Looking for tasty and wholesome lunchbox ideas for work? We have got you covered. Follow my tips, plan, and recipes to recreate these 25+ Indian lunchbox ideas.
Homemade Lunchbox
Packing a homemade lunchbox for my husband is a part of my morning routine. It is my way to express love and care for him.
The homemade packed lunch is the most comforting meal of a busy working day. It is one of the best ways to eat nutritionally balanced, wholesome, preservative-free food every day.
Reasons to LOVE Homemade Packed Lunch
- budget-friendly
- healthy friendly
- fresh and hygienic
- easily customizable
- free of preservatives
These lunchbox ideas are inspired by everyday Indian cuisine with the addition of exciting fusion ideas to keep it interesting and fun.
With a little meal-prep planning over the weekend, you can pack a variety of dishes for the office lunchbox. I know that packing a lunchbox every day can be tough. But a bit of menu planning and meal prep goes a long way.
You can also get my WEEKLY LUNCH BOX MENU PLANS:
The Right Lunchbox: A great meal might taste meh because of the wrong lunch box. You can find and shop a few of my all-time favorite lunchboxes at my Amazon Store. I have been using these lunchboxes for the past many years and got an A+ rating from me.
A brief explanation about the content of each lunchbox is mentioned next to the image. You can either click on the links given to fetch the recipe for that particular dish or directly search for those recipe ideas on our website.
And once you check out these easy and tasty lunchbox ideas, I am sure you’ll be more motivated to try them out.
Lunchbox 1: Rajma Chawal, Spicy Mango Dip, Cheese Crackers, Veggies
Lunchbox 2: Paneer Bhurji, Palak Paratha, Lobia Salad
Lunchbox 3: Lemon Rice, Pahadi Aloo Gutke, Paratha, Beetroot Poriyal, Buttermilk
Lunchbox 4: Red Sauce Spaghetti, Christmas Cake, Strawberry, Veggies
Lunchbox 5: Veg Manchurian Gravy, Chili Garlic Noodles, Chicken Veggie Stir Fry
Lunchbox 6: Vegetable Pulao, Paneer Tikka, Grapes Raita
Lunchbox 7: Chicken Pulao, Crackers, Overnight Oats, Fruits & Veggies
Lunchbox 8: Palak Paneer Bhurji, Paratha, Macaroni Salad, and Peanut Chikki
Lunchbox 9: Punjabi Sookhi Urad Dal, Paratha, Grilled Masala Paneer, Cucumber
Lunchbox 10: Baby Corn Chilli Sauce, Fried Rice, Mango Dip, Cheese Crackers
Lunchbox 11: Chana Masala, Paratha, Moong Dal Sprout Salad
Lunchbox 12: Mushroom Peas Pulao, Dip & Nachos, Boondi Raita, Veggies
Lunchbox 13: Pumpkin Sabzi, Paratha, Lentil Salad & Dressing, Energy Bar
Lunchbox 14: Pav Bhaji Masala, Matar Poha, Mango Shrikhand
Lunchbox 15: Mix Vegetable Sabzi, Paratha, Medu Vada, Coconut Chutney
Lunchbox 16: Stir Fry Pasta With Veggies, Teatime Cold Sandwich, Guava
Lunchbox 17: Potato Peas Curry, Paratha, Green Salad & Dressing
Lunchbox 18: Matar Ghugni, Dal Paratha, Roasted Foxnut, Masala Buttermilk
Lunchbox 19: Crispy Bhindi Fry, Paratha, Raita, Cucumber, Fryums, Overnight Oats
Lunchbox 20: Bharwan Baingan, Paratha, Hummus, Crackers, Beetroot Chaas
Lunchbox 21: Falafel Pita Sandwich, Salad in a Jar
Lunchbox 22: Aloo Methi Sabzi, Boondi Raita, Paratha
Lunchbox 23: Tandoori Cauliflower, Cheese Suji Cutlet, Tomato Salsa, Fruits
Lunchbox 24: Red Sauce Spaghetti, Bagel Sandwich, Instant Rava Uttapam
Lunchbox 25: Chicken Pulao, Vegetable Stir Fry, Cucumber Sticks
Lunchbox 26: Stir Fry Pasta, Grilled Veggies, Hummus, Pita Chips
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Divya says
My most cherished lunchbox memory is from engineering college. My lunches were very popular thanks to my absolute genius of a chef mother. I literally would have to hide my lunchbox as my friends would all want to get a taste…about 7 of them…every single day. So much so that I never got to eat any of it. I used to hate okra but having nothing left for me I had to eat from my friend sameer’s lunchbox and his mom used to make this bhindi ki sabji (with dhaniya powder- 2 of the top most things on my hatelist – in one dish) which I started liking from then on. Having been a picky eater as a child, I opened up to flavours and textures…some new and some that I disliked with all my heart. Lunch breaks during my college time are something I always think about and smile.
Saina Jayapal says
I studied in kerala and the only food i knew about was Kerala cuisine. Since it was a coastal area, We had a strong Gujarati community in Calicut but we never thought they were different in any way untill lunch time. During school lunches, servants would come delivering huge stainless steel dhabas tied up in colourful cloth. Thankfully my classmates were kind enough to share their food with their hard core beef eating class mates, while they were staunch vegetarian. I still remember the food, simple, fragrant and delicious. The softest of phulkas with a dash of ghee, dal that had a tinge of sweetness and cabbage which as shredded so finely and fried in ghee, hing,chilli powder, turmeric , salt and a bit of sugar, the meal always ended with a sweet a jalebi, jamun etc. It was the simplest of meals, but i still remember the taste. I have lost touch with the Guju girls but am always thankful to them as they showed me there is much more flavours to india and it was their lunch box that made me curious about the various cuisines we have .
Veidehi says
This is such a flavourful feed, full of mouth watering ideas 🙂
gunjan Srivastava says
After working from Home office around 5 years, I had the privilege of eating a home cooked hot meal at lunch time. Now things are changed and office shifted to 9 km from around a year and now i have to struggle daily to decide” what for lunch box?”. Thanks for sharing these ideas. Really helpful.
From the experience of packing lunch from last one year, I cherished lots of memories, especially people love when i take care of their small needs like one of my colleague is not allowed to have rice and she loves to have a spoonful from my box. A Ginger pickle for one and spicy green chili pickle for other. I love to see the happiness on their faces.
Shallu says
I grew up in Nepal and my most beautiful memories of lunchtime are when we used to pass the lunch from last bench to first bench during classes to have some extra time to play during lunch breaks.
Resham Nanwani says
my most cherished lunch box memories was when I used to open my bag during snack and not only find a fruit but also my favorite chocolate. It does not end here – during lunch, I used to get puri & aloo subzi with papad(papad is a must being a Sindhi :-p) and for some reason it always used to taste better when eating from a lunch box as compared to eating it at home. I am a sucker for good sandwiches beside cheese, lettuce & tomato and my mom used to improvise and give me various kinds of vegetarian sandwiches.
Working now I feel the struggle to find that right balance of packing a nutritious meal which still tastes good when in a lunch box. Mothers always know how to make things look so easy but in reality – it is quite a challenge.
Sonal says
My most cherished lunch box memory happens to be from my school. Simple homemade chapati and subzi that my Mom would pack off in the steel boxes and all the bench mates and other girls would come and share it during recess. Mom’s methi subzi and potatoes were very popular in particular. Those chats with friends coupled with maa ke haathon ka jaadu are forever etched in my heart.
Sonal says
My most cherished lunch box memory happens to be from my school. Simple homemade chapati and subzi that my Mom would pack off in the steel boxes and all the bench mates and other girls would come and share it during recess. Mom’s methi subzi and parathas were very popular in particular. Those chats with friends coupled with maa ke haathon ka jaadu are forever etched in my heart.
Nafia says
Way back in middle school, my sister and i would travel by the school auto-rickshaw. The days we had pizza in our tiffin boxes, was a mini festival in our minds.
We would wake up to the cheesy aroma and sizzle on the pan, yes back then our amma made pan pizza 🙂
We would get dressed to school without being told, almost hurriedly. Wolf down our breakfast, and wait for our ride to arrive. The moment we heard the “click ” of the dabba being closed, the pizza was already owned.
We would get into the autorikshaw, and immediately the lids would come off, and even before we reached the end of the lane, the pizza in its entirety and the crumbs would be polished off. And yes we went hungry during lunch break that day.
Hina Gujral says
Hello Nafia, Congratulations! You are the winner of our Giveaway Contest. Please share your postal address and contact details on our email address – [email protected] for the dispatch of a gift. Thank You!
Nafia says
Thank you Hina 🙂
I have shared my details on your email address.
Akanksha Kapoor says
Lunchbox memories take most of us back to good old school days where, ghar ka khana was taken for granted & anything processed was relished to the core. Honestly speaking, only when mom’s preparations are not around, our taste buds live through them the most.
My favorite was the much prized – Maggi noodles which are still worshipped by me. Although, the senior-most standard at school was expected to convey exemplify-able conduct, especially at a hard-core all-girls convent academy, our gang managed to broke the lunch-confined-to-recess rule & swabbed the food from our lunch boxes, just one hour after the morning assembly itself, particularly the ones suspected & proved to be crammed with Maggi. At home, we sisters always managed to persuade mom to cook Maggi in the absence of our father, else all the vegetables present in the house shall adorn it and fade away the real taste of Maggi.
My most cherished memory of lunch box packed for school takes me to my gang of girls, where my then bestie, who had a roly-poly appearance since beginning, brought her lunch box, religiously filled with only and only potato dishes. Never in my time had I witnessed anyone so much in veneration with this vegetable, that we would mischievously proportionate her chubbiness with her lunch box FIXED menus. The best part was we always made sure that she is left with a partially-filled box for lunch time, as it had already turned our victim for satiating the pre-lunch hunger pangs. Conversely, my sixth sense always sensitized me with the reality that she constantly & consciously left her bag unattended, may be only for us and later would superficially crib on her vanished favorite dish.
When, now after more than a decade, sometimes our whatsapp conversations push us towards our school days, we both seldom fail to recollect this treasure of ours, which certainly made our bond stronger. Touchwood!
Hina Gujral says
Hello Akanksha, Congratulations! You are the second winner of our Giveaway Contest. Please share your postal address and contact details on our email address – [email protected] for the dispatch of a gift. Thank You!
Saumya says
Akkiiii..am so touched with this comment here. Yes the old good school days ☺☺ am really glad you won this.
Avin says
Gosh!! Lunch box memories is a lane where I would love to go. We had a group of 3 friends. Sharing Tiffin’s was a big part of out school time. From paratha achaar to burger to chilla everything made its way to our tummies with loads of gossip and giggles. Lovely times!!!
Sirisha says
Lunch box memories are nostalgic….. The aroma in the air when all the dabbas get opened in school at break is unforgettable even today. All my lunch boxes were of stainless steel and I had some of the best like car shaped, a mini carrier to name a few. In a 20 minute break we almost speak non stop and enjoy all the yummy food we get. Just miss those days and they are memories to be cherished
Minu Thomas says
My most cherished lunch moments were my childhood days when my lunch box contained tit bits or left overs that my mother never packed in the morning . The child hood days were we actually lived the words that sharing is caring . We all used to sit together and open the lunch box together and share what we brought to school . I always loved the food what my friends brought and they used to love the food that I brought so we never wasted our food. The second memory was the days when my mother used to pack the lunch in banana leaf . The aroma and freshness the food used to be when we open the leaf in the afternoon brings water in my mouth . There is no words to describe that
Vandana says
The most cheriched lunch box memory is from school days.Sharing tiffin .,chats and trifle problems with friends is unforgetable.Cold parathas,poories ,stuffed parathas with achar ,vegetables ,chana and halwa ‘s taste is unforgetable
Kavita paul says
The most cherished lunch box was the surprise element that was there “what mummy has packed today” unfortunately these days there is no surprise as i pack my lunch myself
Jeena Lewis says
Those were my childhood days when we were economically struggling. There were no slippers to wear while going to school. Most of the days our lunch box carried ganji (cooked rice along with its water) and a piece of coconut. What made it so yummy was the love of my mother. Even now whenever I miss my mom I eat ganji with a piece of coconut.
Sandhya says
Hai Mam,
Can i get the recipes of these lunch box dishes? Only images are coming when i click on that.
Hina Gujral says
Hello Sandhya, all those recipes are available on my blog. You can search for them. Thank You.
sukirti sharma says
I find this lunch ideas very helpful!
Great tips! Thanks!
Neha Singh says
I always love what you post…and this was no exception! Just one question – fir how many days shall we pre-plan the vegetables (chopped veggies etc I mean) ?? 2-3 days only or lesser ?? Or I should do the chopping and all the night before only and not 2-3 days beforehand?! Please help …I am new to cooking for a family… :
chittoor Manian says
My cherished lunch-box moments were from school. We used to be the last benchers or the row before that and even before the recess, we used to open our friend’s lunch boxes and share the contents “chupke-chupke”. But the smell of chappati-bhaji or dosa used to waft around and other students would understand the surreptitious opening of the lunch-box. For whatever reasons, the teachers also never caught on with this and just ignored this. This would leave the boy to often eat outside from the railway stall behind the school. Such sweet memories.
Hina Gujral says
So nostalgic 🙂