Ask AvartsyCooking: Different Lunch Options for Work
This week’s question comes from Ayodeji O. in London and he asks:
Hi Yetunde,
Here’s a little question to distract you from all the cupcake delight I’m guessing you’ve been fully engrossed in the past couple of days. So today, I got an email from a friend who asked what my (packed) lunch for work usually consisted of and I decided to ask you for your opinions for a bit more variety or you could pose the question to the avartsy readers (those were her exact words) – you are becoming a superstar in our lives now ;).
Sandwiches are just alright but plain and boring even though they are pretty easy to make and you get a bit of diversity with the range of fillings available. We are basically looking for alternatives so work lunch doesn’t become this dull perfunctory meal. I rarely eat rice these days (around once in two weeks), my friend is bored of cous cous and is a bit cautious when eating indomie as she is uncertain about the contents of the powder mix.
So the question here is what do you usually have for lunch (that isn’t a sandwich, rice, noodles or cous cous). Also, the suggestion shouldn’t be too heavy (for obvious reasons) and would it be possible to draw up a lunch plan (well we could do this with all the suggestions/contributions from your readers).
Thanks ;)~~If you’re looking to send in an inquiry of your own, send it to submit@avartsycooking.com~~
First off, yay for being a food superstar :D, totally loving that, so thanks to both of you!
With work lunches, the tricky part is always finding a meal that leaves you satisfied, but neither still hungry for more nor so full that you can’t function. We have a post similar to this, but not specific to work. However, some ideas are:
- 1 Boiled plantain with whatever stew/soup you have. I specify one because it is usually enough to fill you up until dinner or your next meal. You can also alternate that with a boiled or baked regular or sweet potato or sweet potato fries.
- Steamed fresh spinach and a baked fish fillet or chicken breast. Steam half a bag of fresh spinach and bake one or two fish fillets or one chicken breast. Eat that along with an apple or banana and a whole bottle of water. You’ll be alright till dinner still.
- Have you tried Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) in place of Couscous?
- Moi moi and Plantain Moi Moi (recipe next month, I have this month planned out already!) are other options, light, yet filling.
- Nigerian Salad is also an option.
- 1 or 2 Chicken Pies should also be filling.
- Chicken Fajita Quesadillas could also work.
If anyone else has other suggestions, please feel free to chime in o, you have all been specially summoned! That way, I can make it into a lunch meal planner for everyone.
Deji, kudos to your friend from shying away from Indomie noodles powder mix. As an aside, I’m in the middle of a gradual mind shift to eating organic and it’s been eye opening to say the least. I’m now all for being a conscious eater, always being aware of what’s in your food, especially the things in it that you can’t see or the things not on the labels or things on the labels you don’t understand. This, more so if you live in the West. (post on this soon)
Thanks!
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10 Responses to "Ask AvartsyCooking: Different Lunch Options for Work"
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Hi Yetunde,
Thanks for the suggestions – Quinoa is lovely, recently I have started eating bulgar wheat as well in place of rice, pasta and cous cous – just so there is variety.
Recently, I made a vegetable soup (some leeks, spring onions, celery boiled and blended in a chicken stock) as well which was very filling so that has become another option I consider whenever I can.
I am looking forward to the plantain moin moin recipe – that should be interesting. Oh and for them pies…don’t even get me started – I have made and reworked the life of them; started with meat then played around with the fillings (chicken, turkey, even made some quorn so if I ever have vegetarians around – there’s nothing to worry about). Fish is next.
How are you doing Missy? It feels sorta quiet from your end? Taking a well deserved break from cupcake August? Have an amazing week.
Thanks
Ayodeji ;)
Hey there you!
You’re welcome, sorry participation was non-existent on this post! Soup is a good option too, but then you’d have to microwave it and I’ve kinda stopped used microwaves, haven’t used one in almost a month now! Yes, I hope to feature the Plantain Moi Moi in October. Lol @ reworking the life out of the pies, awesome!
Ha, second person to ask, aww, I love the concern! :) I’m good, I made another reader cupcake request, I didn’t like the way it turned out and planned to redo it and haven’t gotten round to it. In the interim, I’m mapping out October and just leaving September be for now, unless something comes up that I absolutely have to post.
Hope you’re doing good too, enjoy your week
Good choices. Also, don’t hesitate to take dinner leftovers to work with you. Sometimes it might seem a little overdone for work (or the “exoticness” of the meal might have others looking over your shoulder) but most of the time when I do so, there are always comments about how good it smells and its always a fun convo starter. Just avoid anything too “fragrant” or heavy ;)
Loving these posts Yetunde!
Adhis!!
I was just about to say sometimes it might be a bit too overdone/exotic. However, like you rightly said, anything too lol ‘fragrant’ or heavy should be avoided.
Thanks lady ;)
Hi Yetunde,
I have requested to be a part of your site follower because I really enjoy what you have here. I am nature of what is causing the hold up…hope it isn’t that am being a pest…we know how they can be
Daps
Hey Dapo!
I haven’t yet approved new users, wills be going through the list today to approve more. Sorry for the delays!
Hi Yetunde,
I have bookmarked your page and visit often. I use many of your recipes on a pretty regular basis. I noticed you haven’t updated in awhile. With the holidays approaching, I just wanted to encourage you to update this site. You have many followers and we think you’re doing an excellent job!!! Keep it up!
Hey Nnenna!
Aww, thanks for bookmarking! I have no current plans to stop updating. I have been doing some cooking and I want to post daily, so I figured I’d give myself a month to plan, so I’ll be all set for November, then work on December.
I really appreciate your comment though, thanks, put a smile on my face :)
Hi dearie,pls we really need U̶̲̥̅̊ to update,I also bookmarkd Ūя̲̅ page.keep up d good work
God bless
Hey Uche!
Aww, I love you guys! Blogging in the next few minutes, post to be up tonight.
Thanks!