If looking forward to lunch is what gets you through the morning at work, you’ve come to the right post. Whether you’re trying to break out of a lunch rut or just looking for some fun ideas, we’ve got you covered.
We’re writers and editors here at BuzzFeed who love to cook (and eat, of course). We live all across the US, and we spend our days surfing the web in search of fun and practical tips, tricks, and recipes. So now, we’re sharing our go-to lunches that are just as quick and easy to prepare as they are delicious and filling. Here’s what we’ve been cooking:
1.
Spinach, Feta, and Egg Wraps — I’ve been making this meal nonstop for the past month, and for good reason! If you’re looking for something super filling, quick, and easy to make for breakfast, lunch, or brunch, then this meal might be for you.
My favorite part about making this wrap is that there’s no prep necessary — no chopping, shredding, or dicing needed. Everything is tossed together and cooked in one pan, and the whole process takes me under 10 minutes!
2.
No-Recipe Egg Tacos — As my go-to “emergency meal” (aka the meal I can make with only a handful of ingredients I always keep around), a life without egg tacos isn’t a life I’d like to experience. Cheap, simple, and endlessly customizable, they’re the lunch (or breakfast! or dinner!) I truly make most often.
3.
Pear, Goat Cheese, and Arugula Salad — One thing about me is that I will rarely ever reach for a leafy salad for lunch (save for my reluctant Sweetgreen orders in the office), but this is my one exception. I find it has the perfect balance of tangy from the goat cheese, sweet from the pears, and a little peppery from the arugula.
4.
Five-Minute Miso Chili Crisp Noodles — For a quick lunch that only requires three ingredients (that all have a very long life in the refrigerator, FYI!), these noodles pack a punch in the flavor department, and they’re endlessly customizable, too.
5.
Smoked Salmon Toast — Could I get a lox and cream cheese bagel at one of the three bagel places within a 10-block radius from me? Sure. But there’s just something about turning my favorite bagel order into a Smørrebrød-style toast with crispy bread that’s so satisfying.
6.
Orzo Salad with Lentils and Zucchini — This make-ahead-friendly salad is the definition of a “better as leftovers” meal. As it sits in your fridge, it’ll continue to soak up all that delicious, zingy dressing, and the flavors will continue to meld together in delicious ways.
7.
Spring-Has-Sprung Salad (with Cottage Cheese) — Most of the time, I eat a bunch of random leftovers and/or snacks for lunch, but this week, I got inspired to throw this salad together after reading one of Hannah Lowentheil’s posts and realizing that cottage cheese could be my new best friend.
8.
Japanese Egg Salad Sandwich — When I went to Japan a few years back, I fell in love with Japanese egg salad sandwiches. It puts American egg salad to shame. The egg salad is so creamy and smooth that it’s impossible to decipher the egg whites from the yolk.
9.
Radish Toast — As the self-proclaimed president of the [imaginary] Radish Fan Club, I always find this lunch or anytime-snack unexpectedly satisfying. Between the crispy toast, the cool and crunchy radishes, and the creamy butter, it’s a textural *chef’s kiss*.
Pro-tip: I’ve made this lunch with every type of radish under the sun (I’m not lying about my stance on radishes!), and I can confirm that spicy Easter egg radishes, shown in the photo above, are top-tier. Since we’re now in peak radish season, I implore you to find them at your local farmers market. 👀
10.
Overnight Oats and Yogurt Parfait — Once upon a time, I would always go straight to savory meals for lunch, but ever since I was pregnant, I have craved sweet-ish lunches every once in a while. Recently, I’ve been so into combining overnight oats with either Greek yogurt or cottage cheese. There’s something about adding overnight oats to my parfait that lends the perfect textural component and just the right amount of sweetness to balance out the tart yogurt.
11.
Bagel Sandwiches — An easy-peasy lunch for when I’m feeling too lazy to cook for real.
12.
Leftover Pesto Pasta Salad — Leftovers are one of my favorite work lunches because the hard work is already done. Literally, all I have to do is pop open the fridge and grab a fork.
13.
Rice Cake “Sandwich” — When I was in college, I ate rice cakes constantly. Then, I forgot about them for a decade. Luckily, I recently re-discovered the magic of a rice cake, and I’ve been eating this crunchy snack non-stop. My new obsession is turning a rice cake into a sort of open-face sandwich/smørrebrød situation.
14.
Copycat Sweetgreen Harvest Bowl — I’m not gonna lie and tell you that this recipe is “simple” to put together because, honestly, the prep is kind of involved! But as someone who hates meal prep in most circumstances, I find the process very worthwhile to be able to enjoy this bowl of fresh, crunchy goodness at a moment’s notice during the workweek —without paying $16 for one salad.
What’s your go-to workday lunch that’s easy enough to whip up between meetings? Tell us all about it in the comments below.
Source: https://www.buzzfeed.com/meganeliscomb/best-easy-work-lunches-buzzfeed-staff