13 Delicious Twists on Classic Lunches

Turkey sandwich. Tuna sandwich. Ham sandwich. Sigh. If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, then lunch may be the most boring. Put an end to ho-hum midday meals with these genius recipe upgrades.

Twist:

Peanut Butter and Pear Sandwich

Swap out sugary jelly for naturally sweet pears, raisins, and honey. Pears break up the monotony of traditional PB&J by adding crunch to every bite—and a dose of filling fiber and antioxidants.

Ingredients: Peanut butter, whole-wheat bread, raisins, pears, cinnamon, honey

Calories: 525

Try this recipe: Peanut Butter and Pear Sandwich

Twist:

Pastrami-Spiced Tofu Reuben

The average Reuben sandwich racks up nearly 800 calories. This vegetarian-friendly version swaps out beef pastrami for tofu, reducing the calorie count by nearly half. With 20 grams of protein per serving, you're sure to feel full until dinner!

Ingredients: Firm tofu, reduced-fat mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet pickles, coriander, ground black pepper, garlic powder, salt, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, extra-virgin olive oil, sauerkraut, pickled jalapeno, unsalted butter, pumpernickel bread, Swiss cheese

Calories: 454

Try this recipe: Pastrami-Spiced Tofu Reuben

Twist:

Cobb Salad Lettuce Wraps

We get it: eating a salad every day is good for you. But does it get boring? Yes. These wraps—which you eat with your hands—are a finger-licking-good alternative that makes eating veggies feel fun again. Avocado and a touch of blue cheese add creaminess without fattening dressings.

Ingredients: Reduced-fat mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, black pepper, cooking spray, Canadian bacon, iceberg lettuce, smoked deli turkey breast slices, tomato, avocado, red onion, crumbled blue cheese

Calories: 177

Try this recipe: Cobb Salad Lettuce Wraps

Twist:

Turkey Club with Pesto on Pumpernickel Bread

Choosing pumpernickel bread over traditional white for your turkey club has two clear benefits: it gives your sammie a more complex nutty flavor, and it's a lot better for you. (A recent study revealed that frequent white-bread eaters are 40% more likely to become overweight than those who eat it less often.) And pesto not only adds flavor; the olive oil and pine nuts it's made from are known metabolism-boosters.

Ingredients: Prepared pesto, pumpernickel bread, sliced turkey, turkey bacon, romaine lettuce, tomato, apple

Calories: 390

Try this recipe: Pesto Turkey Club

Twist:

Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup

Forget canned chicken soup. Ginger, garlic, Thai spices, mint, and cilantro give this homemade version an Asian twist. Make it ahead of time and package it to take to work for the rest of the week.

Ingredients: Water, shallots, ginger, garlic, Thai fish sauce, salt, pepper, chicken broth, chicken thighs, vermicelli noodles, bean sprouts, green onions, cilantro, basil, mint, lime

Calories: 346

Try this recipe: Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup

Twist:

Ham, Sliced Pear, and Swiss Sandwich

Here's another classic sandwich that features fiber- and antioxidant-packed pears. This ham sandwich also swaps out fattening mayonnaise for plain, low-fat Greek yogurt, which provides an additional punch of protein.

Ingredients: Plain low-fat Greek yogurt, dill, pumpernickel bread, sliced lean ham, pear, Swiss cheese

Calories: 390

Try this recipe: Ham, Sliced Pear & Swiss Sandwich

Twist:

Zucchini, Scallion, and Parmesan Pizza

It's all too easy to call for pizza delivery for your officemates at lunchtime. Instead, why not impress your coworkers with this healthier, more exciting version? Whole-wheat pizza dough is topped with

zucchini, scallions, and just a sprinkling of flavorful Parmesan.

Ingredients: All-purpose flour and cornmeal, whole-wheat pizza dough, olive oil, scallions, zucchini, salt, pepper, Parmesan, fresh mint

Calories: 325

Try this recipe: Zucchini, Scallion and Parmesan Pizza

Twist:

Mediterranean Tuna Melt

Instead of mixing canned tuna with mayo (yawn), try a jar of heart-healthy oil-packed tuna topped with staples from the Mediterranean diet. Olives, chives, roasted red peppers, and melted Manchego will make you wonder why you ever ate tuna any other way.

Ingredients: Multigrain boule, extra-virgin olive oil, Spanish tuna, lemon zest, lemon juice, roasted red peppers, Spanish olives, red onion, Manchego, chives, Marcona almonds

Calories: 421

Try this recipe: Mediterranean Tuna Melt

Twist:

Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Cheddar and Apples

Grilled cheese is a treat, but you can make it healthier—and tastier—by swapping out American cheese for cheddar and adding apple slices and baby spinach leaves. Multigrain bread sets you up with two out of your three recommended daily servings of whole grains.

Ingredients: Mayonnaise, whole-grain multigrain bread, Dijon mustard, cheddar, apple, baby spinach

Calories: 325

Try this recipe: Grilled Cheddar with Apples

Twist:

Baked Two-Cheese Penne with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Mac and cheese soothes the soul, but nobody would ever call this comfort food healthy. You won't miss it with this upgraded version that swaps in whole-wheat pasta. The entire four-serving recipe uses just 3 ounces of flavor-packed fontina and Gouda cheeses, but is still creamy thanks to a secret ingredient: Greek yogurt.

Ingredients: Whole-wheat penne, olive oil, all-purpose flour, salt, black pepper, low-fat milk, Gouda, fontina, panko, roasted red bell pepper, low-fat Greek yogurt

Calories: 433

Try this recipe: Baked Two-Cheese Penne with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Twist:

Guilt-Free Cheeseburger

Sure, it's tempting to hit the drive-through for lunch—but the choices there are uninspired at best. Plus, fast food spikes your blood sugar, so within a couple hours you'll feel hungry again. Try this guiltless cheeseburger instead—it features lean sirloin, and is topped with heart-healthy avocado and a juicy tomato salsa.

Ingredients: Lean sirloin, garlic, chili powder, kosher salt, cheddar, romaine, avocado, fresh salsa, sourdough bun

Calories: 466

Try this recipe: Guilt-Free Cheeseburger

Twist:

Sweet Potato and Spinach Quesadillas

You've never had a quesadilla quite like this! This recipe uses less cheese than a traditional quesadilla, and instead ramps up the flavor with sweet potatoes and red onions. Spinach adds virtually zero calories but gives you 56% of your daily vitamin A needs, plus a host of other nutrients.

Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, red wine vinegar, sugar, black peppercorns, red onion, kosher salt, black pepper, flour tortillas, baby spinach, shredded part-skim mozzarella, olive oil

Calories: 391

Try this recipe: Sweet Potato and Spinach Quesadillas