11 High-Fiber Lunches That Keep You Full

 Everyone needs fiber. It keeps you regular, aids in digestive health, fuels a healthy gut microbiome, helps manage blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels, and can even help prevent heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. On top of all of these benefits, eating meals high in fiber can also help keep you full and satisfied until your next meal because fiber can slow down your body's rate of digestion. Unfortunately, it can be hard to get enough fiber in your daily diet because many processed foods on the market or food you'd find at fast-food and chain restaurants are low in this nutrient. If you're aiming to get more daily fiber and finding it difficult, focusing on eating a high-fiber lunch can be a good place to start.

But how much fiber would you need in a "high-fiber lunch?" The recommendations for how much daily fiber you need vary, but the standard suggestion is that women aim for at least 25 grams per day and men aim for 38. If you're eating three meals a day and some snacks in between, that's about 8-12 grams of fiber per meal to reach the recommended daily amounts.

It's one thing to be aware of how much fiber you should aim for, but a lot of times the difficulty comes from not knowing how to incorporate this nutrient into your meals. For some help, we talked with a couple of registered dietitians to get their creative ideas for high-fiber lunches that can help you achieve your daily nutrient goals and feel more full until your next meal.  

Black Bean Burrito Bowl with Farro

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Fiber: 14 grams

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cooked farro
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 1/2 chopped bell peppers
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette dressing

For an easy lunch that will give you around 14 grams of fiber, Lisa Young, PhD, RDN suggests a farro-based bowl with black beans. Farro is a whole grain with a slightly nutty flavor that provides natural fiber, and black beans provide both fiber and protein for extra staying power. The peppers, tomatoes, spinach, and balsamic vinaigrette also give this bowl plenty of flavor. 

Vegan "Tuna" Salad

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Fiber: 16 grams

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup drained chickpeas
• 1/4 avocado
• Juice of 1/4 lemon
• 1 tsp chopped fresh dill
• Pinch of salt
• 2 pieces whole grain bread

A classic tuna salad sandwich is a great lunch choice, but if you want to mimic some of the textures and seasonings while making it plant-based and more fiber-filled, Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN suggests turning your tuna salad into a chickpea salad sandwich.

"Mash all the ingredients except for the bread together, then serve between two slices of bread," says Manaker. You'll get a hearty dose of fiber from the chickpeas, avocado, and whole-grain bread slices.

Green Goddess Sandwich

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Fiber: 9 grams

Ingredients: 

• 2 slices of whole-grain bread
• 1/2 cup of sprouts
• 1/2 sliced avocado
• 1/4 cucumber
• 1/2 cup spinach
• 1/2 lemon
• Mayo
• Greek yogurt
• Chives

Enjoy a refreshing, flavorful green goddess sandwich and get a fiber boost at the same time. Make the dressing by combining chives, yogurt, mayo, and freshly squeezed lemon, and spread it onto two slices of whole grain bread. Slice your veggies and place them on your sandwich for a fiber-heavy treat. 

Hummus Sunshine Wrap

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Fiber: 15 grams

Ingredients:

• 1 whole grain wrap
• 1 tbsp hummus
• 1/4 cooked sweet potato
• 1/4 orange, sliced
• 1/4 cup arugula
• 1/2 avocado

Manaker loves making a 'Hummus Sunshine Wrap' to up her fiber intake for the day. The whole grain wrap, sweet potato, hummus, and avocado provide a hearty serving of this nutrient, and the orange and arugula supply a delicate flavor balance of tangy and bitter.

Chickpea Salad

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Fiber: 10 grams

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chickpeas
• 1 cup spinach
• 1/2 cucumbers
• 1/2 chopped bell peppers
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette dressing

Sometimes the best high-fiber lunches are the ones you can throw together in a matter of minutes, like this chickpea salad recommended by Young. Just open a can of chickpeas, grab some spinach, and chop up some cucumbers and bell peppers and you have yourself a tasty fiber lift. 

Lentil Soup

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Fiber: 13 grams per serving

Ingredients:

• 1 cup green lentils
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Want a fiber-filled lunch you can make and have leftovers for later, too? Manaker has an easy recipe for lentil soup, which is full of vegetable fibers and cozy flavors.

"In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and garlic, and sauté until the onions are translucent," says Manaker. "Add the lentils, vegetable broth, cumin, turmeric, salt, and pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer for 25-30 minutes, until lentils are tender."

Whole Grain Wrap

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Fiber: 10 grams

Ingredients:

• 1 whole-grain wrap
• 1/2 cup assorted grilled vegetables (baby carrots, sliced bell pepper, zucchini)
• 2 tbsp hummus

You can get creative with this easy vegetable wrap, suggested by Young. Take a whole-grain wrap (or any high-fiber wrap) and fill it with hummus and your favorite grilled vegetables, such as carrots, peppers, or zucchini.

Kale, Chickpea & Avocado Salad

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Fiber: 17 grams

Ingredients:

• 1 cup kale
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/2 cup chickpeas
• Pomegranate seeds
• Dressing of choice

Treat yourself to a savory/sweet salad with kale, avocado, roasted chickpeas, and pomegranate seeds—all of which are ingredients that contain helpful amounts of fiber. Top with your dressing of choice, but we love a lemon or balsamic vinaigrette for this salad. 

Whole Grain Turkey Sandwich

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Fiber: 9 grams

Ingredients:

• 2 slices whole grain bread
• 3 oz of turkey
• 1/2 avocado
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup arugula

In a hurry and need a meal on the go? Young says you can make a turkey sandwich with whole-grain bread, arugula, mustard, and avocado, which will give you fiber and protein to keep you feeling full.

Chickpea Quinoa Bowl

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Fiber: 12 grams

Ingredients:

• 1/2 chickpeas
• 3/4 cup cooked quinoa
• Cucumber
• Chopped onion
• Feta cheese

We mentioned making a farro bowl, but quinoa is another whole grain that goes great as a carb base for your favorite bowls. For a high-fiber lunch, throw in some quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, onion, and feta cheese.

Black Bean Quesadilla

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Fiber: 19 grams

Ingredients:

• ½ cup black beans
• 1 whole grain tortilla
• Shredded cheddar
• 1/2 avocado

When you combine black beans, avocado, cheese, and a whole-grain tortilla, you get a filling lunch made of fiber, protein, and healthy fats. And for even more protein, you can add in some chicken or steak.