I’ve got to be honest, I get no pleasure out of lunch. Don’t get me wrong, if midday dining involves choosing from a menu then I’m all in, but lunch at home is another story.
What do you eat for lunch?! I need more lunch ideas! I wrote last year about meal planning which has got our evening meal down to a fine art but lunch, well that’s another story. Each day I feel as though I’m peering in the fridge thinking some imaginary fairy will have planted the ingredients, or better still, ready-prepared a full-on feast. But alas no.
Five Weekday Lunch Ideas
Below are a few of the lunches I’ve been eating recently. I’m mostly meat-free so apologies they’re all veggie options.
Mushrooms on Toast
A bit more spesh than beans on bread, cook your mushrooms in your oil of choice, throw in some mixed herbs and a spoonful of wholegrain mustard. When the mushrooms are cooked pile on top of some toast and for a bit of protein add a poached egg. Obviously a bit tricky to prepare if you’re in an office but you could make the mushrooms at home and toast some bread if you have the facilities.
Falafel with Salad
I really need to start making my own falafel but for the minute we buy cauldron ones to add a bit of a protein to a green salad. Really quick to throw together and very transportable.
Madeline Shaw’s Lentil Soup
This is my ‘go-to’ in the winter. The lentils are really filling and the coconut milk and coriander bring a delicate flavour to a classic. The recipe is very thick so you can throw in a bit more liquid if you fancy it.
Huevos Ranchos
To be honest, I reckon you can have Huevos Ranchos at pretty much every meal of the day. However, with wraps being a lot lighter than two hunks of bread, it’s one of my favourites for lunchtime. We use the BBC Good Food recipe which favours a regular tomato rather than a tinned variety so there’s a lot less drippage from your tortilla. I skip the egg if I’m taking it out the house.
Beetroot and Halloumi Salad
This is a new one in the Coleman household that James found on Olive Magazine. Whizz up beetroot, yoghurt garlic and lemon juice in a blender and serve with giant couscous and halloumi. If you keep the ‘dip’ element of it separate then it would transport well to work.
What are you filling your tummy with at lunchtime? Any lunch recipe favourites we all need to know about? If you’re after ideas for the start of the day than do take a peek at Naomi’s recent breakfast ideas post.
The beetroot & halloumi salad sounds yummy – and i have both those ingredients in my fridge – so that might be dinner with leftovers for lunch tomorrow – thank you Lauren!
My lunches are pretty dull I have to admit – leftover roasted veggies from the night before with pulses or some form of protein added – or a simple sandwich with a packet of french fries or quavers or hula hoops – and then maybe a snack size choc bar if i want something sweet. I cannot be doing with faffing around at lunch time 🙂
Yes I know what you mean. I like to use my lunchtimes wisely! Don’t want to be spending 25 minutes faffing about making it and then only have a few minutes to eat it!
Hope you enjoy the beetroot salad x
I’m generally a soup girl all year round, be it a chicken chilli stew version, pea and mint, butternut squash and sage, lentil and tomato, cauliflower etc – all so easy to batch cook, freeze and just heat up when needed. Sometimes I make up some croutons for variety and texture. When I get sick of soup I have a few salads on rotation. I love making a chicken, green bean butternut squash and onion salad with walnuts. I roast up chunks of chicken, butternut squash and red onion in a little oil with some fresh thyme sprigs, making enough for a few days, cool and portion up, then add some blanched green beans that I cook each night and some walnuts as I’m plating up, with a tiny drizzle of red wine vinegar. Or I griddle some courgette strips, then some chicken with lemon zest and olive oil and add some green veggies for a super simple option (and add some carbs somewhere!). Nothing particularly exciting, but all easy to take to work and require no more than 3 minutes in the microwave at most.
If I’m at home then I might pan fry some halloumi and add it to some cooked puy lentils (from those microwave pouches), salad, with some red peppers and mange tout or similar. Blanched asparagus on a slice of lovely sourdough with some pan fried serrano or parma ham is pretty good too. Decadent lunches (by which I mean distinctly not healthy!) include Welsh rarebit if I fancy something ridiculously filling and creamy, or a bacon or sausage sandwich 🙂
Annie, your lunches are pretty spesh! Loving all your suggestions.
I’ve been making salads and taking in to work and for pack ups.
Rainbow roasted vegetable Orzo pasta from BBC Good Food
Butternut squash, mushroom and slow roasted tomatoes with feta one cook tray from Roasting Tin.
Both bung everything in one tray and stir. Standard cupboard ingredients.
One pot/tray cooking is a lifesaver! Definitely need to find myself more recipes that don’t involve using every pot and pan going.
Jamie Oliver’s 5 ingredients salads have been a life saver this year.
Make up the butternut squash and mozzarella salad on Monday night and I have four portions to get me through the rest of the week in one go.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/harissa-squash-salad-lpkpws2kx
The only problem is making sure I don’t accidentally leave it in the fridge!
This salad sounds delish Charlie!
God, is there anything more annoying than leaving your prepped lunch in the fridge at home?!
The beetroot and hallomi salad sounds delish, I’m definately going to try that. Like you always on the lookout for easy and quick lunch ideas! I’m a fan of frittatas to basically use up anything leftover and make a large one to last a couple of days. Roast veg also a staple with salad or wraps. I also discovered microwaving roast veg for a few mins, mixing with noodles and some soy sauce. Random but strangely satisfying, especially if you fancy something warm!
Ella I am a frittata fan too! Best way to use up veg. I also love the sound of those roast veggie noodles.