4 Easy Cold Lunch Ideas
I’m following up on a FAQ –
“What are some lunch meals you can enjoy that don’t have to be reheated?”
Here are four easy lunch ideas to help inspire your next meal prep! This is a continuation of the 5 cold lunch mash-up that I did last year.
When it comes to eating food cold (or at room temperature), keep it simple! Here are some guidelines I live by:
- Protein:
- poultry (chicken, turkey, boiled eggs)
- some fish (I like fatty fish such as salmon and swordfish on occasion, fully cooked cod also does well)
- lean steaks such as flank and London broil
- grilled, firm tofu (tempeh is good as well – just make sure it’s seasoned and cooked through)
- Avoid meals with fatty ground meats or fatty melted cheeses – the cold texture of grease isn’t as pleasing or appetizing (of course cold pizza is the exception!)
- Chopped salads > regular salads – I find they are more enjoyable and when chopped together, so long as you have a good mix of wet/dry and firm/soft ingredients, really don’t require a lot of dressing. Plus, you can easily make sandwiches, pitas, wraps out of it too!
Sweet Kale, Bean & Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
for 1 serving of salad:
- OPTIONAL: your choice of 3oz – 6oz cooked protein (chicken, turkey, tofu, tempeh, etc)
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups chopped kale, wilted/steamed
- 1/3 cup black beans (or Simple Truth Tri-Bean blend)
- 1/4 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon Simple Truth maple syrup (or you can use 1/2 packet Stevia in the raw)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- juice from half small orange
- sea salt & pepper to taste
- add-ons:
- red pepper for spiciness
- pinch of smoked paprika to compliment cumin
- substitute orange for lemon
- spray olive oil
for 1 salad (without 6oz chicken)
Frittata (Sausage) Muffins with Avocado Toast
Ingredients
for 6 frittata muffins:
- 3 eggs
- 3 egg whites
- 1 lean chicken sausage (optional; or choice of cooked, lean ground meat)
- 1 cup broccoli crowns (or choice of fibrous vegetable)
- 1 colorful bell pepper, chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 6 tablespoons reduced-fat mozzarella
- Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- pinch of sea salt & pepper
- 1/2 medium ripe avocado
- 1 serving of toasted sourdough (or whole grain bread)
Sticky Steak Rolls with Cilantro Jasmine Rice
Ingredients
for 3 steak rolls:
- ~6oz lean flank steak or London broil, sliced into thin 2oz pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1/3 cup onion, cut into strips
- 1 medium zucchini, cut into strips
- Steak seasonings:
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- pinch pepper
- Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze (or 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar mixed with 1 tablespoon raw honey)
- 1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
- Add an extra teaspoon of honey if you want it extra sticky or sweet (OPTIONAL)
- Also, consider adding: red pepper for spice or swapping soy sauce with fresh lime juice
- Rice:
- mix cooked jasmine rice with chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice
Chopped Salad Jar...with Bacon and Sweet Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 5oz cooked chicken breast (OR your choice and serving size of lean protein)
- 3 thick butter lettuce leaves
- 2 leaves Romaine lettuce
- 6 cherry tomatoes
- 1/3 cup chopped red onion
- 2/3 cup fresh cilantro (or to taste)
- Optional:
- 1 slice thick cut bacon, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons feta crumble
- Vinaigrette
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- juice from 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon agave or raw honey (optional)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- sea salt & pepper to taste
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hey, I'm Kevin
My name is Kevin. My life changed when I realized that healthy living is a lifelong journey, mainly won by having a well-balanced diet and maintaining an active lifestyle.
By experimenting in the kitchen and sharing my meals on Tumblr, I learned healthy eating is not boring! By making a few adjustments to my favorite foods, I could design a diet that could help me achieve my wellness goals while satisfying my desire for BANGIN food! 😅 Now I try to help people around the world realize that same level of freedom in eating regardless of budget. Welcome, let's #DemocratizeWellness together!