Baguettes are a great alternative to sliced white bread. They don't get soggy.
When you work away from home, it can be frustrating to decide what to do for lunch. Gone are the days of meal plans and the lunches your parents packed. Now it is up to you to be responsible enough to bring in food. Eating out for every lunch is expensive and oftentimes unhealthy. The best thing to do is make your own lunch at home and bring it in to work. This way you can save money, see what goes into your meal and feel proud about having increased your culinary confidence.
Thinking Ahead
In the morning you can feel rushed and exhausted. You don't want to have to think about preparing something while your brushing your teeth or tying your tie. Making your lunch the day before is a great way to save time. Also, if you are thinking about tomorrow's meal, you might save a bit of today's. As you eat your pasta or Chinese food, consider bringing it in as a leftover to work the next day. A microwave in your workplace's kitchen makes it easy to reheat your penne ala vodka or chow mein.
Ingredients Are Key
The key to a good homemade lunch is having good ingredients. For instance, when making a sandwich, try to forgo the typical processed meats and cheeses. Instead of American cheese, try cheddar or Swiss. Those cheeses are typically less processed. Higher quality ingredients will not only taste better but they are better for you and will therefore make the second half of the day easier to get through. Also, don't be afraid to branch out a little bit. You might have had sliced oven-roasted turkey every day for the past five years. Next time you are at the supermarket, try cracked black pepper turkey. Black pepper turkey has a fresh taste that will awaken your sinuses and your taste buds. Spread a little bit of Dijon mustard and you've got a totally new turkey sandwich.
Be Wary of Texture
No one wants a soggy sandwich or crumbly cookie. When packing a lunch, keep in mind that the food in your pack will be undergoing a great deal of traveling before it is time for lunch. Mustard will seep into bread and make it moist, and chips can become crumbs after a long commute. This doesn't mean you have to completely avoid cookies, chips or spreads. Alternative packing will make all of the difference. Try putting your cookies and chips in a solid container, rather than a resealable plastic bag. The container will protect it better from the elements of a commute. When it comes to spreads (mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup), put them on at mealtime. This means packaging them separately from your sandwich. Try buying individual packets of the condiments or even small plastic containers that you can fill at home with the condiment of your choice.
Thinking Outside of the Lunchbox
You don't need to bring in filet mignon or lobster tails in order to have a creative lunch at work. Here are some unique lunch ideas that you can make at home that don't have to break the bank:
Pan Bagnat: This French sandwich is composed of a green salad, some hard-boiled eggs, tuna and olive oil. It's like an egg/tuna salad sandwich with a Parisian flair.
Something Mediterranean: At any supermarket you can find the tools to make a Mediterranean lunch. Pack some hummus, pita and kalamata olives to make a very filling and healthy meal.
Soup: Your childhood thermos can be dusted off for the workplace. Fill a thermos with some creative soup that will wake you up from the morning doldrums. Try a black bean chorizo soup, a gazpacho (served cold), or chicken and rice. When it comes to soups, stay away from the thicker cream-based soups. Like with warm milk, a warm cream soup will make you feel lethargic and tired.
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