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Paleo Lunch Box – Prawn, Mango and Spicy Guacamole Collard Wraps recipe

Prawn, Mango & Guacamole Collard Wraps (Paleo Lunch Idea)

If I’m heading out for the day and need to take a packed lunch, a Paleo-friendly wrap is almost always my go-to. They’re quick to put together, easy to transport, and the possibilities for filling combinations are endless. In this version, I’ve used collard leaves as the wrap base, which are incredibly sturdy, hold up well in transit, and add a subtle earthy taste that pairs beautifully with the sweet, spicy, and creamy ingredients tucked inside.

With fresh prawns, juicy mango, and creamy guacamole wrapped in a collard leaf, this recipe brings together contrasting textures and vibrant flavours in every bite. There’s savouriness from the prawns, sweetness from the mango, creaminess from the avocado, and a gentle kick from lime and chilli. It’s light, refreshing, and incredibly satisfying — a perfect example of how eating Paleo doesn’t mean sacrificing taste or convenience.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Recipe - Paleo Lunch Box – Prawn, Mango and Spicy Guacamole Collard Wraps

Enjoy these refreshingly spicy prawn, mango, and guacamole collard wraps. A perfect Paleo-friendly lunch that's easy to make and bursting with flavour.

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: Paleo

Keyword: Spicy Prawn Mango Guacamole Collard Wraps

Servings: 4 Serves

Calories: 250kcal

Cost: $20

Equipment

Chopping Board
Mixing bowls
Cocktail sticks

Ingredients

300 g cooked and peeled prawns
1 large ripe mango, diced
10 cherry tomatoes quartered
1 carrot grated
2 ripe avocados
Zest and juice 1 lime
6 spring onions
1 red chilli deseeded and finely chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 x large collard leaves

Instructions

Prepare the Filling: In a bowl, toss together the prawns, diced mango, quartered tomatoes, and grated carrot.
Make the Guacamole: In a separate bowl, mash the avocados with lime zest and juice, chopped spring onions, finely chopped chilli, and crushed garlic. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Assemble the Wraps: Lay the collard leaves flat on a chopping board. Divide the prawn filling evenly among the four leaves, then add a generous spoonful of guacamole on top of each.
Roll the Wraps: Carefully roll up the collard leaves to form wraps. Secure them with cocktail sticks to hold them together.
Serve: Enjoy immediately or pack for a delicious and healthy lunch on the go.

Why Collard Leaves Make the Best Paleo Wraps

When it comes to ditching conventional wheat-based wraps, collard leaves are a standout option. They’re strong enough to hold substantial fillings, flexible enough to roll, and naturally packed with nutrients. Rich in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as calcium and fibre, they’re far more than just a container — they’re a healthy upgrade that complements your meal without getting in the way of the flavours inside.

Unlike some leafy alternatives (looking at you, iceberg lettuce), collards don’t fall apart or turn soggy. You can steam or blanch them lightly for easier rolling, or use them raw if you prefer a bit of crunch. Either way, they make for a portable, Paleo-perfect lunch option that holds up beautifully in your lunchbox or cooler bag.

The Magic of Prawns, Mango, and Guacamole

Let’s talk about what’s inside. This wrap isn’t just healthy — it’s packed with contrasting flavours and textures that make it genuinely exciting to eat.

Prawns: A fantastic lean protein source, prawns are quick to cook, low in fat, and rich in nutrients like selenium, iodine, and vitamin B12. They add a delicious savoury flavour and a satisfying bite to the wrap.
Mango: The natural sweetness of mango brings a tropical flair and balances the savouriness of the prawns beautifully. Mango is also loaded with antioxidants and vitamins, particularly vitamin C and beta-carotene.
Guacamole: Avocado delivers creaminess and richness while adding heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and fibre. A squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of salt lift the guac even more, while chilli adds optional heat.

The combination is not just delicious — it’s deeply nourishing. You’ve got protein, good fats, fibre, and loads of vitamins in a single, hand-held meal. It’s the kind of lunch that leaves you energised rather than sleepy, and because it’s grain-free, it won’t weigh you down in the afternoon.

Tips for Assembling the Perfect Wrap

To get your wraps just right, a few simple tips make all the difference:

Trim the stems: Collard leaves have thick stems that can make rolling difficult. Carefully trim the stem with a sharp knife to make the leaf more pliable without tearing it.
Layer strategically: Start with a base layer of guacamole to help hold everything together, then add your prawns and mango. This prevents the wrap from falling apart when you roll it.
Don’t overfill: It’s tempting to stuff your wrap full, but too much filling makes it difficult to roll and more likely to split. Stick to a moderate amount and roll tightly.
Wrap in paper: For extra security (especially if packing for later), roll the finished wrap in parchment or wax paper to hold its shape. You can secure it with string or a rubber band for easy transport.

Substitutions and Variations

One of the joys of this recipe is how adaptable it is. If you don’t have prawns on hand or simply want to switch things up, here are some great alternatives:

Swap prawns for grilled chicken, leftover roast meat, or even smoked salmon.
Use grilled peaches or pineapple instead of mango for a different take on the sweet element.
Add shredded red cabbage, cucumber ribbons, or fresh coriander for crunch and colour.
If you want a vegetarian version, try mashed boiled egg or roasted sweet potato with guacamole and mango.

As for the wrap itself, if collard greens aren’t available in your area, cabbage leaves (lightly steamed), large spinach leaves, or even nori sheets can work well. The important part is choosing something sturdy enough to hold the filling and flexible enough to roll.

Perfect for Meal Prep and Day Trips

These wraps are ideal for taking on the go. Whether it’s a beach day, a picnic, or a road trip, they’re compact, neat, and don’t require any heating. If prepping in advance, store your fillings separately and assemble just before eating to keep everything fresh and prevent sogginess.

You can also make a few wraps in the morning and keep them in a lunchbox with an ice pack — they’ll be perfectly chilled and ready to enjoy by lunchtime. For maximum crunch, pack some extra veggies or Paleo crackers on the side.

Why This Wrap is a Standout Paleo Lunch

So many store-bought wraps are heavy on processed grains, low in nutrients, and full of fillers. This recipe flips the script by putting real, whole ingredients front and centre. It proves that healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring — and that even a quick lunch can feel like something special.

With each bite, you get a perfect mix of taste and texture: savoury prawns, juicy mango, rich avocado, and the satisfying bite of collard greens. It’s a meal that feels indulgent without any of the downsides of conventional fast food. Plus, it fits beautifully into a grain-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free lifestyle.

Your Turn

Do you often make Paleo-friendly wraps for lunch? What is your favourite medium to use for the wraps? Cabbage? Seaweed? Lettuce? Or something else entirely? I’d love to hear your go-to combinations — and if you try this one, let me know how it turns out!

Collard wraps like this are a reminder that simple food can be beautiful, nourishing, and endlessly creative. You just need the right mix of ingredients, a few clever tips, and the willingness to experiment.

Free Food?

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Over the last few years, every company I have worked for has supplied some kind of food. Most commonly free fruit for all employees on a weekly, but usually a daily basis.

Most companies have also supplied unlimited free soft drinks (i.e. cans of coke and other fizzy drinks) and a few offices have even offered free breakfasts in every kitchen. Free breakfast usually consists of a huge range of different types of bread, “healthy” margarines, spreads and jam. There is also typically a wide choice of breakfast cereals and of course, skim milk to pour over the cereal.

Paleo Food?

Whilst it’s nice to have things provided for free, unfortunately, on a Paleo Diet, nothing typically provided in an office environment is “proper food!” The fruit tends to be the fruit highest in fructose (and also cheapest), such as apples and bananas – never berries, which would be a good on occasion.

The breakfast foods on offer are all very high in refined carbohydrates, which cause a big spike in blood sugar levels – and then a crash soon after eating; making a rapid return to the refined carbs very likely. On top of the effect on blood sugars, bread and cereals are all grain based. This means an inflammatory reaction in the gut as well as having an acidic effect on the body. Not an ideal choice.

Unfortunately the typical office food on offer needs to be easy to store and prepare; bread and cereals couldn't be any easier to store – and are ready to eat as they are. These types of foods are also very cheap for a company to provide and popular with the low-fat-healthy-whole-grains conventional wisdom crowd.

Paleo food would be a lot harder for a company to provide in a work place environment. Most of the Paleo options would need to be freshly made and made with good quality ingredients; not very realistic in an office setting.

Until beef jerky, kombucha and bacon are common place in the office, I’d rather go without the free food and bring in my own.

Does your employer supply any food or drinks? What do they provide – is anything Paleo?

Why Free Office Food Can Sabotage Your Health Goals

It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that free food equals good food. After all, who doesn't appreciate a stocked kitchen or complimentary breakfast bar? But if you're following a Paleo lifestyle or simply trying to eat clean, what’s on offer can quickly derail your health goals. From muesli bars loaded with hidden sugars to granola and yoghurt stations marketed as ‘healthy', the modern office pantry is a minefield for those avoiding grains, dairy, and refined sugars.

These foods not only fail to nourish — they often perpetuate the cycle of cravings, crashes, and bloating. Many employees eat breakfast cereal at 9am only to feel hungry and fatigued again by 10:30am. This is a direct result of the blood sugar rollercoaster set off by a high-carb, low-fat start to the day.

Common Office Staples and Their Paleo Replacements

If you're determined to stay Paleo at work, preparation is everything. Here’s a quick guide to popular office offerings — and how to replace them:

Instead of breakfast cereal: Bring hard-boiled eggs or a chia seed pudding made with coconut milk and topped with nuts.
Instead of toast and jam: Try homemade sweet potato toast topped with smashed avocado or smoked salmon.
Instead of fruit baskets brimming with bananas: Pack blueberries, raspberries, or an apple with a few macadamia nuts for balance.
Instead of skim milk and coffee pods: Brew your own coffee at home and add a splash of almond milk or MCT oil for lasting energy.

Bringing your own food does take effort, but it allows you to nourish your body properly and avoid the temptation of nutrient-poor convenience foods.

The Office Culture Around Food

Food plays a social role in many workplaces. Friday donuts, birthday cakes, mid-morning muffins — it’s all deeply woven into the rhythm of office life. Politely declining treats can sometimes feel antisocial or awkward, especially in close-knit teams. But sticking to your Paleo lifestyle doesn’t mean isolating yourself. Be confident and open about your health goals — most people are surprisingly supportive, and some may even be inspired to make healthier choices themselves.

Consider bringing in your own contribution to shared events — perhaps a platter of fresh veggies and guacamole or homemade Paleo bliss balls. That way, you can still join in without compromising your values or health.

How to Stay Prepared Without Spending Hours in the Kitchen

Being prepared doesn’t have to mean complicated meal prep marathons every weekend. Here are some quick and easy ideas to keep you fuelled at work:

Cook once, eat twice: Make extra at dinner and pack the leftovers for lunch.
Snack smart: Keep tins of wild-caught salmon, olives, and raw nuts in your desk drawer.
Freezer meals: Cook batches of Paleo soups, stews or meatballs and freeze them in individual containers for grab-and-go meals.
Portable condiments: Stock up on coconut aminos, avocado oil, or lemon juice sachets to add flavour and healthy fats to bland lunches.

The more you automate your food choices, the less likely you are to be swayed by the smell of toast or the sight of chocolate biscuits in the kitchen.

Rethinking What ‘Healthy Workplace' Really Means

It’s time for companies to reconsider what healthy really looks like. Offering low-fat yoghurt, cereal, and fruit juice may once have been seen as progressive, but the science has shifted. Modern workplaces that care about employee wellbeing could be offering filtered water, herbal teas, fermented foods like kimchi, or even a fridge stocked with hard-boiled eggs, carrot sticks, and guacamole.

In an ideal world, employers would provide real, whole foods — or at the very least, support staff in bringing in their own nourishing meals. Some forward-thinking companies have even begun including wellness initiatives that support Paleo or low-carb lifestyles, such as cooking workshops, lunch-and-learns with nutritionists, or fridge space and basic kitchen gear for meal prep.

Creating a Paleo-Friendly Routine at Work

Here’s a sample day that works for many Paleo professionals:

Breakfast: Frittata muffins made with spinach, bacon, and eggs, prepared on Sunday and stored in the fridge.
Morning tea: A boiled egg and a few strawberries.
Lunch: Leftover roast chicken with roasted veg and avocado slices.
Afternoon snack: Celery sticks with almond butter or a handful of mixed nuts.

This kind of menu keeps blood sugar stable, improves concentration, and eliminates the 3pm slump that haunts most office workers living on cereal and sandwiches.

The Bigger Picture: You Deserve Better Than Free Toast

At the end of the day, your health is too important to be dictated by what's easiest or cheapest for your employer to provide. While it's lovely to feel looked after, the reality is that most office-provided food is more about convenience and cost-efficiency than true nutrition. Choosing your own food — even if it means packing a lunchbox — is one of the most powerful forms of self-care.

It may not come in a box marked ‘Free’, but Paleo food pays off every single day in energy, clarity, and long-term health. Here's to reclaiming your desk from the cereal box and building a better routine, one real food meal at a time.

Paleo Alternatives to Bread

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Bread. On a Paleo diet – it is one of the first things to go; whereas on a SAD diet it is a staple. It’s no wonder giving up bread is such a shock to people considering a Paleo Diet.

“I couldn't live without bread”
“I’d never be able to give up bread”
“What do you eat if you don’t have bread?”

I'm sure you've heard these comments before too. Perhaps you found giving up bread to be the hardest thing about transitioning to a Paleo diet – or the one thing that is preventing you from going fully Paleo?

The longer you abstain from bread, the less you’ll miss it. There are some great recipes for Paleo Breads made with coconut flour or almond meal; but instead of trying to substitute one type of flour for another – how about some of these alternatives to your favourite SAD bread meals?!

Paleo Sandwiches

Sandwiches are one of the most popular lunch options, mainly because they are convenient to eat on the go, without getting your hands covered in food! They’re filling and you can prepare them ahead of time. Perhaps you’re missing sandwiches, filled rolls or wraps? Instead – why not try these Paleo sandwich options instead: –

Make wraps with lettuce (try romaine leaves) to hold the filling in place
Use cooked cabbage leaves to encase your filling
For an iodine boast and great flavour make your wraps with Nori (or other seaweed) wraps
You can also make (or buy – but check the ingredients) coconut wraps
Cut a large capsicum (bell pepper) into two flat pieces for a Paleo alternative to sandwich bread
Use a knife and fork! I often order a sandwich in a café – without the bread. Shop bought and restaurant sandwiches often hide very small fillings – but when you order it without the bread you usually get a far more generous portion of the filling!

Paleo Burger Buns

The best think about a burger is the meat – never the bun. So go bun-less, or try these: –

Chop the stalk of two large flat or Portobello mushrooms – the perfect size for a burger bun
Encase your burger patty with the top and bottom of a large tomato

Peanut Butter Sandwiches

White bread filled with peanut butter seems to be a popular pre-Paleo combination. But let’s face it – it’s the peanut butter that’s popular – not the bread in this snack. Clearly peanut butter is out as it’s a legume – so try

Nut butter (almond butter, macadamia nut butter, cashew nut butter – or make your own) and use as a dip for crunchy raw vegetables like carrots, celery, capsicum (bell peppers) and cucumber.
Or slice some eggplant and layer on the nut butter!

Egg and Soldiers

Missing dipping slices of toast into soft boiled eggs? Once you try dipping in roasted vegetables, you’ll wish you’d always done it!

Lasagne & Garlic Bread

Once you've gone to the effort of making a Paleo lasagne, roast some zucchini sticks and garlic as a far more enjoyable accompaniment.

Breadcrumbs

Try using a nut flour as a Paleo alternative

Croutons

If you’re used to a crunch with your soup, try some pork crackling (rinds) as a Primal alternative!

Which bread meals or snacks do you miss the most? I’d love to hear what your favourite bread substitutes are!

Breaking Up with Bread Doesn’t Have to Be Hard

While saying goodbye to bread can feel daunting at first, it doesn’t take long before you realise you don’t need it. In fact, once you start exploring all the delicious, real-food alternatives — from lettuce wraps and roasted veg “soldiers” to mushroom buns and nori rolls — you might not even miss it at all.

Going grain-free is a powerful part of a Paleo lifestyle, especially in Australia where so many of our meals revolve around bread. But with a little creativity and some planning, you can enjoy all your favourite flavours and textures — just without the blood sugar crashes, bloating, or empty carbs.

Do you still crave bread? Or have you found the perfect Paleo workaround? Share your go-to grain-free swaps in the comments — I’d love to hear what’s working in your kitchen.

More Ways to Enjoy a Bread-Free Life on the Paleo Diet

Adjusting to life without bread can feel like a major shift, especially if you’ve grown up with toast at breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, and garlic bread with dinner. But once you embrace the possibilities of real food — and move past the idea that every meal needs something doughy on the side — you’ll discover that the Paleo way of eating is far more satisfying.

Let’s break down a few more creative, nutrient-dense, and easy-to-prepare bread alternatives that are perfect for your Aussie Paleo lifestyle.

Swap Toast for Roasted Veg or Eggs

Forget soggy white toast. Instead, slice a sweet potato or eggplant lengthwise, bake or air-fry until golden, and top with smashed avocado, a fried egg, or leftover chicken. These “toasts” hold up surprisingly well and are packed with nutrients.

Savoury Paleo Muffins

Missing the grab-and-go convenience of a muffin or sandwich? You can easily make savoury Paleo muffins using eggs, almond meal, grated veg (like zucchini or carrot), and chopped bacon or herbs. Bake them in batches and store in the fridge or freezer — they’re ideal for lunchboxes or busy mornings.

Zucchini Fritters and Veg Patties

Zucchini fritters or cauliflower patties are fantastic for stacking with sandwich fillings like pulled meat, coleslaw, or tomato and avocado. Use them as mini burger buns or toast substitutes for a fun twist.

Wrap with Collard Greens or Silverbeet

These tougher leafy greens hold up better than lettuce and can be quickly blanched for flexibility. Try wrapping up leftover mince, grilled chicken, or tuna salad — they’re perfect for wraps without the wrap.

Paleo Pancakes for Sweet Cravings

If it’s sweet breakfasts you miss, coconut flour or banana pancakes (made with eggs, coconut flour or almond meal, and a little cinnamon) can fill the gap nicely. Serve with nut butter and a few seasonal berries for a decadent treat.

Stuffed Capsicums or Mushrooms

If you’re looking for a hearty meal without the grains, roast a large capsicum and fill it with minced meat, herbs, and vegetables — it’s basically a sandwich you eat with a knife and fork. Portobello mushrooms also work beautifully when topped with eggs, pulled pork or guacamole.

Paleo Breads (When You Want a True Substitute)

While the goal is often to let go of bread altogether, there are days when only a slice will do. In those moments, you can make your own Paleo bread using almond flour, eggs, and coconut oil. Keep a loaf in the freezer and toast a slice as needed. It’s especially good for open-faced toppings like smoked salmon or pâté.

Paleo Living Without Bread Is Easier Than You Think

Living without bread doesn’t mean giving up variety or satisfaction. In fact, many people find their meals become more colourful, nutrient-dense, and energising once they stop relying on grains to fill up.

If you're new to the Paleo diet, try experimenting with one or two new alternatives each week. Eventually, you’ll discover what fits your lifestyle — whether it’s lettuce wraps for lunch, leftover roast for breakfast, or a simple veggie mash in place of toast.

What have you found works best for you? Do you still crave bread, or have you found Paleo alternatives that truly satisfy? Let’s swap ideas and help each other out — share your favourites in the comments below!

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