No-heat lunches

ftsolk

I'm trying to come up with some ideas for lunches that don't require heating (or a thermos). I only get a 15 minute break, and while I can eat quite a bit in that time if I focus, the microwave at work is pretty slow, so I try to avoid food that requires more than a minute zap to get rid of the chill (frozen meals usually take twice the time on the package to heat through).

I got a new lunch container that has one larger container with three smaller ones on the inside: 1 container is approximately 2.5 cups; the other two are 1 cup each. The idea is to use the larger container for fruits and veggies and the two smaller containers for protein and carbs (though I'd remove the two smaller containers and use that space for a sandwich on occasion.

However, I also plan on having breakfast sandwiches on my earlier work days (I just got a new breakfast sandwich maker), so I want to do something other than sandwiches or wraps for lunch. Salads are also a little iffy since they tend to take a bit longer to eat, so I'd rather stick to a smaller side salad over a larger meal salad (I'll keep the meal salads for dinners, days off, and days I get a 30 minute break).

Any ideas?

missiontofitness

Fruit, potato salad, and lunchmeat rollups with the meat and cheese of your choosing.

Sunflower_65

I've been trying to find quick, healthy things to take to work for lunch, too. Have you tried Pinterest? I've had some luck with Bento Box pins there. Here's one web site I found with ideas: greatist.com/health/healthy-bento-box-ideas

knittnponder

My husband's lunches are usually our dinner leftovers. Sometimes he can heat them up but if he's out on a job site he can't so he just eats them cold. Some things are actually really good cold. You could also do salads, sandwiches or wraps or as someone else posted, Bento boxes.

JoanaMHill

Sandwiches is my immediate thought. You shouldn't eliminate them just because you have a breakfast sandwich, because you can put literally anything in them. Leftovers might work too; I often eat leftover pizza or chicken cold rather than heating it up and tastes fine to me.

Unknown

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Aemely

OK, here's my weird no-heat protein lunch. Little shredded chicken can & olives-to-go are self-contained w/ pull-tabs. I keep a bag of crackers in my work bin & the mayo is in the fridge. Warning: I'm a salt-a-holic.

Valley Fresh 100% White Chicken, 5 oz. can
Kraft Light Olive Oil Mayo, 0.4 tbsp.
Olives-to-Go Black Olives, 1 container (or green olives; subtract 20 cals.)
Black pepper to taste
Oyster Crackers, 15 crackers

---

~250 calories

47Jacqueline

As opposed to sandwiches, which I'm sick of, there are all kinds of things I've seen people make in a jar, from salads to various mixtures.

sheldonklein

A wedge of frittata. It's best at room temperature

aylajane

I get the precooked frozen chicken (diced, fajita style etc). If you put it in your lunch bag in the morning, it is pretty well thawed by lunchtime so it only requires about 30 sec in the micro to warm up (as opposed to the two minutes on the bag if frozen).

If you make the steamables veggies in the morning at home (or night before), then put in the same container as the chicken, they only need the same 30 seconds to reheat.

skinnyinnotime

You can make a huge variety of salads using canned tuna, really easy, cheap and full of protein to keep you full.

tibby531

I do a tuna half-sandwich, a bag of veggies, half a snack bag of popcorn, and an apple.

Gidzmo

A sandwich is good--have you considered pita (pocket) bread? I'd be concerned about the mayo-based salads unless you've got some way of keeping things cold.

If you have access to some already-hot water, there are the Cup O'Soups (if you are watching the sodium intake, then avoid these, as they have a generous amount of sodium).

melifornia

I'm interested in similar lunches for when I substitute teach. I never know if there's going to be a microwave available. (The one time I was SURE there would be, I was subbing for a home ec teacher...but they moved us to a different classroom with no microwaves. *facepalm*)

Anyway, here are some no-heat lunches that I pack:

* crackers, cheese, turkey kielbasa, fruit (usually grapes)
* yogurt, Belvita biscuits, fruit
* pita bread, hummus, cut up carrots/celery/broccoli/cauliflower
* lunch meat rollups, applesauce, carrots, chips

oxlisaxo91

I tend to do salads, takes me about 5 minutes to demolish it but I don't make a large one or use big leafy greens, I dislike most of them.

I use a handful of baby spinach leaves, one whole carrot sliced, 25g of cheese and i cut up some orange and throw it in there for a summery taste! (I squeeze the juice out of it prior though)
Then with the chicken I will have it in a baggy frozen and stick that ontop of my salad and close my lunch lid. Usually after 3-4 hours, exactly around lunch time, the chicken will be thawed and the cheese and salad will still be cool
I will also eat a piece of fruit if i'm still hungry.

Aemely

I'm not sure I have enough willpower to bento, but it would be kinda fun to pull out a hard-boiled egg that looked like this... :disagree:



Reference: justbento.com/handbook/bento-decoration-techniques/fun-japanese-egg-molds

Also see: http://www.bentolunch.net/ & (Warning: This site sells the containers, but still has fun looking "Winter" menu ideas... I'm not affiliated/pushing this in any way...) http://www.laptoplunches.com/bento-menus-season/Winter/

pamplemousse212

I am LOVING the tuna rice salad http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/681634/helpyourself-tuna-rice-salad. Can make a big batch and feed off it all week

SergeantSausage

Every lunch is a "no heat" lunch when you're lazy enough like me.

Anything that can be eaten warm can be eaten at room temperature or even cold.

There's no requirement for food temperature in a nutritious, delicious meal.

katya_be

I always make a salad! Every day during the workweek. It is filling and yummy.. a basic salad for me is: Half a roasted chicken breast, half an avocado, half stalk of romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, bacon, blue cheese, olives, and anything else that sounds yummy.

Want2bthin135

Chicken Salad, tuna salad or egg salad, if you don't want a sandwich eat it with crackers. I like the clubhouse crackers. Try the refrigerator oatmeal recipe.

AngryViking1970

I hate using the microwave here at work because there's only one for like 50 people. So...

- ham salad and crackers (this is my lunch today)
- frozen cooked shrimp and cocktail sauce (this is mostly defrosted by lunch and just needs a 3 minute soak in cold water)
- deli meat and cheese rollups with mustard or something else to dip
- all the salads: 3 bean, tuna and chickpea, Buffalo chicken
- avocado and grilled chicken on Wasa crispbreads

Liftng4Lis

leftover pizza.

CaitlinW19

I love bringing mason jar salads to the office. I buy a big bag of lettuce at Sam's Club once a week and make up a whole bunch (usually on Sunday). I never was a big salad person, but I've come to really enjoy it. My favorites are Buffalo Chicken, BBQ Chicken, and Taco. Today I have a new one, Cashew Chicken with ranch. I use restaurant salads as inspiration mostly and make them lighter with Bolthouse yogurt dressings (amazing!).

acorsaut89

missiontofitness wrote: »

Fruit, potato salad, and lunchmeat rollups with the meat and cheese of your choosing.

This is the first thing I thought of! And I quite often make them in the summer when it's hot because where I live it gets really humid in the summer and it's not always the best idea to bring hot lunches, even if my office has AC

Kabiti

I love salad too. I just chop a whole head of romaine (a small one like from the 3 packs) and put it in a gallon zip bag. I add feta, chicken, etc., etc., and put dressing on it at work. It's nice 'cause you can shake the whole thing to distribute the dressing and eat it right from the bag.

ftsolk

I have access to a refrigerator, but even reheating refrigerated (not frozen) food can take a while with this microwave.

I'm not against sandwiches, but I'd rather not have sandwiches two meals in a row. Is that weird?

maxit

When I was bringing lunch every day I packed one or two plain greek yogurts (5 oz), one or two apples, a container with 2 TBSP hummus and then 1.5 c chopped carrots, tomatoes and some avocado - that was lunch plus snack for the afternoon. 15 minutes for eating seems rushed - is that set in stone?

JenSD6

I gave up trekking across my building at work to use the microwave and find it busy for the next god knows how long. I just leave my lunch in my desk and eat it at whatever temperature it's at. I'm just used to room temperature leftovers now, and I actually like stir-fry better a little on the cold side.

Lounmoun

Cottage cheese mixed with vegetables and spices (paprika, salt, pepper, etc)
Hard boiled egg
Peanut butter and celery
Hummus and veggies
Lettuce wrap
Pasta or bean salads
cabbage or broccoli slaw
Cold noodles with peanut sauce, you could add cooked chicken or vegetables to it
Cold cooked pizza
7 layer dip- small amount is pretty filling
yogurt, fruit
Granola bar
Rice balls
Pickles, olives
Cheese

rjmudlax13

sammich?

kbkeats

One of my go-tos is peices of deli ham, rolled with pineapple (and cheese if I need the calories)! Delicious! Can be done with chicken (rolled with peppers and carrots) or anything you can imagine.