Recently a reader emailed with a question about healthy lunches that I was hoping all of you could help with…
Hi Kelly, I've been following your blog for quite a while now and love it. Recently I've returned to work and I'm having trouble coming up with portable lunch ideas. I don't always have access to a way to reheat and often I'm out visiting patients (I'm a home health nurse) so I can't eat like I would in an office, plus I'm not a big fan of sandwiches. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks, Sarah
Hi Sarah, I do have a few ideas!
- Veggies with homemade dip in a little container.
- Healthy lunch meats (more on that in an upcoming post) and cheese spread with mayo or even better, ancho chili mayo (the very first recipe ever posted on my blog, by the way), rolled up around broccoli or whatever veggies sound good to you. Try this — it's one of my favorites and packs well: Mom's Old-Fashioned Bologna Mix Recipe. (Remember don't get lunch meat from the store, that stuff is scary! Try to find it at a local farm, or get healthy meats here.)
- Crispy nuts plain or in a trail mix with dried fruit.
- Fresh fruits are always good. When you get home from the store or farm market, wash them right away and pop into the fridge so when you’re heading out the door you can just grab and go. (Read How to Avoid Pesticides and Should We Only Eat Produce In-Season?)
- Sprouted crackers and braunschweiger or head cheese – packed with nutrients!
- Homemade Granola Snack.
- Find a bunch more ideas here geared towards kids but still good ideas for you, too.
Will you help us with more lunch-on-the-go ideas?
Thank you! 🙂 Now here are more places to find healthy lunch ideas:
nancy jacquesbarratt says
I am looking for foods my husband can grab and eat quick as he is driving his bellydump. He deals with diverticulitis so I hate giving him sandwiches with bread or burritios (Stacey’s does make healthier tortillas that I have been using). I need to do more of a Taquito so they use less of the wrap/tortilla but not sure how to keep the insides from falling out! Difficult to feed him healthy. He is driving in the Phoenix area so hot soups are a NO. He is not a cold soup fan either. I found a recipe from Trad. Cooking School to make tortillas with only beans. No lettuce wraps will work. His hands are sometimes covered in oil, diesel (ugh…I know but I can’t make him wash his hands before eating). So difficult. I think perhaps Quiche Cups might work although I think I would use the paper cupcake thingies.
Karen C. says
Where to find smoked canned oysters without extra junk added?
KitchenKop says
Jeremy, thanks for bringing the Nori sheets to my attention so I can ask Karen…what’s a Nori sheet??
Michelle says
I just found your site a few days ago through Kitchen Stewardship and I have been reading a lot the last few days. I am greatly enjoying your site. In answer to your question, Nori sheets are the dried seaweed sheets used for making sushi rolls. Figured I would chime in since I actually knew an answer. 🙂
Barbara Grant says
In regard to feeding ruminant animals grain- grains alter the ph of the rumen, a condition called acidocis can result. Also feeding grains to “finish them” changes the omega 3 – omega 6 balance for the worse. My family raises beef cattle and goats, so I am always interested in the grain discussion.
Metroknow says
Wow, some really great suggestions here in the comments. I love the Nori idea – had not thought of that as an alternative to a bread-based wrap.
Thanks for getting such a great conversation rolling, Kelly – awesome work!
Bethany says
Oh yeah I forgot, my hubby really likes to make bean burritos and my kids like them with peanut butter and jelly.
Bethany says
I make soaked pitas weekly and freeze them, this way we can pull them out for quick meals. We use them to dip guacamole (a personal fav), or hummus, any other salad. Stuff them with raw cheese and veggies toast it on a skillet in the morning and you have a quick tasty toasted lunch. Also ceviche or any of the other raw meat salads are good.
Jeanmarie says
Cows don’t have to be force-fed corn, anymore than you have to force kids to eat corn on the cob or caramel corn, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for them. 🙂 It will give them indigestion, though, if they get too much of it, according to farmers I’ve listened to.
Alex says
Raine–just wanted to make a comment to you about your meat question–all pigs are omnivorous–they should be fed a wide variety of foods–my mother’s family kept a pig every year when she was a child and it was fed slops, which was a warm concoction of all the vegetable scraps from the house, left over foods, and yes, meat and grains…these were happy healthy pigs–just like their chickens…
Most modern day cattle are raised so poorly and fattened up so quickly its a shame–farmers who feed their animals forage and pasture grass are growing healthy animals with strong muscle fibers–the last 90 days is three months of being fed a 30% mixture of finishing grains–that means that the animal is putting on FAT at that time so the cow weighs more and brings a bigger return on investment…i dont hold it against a farmer who is stewarding the land and treating animals ethically from getting his fair share of money from the cattle he has raised. The fat put on by the grain also makes the meat less dry. Speaking to my friend who owns a herb farm in the mountains of north carolina and raises ethical dairy and cattle as a hobby, she said that cows WILL eat corn and grains if they get loose in the farm fields!
Ofcourse, its your choice to eat what you are comfortable with…isnt that wonderful? 🙂
As for quick lunches–i am all for blended veggies a fruit in the vitamix–add in a little coconut oil-a few dried prunes and an egg and its go time!!!
KitchenKop says
Hey guys, I got my US Wellness Meat order today and I tried their meat sticks – YUM! The kids chowed them lickity split. They’re $1 each which is the same as the nasty “Slim Jims”, which are loaded with msg, corn syrup, preservatives, etc.
So that’s another idea… 🙂
Jeanmarie says
I’ve developed a fondness for Niman Ranch sausages. I never liked sausages before, but these are a terrific quick meal and would work great for a portable lunch. After browning them on all sides in a pan with your favorite fat (ghee, coconut ghee, Mary’s oil blend, or lard, etc), cool and spread with mustard if desired, and pack with your favorite sauerkraut or other lacto-fermented veggies.
Ann Marie, I do something similar with canned tuna: I add a tin of sardines. Same idea: livens up the tuna, masks the more assertive flavor of sardines. With good mayo, yogurt, a little creme fraiche, chopped sauerkraut, herbs, green pepper, green onions, etc., it is a nice sandwich spread or to scoop with celery sticks or homemade gluten-free (for example) crackers. I’m going to try your oyster version as those taste too strong for me.
Something I heard of recently but haven’t tried yet: peel some hard-cooked eggs and marinate them in leftover pickle juice (from lacto-fermented pickles or sauerkraut only, of course), for 2-3 days in a jar in the fridge. Sounds yummy.
My mom used to make a cheese spread with grated cheddar cheese, mayonnaise and diced canned pimentos. I will have to try a Nourishing Traditions-style interpretation with a better class of mayo (maybe homemade, at last?) with some sour cream perhaps. Great on celery, homemade crackers or bread, or slices of cold steamed potatoes. Or cucumber slices. Rolled up in thin ham slices with a cucumber spear. Or a steamed, chilled asparagus spear.
Hummus (chickpea spread) fortified with grated cheese, nutritional yeast, good extra virgin olive oil, herbs, even chopped meat such as bacon or leftover grilled chicken, yum. Eat with baked or grilled eggplant or sweet potato slices, etc. Oh I am making myself hungry now!
Sarah says
I often make salmon salad with homemade (lacto-fermented) mayo and wild canned salmon and sourdough crackers, with a few slices of raw cheese and some fresh fruits & veggies is a very filling and satisfying. If I feel like I need a low-grain day, I skip the crackers and it with a fork and mix the cheese in. Leftover soup in a thermos is awesome on cold days. A (big) salad with the dressing on the side can be a nice change of pace. I also usually make a batch of sourdough english muffins over the weekend and use them for sandwiches – they hold together a little better then homemade sourdough bread but are still fermented/more digestable. I’m always looking for new portable lunch ideas as my husband works in an office with no microwave and lots of temptations (snack machines, resturants). Keep the ideas coming!
Sonja says
My staples tend to be cucumbers and peppers and other veggies cut up with a yummy yellow homemade mayo for them to dive into, raw cheeses (the more mature ones being more easily portable), sprouted mung bean salads, and, of course, the classic boiled egg!
Hannah says
Hi,
I’ve just discovered this blog, I love it! Great info, so thanks for the work.
Canned sardines with raw cheese and rye sourdough bread is one of my favorite quick lunches. Always having avocados, hard boiled eggs and cheese around = instant lunch. I love to make a big batch of meatballs on Sunday and they are so easy to throw in a portable container. Meatballs are a great way to get liver and heart in b/c you can finely chop them and add them in with the ground meat so easily.
Another favorite is to steam some extra shrimp on the weekend and they are ready to go into the lunchbox on Monday, no prep required.
Yogurt and fruit is of course another standby as you can always pop into a grocery store and grab a container of yogurt and a banana in a pinch.
Raine Saunders says
We make lettuce wraps with leftover chicken, roast beef, turkey or ham and stuffing it with whatever we have around – raw cheese, tomatoes, avocadoes, cucumbers, etc. You can always spread a bit of homemade salad dressing or mayo inside to give it a bit of flavor and moisture. When I’m not in a hurry I will sprinkle herbs inside as well like oregano, basil, or chopped rosemary. Sometimes my son likes to make little “sandwiches” with squares of our leftover meat and cheese.
We eat plenty of leftovers in our house for lunches whether it be chicken soup, chili, stew, stroganoff, fried rice, enchiladas, or whatever casserole I made from the night before. I often take any leftover meat and put it on a salad with cheese, hard-boiled eggs, and chopped up nuts and then add my homemade salad dressing. Sometimes we make tuna or chicken salad with real mayonnaise and whatever sounds good in it – onions, pickles, mayo, mustard, nuts, celery, etc.
My son loves Organic Valley uncured beef hot dogs. Those are a good standy when we have nothing else. Although now I am disappointed because a couple of years ago I made an inquiry to Organic Prairie and asked about whether their meat was pasture-raised, and they had told me “yes”. But I just sent another inquiry via their web site and found out the following information (I thought everyone would be interested to know this:)
“Our beef cattle are almost exclusively grass or forage fed. They may be given corn, cotton seed, soy bean and other grain products during their finishing period of the last 90 days, in whatever season that occurs. The ratio of grain to forages is going to vary depending on the season in which the finishing occurs and the farmer’s management program. Grains will typically never exceed 30% of the overall diet, with forages making up the rest. Some of our cattle receive only grass and forage, that portion of our product goes only into ground beef items which are labeled 100% Grass Fed. In either case, cattle are on pasture when ever weather permits. There are no feed lots used in beef cattle production.
Hogs have a very similar diet to chickens (corn, barley, oats, wheat, flax and soybeans). They will eat grass but cannot digest large quantities (they are not ruminants). Corn and soybeans are the major components of a hog
leah says
These are great ideas! I don’t work outside the home, but figuring out a healthy lunch when I’m running errands or whatever is one of my biggest challenges. If I’m not prepared, I’ll end up running by Chicken Express or some other nasty place.:)
[email protected] says
Frittatas! You can make them with all types of veggies and cheese. My favorite is artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, feta and oregano.
Also, wraps filled with brown rice, carrots, cucumbers and avocado – use collard greens or nori sheets as the wrap.
Melissa @Cellulite Investigation says
Sometimes I’ll pack a wrap using sprouted tortillas, sliced chicken/lamb/steak, a bunch of veggies, and a spread of some sorts. I love a lamb wrap with yogurt sauce and cucumbers. Or chicken with red peppers and sour cream. It’s simple but satisfying.
Wendy (The Local Cook) says
Quinoa salad is a great one, or make “sandwiches” with lettuce leaves instead of bread.
Motherhen68 says
Rose is right, those smoothies really fill you up. I’ve been having one of these for breakfast and it’s keeping me full till 4:00pm or so (I drink it around 6:30am)
Equal amounts milk kefir & yogurt
berries of your choice
1/2 an avocado
1 egg
splash of water to thin it out
Whirl it in a blender. I think the avocado has a lot to do with keeping me full. You really don’t taste it and it makes the smoothie so creamy!
Rose says
I’m managing my parents food stand until they get back from Florida, and it’s a very demanding high stress job. We are so busy I hardly have time to eat, so I have been taking smoothies. All ingredients together equal around one quart, I put in about two cups of kefir, two or three raw egg yolks, lots of cream, around 1/4 to 1/2 cup, and a pinch of stevia powder. Wow, it’s amazing how this nourishes me and I just keep going and going!
KitchenKop says
Such great ideas, I hope we get more and more throughout the day!
Ann Marie, where and what kind of canned smoked oysters? What a great idea – I’ll bet I could get this by the fam…
Ann Marie @ CHEESESLAVE says
My new fave is a more nutrient-dense version of tunafish salad. I make tunafish (with Wilderness Family Naturals healthy mayo and mustard) and then mix in canned smoked oysters plus lacto-fermented relish. You can barely taste the oysters and they are sooo good for you!
Another good one is egg salad or deviled eggs.
Soup is always good! Or chili. Or any leftover stew.
Yogurt with raw honey and fresh fruit and nuts (or homemade granola).
Gravlax or wild smoked salmon with crackers or a sprouted bagel with homemade cream cheese.
Fried risotto. This is the BEST! Just take leftover risotto (I always add nutrient dense foods like shellfish, bacon, cheese etc to my risotto) and fry it in a little lard or expeller pressed refined coconut oil. Yummy!
For any of these things you need to keep warm, get some stainless steel Thermos containers. They’re cheap and they really do keep the food piping hot ’till lunchtime. You can get an insulated lunchbag with an an ice block to keep things cool.
Liz F. says
Hard-boiled eggs are my “go to” food for complete nutrition and energy when I’m in a hurry!
Jen B says
A quick correction-it should read top with tomato and zucchini.
Jen B says
I have a terrific recipe for Zucchini and Prosciutto pies that are so portable and suitable for any occasion where you need to bring a plate of food.They are also really quick and easy to make and extremely adaptable.You can make a big batch of them and freeze what you don’t need straight away.You will need:
24 thin slices prosciutto or bacon
12 eggs
2 small zucchini
24 cherry tomatoes,halved
200g feta,crumbled
chopped chives,parsley,basil
Preheat oven to 180C and oil 12 150ml capacity muffin pans.Line each pan with 2 slices of prosciutto,slightly overlapping.Whisk eggs in a large jug,stir in herbs and feta and season to taste.Divide mixture evenly among the pans,and top with tomato and feta.Bake for 25-30 minutes or until egg is just set.Set aside to cool slighly,about 10 minutes,before releasing them from the pans with a sharp knife.
Now I am in the southern hemisphere and I realise that some of the seasonal veg may not be available yet on the other side of the world,but you can really easily adapt them to what’s available locally .They are very versatile,kids love them,and they are phytate free!