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To ask for your non-sandwich work lunches?

37 replies

BrieEncounter · 24/10/2023 12:42

We have recently moved offices and the new catering facilities are much better (fridges and microwaves) but the onsite price of food is outrageous! £5 for a simple sandwich and the hot offering even more

So I have decided I really need to bring packed lunches in but could do with some inspiration! I know sandwiches are easiest but what other things do people bring in for lunch? We rarely have leftover food as it tends to go to a kids portion and frozen so I'd need to either make things from scratch and freeze or buy some things that are cheap but can be heated in the microwave or just kept in the fridge until lunchtime!

Am after some inspiration to jazz up my lunches! Thanks!

OP posts:
jedwardscissorhands22 · 24/10/2023 12:44

Soup and a roll or cheese scone is perfect at this time of year.

Pasta salad. I like BLT pasta salad.

Batch cook a stew/bolognaise and reheat.

The possibilities are endless!

Hipnotised · 24/10/2023 12:44

I'd just make more spare portions of your dinners so you're not giving yourself extra work!

Thekormachameleon · 24/10/2023 12:45

At this time of year I make a stew or chunky soup in slow cooker and divide up Into portions then microwave at work
Could also do chilli/curry etc

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ScoobyG · 24/10/2023 12:45

I make an extra portion of our tea and just take that. Means you eat the same for tea one night then lunch the next day, but there is no additional prep involved. Could be a veggie curry, fritters, stir fry or even sausage and mash! You've got a good fridge and microwave set up there.

gaggiagirl · 24/10/2023 12:46

A tin of soup and some bread.
Chicken/tuna/cheese salad or a jacket potato with something on.
Rice or pasta salad.
You could scramble some eggs in the microwave.
Boring I know but it's easy enough.

Pascha · 24/10/2023 12:50

Dh spends Sunday morning cooking a one pot recipe and portioning it out for the week ahead. Tends to be lentil and chickpea curry, chorizo and sausage with rice, chicken korma etc that he puts in a food flask each morning after reheating.

My lunch today is the remains of yesterday's bolognese.

Ds1 likes a ham sandwich
Ds2 is a noodle fiend.

There are a million different ways to take lunch. I quite like looking at those YouTube videos of people making up bento lunch boxes, lots of (sometimes odd) ideas in those.

AliasGrape · 24/10/2023 13:19

I work from home these days, but had plenty of years of work packed lunches and still sort of prepare myself one for the next day anyway.

I tend to do salads, some combination of - mixed leaves, peppers, red or spring onion, celery, avocado, cucumber (has to be cut chunky in my opinon!), cherry tomatoes, beans/ pulses, tinned tuna, cubes of cheese, hard boiled egg - whatever we have really. I then always have in an assortment of nuts and seeds so sprinkle a handful over for crunch. Drizzle of oil and balsamic (get a separate pot if you prefer to add separately but it never bothers me putting it on the night before). You can add extra nice bits as and when you have them - I like the cauldron falafel, various deli bits from whenever I've happened to swing by M&S, olives, roasted veg etc.

I've also seen the idea of making them in advance and keeping in mason jars in the fridge, so only one lot of prep - not tried it myself yet but supposed to keep fresh all week (I'd probably only do up to 3 at a time!) https://hurrythefoodup.com/how-to-pack-a-salad-in-a-jar/

However, current weather/ time of year maybe not conducive to salads, so agree that just making extra of your meal is the easiest way. We do that a lot too.

Or stick a couple of potatoes in the oven whilst you're cooking something else and then you can reheat in the work microwave and add cream/ grated cheese, tuna, beans - anything really.

Soup is great too - this is my current favourite - https://www.saltandlavender.com/lemon-chicken-orzo-soup/ - I usually add a tin of white beans or something instead of chicken, but I've made it the meaty way for DD and DH and it's a big hit there too.

Quesadillas are a nice change from sandwiches if you don't mind them cold - could have for dinner the night before and save some for lunchbox. You could in theory reheat in microwave but I don't think it would be great!

I used to sometimes buy a packet of bagel thins to keep at work at the start of the week, and a tub of cream cheese to keep in work fridge- then toast and make up the bagels there, adding tomatoes or other bits from home too. You could add ham, or smoked salmon if you don't think people would freak out about the smell (smell seems to be a huge issue on mumsnet!).

Not especially healthy/ balanced but sometimes I'd take one of those microwave pouches of rice - I love the uncle bens vegetable pilau one. You could get the ones that have more types of grains in if you preferred.

Pasta and pesto is one with minimal prep if you use a jar, and can eat cold or reheat the next day. Or you can be fancy as I sometimes am, and make your own - it keeps pretty well. I usually add peas, or some roasted tomatoes, green beans or broccoli also work - and extra cheese of course.

Pitta and hummus or other dips, with salad/ veg sides - is there a toaster at work you can toast the pitta?

How to Pack a Salad in a Jar + 21 Stunning Recipes

This is the Definitive Guide to Salads in a Jar! Awesome dressings, info on shelf life of produce and everything else you need to know to get it just right.

https://hurrythefoodup.com/how-to-pack-a-salad-in-a-jar

AtLeastThreeDrinks · 24/10/2023 13:34

Those microwave lentil packs (I like the French tomatoey one at the mo) with chopped feta, tomatoes, cucumber (and onion if you don’t have any in-person meetings).! I tend to pick them up when they’re on offer, so it makes for a cheap lunch.

Binkie98 · 24/10/2023 13:40

It's not a work lunch as I'm retired, but I have
Half an apple, chopped, chopped tomatoes, pieces of mozzarella and a few olives.

theriseandfallofFranklinSaint · 24/10/2023 13:40

I've just had a piece of mackerel, a tin of tuna, half pot of cottage cheese and some tomatoes & grapes.

Can you tell I'm upping my protein? 😁

Iudncuewbccgrcb · 24/10/2023 13:41

gaggiagirl · 24/10/2023 12:46

A tin of soup and some bread.
Chicken/tuna/cheese salad or a jacket potato with something on.
Rice or pasta salad.
You could scramble some eggs in the microwave.
Boring I know but it's easy enough.

The entire office will hate you if you scramble eggs in the microwave. Do not in any circumstances do this.

This time of year everyone in our office is microwaving soup and leftover chilli.

Small child portionssize leftovers sound perfect for lunch with some bread or salad.

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 24/10/2023 13:44

I make pasta with peppers, courgette onion and chopped tomatoes and anything else I fancy and save a few portions

HappiDaze · 24/10/2023 13:44

I love a chicken salad

GrumpyPanda · 24/10/2023 13:45

Lentil salad or other grain salads - I particularly love wheat berries but they do need an hour's cooking. Good for freezing, don't need reheating, don't wilt.

HappiDaze · 24/10/2023 13:46

Tinned bacon and lentil soup is a favourite of mine too followed by a banana or apple

I always take in apples and bananas

Icedlatteplease · 24/10/2023 13:48

Do double the amount of chilli and do "lunchtime" half portions freeze some.
Stew
Dhal

BrieEncounter · 24/10/2023 13:53

Thanks so much everyone for your inspirations!

I know the consensus is to make an extra portion of dinner and bring in but I'd consider that a bit costly. e.g. last night we had chicken katsu curry and I wouldn't want to cook another chicken breast just for my lunch. I'm also.....not a fan of chilli....sorry!

But soup is a good idea! And I like the look of all the salads everyone is doing. I do also love noodles so might have a look at these type of dishes

We do have access to free fruit at work so that's one less thing to buy (and makes up for the extortionately priced food to buy!)

OP posts:
TooMinty · 24/10/2023 13:54

Cous cous with roasted vegetables and halloumi
Spanish omelette or frittata
Hummus with crudités

Schlurp · 24/10/2023 13:55

I'm still in summer mode of quinoa, butternut or pasta salad. Feta, vinegar, olive oil, olives, a tin of pulses and/or sweetcorn. Keeps a lot better than things with leaves in, and I warm it a little before eating.

Needeyebrows · 24/10/2023 13:57

Jacket potatoes
Potatoe waffles and beans
Chicken thighs and salad
Soup
Wrap

BigDahliaFan · 24/10/2023 13:57

I quite often put in a bit more veg when I'm cooking tea, like roasted veg or whatever. Then I'll pop that in a salad with couscous and feta/cannellini beans for lunch.

And soup...all the soup in winter.

FlowerPower12345 · 24/10/2023 13:58
  • big pot of vegetable soup usually lasts the week for my lunches, with a roll
  • stews/ casseroles
  • stir frys
  • chicken curry and rice
  • cold wraps
  • pastas (bbq, sweet chilli, etc)
  • Baked potato
  • salad
  • lasagne
  • chow mein
ThreeRingCircus · 24/10/2023 13:59

For ease I tend to keep some tins of soup and one of those microwavable soup bowls with a lid in my work drawer and just have that. I'm lucky and my office provides free fruit so a bowl of soup and a banana is my go-to work lunch. I also sometimes have those pots of porridge that you just add water to for an easy lunch.

We quite regularly make jacket potatoes at home so if I've got the oven on to make them I'll do a whole bag of potatoes and keep some for taking into work. They keep perfectly in the fridge for 5 days. I usually just add butter and grated cheese, beans or chilli to one of the potatoes cold out of the fridge then heat up the whole thing in the microwave at work which is very quick and simple.

When I'm feeling a bit more inspired I make a batch of cous cous and add chickpeas, olives, feta, chopped herbs and roasted veg. That keeps well in the fridge for a few days. I usually have it cold during the summer rather than a salad but you could easily warm it up in the microwave if you wanted something hot.

If you want something more substantial I'd just purposefully cook slightly more for your family dinner in order to take leftovers for work. Anything like pasta, casseroles, curries etc work well for this.

Parrish · 24/10/2023 14:00

A sachet of flavoured cous cous in a plastic box. Make it while you boil your kettle in the morning. I add some chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices and olives. Doesn’t matter of it gets shoogled about…actually taht makes it better!

DailyEnergyCrisis · 24/10/2023 14:05

If you have space in your freezer pick up good quality ready meals when they’re reduced and take in for lunch. I use ocado so often get M&S ones at 60% off (so £1 something).

I also like hummus and falafel, smoked salmon pate and crackers, savoury muffins, chicken and avocado wraps.