10 Delicious Sugar-free Lunch Ideas

To cut sugar out of your life, you need a strategy. One of the most effective ways of avoiding the sweet stuff is to make sure you are filling yourself up on nutritious, tasty and filling food. If you are the type of person that gets a sugar craving during an afternoon energy dip, then a great way of preventing this is to fill yourself up on a fantastic and filling lunch. So here are 10 lunch ideas to get you started.

Mint is probably my favorite herb. It is a great pick-me-up and it is a perfect companion to pea. Ricotta is the dieter’s friend; a low-fat cheese with a great flavor punch.

What you need:

• 2 slices rye bread (or any bread of your choosing)
• 2 tbsp fresh, cooked peas
• Chopped mint
• 2 tbsp ricotta
• Drizzle of olive oil
• Squeeze of lemon juice

To prepare:

Toast the rye bread and then spread with the ricotta. In a separate bowl, mix together the peas, mint, olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle the pea mix on top of the ricotta. Serve while still warm.

This is a high fat recipe, but a sugar-free diet isn’t about fat content; it’s about sugar. You will find the bacon and avocado give you a satisfying combination of flavors and textures, and keep those sugar cravings at bay. You can reduce the fat content by using back bacon and trimming off the rind and fat.

What you need:

• A handful of lettuce leaves. Lambs lettuce works well.
• 1 slice of bacon, grilled
• Half an avocado, sliced
• Stale bread, chopped into chunks, or ready-made croutons.

To prepare:

Bake the stale bread in the oven on a low temperature, until crisp. This will be your croutons. Serve the salad by gently tossing in the chopped bacon, avocado and croutons. Season and serve.

Chicken and avocado are just such a delicious combination. Toasted sourdough makes this lunch idea even more satisfying, and will stop you reaching for the cookie jar in the afternoon. Make sure you buy the best quality tomatoes you can, to give you that beautifully sweet and fresh flavor.

What you need:

• ¼ poached chicken breast, sliced
• ½ avocado, mashed
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 2 sourdough slices
• Handful of basil leaves

To prepare:

Lightly toast the sourdough and spread with the avocado. Layer on the chicken and the tomato, and finish with a handful of torn basil leaves

This is one of my favorite lunches. A true Italian delight, these Mediterranean flavors will keep you satisfied for the rest of the day.

What you need:

• Small ciabatta roll
• 3 slices mozzarella (buffalo mozzarella if you can)
• 2 tsp pesto
• 1 fresh tomato
• Handful of basil leaves
• Drizzle of olive oil

To prepare:

Cut the ciabatta in half and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Spread the pesto over the bread, layer the mozzarella on top, and grill until the cheese has just begun to melt. Remove from the grill, and place some fresh tomato slices and torn basil over the top.

Those Italians really know good food, don’t they? So this next recipe is of Tuscan origin. It is creamy and fragrant, and even if beans and pulses don’t normally appeal to you, I would still give this one a try as you may be surprised.

What you need:

• 1 400g tin of cannellini beans
• ½ liter of vegetable stock
• 1 smoked bacon rasher
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• 1 white onion, sliced
• Handful of rosemary, chopped
• Tablespoon of crème fraiche
• Olive oil

To prepare:

Add some olive oil to a pan on a low heat and sweat the onions until soft. Add the garlic and bacon slices and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the beans, rosemary and vegetable stock. Cook on a low heat for 20 minutes. Add a tablespoon of crème fraiche, stir in gently, and take the pan of the heat. The soup is now ready to serve.

Vegetables are a fantastic way of bulking out a meal, and with this recipe you don’t need to worry about portion control. Prepare as many vegetables as you like. When griddled, you will find they are beautifully sweet.

What you need:

• 1 wholemeal wrap
• 2 tbsp hummus
• Slices of courgette, red pepper and aubergine (eggplant)
• Chopped mint
• Lemon juice
• Olive oil

To prepare:

Griddle the vegetables until they start to go soft and blacken at the edges. Take them off the heat, and in a bowl stir them together with a drizzle of lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and plenty of freshly chopped mint. Spread hummus onto the wrap and gently place the vegetables over the top before folding the bread up into a wrap.

Red onion and goats cheese are a classic combination, so rather than trying them in a traditional pastry tart, why not add them to a wholemeal wrap for lunch?

What you need:

• 1 wholemeal wrap
• Half a red onion, sliced
• 2 tbsp goats cheese
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Olive oil

To prepare:

Fry the onions on a low heat in some olive oil, until soft. Take them off the heat and mix them in a bowl with the goats cheese and chopped parsley. Season. Spread generously over a wrap before folding the bread and serving.

This is one of the easiest soup recipes to prepare, and the addition of coconut milk makes it very filling and a great option if you are in need of some comfort food.

What you need:

• Tsp red thai curry paste
• ½ white onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• Handful of coriander, chopped
• 1 cup red lentils
• ½ liter vegetable stock
• ¼ 400g tin coconut milk
• Olive oil

To prepare:

Fry the onions in a pan until soft. Add the garlic, thai paste and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the red lentils and add the vegetable stock. Cook for 20-30 minutes until the lentils are soft and the soup has a nice thick consistency. Add in the coconut milk and the freshly chopped coriander.

This is a great option for a lunch that is super-fast to prepare and delicious too.

What you need:

• 1 slice smoked salmon
• 1 tbsp cream cheese
• Black pepper
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• Small handful dill
• 1 bagel, preferably wholemeal

To prepare:

Toast the bagel and spread with the cream cheese. Layer the smoked salmon on top, and drizzle with lemon juice and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Finish with a small handful of chopped dill.

I love a poached egg for lunch, and this is a great alternative to a more carbohydrate-heavy meal of poached eggs on toast. The chilli gives it a great kick so it’s perfect for anyone who likes a bit of heat in their food.

What you need:

• 2 tbsp black beans, cooked
• ½ cup quinoa
• 1 fresh tomato, chopped
• 1 fresh avocado, chopped
• 1 red chilli, sliced
• Handful of fresh coriander
• Olive oil

To prepare:

Fry off the black beans in a little olive oil, until they have a crunchy texture. Cook the quinoa according to the instructions, and in a separate pan poach a fresh egg. To serve, spoon the quinoa onto a plate and place the egg on top. Drizzle over some olive oil, red chillis, coriander, tomatoes and avocados. Finish off by scattering over the black beans.