Portable Lunch Ideas
Posted by monkey7 on Jul 24, 2010 · Member since Sep 2009 · 324 posts
I take a lunch to school with me during the week but have ran out of ideas on what to bring. For the most part it has been bean wraps and hummus with quinoa. I have also taken chilli but am tired of the same things. What does everyone else bring for lunch? I only have about 15 mins to eat so it has to be small and easy to eat.
Thanks for any suggestions. :)
Dates and almonds are my choice combo.
Any other dried fruits or nuts/seeds... pineapple, mango and sunflower seeds; cashews and figs. YUm
You can carry them in a bag, they dont make a mess if spilled, they dont spoil if you forget them, no prep involved. A great way to start eating a 'raw' natural meal. And if you are concerned about protein, its a solid way to incorporate into your diet.
Chickpea salad sandwiches or leftovers, usually. A piece of tofu quiche makes a nice lunch; you don't even have to heat it up.
Spring rolls? I mix the veggies in peanut sauce before wrapping them so I don't have to bother with a side dip. Or samosa's? I get frozen ones in my Indian market.
Black bean and corn salad. Super easy to make too if you're short on time (can of beans, some frozen corn, olive oil, cumin, garlic, salt/pepper, whatever else.)
I eat alot of cantelope and watermelon in the summer. cut it up and put in plastic containers. I grill tofu on my george foreman grill and make sandwiches out of it and tomatoes, avacados and whatever else I have on hand. Pb and j's are always easy. Tofu scrambles are good even when cold. sliced cucumbers with a little vinegar and oil, salt and pepper. I could go on and on.
Thank you all for your suggestions. They all sound good. :)
I bring a lunch to work everyday, so I've gotten used to having to think "What should I do for lunch?" There are a lot of sandwiches and wraps with all kinds of things like hummus, fresh chopped vegetables, vegennaise, greens, and sprouts. PB & J is also a great standby. Try the mock tuna salad from Fat Free Vegan to make a sandwich. It's also easy to make an easy burrito with black beans, rice, lettuce, and salsa/guac.
One thing I do often is to make extra whenever I make dinner and put one service in a tupperware that I can either eat cold or microwaved at work.
And of course you can pack fresh fruit (I'm LOVING my Farmers' Market peaches this summer!), nuts, and things like tortilla chips or pita chips for a side. And don't underestimate a good salad! (I have a small container that I pack an olive oil-vinegar dressing in separately so my salad doesn't get to soggy throughout the morning.)
I also prefer to pack things in tupperware/gladware and bring my own forks and spoons to take back home with me to cut down on waste. This summer I've been trying to go zero-waste with my lunches at work. For the most part, I've succeeded, but I've done a couple plastic baggies with chips :-[ but I'm still working on it.
Good luck and good eats!
Tofurkey lunch meat sandwiches
Leftovers! I cook a butt load on the weekend so I have easy meals to heat up on the weekdays. Soups, enchiladas, lasagna, pizza, everything goes!
Vegan sushi
Veggies with vegan ranch
And yes chickpea salad sandwiches! I keep the sandwich spread separate until I'm ready to make the sandwich or it will be mushy
Thank you all. There are so many options that I have not thought of. :)
Chickpea salad sandwiches or leftovers, usually. A piece of tofu quiche makes a nice lunch; you don't even have to heat it up.
I second this, chickpea salad with some balsamic vinegar is delicious, especially with red onions, and a greek dressing. Mmmmmm...my mouth is watering thinking about it!! :)>>>