Incredibly quick and easy lunch ideas

[RonaldosShirt]

I'm looking for lunch (or light dinner) options that are quick and easy. Something that I can take straight out of the fridge and compile or a quick bung in the oven/microwave without much prep. Something that's reasonably nutritious and vegetarian if possible (although I can think of adaptations if not). My health is suffering at the mo and I need to look after myself more but don't have the time or motivation for anything elaborate and i'm falling into the trap of snacking, which is making me feel worse.

Ideas so far:
Beans on wholemeal toast
Mozzarella, tomato and avocado salad
Mezzo type thing of hummus, stuffed vine leaves, pitta, tzatziki (all shop bought)

Scrambled eggs on toast. Put some rocket on top for extra health points.

Anything with eggs, really.

Store-bought fresh soup.

Stir fry.

Sardines on toast.

Avocado on toast.

I was going to say eggs. When I'm organised, I hard boil a load in one go and keep them in the fridge for snacking.
I really enjoy wraps for lunch. I keep falafel and veggie nuggets in the freezer and they only take about 10mins to cook. Falafel plus houmous and salad or nuggets with mayo, sweet chilli sauce and salad (a bit of a Macdonald's fakeaway but loads nicer!)

Are you up to batch cooking soup? Vegetable (mostly carrot and/or butternut squash) and lentil soup is my go to as it's cheap, easy and tasty. And filling, especially if you have it with a bit of cheese on toast

Omelette
Baked eggs - with spinach or cheese
Other "things on toast" - cheese, eggs, tomatoes (chopped up ripe tomatoes in a pan with a decent amount of butter, and cooked till mushy).
Could you find time to bung a jacket potato in the oven? Topped with cheese/beans/coleslaw?
Decent fresh, pre made, soup with bread.

Do you have access to a kitchen?

I make a batch of tasty creamy vegetable soup and just heat some up every day. I don't get bored of eating the same thing a lot though!

Korean drug eggs on instant rice

Genuinely a thing and so good.

Falafel, in microwave.

Dice cucumber and mix with natural yogurt

2 min. And it doesn't feel too much like a "I really cannot be arsed" lunch either.

Thanks everyone! I'm a bit dodgy with eggs but I know they'd be good for me so might have to force myself to try some of the egg ideas you have given me! I do have access to a kitchen (working from home). Had forgotten about jacket potatoes and falafel, will add those to the list with soup and cheese on toast.

I like smoked salmon or salami on rye bread
I serve with shop bought potato salad

@JennyForeigner what are drug eggs? Can't figure out if it's a typo or a thing! I love the idea of something Korean for lunch

Egg-fried rice - it doesn’t taste too eggy! Super quick if done with a rice pouch, and you can add veg as you want.

Fresh penne pasta - cook and stir in part of a tub of deli style sundried tomatoes and feta, or olives with tomatoes, or a spoon of pesto and some cubed feta (can be bought ready cubed)
Or a bag of salad leaves with part time of chickpeas, little tomatoes, cubed feta
Roughly chop some peppers and roast in the oven with baby
Plum tomatoes and cubes of halloumi, serve with hummous and warmed ciabatta
Make mini pizzas on mini naan breads or wraps, spread with red pesto or passata, sprinkle with grated mozzarella/cheddar

Quick stir fry of a precut bag, or just spring onion, pepper, broccoli , cube of frozen garlic/ginger, then add either a pouch of rice, or straight to wok noodles. Bit of soy sauce (or ketsap manis from Amazon) maybe a handful of fresh coriander. Very good with an egg scrambled in, or shredded omelette, or a handful of cashew nuts (best soaked in water for a bit before use) or a spoonful of chunky pure peanut butter and a dash of chilli sauce.

Roast a tray of cherry tomatoes with olive oil and garlic then eat with crusty bread or bake at home bread.

Pouch of microwaveable grains with chopped sundried tomatoes and feta, lovely with spinach, olives and balsamic, add some seeds or nuts too.

Pita pocket filled with humous, sliced tomatoes, cucumber, spring onion, lettuce and rocket.

Bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese

Fresh tortellini - take 2 mins to cook if you boil a kettle. Drizzle with pesto or chopped sundried tomatoes in oil and grated cheese

Good cheese and crackers with a bunch of grapes and a few walnuts. Love this at Christmas.

Baxters lentil and pepper soup with crusty ciabatta roll

Bao buns? About 1-2 mins in the microwave from frozen. DC love them.

No typo :-)

www.cookerru.com/mayak-eggs/

They sound bizarre but my sister absolutely loves Korean food. They are... not egg like, something about the marinating changes the texture.

Half a tin of veggie curry with a mini naan bread
Pesto and cherry tomato gnocchi (gnocchi is quicker than pasta)
Half a pack of roasted veg couscous (takes 5 minutes) with crumbled feta
Half an avocado topped with cottage cheese

Veg tray bake.

In a bowl put a bit of oil and our favorite spice mix, it might be salt and pepper, it might be half a dozen.

Slice and add tot he bowl

Onion, mushrooms, bell pepper and if you like finely sliced potatoes.

Add some cherry tomatoes and make sure everything is coated, put on a tray in the oven for 10-15 mins.

Very easy curry - buy a bag of frozen mixed veg and a jar of curry sauce, put both in a pan and cook for 10-15 mins. If you can't be bothered to make rice then eat with a crusty baguette (I learned to do that in Mauritius).

Have a piece of fresh fruit every day, as a pudding, or for breakfast with yoghurt.

Spinach, avocado and sunflower seeds topped with fried halloumi. I do the halloumi in my toasted sandwich maker between 2 pieces of grease proof paper

Left over roasted veges with couscous and a lemony dressing and a few chickpeas.

Roasted tomatoes and onion take about 45 minutes to cook but almost no preparation time. I eat them with couscous and feta cheese.

I regularly buy gyoza for the freezer and just fry them (so admittedly, a little cooking time - you can steam/microwave too) and eat with chunks of peppers/cucumbers/carrots.

Instant miso soup with rice noodles and silken tofu is a nice light lunch here. I usually toss in some spinach to wilt to up the greens.

"green" soup is very easy, takes 15 minute to make and will do a few servings. Sweat onions in some oil until soft. Add small bag of spinach, a large cup of peas. Add stock to wilt the spinach then top up so that spinach and peas are just covered. Simmer for about 8 minutes. Use a stick blender to blend, with a drizzle of honey, a squeeze of lemon and some nutmeg. Salt to taste. Serve hot with a large spoonful of greek yoghurt. Will keep in the fridge (without the yoghurt) for about two days - but colour will change slightly.

Thank you everyone. I've just updated my online food shop so hope to have the opportunity to try some of these things this week. Love the idea of halloumi in the sandwich toaster!

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/hummus-rainbow-wraps

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/wholemeal-wraps-minty-pea-hummus-beetroot

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/microwave-shakshuka

Cereal and porridge

Smoked salmon
Cheese and fruit platters
Beans on toast
Soup
Eggs on toast
Sausage rolls
Sandwiches
Crackers and biscuits with fruit
Salad
Mini pizzas
Pies
Stewed pears
Baked apples and cranberry sauce
Leftover ham and rice
Cheese on toast
Panini
Wraps