Lunch ideas

IAAM

Hi everyone

I've just started a diary on the mortgage-free wannabe and have been recommended to come here for some tips:-)

The first thing I wanted to ask you lovely people is whether you have any ideas for lunch on the go. I'm very good at taking lunch to work (there's a fridge and microwave there which makes it easier). However, I go into town once or twice a week and end up buying lunch which is eating into my money.

I've racked my brains but the only things I can think of to take with me are: nuts & seeds, fruit, carrots. I'd like to avoid sandwiches or salads if I can. (Salads don't work well if they've been knocked around a bit in the bottom of a bag).

Any tips that you wise people can pass on to me would be really appreciated.

Islandmaid

Hi IAAM :wave:

I usually take leftovers from the night before, or HM soup, using veg etc that needs using from fridge.

Ham, cheese and cornichon are another favourite. Think ploughman's without the bread.

Frittata is lovely cold, and very filling.

HM Coconut Dhal and flat breads, or what about HM Hummus and crudites.

Cous cous Salad is easy and cheap to make, a drizzle of lemon juice and olive oil - yum... similar with rice or pasta salads if you eat those.

DS love a tuna pasta salad, chopped spring onion, sweetcorn, peppers with cold pasta (add a tablespoon of oil whilst cooking to stop it sticking together) mix with a tin of tuna, mayonaise and season to taste - 500g of pasta makes a few lunches

Good luck

Prinzessilein

In colder days I used to take a wide neck thermos with HM soup for lunch.


Warmer days are the perfect time for a salad...but robust ones that will stand a bit of being bumped around...and are more filling than lettuce and celery

I love bulgar wheat (just needs to be soaked in hot water for about 20 minutes) with tinned chickpeas (they are already cooked which saves valuable time!), chopped spring onions, chopped up dried apricots and then whatever other leftovers you have handy....works well with a vinegar-based dressing.


Lentils are great for eating-on-a-budget...cook some in advance, let them go cold, add left over chopped over cooked veg...any scraplets of meat can be added.....then pack into your lunch box...in a separate tub pop some natural joghurt with some curry paste (or curry powder) mixed in - pop this in the fridge at work...mix the curried joghurt through the lentil mix just before eating.

Blend some tinned chickpeas with lemon juice, garlic, springoinions, and a splash of olive oil...season to taste with black pepper and cumin, add some coriander if you like the taste...you want the mixture to be a firm paste ,not too wet....then form into little patties...one tin of chickpeas makes about 8 patties...bake them at 200C (or equivalent) for 15 or so minutes....sort of like falafel (but healthy and cheap!)!!!8230;.take a few for lunch along with a pita pocket...and some salad if you like.


And leftovers always make a quick cheap lunch...

cold cooked pasta with a sausage chooped up and added (I would add a homemade tomato sauce (blitz some tinned tomatoes, add some black pepper, job done!)

Auflauf/Frittatata/Cold Omelette/Tortilla...all amounts to the same thing...thick omelette with loads of leftovers, served cold.

Mummy2cheekymonkeys

I would agree with the suggestions above. Also if you are worried about sandwiches getting squashed, I bought my partner a sandwich box from asda. Its pretty much just a tupperware box the right size for a sandwich to fit in. It only cost £1. My partner had the same problem plus I thought it would be more eco friendly as I don't have to use cling film everyday.

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

We have Bitsers Roulette once a week!

Bitsers
All them bits in the refrigerator that you!!!8217;d chuck. Onions, toms, celery, ham, chicken, peppers. Anything.

Toss into hot pan, fry. Add bit of garlic and chilli flakes. Toss over some soy sauce. If you want, add long grain rice. Very simple meal! We call it roulette because of the chilli flakes!

suki1964

I take left overs as I find them more filling and im less likely to snack between meals

I use old take away boxes and say if ve make spag Bol or similar,theres always a small amount left, in a box it goes. I might not have pasta enough to make a meal, but the following day I might throw on a few extra spuds and use them to top up my meal

Chinese takeaway on a Saturday always leaves enough for a lunch on a Monday, even if it is mainly rice and sauce, you don't need a meat if you are having a protein based meal later

other things I take are hummus and pittas ( although they don't fill me the day), HM soup with a boiled spud in it, a toasty made up and toasted in a bag, all sorts of curry ( they all think the canteen smells like pot noodles when I take them in lol ) lasagne and even a cheeseburger

JIL

My husband used to take a sandwich every day for the past thirty odd years. But for the past year he is a changed man. He loves leftovers. Tomorrow he has got a slice of cold pizza, a mug of home made soup, a granola bar and a tub of fruit with Greek yogurt. This is also his breakfast.
I have an apple, some home made tealoaf and a slice of edam.

I do most of my preparation on a Sunday for the week ahead. Today I made bread, soup, roasted vegetables, cooked a chicken, baked a tealoaf, made granola bars and used some of the bread dough to make a pizza, which was topped with roasted vegetables. The chicken was for dinner, as were some of the roast veg. But there were leftovers.
The remaining roasted veg will be mixed with cous cous and a little feta for lunch on Tuesday.
Sometimes I make a thin omlette and use this in a wrap, that is really nice cold and travels well.
Pasta salads are always easy, cheese cubes, apple, celery, walnut and mayo being a favourite. Potato salad with added chopped sausage. With some baby tomatoes and gherkin is another.

If I ever buy lunch I restrict it to a Friday or if I am away with work as the cost is covered. I also like a fizzy drink, my only vice but I buy these from farmfoods in bulk using a money off voucher.

VfM4meplse

IAAM wrote: »

I'd like to avoid sandwiches or salads if I can. (Salads don't work well if they've been knocked around a bit in the bottom of a bag).

I wouldn't completely disregard salad. Thickly sliced / baton-ed / spiralised carrots work very well when slightly dehydrated - a few hours in the bottom of a bag is more than adequate for this purpose

Add dry spices (cracked black pepper, chilli flakes, five spice etc work well) instead of a wet dressing, and there you have a simple lunch that will fill you up nicely.

[Deleted User]

After purchasing an appropriate jar or container - Potato Salad

New potatoes cut up in mayo, with sweet corn, chopped red onion, bit of rocket or fresh herbs.

kazwookie

As you are already good at taking food with you, can you not eat before you go into town?

IAAM

Thanks everyone. Some really great suggestions :-)


Kazwookie - I normally head off into town really early (i.e. before 8am). I have a good size breakfast beforehand but I'm there over lunchtime and head back home around 3.30ish so I still need a lunch.


I think I might make some pizza and take slices to eat cold. I use Naan bread as the base so it's easy to make one up when I'm cooking dinner the night before and have it ready for the next day.


I like the idea of a flask of soup so I'll park that idea for when this glorious weather turns. (Hopefully I haven't just jinxed it now).


I've got a John Lewis voucher so, this week, I might treat myself to a cheese scone and I can supplement that with an apple and some HM trail mix.


I also thought I could make some small HM banana pancakes. I had a recipe somewhere which used oats so I'll dig that out and see how it goes.


Thanks everyone :-)