12 Easy Dairy-free and Egg-free Lunch Ideas

Dairy-free and Egg-free lunch ideas

Do you eat dairy-free and egg-free and looking for inspiration for new meal ideas? We’ve got 12 ideas for you so you don’t need to revert to PB and J.

Always check the ingredient list for bread, cured meats, and deli meats for added dairy or egg. Dairy can be listed as specifically as milk, cream, cheese, or sometimes the proteins whey or casein. Always read labels even if it’s a food you’ve purchased before – sometimes manufacturers change things or they come out with a new variety with different ingredients.

In the last few years, so many products are now available that taste like dairy or egg products, with better textures and a better ingredient list. Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Trader Joe’s are the best place to find these but even Target, Walmart, and your local grocery store are stocking more choices.

One thing I really missed when going dairy-free was grilled cheese sandwiches. At the start of my journey, there’s weren’t as many tasty alternative options. Recently I discovered Violife cheddar slices and had my first grilled cheese sandwich in years. It was soooo delicious.

Need breakfast inspiration? Don’t miss my 12 Dairy-free and Egg-Free Breakfast Ideas article

12 Dairy-free and Egg-Free Lunch Ideas

One: Tuna salad – Canned tuna is always great to have stocked in the pantry for an easy lunch. Use a vegan mayonnaise and add celery and sliced almonds for an extra touch. Serve over lettuce with cucumbers and tomatoes. Or serve on bread for a tuna salad sandwich.

vegan mayonnaise – Just Mayo or Primal Kitchen

Two: Grilled cheese – Sourdough bread with Dairy-free cheese slices. Use dairy-free butter or olive oil on the bread. For extra flavor, add slices to tomato or bacon.

Violife Cheddar Slices
Earth Balance

Three: Turkey sandwich – choose a delicious bread and top with turkey, avocado, tomatoes, lettuce, and sprouts. For variety, spread cranberry sauce for Cranberry Turkey sandwich.

Four: Salad – Fix a bowl of mixed greens. Slice a few chicken tenders (fried or grilled) and add to the salad along with bacon, avocado, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Top with vegan ranch.

Primal Kitchen Vegan Ranch with Avocado Oil

Five: Pasta salad – Rotelli pasta with salami, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and an Italian vinaigrette.

Six: Asian chicken salad – Toss together sliced cabbage, chopped chicken, carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers. Top with crispy wontons or chow mein noodles and sliced almonds. Use sesame ginger or peanut dressing (homemade or store-bought).

Seven: Snack plate – Cutup veggies, pita chips, and hummus. A few nuts or berries on the side.

Eight: BLT sandwich – toast some bread and spread it with vegan mayonnaise. Add bacon, lettuce, and tomato. For more flavor, add slices of avocado.

Keto Avocado BLT lettuce wraps

For a keto or Whole 30 BLT, try these Avocado BLT wraps

Nine: Turkey avocado wrap – Spread a large flour tortilla with smashed avocado. Add slices of turkey, lettuce, and what else sounds tasty (sprouts, bacon, cucumbers…) and roll to wrap. Use parchment or foil to keep it wrapped if not eating right away.

Ten: Chicken Ceasar Salad. Fill a bowl with chopped romaine lettuce. Add sliced grilled chicken breasts and croutons. Toss with vegan Ceasar salad dressing. Topped with shredded vegan parmesan cheese.

Trader Joe’s Vegan Ceasar Salad Dressing
Whole Foods 365 Croutons
Violife parmesan cheese

Eleven: Burrito Bowl. Cilantro lime rice (or Mexican rice), topped with chopped grilled meat (great if you have leftovers), avocado, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes. Add salsa or hot sauce for extra flavor and kick.

Twelve: Yogurt. Dairy-free yogurt with a side of fresh fruit. Top yogurt with granola or nuts for some crunch.