The High-Protein, High-Fiber, No-Cook Lunch You Can Make With Canned Fish

Canned fish is one of the best grocery store foods you can buy. It's rich in protein and healthy fats, has a long shelf life, and is affordable. While you can eat it straight from the can, there are plenty of ways you can elevate your canned salmon, tuna, sardines, and other fish of your choosing. One of the best ways you can elevate your can of fish is to make a canned fish salad for lunch, which provides tons of protein and fiber, and it never has to be cooked, so you can take it with you on the go.

The formula is simple: your preferred type of canned fish; a fiber source of your choosing like chickpeas, black beans, whole wheat pasta, or whole grain bread; and a creamy condiment like mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, or blended cottage cheese. Some examples of this include a tuna chickpea salad, a stuffed avocado with salmon salad, a tuna salad pasta, or a salmon salad sandwich. 

Making something like a tuna chickpea salad just requires canned tuna (we've ranked some of the most popular brands here), canned chickpeas that you can smash up with a fork, and plain Greek yogurt for added protein. You can add in your own spices and seasonings, plus extra veggies like chopped onions and celery. If you want to make a tuna salad pasta, you can follow the same formula but replace the chickpeas with a whole wheat or high-protein pasta like lentil pasta. 

So why does a canned fish salad work so well for a high-protein, high-fiber, no-cook lunch? For starters, a can of fish is loaded with protein. The average serving of tuna has around 20 grams of protein, and the same goes for salmon. So, you're giving yourself a boost of this nutrient before adding in any other ingredients. 

Protein is certainly important, especially for things like building muscle, maintaining a healthy metabolism, and sustaining your energy throughout the day. But it's important to also make sure you're getting enough fiber in your meals for things like healthy digestion, better overall gut health, and reduced cravings. This lunch combination works so well because you can be flexible with where you're getting your fiber, whether it's from the beans, pasta, bread, or vegetables. 

Also, when you need a no-cook lunch to take with you to work or anywhere else on the go, a tuna or salmon salad is the perfect choice. It doesn't have to be heated up, and it can taste great cold or even a little bit closer to room temperature.