Grown-up lunch box ideas please...

[StirlingTheStrong]

I start work again on Monday after 8 years (Yeah!!) and want to take lunch to work and was looking for ideas for salads with beans, couscous or bulgar wheat, veg etc with yummy dressing.

Does anyone make anything like this and can you make it in bulk and keep it refrigerated and take a bit each day??

I adore the M&S salad boxes with beans, rocket etc but £2.99 each . I cant afford that AND childcare!!

Thanks

I used to take in random stuff like strips of smoked fish, cheese cubes, boiled egg, cherry tomatoes... a bit like stuff you'd give a baby in the early days of BLW!

I also used to over cook at night and take in leftovers and heat in the microwave.

Yes, you can make it in bulk and then take a bit, or what I do is cook a big batch of rice or quinoa and freeze it in lunch size batches in sandwich bags. You can add peas/sweetcorn/carrot to the mix too, as well as beans.

Then just grab one out of the freezer and chuck the extras and dressing over the contents - it'll all defrost by lunchtime

We make yummy pittas with tuna fish, spring onion, boiled egg bits, cheese and mayo (but they might be a bit stinky for work)

Also mix leftover cooked chicken with sweet chilli sauce for sandwhich filling or salad,

Pasta with mayo, sweetcorn, tuna fish, lasts for a couple of days in the fridge...

Cup-a-soups and crackers?

Great ideas - Thanks. Shall do some experimenting next week!!

I always make up a meal from the night before and heat it up in the microwave at work...

• spaghetti bolognase
• roast dinners
• sausage and mash
• pasta bakes
• jacket potatoes

do you know if there is a micro wave there...

for dressings, you may want to add a bit of dried powdered cumin and coriander or sweet chilli sauce for a change once in a while (assuming you have either of those two ingredients in the house). I have also bought some Ebly to add to my salads - just for a change of texture and some carbs!

Oh, I had forgotten about Ebly. Shall get some at the weekend

I forgot my secret weapon - thai rice noodles. They cook in 3 mins in boiling water (just pour on and leave), and taste great with tuna or cottage cheese with sweet chilli sauce.

You can get little salmon fillets, frozen which microwave from frozen in 3 mins in their own bag, which make a great addition to a salad.

If you have a microwave at work, you can nuke a jacket potato at home to nearly cooked, then take it in and just reheat