While I don't work in an office, I'm always helping my husband pack his lunches. It took some time to get into a routine (that we're still working on) but he always does better during the day when I send him out the door with lunch. Below are a few of my favorite vegetarian lunches we use throughout the week. A couple of recommendations: plan and prep. Planning ahead and prepping a few items helps to make quick work of lunches so you're not scrambling 10 minutes before walking out the door!
Soups are high on my lunch list. They are usually easy to assemble and are better the next day. Even better, I'll make a couple of large batches of soup on the weekend and freeze in individual portions for a grab and go lunch. Having a stash of soup in the freezer means you're rarely without a solid vegetarian lunch!
Sandwiches are the old standby for lunches and while we eat our fair share of peanut butter and jam, there's a wide array of wraps, sandwiches, and stuffed pita. A lot of these recipes are quick and can easily be assembled the day of (egg salad is one of my go-to, make in the morning recipes!)
Most of the grain bowls that get packed in lunch aren't recipes. They are a mix of whatever grains, sauces, and vegetables I might have already prepped in the refrigerator. The combination is endless but a large grain bowl can be very satisfying in the mid-day rush.
I love a good noodle bowl. I'll often make a quick peanut sauce and steam broccoli for a bowl that's ready in about 10 minutes. Noodle bowls are also great after they have sat for some time and are often just fine when eaten cold (perfect for when you don't have a microwave!)
Next to sandwiches, salads are the other lunch standby. However, I'm not talking about a simple, lettuce + dressing salad but rather hearty vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds. Quite often I'll also use leftover roasted vegetables and grains to help bulk up the greens. Salads are great for using up leftovers!
I think there is no better lunch than a dinner recipe that develops more flavor as it sits. Making extra curries and creamy dishes is a no brainer because it's an easy lunch and I think taste better the next day. Often I'll make these meals on Sunday night and eat the leftovers for lunch for the next three days!
The sesame soba and that chickpea salad look especially awesome! I am trying to throw a bit more variation into my lunches. I tend to repeat the same things over and over. Excited to give these a try!
Hi Erin, I love your recipes. I wish you lived my me and I could hire you as a personal chef. I think it's -hilarious- that the makers of Cinnamon Toast Crunch try to advertise to me on your blog though!! You couldn't pay me to eat that processed crap! So funny.
It's a weekend, so I started planning work lunches work the upcoming week and this post is just so useful!
I just can't express how much I love your recipes. Everything works so well together – if I have leftover carrots or brussels sprouts, I can easily find a recipe to use it up. And everything turns out super delicious.