Cooking Light: Less Than 400 Calories

For many of us, lunch is a stress-filled hour (or less) spent dealing with traffic, fast-food drive-thru lines, or all-you-can-eat lunch buffets that may leave your buttons bursting.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Try making your own lunch—sans the PB&Js and frozen entrées—and bring healthy back to your midday routine.

Taco Rice Salad - 360 Calories

Convenience products, such as preseasoned yellow rice and picante sauce, flavor this easy one-dish meal that appeals to kids and adults alike.

View Recipe: Taco Rice Salad  

Shrimp Caesar Salad - 370 Calories

Precooked shrimp speed up preparation. If you purchase raw shrimp, cook them in boiling water for 2 minutes or until done. Sriracha adds spicy heat to the dressing; omit it if you’d prefer a milder dish. Serve with a 1-ounce baguette slice (75 calories) to complete the meal.

View Recipe: Shrimp Caesar Salad

BLT Bread Salad - 362 Calories 

Think of this hearty tossed salad as a deconstructed BLT sandwich, where the bread appears in the form of croutons. Round out the plate with a couple slices of fresh cantaloupe, which provide 47 calories.

View Recipe: BLT Bread Salad

For more low-calorie meals visit the Cooking Light website.