You found our list of fun team lunch ideas for the office.
Fun team lunch ideas for the office are creative and enjoyable activities that bring coworkers closer together and shake up the usual work routine. For example, you could have an office picnic with blanket bingo, a sushi rolling session, or a themed lunch party. These activities boost morale, encourage teamwork, and offer a refreshing break from daily work. These activities are also called “office lunch ideas for a group” or “lunch theme ideas for work.”
These fun team lunch ideas for the office are similar to office breakfast ideas, fun at work, and team building events.
This list includes:
- office lunch ideas for a group
- lunch ideas for staff appreciation
- lunch theme ideas for work
- fun team lunch activities
Let’s get to it!
List of fun team lunch ideas for the office
From an Office Picnic Blanket Bingo to a Food Truck Fest, here is our list of the best fun team lunch ideas for the office.
1. Office Picnic Blanket Bingo
Office Picnic Blanket Bingo is a fun and relaxed way to unite employees and is one of the most engaging office lunch ideas for a group.
To set the scene:
- Clear a large area in the office and encourage employees to bring blankets or provide some for seating.
- Set up a casual picnic-style lunch with finger foods, sandwiches, and drinks that employees can enjoy while on the blankets.
- For the Bingo game, distribute cards, use a simple number-calling system, or make it themed by using company-related terms. You could also play mingle Bingo, where teammates talk to each other and mark off squares with descriptions that fit coworkers.
- Offer prizes for winners, like gift cards or fun office supplies.
The mix of lunch and Bingo creates a lighthearted, team building experience that helps folks socialize in a laid-back atmosphere.
You could also play icebreaker Bingo.
2. Progressive Office Lunch
A progressive meal is a fun twist on the usual office lunch. In this activity, team members bring or order different courses, such as appetizers, main dishes, sides, or desserts. Then, participants set up each course in a different office area, and the group moves from place to place while enjoying each dish.
This activity is a great way to shake up the lunch routine while encouraging team members to visit different parts of the workplace and interact with new coworkers.
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3. Lunch Around the World
Exploring global cuisines adds a sense of adventure to coworker lunches. You can encourage team members to bring dishes from their cultural background or favorite countries, creating a diverse and exciting meal. You can also try out different local restaurants.
Tasting new flavors also sparks fascinating conversations about different food traditions.
Lunch Around the World breaks the routine of everyday lunches and offers a creative way for colleagues to connect and enjoy delicious food.
Check out more global team building ideas.
4. Office Iron Chef Competition
You can try an “Office Iron Chef Competition” where teams compete to create delicious dishes. This fun lunch idea encourages teamwork, creativity, and friendly competition among coworkers.
Here is how:
- Choose a theme or ingredient that all participants must use in their dishes.
- Provide a cooking station with necessary utensils, appliances, and essential ingredients.
- Set a time limit for cooking, typically 1-2 hours, to ensure efficiency and excitement.
- Form a judging panel from a mix of employees and executives to taste and score the dishes.
- Announce winners and awards based on creativity, presentation, and taste, and celebrate with a group tasting.
The event allows team members to show off their cooking skills and work together on great recipes. Teams bond over their love for food and cooking while also improving communication and camaraderie.
Check out more office cook-off ideas.
5. DIY Sushi Rolling
Hosting a team-building lunch with DIY Sushi Rolling at the office is one of the most fun team lunch activities. This activity lets colleagues get creative by making sushi rolls with ingredients like rice, seaweed, vegetables, and fish.
Be sure to provide bamboo mats for participants and encourage them to try different fillings for personalized rolls. You can bring in a facilitator to guide the activity, live stream a virtual workshop, or follow an online instructional video.
This fun experience offers a tasty lunch and boosts teamwork and unity. Team members connect while sharing unique sushi creations while having an enjoyable and memorable time at work.
6. Food Truck Fests
Food Truck Festivals are an excellent choice for a team lunch outing and one of the best lunch ideas for staff appreciation. These events offer a variety of tasty foods so that all team members can find a dish they enjoy.
Trying different cuisines and discovering new dishes makes the experience fun and helps build team spirit. The lively atmosphere of these events boosts morale and strengthens team relationships.
Food Truck Festivals also support local businesses and provide a convenient way to enjoy many food options in one place, perfect for busy workdays. These events offer a refreshing break from the office, letting teams relax, socialize, and enjoy great food together.
You can achieve a similar experience by visiting a food hall together. Or, you could book different food trucks to visit your office throughout the year.
7. Build-Your-Own Bars
Build-Your-Own Bars are a fun addition to team lunches. These spreads let participants pick their own ingredients or toppings to customize their meals.
Examples include:
- Tacos
- Burgers
- Charcuterie
- Breakfast
- S’mores
- Gourmet Mac & Cheese
- Salad
- Pizza
- Grilled Cheese
This setup suits different tastes and dietary needs and helps team members bond as they create their perfect meal together.
8. Themed Lunch Party
Organizing themed lunch gatherings at the office can add excitement and creativity to the workday, encouraging teamwork and collaboration. Whether you plan a Hawaiian party or a ’90s-themed event, these lunches provide a fun break from work and help staff bond. Team members can get creative with outfits and decorations, creating memorable moments.
Examples include:
- Retro 80s
- Parisian Café
- Carnival
- Tropical Escape
- Country Western
- Italian Trattoria
- Garden Party
Lunch theme ideas for work break up the routine, offer a chance to relax and strengthen personal connections while boosting morale.
Be inspired with theme day ideas for work.
9. Potluck Party
A potluck party at the office is a great way to build team spirit. All team members bring a dish to share, which helps team members connect over homemade food, show off their cooking skills, and swap recipes. The gatherings also inspire camaraderie and community.
Here are a few fun themes and variations on potlucks you can try at work:
- International Potluck: Dishes from different countries or cultures.
- Comfort Food Potluck: Favorite hearty and nostalgic dishes.
- Family Recipe Potluck: Employees make recipes inherited by relatives.
- Cheese Lover’s Potluck: Cheese-focused dishes, including cheese platters and cheesy casseroles.
- Hometown Eats Potluck: Teammates bring a dish unique to a region they grew up in or once lived.
It is a good idea to sign up for food and flatware before party day to ensure a variety of dishes. Be sure not to forget cups, utensils, plates, and drinks!
10. Food & Drink Pairing Lunch
Lunch with food and drink pairings can be fun for colleagues as they can enjoy new flavors together. These fun team lunch activities make the meal more hands-on and memorable.
Matching dishes with drinks, like cheeses with wines or chocolates with coffee, makes the meal more interesting and educational.
You can invite an expert to guide the tasting or find pairing suggestions online and DIY.
To make the activity more fun and interactive, pair up teammates and have participants swap partners every time you move to the next pairing.
11. Food Tour
Food tours are a fun way to bond over meals, explore local restaurants, and enjoy new food experiences together. This activity breaks up the usual office lunch routine and helps team members connect by sharing dining adventures.
Food tours are an especially great way to explore a new city your team visits, but you can also book a tour in your home city. If your city does not offer food tours, your team can DIY your own tour by picking a neighborhood and suggesting different places to visit.
Trying different cuisines broadens team member’s tastes and creates lasting memories with coworkers. The tour encourages casual conversation and teamwork in a relaxed setting outside the office.
12. Which Dish Wins
Office team lunches become more fun with friendly food competitions. These contests, like chili cook-offs or dessert challenges, let colleagues bond over their favorite dishes. Participants show off their cooking skills and enjoy each other’s creations. The competitions unite team members, boost teamwork, and make lunch more exciting.
You can do the activity as a one-day event or create a bracket-style tournament that lasts over a week or month. In this format, team members try different dishes, and the recipes with the most votes progress to the next round.
13. The Great Guac Off
The Great Guac Off is a fun team lunch event in which coworkers compete to make the best guacamole. A host brings the ingredients, handles all setup and cleanup, and facilitates the fun.
The 90-minute event starts with avocado-themed trivia and mini-games, during which teams have the chance to earn mystery ingredients. Then, teams work together to create the perfect bowl of guac.
Participants get to taste each other’s guacamole, adding excitement and laughter to the lunch hour.
Learn more about The Great Guac Off.
List of work lunch ideas
From make-ahead meals to delightful salads, here is our list of the best ideas for work lunches.
1. Quick Lunch Wraps
Quick lunch wraps offer a satisfying and convenient midday meal option. You can fill these easy-to-pack work lunch wraps with various ingredients, such as vegetables, proteins, and spreads.
To prepare a quick lunch wrap, start by laying out your tortilla or wrap bread. Then, add your desired fillings down the center of the wrap. Finally, fold in the sides and roll it up tightly to secure the fillings in place.
2. Vegetarian Options
When considering ideas for work lunches, consider including vegetarian options. Vegetarian meals often include vegetables, legumes, grains, and fruits. These meals offer vital nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Choosing vegetarian dishes can also help reduce the environmental impact of meat production.
By adding plant-based meals to your work lunches, you can spark creativity in meal planning. Plus, these healthy lunch ideas for work introduce new flavors and textures to your daily eating habits. Adding vegetarian options to your work lunch routine allows you to enjoy diverse meals while contributing to your health and the environment.
3. Healthy Smoothies
Healthy smoothies can enhance your work lunch routine. These tasty drinks are simple to prepare and offer a practical way to include vital nutrients. By mixing fruits, vegetables, yogurt, and other wholesome ingredients, you can make a satisfying meal replacement that energizes you without making you feel heavy at work.
Smoothies provide a good mix of vitamins, minerals, and fiber to keep you focused and energized until dinner. Adding healthy smoothies to your work lunch schedule can be an enjoyable and innovative approach to a nutritious diet.
4. Protein-Packed Lunches
Protein-rich lunches are crucial for maintaining energy and focus throughout the workday. Adding a protein source to your midday meal can help you feel full until dinner. Options like grilled chicken, tofu, hard-boiled eggs, or chickpeas can boost the protein content of salads, wraps, or bowls. These ingredients offer protein and essential nutrients that promote overall health. By incorporating protein-rich lunches into your work routine, you can enhance productivity and sustain a healthy diet.
5. Low-Carb Choices
When searching for work lunch ideas, choosing low-carbohydrate options can help you maintain energy levels during the day. Gratifying low-carb meals include items like salads with lean proteins like chicken or tofu, vegetable stir-fries with light sauce, or lettuce wraps stuffed with turkey and avocado.
These options offer important nutrients while managing carbohydrate consumption. Eating low-carb foods fosters concentration and energy at work. By actively incorporating low-carb alternatives into your lunch routine, you can prevent mid-afternoon energy slumps.
6. Hearty Salads
Hearty salads make a fantastic addition to your cold lunch ideas for work. These fresh and colorful dishes offer a great balance of nutrients and flavors. With countless variations to suit all preferences, you can personalize salads with a range of ingredients. Leafy greens, protein-rich toppings, and tasty dressings round out a tasty salad. These dishes are delicious and easy to prepare, making them a convenient choice for busy workdays.
7. Tasty Soups
Tasty soups are an excellent choice when considering budget-friendly lunch ideas. Soups are delicious and simple to prepare ahead of time and bring to work. A hot bowl of soup can bring comfort and sustenance during a hectic workday. Whether it is a rich vegetable soup, a smooth tomato bisque, or a flavorful chili, soups offer countless options to enjoy.
Soups’ versatility allows for customization with preferred ingredients and spices. Moreover, soups are typically rich in nutrients from vegetables, protein sources, and whole grains. These vitamins and minerals make soups a nutritious option for a well-rounded work lunch that will sustain you throughout the day.
8. Seafood Specials
Seafood specials can add fun and flavor to your work lunch menu. Choosing dishes such as grilled salmon, shrimp stir-fry, or tuna salad can provide a tasty and nutritious alternative to standard lunch choices. Seafood is packed with omega-3 fatty acids and protein, which can improve brain function and keep you energized for the rest of the day.
Moreover, seafood is usually fast to cook, making it convenient for hectic workdays with limited time. Consider including seafood specials in your weekly lunch schedule for a flavorful and healthy midday meal option.
9. Chicken Dishes
When it comes to ideas for lunch at work, chicken dishes are a tasty and versatile option. From traditional chicken sandwiches to salads topped with grilled chicken, the possibilities are endless. For example, chicken wraps with fresh vegetables and a side of hummus are a tasty lunch idea. Another option is a hearty chicken stir-fry with colorful peppers and onions, which is also a satisfying meal in the middle of the day. With its lean protein content, chicken is delicious and provides the energy needed to get through the rest of the workday.
10. Sandwich Ideas
When you consider sandwich ideas for lunch at work, consider a variety of options to keep meals interesting and satisfying. From classic combinations like turkey and avocado to more adventurous choices like grilled vegetables and hummus, the possibilities are endless.
Including different bread types, such as whole grain, sourdough, or wraps, can also add a new dimension to your sandwiches. Be sure to include plenty of fresh veggies for added crunch and nutrition. By experimenting with various ingredients and flavors, you can create delicious sandwiches that will make your work lunch enjoyable every day.
11. Asian-Inspired Dishes
Asian-inspired dishes add a delightful twist to the usual work lunch routine, introducing exciting flavors and textures. These dishes often include fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs, and savory sauces.
From stir-fries to sushi bowls, these meals balance protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats to energize you throughout the day. Experimenting with ingredients like soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil can enhance the flavor of your dishes and help you explore new recipes.
12. Italian Fare
Italian fare is a delicious and satisfying option for work lunches. You could choose from traditional pasta dishes like spaghetti carbonara or tasty pizzas topped with fresh ingredients. Italian cuisine offers a comforting and hearty meal choice.
With a variety of options such as salads, paninis, and soups, Italian fare is great for various tastes and dietary preferences. The rich flavors and diverse options make it easy to find delicious work lunch ideas.
13. Mexican Flavors
You can enhance your work lunch with lively and tangy Mexican dishes. Consider using ingredients such as coriander, lemon, and tomato sauce to give your meal a flavorful twist. You could try making a burrito bowl with flavored rice, dark beans, grilled chicken, and fresh pico de gallo for a satisfying option.
Tacos filled with grilled vegetables or spiced meat accompanied by guacamole and chips can also be a quick and delicious choice. Embracing Mexican flavors can bring diversity and excitement to your creative work lunch ideas.
14. Dessert for Lunch
Eating dessert for lunch may be tempting, but it is important to prioritize a balanced diet during the workday. While a sugary treat can boost morale, relying on high-sugar options can result in energy crashes later on. Instead of having dessert as your main meal, try incorporating healthier sweet choices into your eating plan.
Consider fruit salads, yogurt parfaits with granola, or nutrient-packed smoothie bowls. These dishes offer a satisfying sweetness as well as essential vitamins and minerals to keep you energized in the afternoon.
Tips for making lunch for work
No matter which dishes you choose, here are a few tips for making healthy and tasty meals for work.
1. Meal Prep
Preparing meals in advance can significantly impact your work lunch options. By investing time in cooking beforehand, you can efficiently utilize time and save money on hectic workdays. Great meal prep ideas include a pot of soup, a salad with precooked protein, or frozen meal portions.
Having ready-to-eat meals can help you maintain your health objectives. Be sure to plan your meals thoughtfully, choosing delicious meals that will keep you full and satisfied. Preparing meals ahead of time can streamline your work lunch schedule and encourage better eating habits over time.
2. Pack Light and Nutritious Meals
Keeping lunches light and nutritious gives your body a power-up for the rest of the day. When planning meals, choose foods that fuel you without weighing you down. For example, colorful salads packed with crunchy veggies, lean proteins like grilled chicken or tofu, and whole grains like quinoa or brown rice. You can also swap out heavy dressings for light vinaigrettes or yogurt-based dips. Finally, opt for fresh fruits or yogurt for a sweet treat instead of sugary snacks.
By focusing on nutrient-dense foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, you can keep your energy levels steady and your cravings in check. Next time you pack your lunch, remember to keep it light, fresh, and full of goodness to power you through the day ahead.
2. Use Leftovers
Dinner from the night before can make a delicious and convenient lunch the next day. Instead of tossing these meals out, you can turn them into a tasty second meal. With just a little creativity, you can turn last night’s pasta, grilled chicken, or roasted vegetables into new and exciting meals. Otherwise, simply reheat the dishes in the microwave or enjoy them cold. With leftovers, you have a delicious and hassle-free lunch without extra cooking.
3. Invest in Good Containers
One of the best lunchtime tips is to invest in quality, leak-proof containers. Mason jars, bento boxes, and insulated containers are all great options for transporting your lunch safely. Buying quality containers means your food stays fresh and safe during transport. Look for containers that are microwave-safe, easy to clean, and durable enough to withstand daily use. With the right containers by your side, you can pack your favorite meals with confidence.
How to hold a team lunch at work
Here are tips for holding team lunches that produce a good turnout and have a lasting impact on team camaraderie.
- Pick an unconventional theme: Decide on a theme like “Build Your Own Poke Bowl” or “Around the World Potluck.” Send out a clear invitation with theme details, including specific ingredients or cuisines people should bring, dress code, and icebreaker activity prep steps.
Why it’s important: A unique theme creates excitement and ensures the lunch feels different from regular meals, boosting engagement. - Create a prep schedule: Plan the logistics by assigning a 30-minute prep window. Plan where to set up food, arrange utensils, and organize the space for a smooth setup. Be sure to leave buffer time in case of unexpected delays, since folks often have short windows for lunch.
Why it’s important: Having a clear setup plan prevents chaos, and allows you to focus more energy on engagement and connection. - Organize team contributions: Assign food categories (main dish, dessert, drinks, etc.) to team members based on their preferences or cooking skills. Encourage those not into cooking to bring non-food items like plates, napkins, or beverages.
Why it’s important: This step ensures every team member feels included and contributes in a way that suits them, creating a shared experience without added pressure. This step also helps account for folks with dietary needs or preferences. - Set up interactive food stations: Arrange different stations with small bites and drinks. Rotate team members to different stations every 10 minutes to encourage interaction.
Why it’s important: Rotating stations fosters mingling and conversation between different team members, promoting collaboration and reducing workplace silos. - End with a fun group activity: After eating, lead a 10-minute team trivia game related to the food theme or play a quick icebreaker where everyone shares their favorite part of the meal.
Why it’s important: Closing with a light activity builds a positive atmosphere, leaving everyone on a high note and reinforcing team bonds beyond the meal.
Final Thoughts
Trying different fun team lunch ideas can greatly improve the workplace environment by adding variety and helping colleagues connect. These creative lunches make mealtime more enjoyable and boost job satisfaction and teamwork. Offices that use these ideas often see better communication and collaboration among staff. These lunches are important social events that enhance the company’s culture.
Next, check out our posts on diversity and inclusion activities, and national fun at work day.
