Cheap cold lunch ideas?

[floatinglily]

Hi all what cold lunches do you take for work? No access to microwave or fridge so looking for ideas of what I can take, preferably cheap ideas too as we're on a tight budget.

you Could get some of those polar gear ice blocks to keep lunch cold. We have them for hiking. Just freeze them overnight and pop in your lunch box to keep things cold.

You could also get a thermos flask and take in home made stews and soups.

I took in leftover chilli, brown rice and avocado today. You could take that in a thermos. I would also take chicken and veg, pesto pasta which is nice warm or cold.

Someone on here mentioned mason jar lunches once, I keep meaning to try!

I love my fat thermos. I make (veggie) meatballs and rice then nuke them (separately) before I go to work in the microwave and pop into my thermos. Keeps them piping hot!

Otherwise salads, pasta, soup...

Frittata or homemade quiche is lovely cold.

Buy ready rolled pastry and make little cheese/vege rolls. Fillings like:

Finely diced onion and peppers, some frozen or tinned sweetcorn, some grated cheese and some dried herbs.

Roasted onion and butternut squash, grated cheese, herbs.

Cold mashed potato, onion, grated cheese, herbs.

You get the idea! Can vary it by using mashed feta, or other different cheeses etc.

I second Spanish omelette - a lovely lunch. Ditto left over quiche - or you can make tiny quiches in a jam tart tray.

Oatcakes, cheese, celery

I quite like a baguette with Brie and rocket - can often get Brie on offer and one chunk of Brie and a bag of rocket can make several days of lunches.

Thermos, as pp said. Otherwise just bread, hummus/guac and veg sticks makes a great lunch imo.

Sandwiches; corn beef, ham, cucumber, chicken paste
Cous cous
Salad
Pasta salad
If you want something warm you could always put soup in a thermos flask and have some bread to go with it

Pesto pasta (maybe with cooked bacon / ham / mushrooms mixed in)

My much for tomorrow (cooking now) is a past with tomato chilli and veg sauce and some of the salad I’ve just made. If there’s any of the baguette left I will take some of that too.

I don’t usually get time for lunch and the shops around me are okish but limited for veggies (well what I like anyway) and I’m trying to limit the amount of bread and fats that I eat.

Tuna pasta - tuna mayo onion and pasta. Lovely cold

Pizza slices
Pitta bread with hummus and red pepper
Couscous and feta salad www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/10minute-couscous-salad
Rice salad www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2196657/mixed-bean-and-wild-rice-salad

The thermos idea is a good one. I've never used it for anything other than soup. Does it keep pasta or rice warm too?

Yes FloatingLilly, it keeps pretty much everything warm.

Will also keep things cold.

Tin of tuna, tin of mixed beans, spring onions, vinagrette and a few tomatoes - I tin of each can last me 3 days.

I think 'Thanks' might be the word you're looking for, OP!