What are some good meals to pack for my work lunches?
Posted by BrainCompetitive7822@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 55 comments
Not sure this is the right place to ask this sort of question but I’ve been at a loss for good meal ideas. I’m getting quite tired of the same sorts of things each day and would like to switch it up.
I normally go for a cold meal of sorts something nice and easy to prepare in the morning or before bed. Usually something simple like a salad or a sandwich. I’d like a healthy option that I could maybe meal prep at the start of the week. I’m not too picky, but I’m not much for tuna. Thanks!
decentlyfair@reddit
Bit late to the thread but here goes. My husband has decided to cut back on bread so I have bought him a bento box which I fill with cold meats, crackers (different sorts) cheese, quiche, olives, mini savoury eggs, pickle or chutney, kabanos etc. packet of crisp and some sort of cake bar and he is good to go. I vary it a little each day. So far he is enjoying the variety of different combinations and looks forward to seeing what goodies I have put in there for him.
amber_fielddoctor@reddit
Hey, we are Field Doctor! we have dietitian designed, chef made meals, healthy frozen meals, using 100% whole food ingredients. We don't use any additives or ultra processed foods and we have ranges for different health needs including: mediterranean range, gluten free, high protein and lean + lighter. Via our website you can complete a quick personalised quiz so your meals can be adapted to meet your specific needs. We deliver across the UK!
idlewildgirl@reddit
Pasta salad, make a big batch and it will last a couple of days
I also take the fancy korean instant noodles as you can easily make them with the kettle etc but they are high in sodium
mdmnl@reddit
High in sodium? Na.
idlewildgirl@reddit
took me a minute
Gent415@reddit
Pasta. Easy to cook the night before (I often have it for tea and make extra). Simple to heat in a microwave or even eat cold. A few easy ideas: cooked chicken and sweetcorn (if you're not much for tuna). Bit of mayo if you're eating cold and black pepper. But a jar of pesto, goes with anything. Roasted vegetables (onions, peppers, tomatoes). Easily done the night before in oven or air fryer, just toss in oil. Supermarkets do nice fresh sauces. Or you can't go wrong with just cheese!
LillyAtts@reddit
Quite often on a Sunday I'll make a pasta bake. Dry pasta in a baking dish, jar of sauce, whatever frozen veg I have in the freezer, topped with cheese, done. Very easy and it makes 4 large portions - more if you add extra veg or tuna or chicken to bulk it out.
vetaly87@reddit
Pasta salad is elite because it works hot, cold, fancy, lazy, healthy-ish or I found cheese at the back of the fridge. ))
RandomHigh@reddit
This is what I've been doing lately.
Pasta, chicken, sweetcorn, and a little bit of mayo. Added a tin of cream of mushroom soup as well so I didn't have to put a ton of mayo in.
Not a huge fan of tuna, plus chicken is far cheaper.
I usually make up a load on a Sunday afternoon and it lasts me until Thursday.
-Aze@reddit
Honestly I used to try harder but store-bought mix salad (Not just lettuce, like the kind with peppers) and then a different set of toppings every week. Last week was ranch, sweet corn, and 'fried' (Air fried) chicken. This week I got feta and avacado and honey mustard. Think next week ill go for avacado, bacon and blue cheese.
Oh and I usually bring 2 of a fruit, whatever takes my fancy that week.
yourefunny@reddit
Access to a microwave? Fridge? I went through a meal prep sunday phase and would make big batches of stuff and pop in fridge and freeze for the microwave at work. Anything from spag bol to veg curry to noodles. Pretty easy. Now I just make too much for dinner and microwave that. Or get those pouches of rice and make myself like a poke bowl of different stuff. Usually raw salmon or cooked chicken with whatever you fancy. Love edamame beans.
Timely_Egg_6827@reddit
Frittatas? Make a batch and store in fridge. Last four days there but can be frozen.
Wanderlust01234@reddit
Yes! Came on to say this! Super easy, can pack lots of veg & protein in
Timely_Egg_6827@reddit
Also great for using up leftovers
bozwold@reddit
I started eating a bit less for my tea so there was enough leftovers for my dinner at work.
Today will be a small Sunday roast, having curry for tea tonight so I'll cook extra rice and save myself some chicken balti and naan to eat at work on tuesday.
Most cost effective method I've found, I don't have to buy extra ingredients like bread and sandwich fillings
Drink plenty of water, eat an apple for breakfast. My appetite and waistline have shrunk
vetaly87@reddit
Cooking extra rice is such a small move but it turns what do I eat tomorrow? into look at me, organised adult
CJBill@reddit
I'm similar. Make a large meal so I've got a meal or two or leftovers. Doesn't work so well once the kids became teenagers because they eat and eat but I still do okay out of it
vetaly87@reddit
Couscous is underrated for work lunches — pour boiling water on it, add chicken/feta/veg, bit of lemon or dressing, done. Feels like meal prep without actually trying
RequirementEasy4273@reddit
I tend to do a big batch of pasta salad on a Sunday and rotate the toppings through the week. Stops it getting too samey.
tinabelcher182@reddit
Hummus and falafel wrap with whatever veggies you have on hand. I usually airfry the falafel, but they're usually available to eat from cold too. Just spread hummus on the wrap, I usually add some salt and pepper, sometimes some chilli oil or chicken salt too. Then slice up some veggies, I usually go with carrots, peppers, maybe celery, or really anything extra I have going on. Sometimes stick some mozarella in there. Cut the falafels in half and dot them around, roll up, and good to go. Tastes great cold but could probably be warmed up too if you have the facitlities.
jameshobi@reddit
if you’re on instagram, I follow a great account called beatthebudget that has simple, varied recipes for lunch and dinner and the prices included - a tonne of them \~£5 for 5 portioned meals. Make a batch and shovel it into containers for the rest of the week!
Some meals I like from her:
Chorizo & sweetcorn salad
Chicken & edamame noodle salad
Beef & broccoli noodles
Feta pasta with bacon
Halloumi & spiced rice bowls
BBQ chicken wrap
Tomato & tuna pasta bake
Chickpea gyros
“Lobster” rolls (using fish sticks)
BLT pasta salad
From-The-Depths@reddit
Batch cooking pasta bakes/Couscous salads generally work well for a week and can be pretty quick and easy to make on Sunday. They also can be eaten cold of you dont have access to a microwave. Same goes for things like Stews and soups or a one pot/traybake meat, veg and carb dish. Then you can just reserve a packed lunch style meal for weeks you don't want to put that much effort in
walkthelands@reddit
as a change up....Lidl do some really good, decent macro microwave meals for less than £3.
No-Extension-2378@reddit
I sometimes make a big pasta salad, usually with tuna & sweetcorn. I'm not a fan of the same thing everyday so I'll add a chopped pepper one day, then maybe spring onion the next. Or different seasonings like Tajin or lemon pepper.
rabbithole-xyz@reddit
I sometimes like tinned mandarins in tuna.
Ill_Tonight_2069@reddit
Cheese and onion sandwich. Ready salted crisps. Water. Every day for 7 years.
hodgey66@reddit
You must be an accountant
Ill_Tonight_2069@reddit
I was! For 7 years… lol
hodgey66@reddit
it was the ready salted crisps that gave it away
BrainCompetitive7822@reddit (OP)
I think I’ve eaten my weight in cheese toasties
MahatmaAndhi@reddit
When I had a microwave, I'd just take leftovers from the night before. I found the same meal two days in a row was fine. And it adds basically no additional time for preparation.
These days, there isn't a microwave at work, so I have chicken salad with rice. Every. Single. Day.
Delicious_Bet_6336@reddit
got a microwave? honestly, microwave rice is a banger - aldi have about a dozen with diff flavours for 50p each, makes anything if goes with change hugely depending on if you get maxican, thai, indian, etc etc
Brilliant_Set7671@reddit
Pasta salad with chicken and pesto. Make it Sunday night, lasts all week. Cheap and doesn't get boring
bumbleb33-@reddit
Couscous and bulgher wheat work well in a cold or room temp grain dish. Add shredded meat or feta cheese and some chopped deseeded tomatoes cucumber peppers shallots and mix it together. Add a bit of houmous and pitta bread. I like to make it with stock and then add lemon juice, sumac, salt and pepper, fresh mint or coriander to the veg. I store it separately and mix when I eat it. Bit fiddly in terms of grabbing all the components but if you have a larger bowl with lid you can put the other bits in it with a fork and you're good.
If you like noodle dishes and can access boiling water there are some that are soak in the water rather than boil continuously. Take some chicken from home and add in with hot water. Cover and wait. This can be a bring your own bowl scenario but very minimal prep.
Boil some eggs and keep the shell on til required. Peel and add to your salad. Simple dressing and lots of different veg. Add some greek yoghurt with honey and chopped nuts/apples/cinnamon for a quick and filling pudding
Pasta, pesto, rocket, pine nuts, cubed feta. Or whatever cheese you like. Could swap out another protein instead. I've done similar with pasta mayo prawns and a sweet chilli sauce
Loaded bagels with salmon soft cheese salt pepper and rocket. Crisps and fizzy drink
Fudge_is_1337@reddit
Do you have access to a microwave? That opens up a lot of options for bulk-cooking lunches.
I've been getting a lot of mileage out of chilli - takes 30 mins effort at the weekend to make 6-8 portions, and can eat it with microwaveable rice packets, or tortilla chips, or just tortillas. Can keep it a bit more interesting/varied by adding extras like sour cream, guac etc.
FraggleGoddess@reddit
I cook things to eat cold for lunch like: - Bulgur wheat, in a pan with stock, chuck in some veg and pair with a protein like cooked chicken - Green lentils - they are nice cold, I add shredded carrot, sometimes chuck in pickled cabbage, again pair with cooked chicken or something - A dinner with enough for leftovers - pasta, fried rice etc. can taste even nicer cold next day
Interesting_Fish309@reddit
Pastas, u can have so many. My partner like quiche n bloody pot noodles. Oh n scotch eggs. If he eats too much and gets full he wants to sleep haha. Salad boxes with tuna or prawns or whatever meat. I use a takeaway tub chop up salad. Put in sections. Put any dressing in a separate tub. Add in some meat. That's a nice one. Don't want it soggy so sauce has be separate
SgtTaco18@reddit
Bulk make burritos and freeze them. You can put literally anything in them. Just put it to defrost the night before and reheat in the work toastie maker
atomiclax@reddit
I've never worked somewhere that has a toastie maker
fauxlavender@reddit
Your work has a toastie maker?
SgtTaco18@reddit
Sure.
But if not, 'wave it till warmed through. Just take to foil off first
this-twilight-garden@reddit
I’ve started making pasta salads recently. Quite easy to customise with whatever you like (my current one has chicken, feta, cucumber, tomato, onion, peppers, olives, fresh herbs, olive oil, lemon). Easy to make a batch for a few days and doesn’t take a huge amount of time to make.
HighAbilityLoser@reddit
I have tabouleh and a Lebanese style slaw this week. It's Summer. Crack out the salads, obviously.
peppermint_aero@reddit
In terms of actual bread items, the Warburtons bagel thins are a nice alternative to sliced bread. Or just a full bagel. Either are great!
blackcurrantcat@reddit
Roast a big pile of veg and cook some rice. You can then chop and change what you do with them over the week (maybe beans and salad one day, salsa and cheese the next, tomato sauce the next etc etc). I find this works as an alternative to making like a chilli and taking that in every day because I just get bored of it by day two and it ends up in the bin. This way I can get a bit more variety in.
Final_Blacksmith7447@reddit
I know the golden rule is no seafood at work
tiptoptattie@reddit
Some of my colleagues haven’t got that memo, particularly about not microwaving said seafood.
Uhura-hoop@reddit
What about blue cheese? I sometimes take blue cheese
Jasboh@reddit
I batch cook a vegetable stew on Sunday, keep it simple as I'm lazy, onion and 2/3 tins of pulses and some spices
underwater-sunlight@reddit
Air fry boneless skinless chicken thighs with a sachet of shawarma seasoning and dice thin to replicate chicken doner (no need for oil so its pretty healthy) finely diced the salad of your choice and mix it in together. You may want some sauce so pick your poison. If you want some carbs, add some boiled rice, although I have been making Turkish style bulgur recently
luala@reddit
Grain salads. Look up the Jennifer Anniston salad for an idea. Pinterest is good for salad ideas. I like red kidney beans, red onion, cherry tomatoes and avocado all cubes and tossed in a lime vinaigrette. I also found this thing called chickpea tofu in Sainsbury’s and it goes well in salads (cube and fry it first) or try those flavoured tofus such as basil or tomato.
Shoddy_Pilot_2737@reddit
I do a long shift so stop for food twice.
First stop - 2x little sausage rolls, crisps, soup, chocolate bar, coffee.
Second stop - 2x rolls, crisps, snack, chocolate bar, water.
I use the Sandwich Filler pots from the supermarket so there's quite a variety and the snack can be a pepperami or olives or chicken bites. Anything really. I switch out the rolls for a quiche about once a week as well.
Hope this helps
tygeorgiou@reddit
I usually just always have 2 wraps or one XL wrap, sometimes chicken mayo, tuna mayo, ham and cheese, chicken and cheese, straight cheese if I'm lazy, sometimes chilli, salami, etc if I'm fancy
knowing that I'm making a wrap makes it really easy but the amount of variety in them also makes it never boring
nihilistkitty@reddit
I make soup, my fave is lentil & bacon. It will keep for 3 days in the fridge. I freeze the excess. Full of veg, easy to make and super cost effective.
AutoModerator@reddit
Please help keep AskUK welcoming!
When replying to submission/post please make genuine efforts to answer the question given. Please no jokes, judgements, etc. If a post is marked 'Serious Answers Only' you may receive a ban for violating this rule.
Don't be a dick to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on.
This is a strictly no-politics subreddit!
Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.