Meat-free midday sustenance doesn’t have to mean endless cheese sandwiches. Think outside the (lunch)box when it comes to packing up a portable meal and you’ll find workday lunches can be just as exciting as your evening repast. All of these recipes will serve well …
Dips, spreads and sandwich or wrap fillings These are so versatile – in a straight-up sandwich or wrap, maybe with a few crunchy salad leaves, or in a sealed jar or box as a portable dip for crudités, tortilla chips, or even a bag of potato chips. If you’re making flat breads for wraps (using this recipe), remember to wrap them immediately after cooking in a clean kitchen towel and they will stay soft as they cool. Try the following tasty fillers:
Big salads Most of the recipes in Hearty Salads will be delicious eaten cold from a tub, but my lunch box favorites are:
Raw salads and coleslaws When you take a leafy salad in a lunch box, you’ll want to take the dressing separately and dress it just before you eat, as dressed leaves are inclined to wilt as your lunch box sits around. As the following are not leafy, they can be taken predressed. You may lose a little crunch in some cases, but the dressing has a marinating effect on the ingredients, which is rather nice. Try these tasty options:
Tarts, pasties, pies, and frittatas All of these sustaining choices are highly portable when cold:
Cold, cooked veg These are a really satisfying addition to a lunch box, along with a lubricating dip or hummus, or something a little “saucy” such as a coleslaw. Try a sprinkle of seeds or dukka as well …
And, of course …