Lunch is kind of a nightmare, don't you think? If I'm honest with myself, I have struggled to feed myself the middle meal since I joined the workforce, but for some reason, being home all the time has actually made it worse. I'm not sure why – I'm a pretty good meal planner and grocery shopper. But every week when I'm making my grocery list, I seem to engage in some sort of magical thinking about lunch, as if by planning dinner, lunch will somehow present itself. But it doesn't: There are never quite enough leftovers to feed both myself and my boyfriend, and he usually gets to the fridge first.
I'm not the only person I know who is having this problem. I recently spoke on the phone to a friend who admitted she's eating boxed macaroni and cheese with frozen peas for lunch at least three times a week. No shade to Annie's, but we've got to figure something else out. But short of planning 5 extra meals a week, which, to be honest feels like an overwhelming prospect, it's difficult to come up with ideas. So, here are eight starting points for a quick, filling lunch.
Rotisserie Chicken
A rotisserie chicken can become a lot of things: chicken soup, chicken salad, a sandwich, a topping for a green salad. Or, you can do as I often do, and simply stand over the thing and pick off pieces of the meat until I'm full, then eat an apple. Bonus points if you turn the carcass into chicken stock for a quick soup another day.
Easy 30-Minute Meals That Start with Rotisserie Chicken
Frozen Dumplings
Yes, the average American supermarket has decent frozen dumplings. But if you happen to live near an Asian grocery store, hit the frozen aisle to stock up on all kinds of frozen dumplings: soup dumplings, gyoza, mandoo. The types are as varied as the countries in East Asia, and most of them cook up quite fast for a totally satisfying midday munch.
Pre-cooked Rice
It's up to you if you make this rice yourself and store in your freezer for later consumption, or if you simply buy microwavable packets of rice – either option is fine. You could also opt for farro or quinoa over rice. Drop a handful of your preferred grain in a bowl, top it with a handful of frozen broccoli (another item you should keep stocked in your freezer) and microwave them both while you fry an egg. It's not glamorous, but it is lunch.
How to Freeze the 10 Most Common Leftovers
Canned Refried Beans
I love refried beans. I slather them on quesadillas, nachos, and eggs for protein-packed meals. Another trick is to top them with Cheddar cheese, microwave until the beans are hot and the cheese is melty, and then dip tortilla chips. Voila – super easy bean dip that will keep you full all afternoon.
Summer Rolls
Remember those rice paper wrapped rolls you can often get at a Vietnamese restaurant, filled with barbecued pork or shrimp and herbs, usually with a peanut dipping sauce? They're very easy to make at home. Buy a packet of the rice paper wrappers at the grocery store, soak them in warm water for about 30 seconds, then add whatever fillings you like – my go-to is avocado, rotisserie chicken, basil, and mint.
12 Summer Rolls to Cool Down Dinner
Tuna Salad
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Tuna salad is delicious and vastly under-appreciated. It's protein-packed, involves no cooking, and is just as good as a dip for lettuce leaves, carrot sticks, and celery as it is on a sandwich or on crackers. You could even bulk it up as an inspired pasta salad. Plus: excellent leftovers.
10 Healthy Tuna Salads for Fast Lunches
Nacho Fixin's
This might seem like kind of a college student suggestion, but if you add some leftover roasted sweet potatoes, canned black beans, lots of avocado, and fresh cilantro to your platter of lunch nachos, you're actually getting a pretty nutritious meal. Just be sure you always have tortilla chips, your preferred nacho cheese, canned beans, and avocados around... and go from there with whatever else is in the fridge.
Our 10 Best Creative Nacho Recipes
Boiled Eggs
I prefer to go with soft boiled eggs. Worst case scenario, you can simply eat a soft-boiled egg plain in a desperate attempt to stave off hanger. Best case scenario, you can smash one on a piece of toast with some avocado and hot sauce. When I make a batch of boiled eggs for the week, I usually end up doing a little bit of both.
How to Boil Eggs Perfectly Every Time
