24 Simple and Easy Gluten Free Lunches and Snacks

If you’re wondering what the heck you can eat for a simple and easy gluten free lunch or snack everyday, you’re not alone.

I see this question asked a lot in gluten free Facebook groups—people wondering what they’re supposed to snack on now that they are gluten free. Or what are some simple gluten free things to pack in a lunch box for work or school? Maybe you work from home and need something fast to whip up during the day. Or maybe you’re just burnt out on the same old gluten free lunch.

Great news! The simple and easy gluten free lunches and snacks in this post are bound to give you some fresh ideas to liven up your daily gluten free routine.  

I’ve been writing a lot about eating gluten free on special occasions, like for trips and holidays. It’s exciting to joyfully and safely eat gluten free during these exciting times, but there are so many other occasions when you just need new gluten free ideas to just get through the day.

Whether you are just starting out and don’t know what the heck to eat, or you’ve been gluten free awhile but have eaten the same thing for lunch for the last 3 months, lets get some fresh ideas going—24 of them, in fact! 

My kids will eat most of these, which is definitely a plus, as nothing will drive you crazier faster than making multiple meals.   

I’ve also included some gluten free dairy free options and gluten free options that are good sources of protein as well.  It seems to be a common issue with gluten free people, especially newly GF people, have trouble filling up. Eating more protein will greatly help with this! Also, my kids very rarely eat meat, so I’m always on the lookout for good sources of protein for picky eaters!

A super exciting thing about this list of 24 simple gluten free lunches is that many of the options contain food that is naturally gluten free. This is especially helpful if you are new to the gluten free lifestyle and are having trouble adjusting to the texture of gluten free bread.

NONE of the ideas below include gluten free bread!

Some of these ideas fall more into snack territory and don’t equal a lunch on their own. In this case, just add a side of fruit or healthy GF crackers, and you’ve got yourself a well-rounded meal!

When experimenting with new lunches, it’s important not to forget about things that are naturally gluten free, such as fruit and vegetables in the face of giving up old favorite gluten containing foods.

So let’s score points with a mid-day meal that’s satisfying, new, and gluten free. What time is it?! It’s time for lunch!

These are a Few of My Favorite Things, aka Things that Go Great with Salsa

When putting this group of some of my most favorite lunch/snack options together, it turned out being quite the coincidence that everything in this category screams for some salsa. It’s also pretty convenient as salsa is nearly always gluten free.

1. Rice Bowls –  Don’t feel obligated to mimic a whole Chipotle line-up in your kitchen. Rice bowls can be as simple as some shredded cheese and salsa thrown in, and still make for a satisfying gluten free lunch.  Rice is a long-time favorite gluten free staple for me. If you’re new to GF, I suggest you get familiar with some rice. It’s always gluten free and is used in so many different cuisines and in so many ways. Try making your rice with some chicken broth (I use Swanson’s) instead of water and be amazed at your flavorful creation. I also love rice with some cilantro and lime mixed in, yummmm. I could write a whole post about rice and probably will some day, but let’s move on for now.

2. Nachos – Just use cheddar or get creative! Throw on some peppers. What about chili nachos?!  I hope there’s a good dairy free cheese out there for you dairy free folk. If there is, I’d love to hear about it! Don’t forget about your salsa and sour cream on the side or piled on top. 

3. Quesadillas – I think things like nachos and quesadillas are great for people who are new to being gluten free as they don’t require people to get used to a new GF texture—such as GF bread. People, for the most part, are familiar with eating corn chips and corn tortillas, so incorporating these options into your gluten free line-up isn’t too much of a stretch. Again, throw in whatever you prefer—maybe some black beans or red onion?!    

Fun with Lunch Meat and Bacon

Again, if gluten free bread isn’t really your jam, that’s ok! Here are some great alternatives to enjoy lunchmeat and bacon without a (way too small) loaf in sight—including an option that got me through elementary school lunch that I still enjoy to this day.  

4. Donald Ducks – If you are ever having a day when you’re really sad about missing some gluten, I suggest you eat some bacon and remember that this gluten free thing really ain’t so bad. Afterall, you can still eat bacon! Just make sure it’s not processed with and cross contaminated by gluten, but most are just fine. You could make some “Donald Ducks,” as my Grandpa used to call them. Donald Ducks feature bacon and cheddar melted over crackers. Grandpa definitely wasn’t using GF crackers, but you sure can!

5. Turkey/Cheese/Tortilla Chips – Another gluten free staple of my youth…I’d bet my elementary school friends still remember me eating these everyday in the school cafeteria. My mom would make me little turkey and cheese sandwiches on corn tortilla chips, and I thought they were the most awesome thing. Do the tortilla chips get kinda bendy after sitting on an ice pack in a lunch box for a few hours? Yes. Does this only add to their appeal? Oddly, yes. These little tortilla chip sandwiches are also delicious when they are fresh and crunchy, of course. Nowadays, adult me loves dipping these in some salsa. Another variation of this lunch, which is equally delicious, but has a different vibe, is to dip the tortilla chip/turkey/cheese sandwiches into hummus instead of salsa.

6. Salami Roll Ups – Yummmm, salami roll ups. They are like the lunch-lover’s version of a Philadelphia roll. Pair them with some delicious GF chips like the Good Crisp Company’s healthier, GF version of Pringles and you are ready to rock! 

7. Cheesy Bacon Quesadilla or Nachos – You could also throw some bacon on a quesadilla or nachos to make either dish feel like a more filling meal. My father-in-law just gave us a big box of bacon for Christmas so as you can see, bacon is on the mind. I also added in some chopped onion on the bacon nachos below.

High Protein Options for Picky Eaters that Make for Fuller Bellies

If you don’t have a peanut allergy, good for you! If you do need to avoid peanuts, then Sunbutter, made from sunflower seeds, is an excellent alternative for simple gluten free lunches as it is full of vitamin E, protein, magnesium, and healthy fats.

8. Peanut Butter/Sunbutter and Rice Cakes or Graham Crackers – I almost hate to mention this one as I feel like I practically lived on these when I was first diagnosed with celiacs as a kid. As a result I can’t say it’s my “go-to” easy gluten free lunch, but it’s a great way to work in some protein with readily available ingredients that will last awhile in your pantry. The vast majority of rice cakes are gluten free, but always always check! If you want to switch things up from rice cakes, then nut butter and gluten free graham crackers are also delicious—I love Schar Honey Grahams!   

9. Banana, Peanut Butter/Sunbutter, and Gluten Free Granola Bowl- I got this idea from watching my daughter eat her favorite pita sandwich from Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Though their’s is sadly not gluten free, you can easily make something super similar and GF at home for an easy gluten free lunch. Purely Elizabeth is a delicious gluten free granola to mix your banana and nut butter. BFree Pita Bread, found at Walmart and Costco, can also be used if you’d like to make more of a sandwich of it like Tropical Smoothie Cafe does.

10. Apples and Peanut Butter/Sunbutter – This seems to be a kid favorite. I have a terrible time getting my kids to eat meat, so this is a great way to work some protein into their diets, and you know what’s said about an apple a day. Add a side of Simple Mill’s delicious and nutritious crackers for a more complete meal.

11. Ants on a Log – The combination of textures of raisins, peanut butter, and celery is a little much for me, though I can definitely get on board with some Sunbutter and celery without the raisins. The kids seem to like this one for the name alone, so again, it’s a great way to get some protein in. You also get all the health benefits that come with eating celery. Celery is an underrated veggie in my opinion, as it’s full of vitamins and minerals and great for heart health, inflammation, and digestion.

12. Cottage Cheese and Canned Peaches – Cottage cheese and canned peaches was how my college roommate used to fill up when our nearest dining hall’s options were less than desirable. At the time, I thought it was such a strange flavor combination, but now I think she was definitely on to something! Anyway, this is a super-super easy, take you under 30 seconds to make, simple gluten free lunch option. 

13. Yogurt and Fruit/Granola – There are a lot of different kinds of yogurt out there. Put if you choose one like Oikos Triple Zero which has 15 grams of protein, you can add yogurt and fruit and/or granola to your list of high-protein simple gluten free lunch options as well.

Charcuterie Made Simple (and GF)

Pick and choose your favorite, go-together cold ingredients to create mix-and-matched mini charcuterie gluten free lunch options that will make you wish every time was lunch time.

14. Cheese and Crackers or GF Pretzel Rods (and Pickles! Or Nuts. Or Fruit) – A mini charcuterie plate is a lovely and slightly elevated lunch that takes minimal effort. It can be as simple as cheese and crackers, but is even better with some fruit, nuts, or pickles thrown in. My favorite cheese and gluten free cracker combo is Boar’s Head’s Irish Cheddar with some Simple Mill’s Himalayan Salt Pita Crackers. As you can see below, I was actually out of crackers, but this cheese was delicious with GF Pretzel Rods as well.

15. Carrots, Peppers, or Celery with Ranch – Be comforted that though it is necessary to check salad dressings to make sure they are GF, there are delicious gluten free salad dressings out there! An example of this is Ken’s Ranch Dressing. Go ahead and eat your veggies like you’re at a wing joint with this creamy, zesty gluten free dressing.

16. Crackers and Peppers, Carrots, or Celery with Hummus – Hummus with some veggies is delicious and oh-so-nutritious, and Boar’s Head’s hummus is a big favorite of mine. Just tread carefully if you are sensitive to high FODMAP foods as chickpeas (what hummus is made from) are high FODMAP.

17. Nuts and Dates – Out of fresh produce? Nuts and dates are helpful gluten free pantry staples to sustain you when you are out of fresh fruit, veggies, and meat for a simple gluten free lunch. There’s also something very posh about snacking on dates, tell me I’m wrong.

Easy and Cooked Gluten Free Snacks/Lunches

While none of these easy and hot gluten free items really qualify as a lunch on their own, throw in a side of fresh fruit and you are certainly on your way to satisfying and easy gluten free lunch town. 

18. Hard Boiled Eggs – Eat them by themselves or use hard boiled eggs as an easy protein option to add to any salad. There are even fool-proof and cheap hard boiled egg makers that allow you to make a lot of perfect hard boiled eggs at once. Eat them all week long as they are good for up to 7 days in the fridge!  

19. Baked Potato – When I was growing up, I used to tell everyone that the best thing my mom made was baked potatoes. This wasn’t an insult to her other cooking, they were just really awesome baked potatoes. My Uncle Mark still makes fun of her for this, but that lady really has the potato to butter to cheddar ratio down pat.  You can make your baked potato even more exciting with some extra fixins’ added in—like broccoli or peppers.

20. Sweet Potato – Sweet potatoes are nutritious powerhouses with healthy doses of beta carotene, vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and antioxidants. Add in some butter with pecans and brown sugar for an elevated sweet potato experience. I often make mine in the microwave, flipping it at 2 minute increments until it’s soft. 

21. Rotisserie Chicken – You probably walk past these in the grocery store all the time. They smell so good and ding, ding, ding…always check, but they are almost always gluten free. You can strip the chicken and incorporate it into your lunch in so many ways— sandwiches, salads, soup, tacos, enchiladas, nachos…

On the Lighter Side of Simple Gluten Free Lunch

22. Smoothies – Who doesn’t love a smoothie? Smoothies are very popular in my house as both a hearty breakfast drink and healthy afternoon snack. I love smoothies with lots of berries for good sources of fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants. Go ahead and sneak in some spinach, you and your kiddos won’t even taste it.  

23. Veggie Muffins – Don’t be afraid of breakfast for lunch, especially when it has veggies in it. We love Veggies Made Great muffins around here. The texture is far from seeming gluten free and they are so easy to pop in the microwave for 35 seconds to enjoy a steaming hot muffin or two.

24. Salad – I went through a phase where I did a lot of spinach salads with just some grapes added in and fresh lemon juice squeezed on top. It was so simple, tart, and fruity. If that sounds weird, there are so many different ways to go with salad. You could even forget the greens and go for a caprese salad with mozzarella, tomato, and balsamic glaze. For gluten free salad dressing, I love Ken’s! Even my 5 year old will eat a spinach salad with Ken’s Italian dressing on it!

The Gopher’s Favorite Gluten Free Pantry Munchies

Sometimes you just need a handful of your favorite snack to get you through to your next meal. Here are some of my favorite gluten free snack products from companies that are crushing the GF game right now. I’ve included links so you can better check out their products!

• Good Crisp Company’s Potato Crisps (addictive GF “Pringle” type chip)
• Simple Mills Products have such as delicious crackers (there are a variety of options and they all contain healthy flours, vegetables, and/or seeds)
• Siete Foods (I love their Churro Strips. I would talk about their Mexican Wedding Cookies, but this is a lunch/snack post, people)
• Snyder’s Gluten Free Pretzel Rods (you won’t be able to tell they’re gluten free!)

So, happy lunching! I hope you gained some fresh lunch and snack ideas to spice up your gluten free routine.

If you are ready to get grocery shopping for next week’s lunch, don’t forget to subscribe and you’ll be provided with a ready to go gluten free shopping list courtesy of the Gluten Free Gopher to make preparing your simple and easy gluten free lunches even easier!

Lastly, if you’re always looking one meal ahead (like I am!) check out this post for some great gluten free menu items from popular chain restaurants. Though this post focuses on catering, it contains great ideas for chain restaurants that offer a variety gluten free menu items for your next time getting food to-go or dining out!