed with the nutrients your body needs to thrive. They also offer delicious fall produce like Brussels sprouts, beets, and winter squash, making them great options to enjoy this season. Try dishes like our Tofu and Roasted Vegetable Bowl with Pumpkin Seeds and our protein-packed Tuna and Chickpea Salad Sandwich for a nourishing meal that will help you stay healthy as you age.

Salted Beet Reuben Sandwich

Mixing beets with cilantro, mustard seeds, cinnamon and allspice gives them a tasty corned beef flavor. With this vegetarian Reuben sandwich, you won’t miss meat.

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Tofu and Roasted Vegetable Bowl with Pumpkin Seeds

Crispy tofu brings protein to this burrito bowl-inspired veggie-filled grain bowl, perfect for a quick and easy dinner or a packed lunch for work.

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High-Protein Tuna and Chickpea Salad Sandwich

This tangy tuna sandwich gets an extra boost of protein from chickpeas. Crushing a few chickpeas into the tuna improves the texture and helps hold the filling together. The combination of garlic and Sriracha adds a delicious twist, but feel free to opt for an alternative hot sauce of your preference or skip it altogether for a milder flavor.

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Kale and Chickpea Grain Bowls

This veggie-rich bowl is loaded with crunch and color, thanks to crispy carrots and chickpeas, fresh kale, and a vibrant avocado vinaigrette. It also provides more than 50% of your daily dose of fiber, essential for weight loss, energy and healthy digestion. Bulgur, also called cracked wheat, is a quick-cooking whole grain. These bowls would be great make-ahead lunches. Pack the avocado mixture separately, adding a little water to dilute it if necessary.

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Rainbow Vegetable Soup

This vibrant and healthy soup recipe contributes to your well-being. It contains a variety of colorful vegetables, like tomatoes, which contain lycopene, a phytochemical that may help reduce inflammation.

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Chicken and Cabbage Soup with Pesto

This one-pot chicken and cabbage soup is topped with store-bought pesto to enhance the flavor. Large, fiber-rich butter beans add a creamy touch, but you can easily substitute cannellini beans or white beans if you prefer. This soup works well with leftover chicken: simply shred or chop the cooked chicken and add it to the soup to reheat once the cabbage is tender.

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Butternut Squash Soup with Grilled Cheese and Apple Sandwiches

Layering apple slices into grilled cheese sandwiches adds a little crunch to your favorite soup. And the creamy butternut squash soup with ginger, cumin, and turmeric is a nice change of pace from the usual grilled cheese tomato soup.

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Baked falafel sandwiches

This street falafel sandwich is grassy, ​​tangy and rich. The falafel gets nice and crispy in the oven while the vegetables inside keep it simple and fresh. Prepare the tahini sauce (see Related Recipes) in advance for easy preparation. Wrapping the sandwich in foil makes it a perfect on-the-go lunch and helps hold it together for eating on the go.

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Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas

Crispy citrus slaw contrasts nicely with the creamy squash filling of the enchiladas.

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Chipotle Cauliflower Macaroni and Cheese

You’ll barely notice the cauliflower in this comforting skillet pasta: it’s pureed and mixed into the creamy cheese sauce.

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Cup of Sichuan ramen noodles with cabbage and tofu

The Sichuan province in southwest China is known for its spicy dishes. Here, the richness of tahini tempers spicy chili paste in this cup noodle-style mason jar soup recipe. This cup of vegan soup contains 19 grams of protein to keep you satisfied until your next meal. You can grind Sichuan peppercorns in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, or mash them in the bottom of a heavy skillet.

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Kale, Quinoa and Apple Salad

This kale, quinoa and apple salad is perfect for fall. Fresh apples bring a crisp fall flavor and the kale breaks down when massaged with the dressing. Walnuts, fennel and quinoa add more texture, while blue cheese adds a savory note.

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Spinach salad with quinoa, chicken and fresh berries

If you’re making this cereal bowl for work, mix the dressing ingredients in a small container. When ready to eat, shake the dressing well, add it to the salad and toss. If you don’t have time to make a homemade vinaigrette, use 3 tablespoons of store-bought olive oil vinaigrette. Cut down on prep time by using rotisserie chicken (or leftover chicken) and a microwave-safe packet of quinoa.

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Chopped Vegetarian Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing

This healthy vegetarian salad recipe features chickpeas and quinoa for a protein boost. Cilantro adds color and flavor when blended into a creamy dressing. Serve this salad cold for lunch or dinner.

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English muffin pizza with tomatoes and olives

This pizza-inspired English muffin, topped with tomatoes, cheese, olives and oregano, does triple duty: it’s great as a snack or as part of a delicious breakfast or lunch.

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Make-Ahead Spinach and Black Bean Burritos

These egg, bean and cheese burritos are designed to be made ahead and frozen. They’re perfect for busy days and make a satisfying breakfast or lunch.

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Chicken, Brussels sprouts and mushroom salad

Shaving the vegetables for this easy salad recipe makes them deliciously tender and crunchy without having to cook anything and helps them hold up to the bright homemade dressing and salty Parmesan.

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Prosciutto and Spinach Grilled Cheese

Make grilled cheese for one with this quick and easy recipe! This sandwich has a healthy dose of veggies and delicious flavor from sliced ​​prosciutto (Italian ham).

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Green Goddess Cereal Bowl

This healthy grain bowl features greens, peas, asparagus and a creamy yogurt dressing. Tofu adds protein while keeping it vegetarian, but you can also swap cooked shrimp or chicken for a satisfying dinner or packed lunch ready in just 15 minutes.

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Tofu and vegetable scramble

Feel free to customize this quick tofu and veggie recipe with your favorite combination of veggies and spices. Try using vegetables that all cook at the same rate, like peppers, green beans, and snow peas.

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