So I’ve had this contract job for almost three months now, and for an average of 3/5 lunches for that time, I’ve had the same thing: sandwiches and chips. I figured I could keep this going until my contract expires, 'cause when you’re hungry, you’ll eat anything, right?
Well, I don’t know if it was just time, or if it was the dryness of the bread (thawed from frozen this morning), but there were a few bites I was just barely able to choke down.
I need better ideas for lunches. My commute is an hour in total, but I do have an insulated bag (though of course it’s empty for most of the day). The office has a microwave, sink, and fridge, but too much prep will leave me either hungry at the office or exhausted at home.
Occasionally I’ll make Cajun salmon, mac’n’cheese, and broccoli and package the leftovers for lunch. Broccoli is easy; just boil it. Mac’n’cheese is easy; it comes in a box and you just boil, drain and mix. Salmon is easy. Here’s the recipe I use. I cut the fillet into 1/4-pound portions. We’re talking about $3/meal (for 1/4-pound servings of salmon.) Be sure to use wild-caught salmon from the Pacific; not farmed Atlantic salmon – unless you don’t have a choice.
Assuming you have facilities to cook at home, there are quite a few possibilities. Remember, micowavable tupperware is your friend.
-curry with rice
-stew. bring a small container of salad alongside and add dressing right before eating.
-pasta with sauce. bring salad as above.
-casserole, any kind including lasagna or potato-ham, or if you want to be exotic, duck with sauerkraut, moussaka, or chicken-tortilla
All of the above is stuff you can fix a large batch ahead of time and portion out for several lunches. The only prep required is microwaving the main course, and putting the dressing on the salad.
That’s just off the top of my head. I’m sure there are lots of other possibilities.
Oh, yeah, I should’ve mentioned that I eat pasta a lot (and I mean a LOT) for supper, so I’d prefer to avoid it for lunch (although if there’s enough other ingredients, it’s not necessarily a deal breaker).
I had a nice Shaved Beef Salad at Herbsaint in New Orleans. They were kind enough to send me a recipe.
1 ½ cups mayonnaise
3 tablespoons creole mustard (or whole grain mustard)
4 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon hot sauce (we use Louisiana brand hot sauce)
2 tablespoons cane syrup (this is a Louisiana product, and may not be available – you can substitute a mild molasses)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Combine.
I get sliced roast beef from Trader Joes. You can use any thinly-sliced roast beef. Tear up a couple of slices and put them on a plate. Add mixed greens. Add some dressing. Top with French’s Fried Onions. It takes minutes to make the dressing. You buy the beef already cooked and sliced (or roast and slice your own). Salad comes in a bag, and the fried onions come in a can. Just keep the dressing, meat, and salad in the fridge at work and make the salad for lunch.
One of my favorite quick & easy take to work lunches is a protein-based salad. When cooking dinner, I’ll fix an extra serving of protein (steak, shrimp, chicken, roast beef, whatever) and chop it up to top a green salad (made up of whatever ingredients I like and/or have on hand.) I usually keep a bottle of salad dressing at work, or I just fix a side bowl so that I can dress the salad right before eating.
My son suffered near-fatal sandwich fatigue about the middle of the school year, so he usually packs a meal of dinner leftovers. In the past couple of weeks, his lunches have ranged from chicken/stuffing/vegetable casserole to spaghetti to a thermos of soup with crackers.
If you have space in your freezer, a pot of your favorite soup can be frozen into single-serving containers (even sturdy zipper bags can be filled with cooled soup, then frozen.)
I’m with the soup/casserole ideas. Most of the lunches I bring to work were just leftovers. Make a couple extra servings of whatever you make for dinner a couple times a week, then put the leftovers in tupperware for the next few lunches.
Kind of a similar thread recently here, a lot of sandwich recommendations but others ones as well, including salads - check out elbow’s posts near the end of the thread. Salads, canned tuna, and this quinoa salad are my personal recommendation to the OP.
Hummus and pita bread/chips and some olives, maybe.
Or try something picnic-y: some cold chicken (drumstick?), bread/crackers & cheese and a piece of fruit and a pickle.
Okay, now I’m hungry.
Burritos. Flour tortillas filled with your favorites. I use ff refried beans, cheese, salsa & pork or chicken. I make 'em up in batches and freeze in sandwich bags. Each morning I grab one and some fresh fruit - I have a nice cheap lunch.
I’ve been eating Subway for about 4 times a week ever since they opened up across the street from my workplace. It’s been 2 months now and I’m still not tired of it. With all the ingredients you can choose from, the sandwich making possibilities are almost endless!
Hoppin John. Half a can of black eyed peas, half a can of diced tomatoes, add Jalapenos to taste. Stick it in a microwavable dish and microwave till it’s warm, then dig in! Tasty and filling.
You can do lots of good things with a thermos and some cold packs. At the very least, you can get creative with your sandwiches. Put some hot meatballs and sauce in your thermos, pack some cheese in your bag with a cold pack, and bring a sub roll. At lunch time, assemble your meatball sub. Yummers! You can make a cheesesteak sub pretty much the same way. Can you tell I like hot sandwiches way more than cold ones?
Possibly the easiest lunchtime food of all is leftover pizza. Put the leftovers in your fridge in a Ziplock bag or wrapped in foil. Next morning, put it in your bag with a cold pack or two on top, and you’re out the door. Some folks like it cold, but you say you have a microwave, so heat it up if you like.
Another thing I’ve done is tacos. Leftover meat goes into Tupperware in the fridge; next morning, it goes in the bag with cold packs, and pack taco shells and whatever toppings you want. I usually don’t bother with anything apart from cheese; I just heat up the meat, snap the shells in two, and scoop and eat, like chips and dip.
Just remember the Magic Rule of the Hot Thermos: put hot water (boiling, if possible) into your thermos, put the top on, and let it sit for ten minutes or so. Then, dump the water and put your hot soup or pasta or whatever in it. Pre-heating the thermos makes a world of difference.
I bought two stainless steel thermoses (like this one) for durability and easy clean-up. And with two, you can rotate them and not have to wash it every single night.
