Lunchbox 101
Flavour wins and time-saving ingredients
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Bringing lunch saves you money and often tastes better, but it’s not always easy. Mornings that involve wrestling a small person into socks, coats and jackets, endless toothbrushing negotiations, hasty drop-offs and long commutes don’t lend themselves to making a balanced lunch.
I am a committed member of the BYOL brigade, and a lot of the time that’s down to making extra of whatever we eat the night before. But sometimes I manage to find an hour or two at the weekend to prep a few extra bits for the week. I think of them as the building blocks to speedy assembly-job lunches that can be made in 5 minutes, or flavour bombs that will jazz up leftovers.
Here are a few of my favourites, plus shortcut ingredients to keep on standby. Tupperware at the ready.
Shawarma spiced chickpeas
Drain a jar of chickpeas and pat dry with kitchen paper. Toss in 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground coriander, and 1/2 tsp cayenne. Season with salt and pepper then drizzle with olive oil. Bake or air-fry for 15 minutes at 180°C, shaking halfway through, until golden and crispy. Use to top salads or soups.
Seedy beetroot dip
Blitz one pack of beetroot with 2 tbsp cottage cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper and top with some toasted mixed seeds and a drizzle of olive oil. Use in sandwiches, wraps or alongside salads.
Whipped ricotta
Blitz ricotta and a pinch of salt in a food processor for 1-2 minutes until really velvety and creamy. Leave as is (good as a base for roasted veggies and beans, or spread on toast with fruit for breakfast) or add flavour by swirling through harissa or adding chopped herbs, lemon zest and capers.
Crunchy tortilla chips
Take 3 bog-standard wraps and cut them into triangles. Add to a baking tray and spray or brush with oil, then bake at 180°C for 5 minutes, turn and bake for a further 5 minutes. Serve with soups, salads or dips.
Triple-citrus and chilli slaw
Finely shred half a red cabbage and squeeze over the juice of a lime, scrunching with your fingers – season with salt and set aside. Cut one grapefruit and one orange into segments and add this too, along with a handful of chopped parsley. Make a dressing by combining 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 finely chopped red chilli (optional) and 2-3 tbsp olive oil. Pour over the slaw.
Herby grains
Heat two pre-cooked grain pouches. Chop any soft herbs you have in the fridge – parsley, dill, and basil work – then stir through the grains along with the zest of a lemon, a squeeze of the juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Use as the base for salads – try topped with roasted vegetables and any or all of the things listed above, or serve with salmon, jammy boiled eggs or tinned mackerel.
Date bars
If you’re trying to cut down on pre-bought sweets, try this recipe – it’s packed with sticky dates plus lots of nuts and seeds. Use any nuts and dried fruit you have to hand.
Handy ingredient shortcuts
Tinned fish, such as mackerel, tuna or sardines – great for adding protein and flavour.
Pre-cooked grain pouches – use as a base for salads or to serve with last night’s chilli/pasta sauce/stew.
Pickles: to instantly add pep to salads or grain bowls. Case in point: this herby pickled giardinera.
Antipasti – things like roasted peppers, sundried tomatoes are always useful to have on hand. Toss through cooked pasta, grains, or use in sandwiches.
Good oil and vinegar. If I have time, I will make a batch of salad dressing (love Samin Nosrat’s house dressing recipe) to keep and use all week, but more often than not it’s just a drizzle of olive oil and a splash of vinegar.
Jarred beans and chickpeas – good when you need to bulk out your lunch and come pre-seasoned.
Kit to covet
An insulated bag to keep your lunchbox cool and secure.
A stylish leak-proof lunchbox with dividers.
Insulated storage to keep your soup warm until lunchtime = no awkward queuing at the microwave.