What Our Editors’ Pack for Lunch During the Work Week

When polling the editorial team here at Tablespoon, a grain bowl was the most popular of the make-ahead lunches we like to bring. It’s understandable: a grain bowl is easy to assemble, it re-heats well and the variety in flavor combinations is virtually endless. Our social media guru Lydia usually makes her grain bowls from rice, whatever fresh veggies are in her crisper drawer and some kind of chicken or ground turkey. Vegetarian editor M.E. also starts her grain bowls off with rice, but then substitutes the meat for canned beans and usually uses frozen vegetables, because they keep longer than fresh ones.

How about a make-ahead lunch that you don’t actually have to make ahead? Especially during the colder months, a can of soup really hits the spot in the middle of the day. We like to dress our up (because we’re #extra) with cheese, baby spinach, shredded chicken or fresh herbs, depending on what flavor of soup we’re enjoying for the day. A can of tomato basil tastes great with cubed, precooked ham and some cheese. Mmm-mmm.

Can you tell a bunch of millennials are behind the scenes at Tablespoon? Seriously though, eating two slices of avocado toast is a pretty great way to spend you lunch break. Enjoying this millennial meal for lunch does mean a bit of lunch is spent prepping—you have to toast the bread and crack open a ripe avocado. All the assembling of the meal has to happen in-house. But avocado toast is ridiculously easy to make, and the toppings you can add are vast in variety. Fresh sprouts, red onion, slices of ham, tomatoes—the list could go on and on. If you ask us though, the most important addition to avocado toast is a shake of everything bagel seasoning.

Hear us out: a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a fantastic make-ahead lunch idea. Chances are you haven’t enjoyed a good PB & J since you were in elementary school, but it’s a pretty dang good lunch. Pair with a piece of fresh fruit and you’re looking at a protein-packed meal. The Tablespoon team prefers almond butter, and a smashed banana in place of jelly is a favorite substitute, too. Just remember to put peanut butter on both pieces of bread so the bread doesn’t get soggy.