11 Delicious Blueberry Lunch and Dinner Recipe Ideas
Blueberries are one of the healthiest – and most delicious – foods for your eyes. We often think of blueberries as a snack or dessert, but you can also incorporate them into lunch and dinner.
More than providing eye healthy antioxidants and other nutrients, blueberries can add flavor and color to your meals.
Today, we invite you to discover a few delicious blueberry lunch and dinner recipe ideas that will make you enjoy not only your next few meals, but also the time you spend in the kitchen preparing them.
Blueberry Benefits for the Eyes
Blueberries are some of the best fruits for eyesight improvement because they contain anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that protect the retina against oxidative damage.
Studies show that blueberries may have a protective effect against cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, and help manage eye fatigue, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy.
What’s more, findings from a 2016 study suggest that pterostilbene, a compound that occurs in blueberries, could protect the eyes from dry eye disease through its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties.
Discover the full benefits of blueberries for eyesight in our post on 13 Health Benefits of Blueberries for Your Eyes and Body.
Good to know: Cooking often decreases antioxidant levels in fruits, but a 2009 study found that cooking wild blueberries doesn’t significantly affect that.
11 Delicious Blueberry Lunch and Dinner Ideas
The sweet, acidic taste of blueberries makes them easy to integrate into many different recipes, from toast to protein bars, pasta to chili. If you’ve never eaten blueberries this way, prepare yourself to be surprised.
1. Kale Salad with Blueberries and Edamane
A few handfuls of blueberries can enrich a bowl of kale salad with a fruity flavor and plenty of antioxidants. Also including other fruits good for eyesight like cranberries, this blueberry salad recipe is a great brunch idea in all seasons. You may want to skip the sugar, though.
2. Blueberry Chili (No Beans)
Looking for a new take on the classic chili recipe? Try out this filling no-bean blueberry chili that takes only 15 minutes to make. Spicy and packed with energy and protein, it’s a meal that will energize you. Grab the recipe here.
3. Avocado Toast with Blueberries
Pair the healthy fats from avocado with a healthy dose of fresh antioxidants from blueberries in this tasty toast recipe. Make it even healthier by using low-fat cheese and skipping the honey. Use wholegrain toast instead of white bread for more flavor, more fiber, and more protein.
4. Blueberry Protein Bars
Looking for a quick lunch idea you can take with you on the go on your way to or from the gym? Try these homemade blueberry protein bars. Made with rolled oats, almond flour, coconut flour, almond butter, almond milk, and whey protein, they provide 14 grams of protein per serving while staying gluten free.
5. Blueberry Chicken Pasta Salad
Blueberries and pasta? It’s an interesting mix. One cup of blueberries added to wholegrain fusilli and shredded, cooked chicken can turn a common recipe into a delicious treat – whether you choose to enjoy it for lunch or dinner. Add in herbs and spices for more flavor.
6. Grilled Salmon with Blueberry Sauce
Salmon is one of the best fish you can eat for eye health, providing omega 3 fatty acids that support the functioning of the tear glands. Blueberry sauce can be a delicious accompaniment to salmon, adding a wonderful tartness to it. Use wild blueberries to get the most antioxidants out of your meal. Grab the recipe here.
7. Chilled Blueberry Soup
With its striking color and delicious taste, this blueberry soup can be an inspired lunch idea on a hot day. The fresh summer blueberries are the star ingredient, which the ginger and yogurt complement wonderfully. The original recipe also has sugar, but you may want to skip that.
8. Naan Flatbreads with Blueberry
Cheese and blueberries can be a great match, and this tasty lunch recipe brings them together alongside basil and onions. You may want to skip the bacon to reduce the fat content of this meal – it tastes great without. To make this dish from scratch you need about half an hour, so try it out next time you have a free afternoon.
9. Duck and Blueberry Stew
Next up, a blueberry stew recipe that’s great for colder days. Stew may not be the first dish you think about when it comes to blueberries. But this duck and blueberry stew recipe is as tasty as it is surprising.
The blueberries in this dish bring out the rich flavor of the duck. In addition to blueberries, this recipe has other ingredients that are good for eyesight like parsley, onion, and celery.
10. Blueberry Chicken Stir Fry
Ever tried mixing blueberry sauce with a chicken stir fry? The savory result could become one of your new favorite meal ideas. And since it also has brown rice and mixed vegetables, it makes for a filling dinner recipe idea. Check out now the blueberry chicken stir fry recipe.
11. Blueberry Omelet
A four-egg omelet can be a nutritious lunch that powers you up throughout the day. Throw in half a cup of blueberries and you’ll add some tartness and sweetness to the dish that will balance the heaviness of the eggs. Here is the full blueberry omelet recipe.
The Wrap Up
There’s no shortage of blueberry recipes you can try for lunch or dinner. Whether you opt for a light salad or a filling dish, you can find a way to add more blueberries to your meals while also discovering some delicious new food pairings in the process.
An eye health supplement is another way to take advantage of the natural blueberry benefits for the eyes. Blueberry Gummies from SightSage provide antioxidants and other nutrients that your eyes need to stay healthy in the digital age.
Taken regularly, Blueberry Monk Fruit Gummies could help soothe symptoms of dry eye disease. They’re delicious, easy to take, and sugar-free, making them a great supplement to enjoy in between your meals.
Keep your eyes healthy with Blueberry Monk Fruit Gummies.