Fast and fresh work lunches

by Gael Myers, Accredited Practising Dietitian

July 12, 2021
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Packing your own lunch for work is a great way to save money and help you avoid the temptation of ordering in greasy takeaway when you're under the pump.

It doesn’t get easier than a sandwich, a piece of fruit and a handful of nuts if you’re looking for a healthy, no-nonsense work lunch. To build the perfect sandwich, aim to include:

Grainy or wholemeal bread, roll or wrap
Plenty of salad or cooked vegies
A protein-rich food like cheese, shredded chicken, tuna, hummus, roast beef or egg.

For healthy sandwich inspo, check out these recipes.

There’s nothing wrong with a sanga, but if you’d prefer something different there are plenty of other quick and easy options.

A large glass bowl containing a heaped mix of couscous, peas and corn, with distributed chunks of tuna. The bowl sits of a light blue tea towel. Two serving spoons sit nestled together next to the tea towel. The top spoon has a small amount of mixture in it. In the background are four white china bowls stacked on top of one another.

Quick tuna couscous

Tin of flavoured tuna
Frozen peas and corn
Cooked couscous, rice or pasta (see tip)

Tip: When you have plain rice or pasta leftover after dinner, freeze into single serve portions (use small containers or zip-lock bags).

A close up of a white china plate with a halved sweet potato on top. Pieces of chicken, halved cherry tomatoes, cheese and basil leaves sit on top of the sweet potato. A fork is on the plate. Underneath the plate is a white tea towel with blue stripes.

Stuffed spud

Prick potatoes (regular or sweet potato) with a fork and cook in the microwave for around 10 min before adding your favourite toppings:

Leftover chicken, tomato, baby spinach, grated cheese
Baked beans
Salsa/pesto, black beans, grated cheese, natural yoghurt

A close up of a white china plate topped with a filled tortilla. The plate sits on a marble top and a butter knife is next to the plate. In the background sits other filled tortillas sitting on the marble.

Instant quesadilla

Whack your ingredients together and toast in a sandwich press

Tortilla or wrap
Four-bean mix
Chilli sauce
Grated cheese
Chopped tomato, capsicum or avocado

Leftovers

Make extra at dinner time to take for lunch the next day. Bonus points if there's enough to stash a few serves in the freezer!

A close up of a white china plate with a slice of multigrain toast, topped with a tomato bean mix. A knife and fork are on the plate. In the background is an out of focus white tea towel and a glass of water.

Beans on toast

Grainy bread
Reduced-salt baked beans
Optional - grated cheese

An old fashioned milkshake glass with a creamy white liquid and a black plastic straw. Two slightly brown bananas in their skins sit next to the glass.

Smoothie

Whiz up a healthy smoothie with some fruit, milk, plain yoghurt and optional extras like a spoonful of oats, nuts or seeds.

The desk drawer pantry

There are loads of shelf-stable foods that mean you can always have a balanced meal ready to go in your desk drawer. Here are a few of our favourites: