Step aside, sad desk salads and soggy, squished sandwiches. A new school year is here, and even if you’re not heading back to class or sending anyone off, it’s a great time to reboot your own lunch routine with a few fresh recipes.
Soup is a dish that reliably tastes better the next day, so set aside a portion of tonight’s meal for tomorrow’s thermos. For these lingering days of summer, this 25-minute, no-cook Chilled Cucumber-Avocado Soup is refreshing and creamy. You can get creative with toppings—just make sure to pack them separately. Once the weather cools, try this comforting and easy-peasy Spicy Tomato Soup with Tortellini and Sausage.
If you, like everyone you know, have been trying to eat more fiber or protein, pack some whole grains or beans. They store and travel well, they’re delicious at room temperature, and they pack a nutritional punch. Our Lemony Bean Salad with Burrata would be the fanciest (and most delicious) fiberful lunch in the lunch room, and it takes only 25 minutes to make. I regularly dream about Quinoa Bowls with Snap Peas, Strawberries, and Basil Vinaigrette too. Every bite is a perfect combo of salty, sweet, crunchy, and tender (again, make sure to pack the dressing and toppings separately).
Personally, my favorite lunches are snackier spreads, sometimes called “girl dinner” or “adult lunchables,” and often attractively packed bento box–style. Dips are a standby here, but give hummus a break and try smoky Muhammara or a bright and beautiful Beet Dip with Yogurt and Tahini. Make ahead–friendly egg bites or peanut butter banana muffins are also lunchbox-sized and nourishing. Round out your box with fresh fruit and veg, cheese or a hard-boiled egg, and some crackers.
If your lunchbox go-tos are hard to give up, a sandwich by any other name is a wrap! Get all the veggies of the rainbow in this fresh vegetable wrap, or eschew bread altogether and scoop up a flavorful filling with lettuce leaves, like this updated spin on chicken salad with avocado, jicama and banana peppers.
With a little planning ahead, you can turn the middle of your workday into something to look forward to.
