Our Top 7 Easy Lunch Ideas for Work
In our family, we're always on the go—whether it's working outdoors on the farm, in our warehouse, or running errands. And when you're working long hours, you need to stay full and sustained throughout the day.
It’s easy to pick up supermarket sandwiches or go through a fast food drive-through, but the costs of this tend to add up over time, and they’re not always the healthiest choices. We also know that there's a bit of a stereotype about builders living on tea and chips, but these days, people are becoming more conscious about what they're eating.
So, that’s why we wanted to share a few of our usual go-to lunch recipes to help anyone looking for a bit of inspiration. While we aren't claiming these recipes to be necessarily “healthy,” they’re a good way to get the sustenance you need throughout the day without resorting to expensive and unhealthy options.
The best part? They're easy to make, easy to pack in a lunch box, and easy to eat whenever you have a chance. We're not chefs by any means, so these aren't about Michelin-star recipes! Just good, hearty lunches that anyone can whip up.
1. DIY Lunchable
Remember how fun Lunchables were as kids? Well, you can make your own grown-up version that's just as convenient and even tastier. It’s a fun throwback to your childhood, but with more grown-up flavours and options.
What You'll Need:
- Crackers: Choose your favourite type, whether it’s cream crackers, multigrain, or water biscuits.
- Cheese: Pre-sliced cheese works great, but you can also cut your own from a block. Cheddar or Red Leicester are both good options.
- Deli meats: Ham, chicken, or salami are all ideal choices. You can mix and match or keep it to just one type. Alternatively, go for veggies, hummus, or a hard-boiled egg if you don't eat meat.
- Extras: Pickled onions, cherry tomatoes, or cucumber slices are classic accompaniments and remember to add a little sweet treat.
One of the best things about this DIY Lunchable is that you can prepare a few days' worth in one go. Lay out your crackers, cheese, and deli meats in separate containers to keep everything fresh. Then, in the morning, grab a portion of each for your lunchbox. It's that simple.
2. Chopped Salad
Chopped salads were all the rage on TikTok, and for good reason. They’re fresh, versatile, and perfect for a busy workday.
One of our favourite choices is starting with a base of chicken breast, peppers, tomatoes, and cucumber. Then add extras like olives, baby spinach, red onion, feta cheese, and avocado, and finish with a simple dressing made out of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sometimes, we toss in some jalapeños for a kick.
How to Make It:
- Lay out your chicken, peppers, tomato, and cucumber on a clean chopping board. What you're looking for is everything kind of piled on top of each other, so you can chop it all up together.
- Then add all your extras and do another chop.
- Mix up your dressing, but it's best to keep it on the side until you're ready to eat. Otherwise, it can go a bit soggy.
These are healthy lunch ideas packed full of fresh veggies and a source of protein. Plus, there are so many different variations beyond a chicken salad. You can use roasted vegetables, crispy chickpeas, bacon... the ingredient list goes on. It is a fantastic way to enjoy a fresh, hearty meal without much hassle.
3. Stuffed Pitta Pockets
Easy to eat on the go, this is a great alternative to your everyday sandwich for lunch. Protein, veggies, and carbs all in one handy pocket!
You can mix and match fillings to suit your taste or whatever you have in the fridge. We've suggested an option below, but you can have whatever you fancy - it all works.
How to Make It:
- Prep the Ingredients: Slice up some grilled chicken, falafel, or halloumi. Chop up some lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion into bite-sized pieces.
- Warm the Pitta: Lightly warm the pitta bread in a toaster or oven, just enough to make it flexible but not too hot.
- Assemble: Slice the pitta bread open to create a pocket. Spread a layer of hummus, hot sauce, or tzatziki inside. Stuff it with your choice of protein and top with the chopped veggies.
- Pack and Go: Wrap the stuffed pitta in foil or place it in a container to keep everything together and fresh.
Again, these are brilliant for meal prepping, and you only need simple ingredients. Perfect for those busy days when you need a quick, satisfying meal.
4. Pasta Salad
This is a fantastic option for meal prep because you can make a big batch and enjoy it over a few days.
There are plenty of different types of pasta salad you can try to mix things up too.
Pasta Salad Choices:
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Classic Mediterranean Pasta Salad: This salad is fresh, light, and perfect for a healthy meal.
- Ingredients: Fusilli pasta, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, feta cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes.
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Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad: This salad is packed with extra protein from the chicken and has lots of flavours thanks to the pesto.
- Ingredients: Penne pasta, cooked chicken breast (use leftover chicken from dinner if you've got it), cherry tomatoes, and jarred pesto sauce. Add leafy greens or spring onions if you want some added texture.
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Taco Pasta Salad: This taco salad-inspired pasta is a fun twist that’s full of bold flavours. Leave out the beef if you want a vegetarian lunch idea.
- Ingredients: Bowtie pasta, British minced beef, black beans, sweetcorn, peppers, cherry tomatoes, and taco seasoning.
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Tuna Pasta Salad: A classic choice of packed lunch, but you can't go wrong with tried and tested.
- Ingredients: Conchiglie pasta shells, canned tuna, sweetcorn, and light mayonnaise.
With these variations, you can enjoy a different flavour every day of the week, ensuring your lunch is never boring.
5. Couscous Stuffed Peppers
A colourful and nutritious lunch option that you can prepare the night before and they hold up well for lunch the next day.
They’re packed with flavour, making them an excellent choice for a satisfying, delicious meal that you will look forward to eating.
How to Make It:
- Prepare the Peppers: Preheat your oven to 180°C. Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. Drizzle with a little olive oil and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until they start to soften. Keep your eye on them, as you don't want them to turn mushy as then they won't hold the filling.
- Cook the Couscous: Follow the instructions on the packet to cook the couscous. Usually, it involves adding boiling water and letting it sit for a few minutes. Fluff it with a fork once it’s done.
- Prepare the Filling: While the couscous is cooking, chop cherry tomatoes, courgette, and red onion into small pieces. Drain and rinse the chickpeas if using. Mix the cooked couscous with the veggies, chickpeas or feta cheese, fresh herbs, a drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice, and seasoning.
- Stuff the Peppers: Fill each softened pepper with the couscous mixture. Place the stuffed peppers back in the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes until everything is heated through and the peppers are tender.
- Pack and Go: Let the peppers cool slightly before packing them into containers.
As you can see, it doesn't take a lot of work and you don't need to be much of a chef to pull it off! You can also swap out couscous for rice if you'd prefer, and you can cook as many as you like - depending on what your week is looking like.
6. Baked Frittata Slices
Similar to a quiche, this is a great easy lunch idea for work that can be prepared in advance and enjoyed cold or reheated.
What we like about this one is that you can make it as simple or complex as you like. Cheese and ham is a classic go-to, or you can use peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, spinach, or anything you have in your fridge that you want to use up.
How to Make It:
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 180°C.
- Prep the Ingredients: Chop up the ham (or bacon) or any raw vegetables you're using.
- Cook the Fillings: Sauté the veggies until they go soft. If using bacon or ham, cook until slightly crispy. You would usually go for about 2 cups of vegetables for 6 eggs.
- Mix the Eggs: In a large bowl, whisk together 6 eggs, 1/4 cup milk or cream, and a handful of grated cheese. Season with salt, black pepper, and your chosen herbs.
- Combine and Bake: Add the cooked fillings into a greased baking dish and pour over your egg mixture. Make sure everything is covered, but don't mix it around too much otherwise you'll end up with scrambled eggs. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the frittata is set and golden on top.
- Cool and Slice: Let the frittata cool completely, then slice it into squares or wedges.
- Pack and Go: Pack the frittata slices in a container, ready for an easy, delicious lunch for the next few days.
Serve each slice with a green salad for a complete meal, and we like to have a bit of onion chutney on the side too.
7. Overnight Oats
If you work early shifts, you might enjoy a filling, grab-and-go meal that’s ready when you are, such as overnight oats. You can mix them up the night before, and they’re super versatile.
You want to start with around 1/2 cup rolled oats and 1/2 cup milk (dairy or plant-based). Then you can add anything you like really, whether you want to go down the fruit route or treat yourself to something chocolatey. You can even swap out oats for Weetabix if you'd like.
A Few Variations to Try:
- Fruity Overnight Oats: Fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries), sliced banana, and a handful of muesli-type cereal.
- Chocolate Overnight Oats: Chocolate chips or chunks and a dollop of peanut butter (or honey if you'd prefer.)
- Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats: Diced apple, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and a handful of walnuts or pecans.
- Tropical Overnight Oats: Pineapple chunks, coconut yoghurt, and a few chopped macadamia nuts.
They’re ready to eat straight from the fridge, no cooking required, and they're packed with fibre, protein, and healthy fats to keep you full and energised. If you need a handy container to put them in, we'd recommend the Stanley Classic Legendary Food Jar.
Building a Better Lunch Box
We hope we've shown that, by preparing your own lunches, you can save money and eat better, all while staying full throughout your busy working day.
Before we finish, we've put together a few extra tips to help you build a better lunch box:
- Snacks: Pack some nuts, seeds, or fresh fruit for a quick and nutritious boost when you need it. Options like almonds, walnuts, apple slices, or berries are great for keeping your energy up, and you can easily pack them in small containers.
- Stay Hydrated: Make sure to bring a reusable water bottle and fill it up regularly throughout the day. We've got a great range of flasks and drinkware if you're looking for a new one.
- Alternate Options: If you know you're going to be busy and on your feet all day but still want to make sure you have something filling, soup is always a good shout. You can store it in something like the Stanley Classic Vacuum Bottle, which will keep it nice and warm, and then just sip it on it when you can.
We'd definitely recommend investing in a decent lunch box, such as the Stanley Legendary Classic Lunch Box. It will help keep your food fresh and means you can just keep everything in one place.
Summary
For us, the key to a great lunch is variety and balance. Sometimes, you just want a simple cheese sandwich and a packet of crisps. Other times, you want something a bit more adventurous or hearty.
These lunch ideas are aimed to show you that, with a bit of meal planning and some simple ingredients, you can have easy, tasty, and nutritious options to keep you going throughout your shifts.
Going to give any of these ideas a try? Or have any meal ideas to share yourself? Let us know in the comments below!
About the Author
Matthew Holland brings a wealth of expertise to the world of workwear. With an extensive background in warehousing and outdoor work, he possesses an intricate understanding of the high-quality, functional garments needed for the demands of the workplace. Using his hands-on experience and knowledge gained, he continues to contribute valuable insights that resonate with professionals seeking superior workwear across various industries.
