What to make for work lunch?

[a]

I get up early for a long commute, never have time for breakfast and won't eat while driving.
At best I have 5 minutes in the morning to throw together some lunch. Getting up earlier isn't an option.

I spend lunch time out in my car, usually on a video chat entertaining our baby.

Lunch usually consists of... bread and meat. I won't even call it "sandwiches" because it barely qualifies. Also an apple or two.
It's thoroughly boring and not especially healthy.

I need some ideas for food I can prepare at the weekend that will stay fresh until Friday. Something filling - I eat a lot. I've tried things like salads before but I need huge volumes to keep me satisfied, and also they're pretty horrible by the end of the week.

Thanks in advance for links to mumsnet, as well as any proper suggestions

[JakeT]

I make a sandwich the night before, and then take it in with me. Leftovers can work, such as pasta dishes?

[Quickmoose]

A big vat of Jailhouse Chilli.... there's a thread for it here somewhere...it comes top if you google it..

I'm currently nutri-bulleting each morning... takes a minute or two.
Spinach, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, pear, banana, avocado, flax, chia, gojiberries....
surprisingly filling.... probably because it looks quite challenging

[TartanPaint]

Wraps.

I roast a chicken on Sunday, strip it into a box in the fridge, and have chicken wraps all week. Mix up the flavours and veg you add; avocado, lettuce, grated carrot and some sort of condiment; chilli dipping sauce, mustard mayo, pesto, lemon and pepper, parmesan...

Tesco do tortilla wraps with herbs or chilli in for a bit more interest.

I tend to stick to chicken because it's cheap and I love it, but egg, ham, prawns, salami, chorizo and all sorts of cheeses all work well too.

I never get bored of it because it's so easy to mix up the fillings.

[Riley Blue]

This time of year we chop up a whole lot of salad stuff into bite-size pieces every few days and make individual lunches in 'tupperware' type boxes (the ones with the clip-on lids) the night before, keeping them in the fridge until morning. Add your dressing of choice and enjoy - don't forget a fork!

ETA - forgot... a slice of quiche, some cheese, sliced meat, anything left over from the previous night. bulks it out if needed but often salad is enough for us.

Edited by Riley Blue on Wednesday 3rd May 16:24

[sidekickdmr]

Any access to a microwave or kettle before you jump in the car for your lunchbreak, or are you "on the road"?

[jet_noise]

sidekickdmr said:

Any access to a microwave or kettle before you jump in the car for your lunchbreak, or are you "on the road"?

Or the exhaust manifold?

[21TonyK]

Pasta salads are filling and you can make them up from any leftovers. if you cook and then chill the pasta down straight away on a sunday night it will last 3 days fine in an airtight tub in the fridge, then on Thurs and Fridays go back to sandwiches or cook more pasta on Wednesday eve if you have 20 minutes to do so. Roasting a chicken on Sunday will give your more than enough meat for the whole week, tinned tuna and a few jars of things like olives, roasted peppers etc keep things tasting good but instant. Also, don't ignore the ready sauces and pesto.

You can get through a whole week for not much more than a fiver as well.

[Wadeski]

The bento box is a pretty good lunch option, has worked in japan for centuries.

Rice
Some kind of marinated meat or fish (grilled salmon, grilled chicken, etc which you can do ahead at the weekend)
Vegetable (spinach, broccoli etc)
some pickles to sharpen up the flavor

All can be done in advance. The box makes it super neat too.

https://www.amazon.com/bento-boxes/b?ie=UTF8&n...