Packed lunch and batch cooking ideas

[Mealinspo]

Hi all.

Inspired by two recent trending threads, I’m looking for some new packed lunch ideas that my toddler would also enjoy. Both cold and hot ideas would be appreciated as he sometimes has his packed lunch at home so we can reheat it. I try to use dinner leftovers for packed lunch to save more time.

Therefore I am also keen to hear about delicious meals for the family that you can batch cook easily with minimal fuss when it’s time to eat them again, and which keep really well. I don’t mind a slightly longer cooking session on the weekend.

I’ll start with a dinner/next day packed lunch idea, stealing one of DH’s: he’s Lebanese and he did a roast with a twist last Sunday. We had shawarma chicken, baby za’atar roast potatoes, tabbouleh, a really colourful red cabbage and carrot based coleslaw and flatbreads. This was such a great leftovers packed lunch the next day but not something I can batch cook really. Too many fresh components.

Photos desirable! 😁

Thank you in advance.

My packed lunches while it's still warm are:

Home made tsatsiki (takes 5 mins) & wholemeal pittas
Grated carrot & apple salad with nuts & sultanas, and vinaigrette
Pork pie or hard boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, cucumber & beetroot
Pâté & toast with salad
Home made hummus (also 5 mins) and bread sticks/ sliced peppers/celery etc
White beans and tuna with a little garlic salt

When it gets cold, I switch to :

Home made soups
Baked beans on toast with black pepper
Left over stews or curries with rice
Jacket potatoes & various fillings
Left over pasta dishes

Anything that can be reheated in the office microwave/toaster.

I have a thermos with a wide opening which is specifically for keeping food hot- as opposed to just hot drinks.

-thick, pea and ham soup made with a smoked ham knuckle/hock. It freezes very well
-Crumbed chicken drumsticks or home made chicken goujons (nuggets)
-Home made fish fingers with coleslaw
-pasta bake
-mild curry and rice
-toasted sandwiches
-wraps with homous/falafel or their favourite fillings

This freezes well https://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/sausage-plait-with-caramelised-onions.html and makes a great lunch the next day with a salad.

These burgers freeze and they’re good eaten hot in a burger bun for dinner, or broken up in a pitta or salad for lunch. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/hummus_chickpea_burgers_94137

Baked feta pasta for dinner and cold lunch https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/vegetarian/baked-feta-pasta/

https://www.womensweeklyfood.com.au/recipe/dinner/zucchini-slice-6436/

Good finger food. Transports easily. Keeps and freezes well.