Whether you work from home, in the office or anywhere else, lunches without warming up are always the most convenient Option. They can be made in batches in advance and enjoyed throughout the week — no microwave required. So grab your lunch box and get inspired by 50 ideas for favorite cold lunches to take to work or school.
Chef John’s fresh spring rolls
Fresh spring rolls (also called summer rolls…confusing, Isn’t it?) are a popular Vietnamese dish in which rice noodles, vegetables and meat (chicken, shrimp or pork) are wrapped in a translucent rice paper envelope. Watch the video to learn Chef John’s technique for stuffing and rolling fresh spring rolls.
Fruity Chicken Salad With Curry
This lunchtime favorite is even better the next day: “It’s best to eat this salad the day after it’s made,” says recipe creator Karen L. Baker. “This gives the ingredients time to mix, which gives a fuller flavor. If desired, use fat-free Mayonnaise.”The curry powder gives this chicken salad its slightly sweet and earthy notes.
Green Gazpacho
Gazpacho is a simple soup without cooking, always served cold. Here it gets a makeover-instead of the usual tomato base, it is made with cucumbers, avocado and honeydew melon.
Incredibly good and healthy tuna salad
Light mayonnaise and spinach add a healthy touch to the tuna salad. Critic Lisa Moose Cagle-Oprel says that even her children could come behind: “My children hated tuna….until then. Great Mix Of Flavors.”
Antipasti Salad II.
This classic Italian appetizer is also a hearty lunch that can be prepared in advance and served cold.
Tortellini Salad With Cheese
When it comes to cold lunch ideas, pasta salad is a no-brainer. It is hearty, delicious and it is best to prepare it in advance and refrigerate it to allow the flavors to mix. This interpretation includes cheese tortellini, hot peppers, Provolone cheese, olives and artichoke hearts with an Italian dressing.
Pickled cucumber, onion and tomato salad
Fresh cucumbers, tomatoes and onions mix in a mild Vinaigrette for a refreshing summer salad. Allrecipes Allstar lutzflow suggests replacing the white vinegar with apple cider vinegar or white balsamic vinegar if you want a little more flavor.
Amy’s Red Bean Salad
Don’t be fooled by the term “salad”, this dish is rich in protein thanks to the red beans and boiled eggs. The whole thing is thrown into a Mayonnaise-based dressing to give it a creamy finish.
BLT bow tie salad
Sandwiches can be difficult to make for lunch, as the bread becomes soggy when it is in such a tight space with a freezer bag. This recipe offers the solution to this problem: replace the pasta with bread and you have a BLT pasta salad! Fly pasta, fresh tomatoes, crumbled bacon and lettuce are tossed in a ranch dressing for a really satisfying lunch.