Would you lovely people like to give me inspiration for my lunch box?

[Slapperati]

I hate sandwiches, hate them.

I try to make lunch and take it with me to work, so I don't end up eating the high fat expensive crap from the local shop.

I've been having lentil bakes and pasta salad mostly, but I could do with some inspiration.

We have a small kitchen area with a microwave to heat things up.

What do the rest of you sandwich haters eat?

Thank you!

I have

• left-overs from the night before
• beans on toast
• soup and packet croutons
• cereals
• cup a soup
• salad bag, tomatoes, salad pots (eg couscous, potato salad), salad dressing, tin of tuna
• jacket potato

My dcs don't like sandwiches everyday...
Fry bacon/chorizo/chicken in garlic oil add can of chickpeas, can of tomatoes and some smoked paprika. Very easy, they love it!
I also make them sausage rolls, freeze uncooked and then bake them for 30 mins from frozen, scotch eggs, I bake rather than fry these - using good quality sausages, haven't tried freezing these yet.
Pesto and fresh tomato pasta.
Spag Bol from freezer.
Curries using Pataks pastes and whatever else is in the fridge/freezer - frozen veg is good and a packet of paneer cheese.
Might try bean salad this summer, they are quick and easy if you use flavoured oils for the dressing.

Left overs are popular in my lunch box.

And soups/stews- prawns and noodles in miso broth, chicken soup, chickpea and lentil soup, butter bean soup, Mexican bean soup,, spring veg etc.

I also have salads, Beansprouts, chilies, coriander, shredded Chinese greens and prawns or rocket, chicory, radish and goats cheese, standard ham or chicken salad, leftover roast pulled pork salad, cous cous makes a regular appearance, and bulgar wheat.

Jacket potatoes, you can cook two or three on a Sunday to take in to work- they keep for ages in the fridge and just need reheating- make your toppings on the day- chilli, egg mayo, coronation chicken, ham and cheese, beans etc. if I were more organised I would put single portions of curry, Bolognese, chilli etc. to freeze to go with my jackets, but I rarely manage it.

I often end up with just stock, chilli and noodles- fine noodles cook in a minute in boiling water and can be dropped straight into your broth with some coriander and chilli flakes, but that's hardly inspirational.

Last week I had roasted vegetable cous cous.
Really yummy and easy to do.

Packet of cous cous prepared, bag of roasted vegetables (from the freezer) roasted and a block of feta cheese - all mixed in together. Yummy.

I really like those packets of rice that you just microwave for a couple of mins to heat through. But for a lunch, I like them cold, with veggies, as a nice filling salad to make a change from bready things.

Wraps
Pitta
Soup
Sushi
Couscous salad
I don't like sandwiches either

Leftovers
Soup, oatcakes and cheese
Cous cous salad
Hummous, carrot sticks, cherry toms
Cold jacket spud to warm up with beans (those frozen McCain ones are very nice)
Tuna salad
Slices of tortilla and salad

HFW's fake pot noodles. Especially the devilled crab one - and I do one with Tom yam paste and powdered coconut milk which is lovely.

I usually endure sarnies when no tasty leftovers are available, and make soup for a couple of days. My regular take to work soups are tomato and mushroom.

tyne-teas.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/tomato-soup.html

tyne-teas.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/mushroom-soup.html

I like curried parsnip too, but it's not to everyone's taste
tyne-teas.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/curried-parsnip-soup.html

Thanks everyone - much appreciated :)

I like soups for dinner but unless they are really chunky I don't like them for lunch.

I need to get into the habit of cooking slightly more than we need to bring in leftovers the next day - like stews and chillis. I would probably avoid anything too strong smelling as the kitchen area is open onto the office, although slightly around a corner.

Couscous, rice salads and jacket potatoes are now on my list.

Yes, I always have leftovers from the night before. It's no bother at all to cook a bit of extra, and I haven't got time to prepare something specially (like sandwiches!)

This is one of my favourites I make with garlic oil though

www.independent.ie/lifestyle/food-drink/quinoa-courgette-and-feta-salad-29617116.html