How to fill a lunch box: 10 ideas for those who dine in the office

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

People who decide to take lunches with them to work from home face the same problem a week later. They don't know what to put in the lunch box. They are tired of sandwiches and dumplings, and there is no desire to finish yesterday's pasta. Lifehacker decided to add variety to the contents of your lunch boxes and made this selection.

1. Onigiri with salmon

Onigiri are Japanese filled rice balls or triangles wrapped in nori. They are very popular in the Land of the Rising Sun. There are many variations and there are even specialty shops that only sell onigiri.

pros: satisfying; a wide variety of fillings.

Minuses: subtleties in the selection and preparation of rice; expensive ingredients.

Average cooking time: 30 to 60 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sushi rice
• 2-3 sheets of nori;
• 200 g lightly salted salmon;
• 100 g cream cheese.

Preparation

It is better to take round grain rice - it is more sticky. It must be rinsed thoroughly until the water is clear. Washed rice should be put in boiling water and cooked over low heat until tender. Leave the cooked rice for a while under a closed lid.

Prepare the filling: cut the fish into small cubes (make sure there are no bones) and mix with the cream cheese.

When the rice has cooled down to a temperature that allows you to handle it, you can start sculpting. Place a layer of rice on your palm, a small piece of filling on it and squeeze your palm.

The word "onigiri" comes from the verb "nigiru", which translates to "squeeze." To make the ball smoother, roll it between your palms. Triangular onigiri can be made with a wide knife.

Wrap the resulting kolobok with a strip of nori seaweed and put it in the lunch box. If you cook in the evening, it is better to wrap nori in the morning so that the dish does not get wet. Store the onigiri in the refrigerator.

2. Pizza roll

Who wouldn't want a flavored pizza for lunch? These curls fit easily into almost any food container. They can be eaten hot or cold.

pros: you can make blanks in the evening, and bake before leaving for work.

Minuses: high in calories; laborious if you do not use semi-finished products.

Average cooking time: 40 to 120 minutes.

Ingredients

• 500 g yeast dough;
• 100 g pepperoni;
• 100 g mozzarella;
• 1 egg;
• 8 tablespoons pizza sauce
• pepper, dried basil, oregano and other seasonings to taste.

Preparation

It will be tastier if you knead the dough yourself, but in order to simplify and speed up the process as much as possible, you can use a purchased one. Roll out the dough and brush with special pizza sauce or ketchup.

Top with thinly sliced pepperoni and mozzarella. If not, you can use any other sausage and cheese that melts well. Sprinkle the seasoning on top and roll the dough into a roll.

Cutting it into pieces 3-4 centimeters wide, you get several small pizzas. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush with a beaten egg.

Bake in an oven preheated to 220 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

If you make the blanks much in advance, wrap them in cling film and freeze.

3. Chicken fillet in almond breading

This is a high protein lunch. It will appeal to those who monitor their carbohydrate intake.

pros: healthy; satisfying.

Minuses: Almond flour and flaxseed flour are not available in every store.

Average cooking time: 30 to 60 minutes.

From the following amount of food, you will have four servings.

Ingredients

• 900 g chicken breast;
• 100 g almond flour;
• 2 eggs;
• 1 tablespoon flaxseed flour
• 1 teaspoon paprika;
• ½ teaspoon of garlic powder;
• ½ teaspoon salt;
• ½ teaspoon dry parsley;
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper.

Preparation

If you don't care about carbohydrates, then feel free to take bread crumbs. But remember that the calorie content of the dish will increase. For bodybuilders, combine all dry ingredients in a deep bowl.

Beat eggs in a separate bowl. Dip the sliced chicken fillet first into the egg mixture and then into the flour mixture. Place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake in an oven preheated to 220 degrees for 20 minutes.

You can use green peas or beans as a side dish.

4. Ramen burger

Ramen is a popular wheat noodle dish in Asia. There is a lot of competition between ramen restaurants. But besides fresh ramen, there is also instant ramen. He's what we need.

pros: cheap and cheerful; satisfying.

Minuses: high in calories; long cooking if there are no ready-made cutlets.

Average cooking time: 60 to 120 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 pack of instant noodles;
• burger cutlet;
• 2 eggs;
• a slice of cheddar;
• 1 tablespoon sweet and hot chili sauce
• green onions and lettuce;
• olive oil.

Preparation

Boil the noodles according to the instructions, dry and cool slightly in a colander. Transfer to a plate and top with beaten egg. Stir. Line two flat-bottomed bowls about eight centimeters in diameter with cling film and brush with vegetable oil. Put the noodles in them, wrap the film and, pressing down with any heavy object, send them to the refrigerator for an hour.

During this time, fry the burger patty. From the remaining egg, cook with fried eggs. Remember that you can fill the ramen burger with anything, for example, you can use tomatoes instead of fried eggs.

After taking the ramen out of the refrigerator, carefully peel off the cling film and fry the compressed noodles on both sides until golden brown in a very well-heated skillet.

After that, you can collect the burger and put it in a container: instead of a bun, there will be ramen, then lettuce, chili sauce, cutlet, cheese, chopped green onions and lettuce, scrambled eggs and again ramen. This burger is best eaten on the day of preparation.

5. Bagel with filling

Butter bagel is a good snack in itself, and if you show a little imagination, you get a full-fledged second dish.

pros: prepares quickly; you can put almost anything inside.

Minuses: high in calories; dry water; you need to cook in the morning, otherwise the bagel will dry out.

Average cooking time: 20 to 40 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 large bagel;
• 50 g cream cheese;
• 80 g salami or other sausage;
• salt, pepper, garlic powder, and other seasonings to taste.

Preparation

You can buy a bagel at a nearby bakery or bake it yourself. It needs to be cut in half like a burger bun. It is necessary to remove the crumb from each half, making room for the filling.

The simplest filling is a diced sausage mixed with cream cheese and spices. But don't hold back your culinary fantasies: you can spread salsa verde sauce on a bagel, put fried chicken or minced meat inside, or add vegetables.

Place the filling on one half of the bagel and top with the other. The office lunch is ready!

6. Classic meat loaf

A dish called meat loaf (literally "meat loaf") is popular in the USA and Canada. It is great for an office lunch.

pros: satisfying; can be eaten both hot and cold.

Minuses: high in calories; must be refrigerated.

Average cooking time: 60 to 80 minutes.

Ingredients

• 900 g minced meat;
• 60 g bread crumbs;
• 250 g tomato sauce;
• 1 egg;
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon of garlic powder;
• ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper;
• ½ teaspoon of salt.

Preparation

Combine and mix thoroughly the minced meat, egg, spices and crackers. Put all this in a baking dish, brush with sauce on top and send for an hour in an oven preheated to 180 degrees.

Cut into convenient pieces and place in your lunch box. Boiled potatoes or vegetables can be used as a side dish.

7. Curd muffins

Muffins are predominantly sweet pastries. But there are recipes in which they are the main course, not the dessert. For example, muffins with ham and cheese. We suggest that you take curd muffins with you to your office. They go well with yogurt or sour cream.

pros: easy to cook; tasty to eat.

Minuses: high in calories; if not eaten quickly, they will dry out.

Average cooking time:from 30 to 60 minutes.

From this number of products, you will get about 20 pieces - enough for the whole family.

Ingredients

• 200 g wheat flour;
• 200 g of cottage cheese;
• 150 g butter;
• 200 g sugar;
• 3 eggs;
• 1 teaspoon baking powder.

Preparation

Beat eggs with sugar, and then, without turning off the mixer, add baking powder, softened butter, cottage cheese and flour. Divide the dough into tins and bake in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

In addition to muffins, bring fruit and a bottle of drinking yogurt.

8. Pita with bacon and cherry tomatoes

Pita is a traditional oriental flatbread made from whole grain or wheat flour with a diameter of 15–20 centimeters. When baking some of its varieties, an air pocket is formed inside, which can be opened by cutting the edge and filled with some kind of snack.

pros: you can even eat one half; quickly; a large selection of fillings.

Minuses: not just any flatbread will do; high in calories.

Average cooking time: 30 to 60 minutes depending on the filling.

For example, you can try pita with traditional sandwich filling - bacon, salad, tomatoes.

Ingredients

• pita;
• 4-6 slices of bacon;
• cherry tomatoes;
• lettuce leaves.

Preparation

Juicy flavored bacon with a crispy crust is not easy to get. You may have to spoil more than one slice until you get it.

Place the fried bacon in a pita (it is convenient to divide it in half) along with lettuce and chopped cherry tomatoes.

9. Tacos with minced meat and cheese

If you treat them to your colleagues, you risk yourself being left without lunch.

pros: satisfying; delicious even cold.

Minuses: rather time consuming preparation; a large number of ingredients.

Average cooking time: 40 to 80 minutes.

Ingredients

• 500 g puff pastry;
• 700 g ground beef;
• 200 g semi-hard cheese;
• 1 egg;
• 1 tomato;
• 1 onion;
• 1 green bell pepper;
• 1 clove of garlic;
• ½ cup ketchup;
• ½ tablespoon of water;
• 1 teaspoon of cumin;
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• olive oil for frying;
• fresh cilantro and parsley.

Preparation

Cooking at home is quite difficult. It is better to keep it ready in the freezer just in case.

Fry the minced meat with chopped onion and pepper in olive oil. When the onion is golden and the meat is tender, add the chopped garlic and fry for about a minute, stirring constantly. Drain the fat from the skillet and add the tomato, ketchup, chopped herbs and spices. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Then remove from heat and cool.

Roll out the dough and cut round cakes out of it. Place 1-2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each. Roll up. In order for the edges to hold better, brush them with an egg mixture (beat the egg with water).

Bake for 15-20 minutes in an oven preheated to 190 degrees. Do not forget to cover the baking sheet with baking paper or grease with butter, and in the lunch box, be sure to pour ketchup or another sauce of your choice.

10. Bread rolls with tuna

This is an ingenious alternative to sandwiches. With such an unusual presentation, colleagues will definitely ask you for a couple of pieces to sample. So do more.

pros: simple products available.

Minuses: dry water; rolling the bread may have to be tricky.

Average cooking time: 20 to 40 minutes.

Ingredients

• a can of canned tuna;
• 1 small cucumber;
• 1 small carrot;
• 4 slices of whole grain bread.

Preparation

You need to drain the liquid from the can of canned food, and mash the fish with a fork. Cut the carrots and cucumber into strips.

Cut the crusts off the pieces of bread and roll out the crumb with a rolling pin. Place the tuna and vegetables on it, stepping back about a centimeter from one end. Roll and cut the rolls.