r/Cooking • u/britthood • 1d ago
Favorite cold lunches?
I work in outside sales, so I’m in the car all day and don’t usually have access to a microwave to heat up my lunches. What are your favorite make-ahead lunches that can be eaten cold/room temp? (I have an insulated lunchbox, so no worries about it needing to stay cold.) Looking for something with a decent amount of protein. I also, for some reason, don’t like the taste of cold leftover chicken… but other meats don’t both me. Thanks!
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u/Tree_Chemistry_Plz 1d ago
cold frittata or spanish omelette, made with roasted cauliflower and broccoli, frozen spinach, onion, whatever vegetable combos you like. You can even make a tuna version https://spainonafork.com/spanish-tuna-omelette-tortilla-de-atun-recipe/
The eggs give you a good amount of protein. Pair it with a bean salad and you have a really balanced lunch.
bean salad recipes Black bean salad, white bean salad, pinto bean salad, chickpea pesto salad, rice salad, orzo salad - any of these salads can be boosted with the addition of hard boiled eggs, tinned sardines or salmon or tuna.
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u/SeekersWorkAccount 1d ago
It's take time to learn to make them, but Korean Kimbap is my #1 favorite.
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u/GugaMunka 1d ago
Ohhh yum that’s truly the perfect all-in-one lunch. If assembling is an issue, I think bibimbap is also really good at room temp!
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u/samg461a 1d ago
Korean cold noodles are DELICIOUS. And there are different kinds. Naengmyeong is like a cold soup and bibimmyeon has a sweet and spicy sauce. You can add hard boiled eggs, cucumber, green onion, cold meats, etc. It’s so refreshing in the summer!
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u/KHDNVC 1d ago
How do you set it up so that the noodles don't get soggy?
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u/samg461a 1d ago
Easy. Soup/sauce in one container, noodles and toppings in another.
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u/KHDNVC 1d ago
Ah, got it.
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u/noetkoett 23h ago
I don't think they even get that soggy mixed in if it's a sauce rather than soup. At least with Sichuan style chili oil/sesame (and/or peanut butter) noodles.
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u/Evening_Mango414 1d ago
Yeti makes a great thermos that stays hot. My husband is also on the road all day and he does not like sandwiches.
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u/britthood 1d ago
Thank you! Will have to look into a thermos. I don’t dislike sandwiches, but that’s been the obvious “go-to” for so long, looking for some variety.
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u/LowSkyOrbit 1d ago
Don't buy anything from Yeti. They are overpriced. Plenty of cheaper thermoses out there that do just as good.
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u/Smart-Airport5781 1d ago
I really like my Zojirushi Mr. Bento. It has four stacking containers, so you can keep items separate. One of the containers is for liquid (like soup) and another has an insulated lid, so you can pack an unheated item with a hot meal.
https://www.target.com/p/zojirushi-mr-bento-stainless-lunch-jar-plum/-/A-54667109#lnk=sametab
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u/ReticentRedhead 1d ago
Agree with the Yeti recommendation, I bought a Swell bento box and insulated kit, it includes a big salad bowl, glass prep jars, and insulated containers. Found them to be really useful when I’m pressed for time.
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u/ceecee_50 1d ago
You should look at a heated lunchbox. They plug into your 12 V outlet in your car. That way you can have a hot meal.
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u/britthood 1d ago
I haven’t seen those! Will have to check it out.
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u/Tiny-Friendship8527 1d ago
They work great, I definitely second this advice.
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u/bigbankhnk 1d ago
Most gas stations have microwaves in them. I see people using them all the time with food they brought from home. Southeast US.
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u/pink_on_wednesdays16 1d ago
Following... Have a kiddo I have to pack lunches for. Hope you get lots of good ideas!
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u/Smart-Airport5781 1d ago
Search "bento box lunches" for kids, or adults for yourself, to get some ideas. See this site for suggestions: https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/easy-bento-lunch-box-ideas/
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u/Ok_Classic5842 1d ago
Tuna salad Egg salad Hummus and veggies Peanut butter Bagel with butter or cream cheese Spinach pie
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u/Own_Instance_357 1d ago
Cold spaghetti seasoned with peanut butter, a lil sesame oil, chopped scallion and hot sauce to taste. Cold sesame noodles, and they are amazing
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u/Thund3rCh1k3n 1d ago
Tunasalad. It's easy, it's great cold. You get protein from the fish, fat from mayo, and carbs from pasta. And if you serve it on a bed of iceberg like I grew up with, you at least get some veggies. Even tho iceberg is not the most nutrient thick. Add some baby carrots and hummus, you have a whole thing.
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u/Bender7676 1d ago
I never thought to mix tuna with pasta cold. I bring my lunch to work, usually can’t heat things up, and have gotten bored with sandwiches too. I’m trying this one
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u/kikazztknmz 1d ago
We made it with mayo, onions, carrots, celery and little cheddar cubes mixed with rotini and zesty Italian dressing. Loved it.
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u/Thund3rCh1k3n 1d ago
Yeah it's super customizable. You can wrap it up like a lettuce wrap in iceberg.
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u/No_Classic_8051 1d ago
Tuna salad or salmon salad with avocado or Greek yogurt instead of mayo. Eat it with crackers, in a wrap, or just straight from a container. Doesn’t need reheating and packs protein.
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u/cheeznricee 1d ago
Pasta salad using chickpea pasta for extra protein. Caprese pesto is my favorite kind
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u/Unlikely_Sell5034 1d ago
I make a chickpea salad with diced cucumber, a can of chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, avocado (can add at the end so it doesn’t brown), red onion, feta and whatever fresh herbs I have on hand. Dressing is olive oil, salt & pepper, and lemon juice. It’s amazing and lasts/keeps for a few days
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u/sadetta300 1d ago
Pasta salad, potato salad both with tuna/meat/sausages etc., with lentils, or beans. Omelets are tasty cold too, I love it for example with feta cheese and spinach. Good old sandwiches with a fancy sauce, some crispy vegetables and meat/hummus/cheese
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u/AshDenver 1d ago
Everything can be eaten cold/room temp if you love it enough.
Seriously though, given proper infrastructure I’d go for salads personally. They’re not big on protein in general though.
There’s tuna pasta salad (no mayo) that’s pretty damn tasty. And Ina’s tuna tapenade (but everything in the mini food processor to make a smooth paste) on water crackers is so flavorful.
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u/britthood 1d ago
Very true, I have leftovers from the night before quite often. I just had leftover jambalaya yesterday.
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u/thecampcook 1d ago
Hummus and pita (or naan) makes a nice healthy lunch. I used to survive on that stuff in high school.
If you want a special treat, try a steak Caesar salad! (Chicken works well, too, but you said you don't like cold chicken.)
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u/Smart-Airport5781 1d ago
I used to make bento box lunches that I could eat in my car when I worked in home health. There are tons of ideas for bento box lunches on the Internet. Also a good thermos or small hot pot that I could run from my car's DC outlet for a hot meal or drink on cold days was nice.
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u/kwanatha 1d ago
My favorite diet lunch box foods
Snap peas, peppers, and carrots with spicy hummus
Broccoli, carrots, peppers and snap peas with ranch dressing
Greek salad
Boiled egg
Shrimp cocktail
Tuna pouch on wasa cracker
Reduced fat string cheese
Greek Yogurt and berries
Protein shake or bar
Apple or banana
Spicy vinegar dressed coleslaw
Chili crisp cucumber salad
Pasta salad (not really diet food)
Cheese and crackers with mini pepperoni
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u/Captain_Bignose 1d ago
Check out the Roadpro 12V slow cooker on Amazon, I have something similar from Crockpot that plugs into a regular outlet but it's awesome for warming up food . Or if you have a decent power station already just get a mini Crockpot.
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u/MrCockingFinally 1d ago
You know that viral roast feta and cherry tomato pasta? I find it works really well as a cold pasta salad. You could amp up the protein with some sliced up hard boiled eggs.
I'm actually really partial to cold leftover fish. Not battered, obviously, but if you take say, salmon, sear it nicely so it's medium, it's really nice cold the next day.
Salad is a major go to of mine.
Hummus with flatbread, olives, cucumber and tomato is really nice.
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u/Paper-Dramatic 1d ago
Pasta salad 100%, works well with any light and creamy sauce with some protein
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u/Mickeylover7 1d ago
My first thought was dense bean salad.
Pimento cheese (I add chicken sometimes for more protein) and I put it on a pretzel bun.
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u/kdwhirl 1d ago
I have the same. For years now I throw a bunch of veggies and chunks of chicken into a lidded plastic box, and grab bites as I’m working at my desk. Healthy and convenient. I particularly like veggies that are easy to grab - cherry tomatoes, tiny cucumbers, radishes, baby carrots - that I don’t have to prep when packing my lunch.
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u/amandahontas 1d ago
I like to get an assortment of deli meat, cheese, and crackers and make myself a charcuterie board.
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u/Sleepy_Panic 1d ago
I’m autistic, I have been eating; ham, mustard and cucumber sandwiches since I was 6 years old so 😅
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u/Mando1825 1d ago
My specialty! I cook the night before for every work day and never heat up with a microwave. Forget anything rice - it'll suck.
If you want pasta, pesto probably does the best cold/lukewarm. Bring a little bit of parmesan cheese if you can.
Italian salads as someone has mentioned. Pasta, fresh veggies, dressing and I usually prefer tuna as the protein of choice.
Baked potatoes cut up with a good quality sasauge and sauces on the side.
Taco bowls using minced beef, always good just carry the tortillas separate.
General tips, get sauce containers and try to avoid mixing in sauces the day before. Again, no rice. Shredded chicken usually tastes better without reheating over whole parts. Tortillas, potatoes, pasta and flatbreads (also easy to make from scratch) are the best sides/fillers for me.
I used to eat out every day for lunch with my colleagues and I was fat and much poorer. Now I'm a lot more trim and spend the money on stupid espresso tonics instead.
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u/Mando1825 1d ago
Oh one more thing, get a good quality glass container. I find plastic Tupperware eventually accumulates a "smell" that I can't taste and it made me dread lunch. Got a nice glass one and it makes everything so much better.
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u/mmmurphy17 1d ago
I make cannellini beans sauted with peppers, onions, zucchini and tomatoes all the time. Could add cut up kielbasa
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u/PixiFrizzle 1d ago
Pinwheel sandwiches. The little spreadable cheese wedges from Aldi are the perfect serving size for spreading on a tortilla or wrap. With some turkey or ham, it’s a great alternative to sandwiches
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u/frijolita_bonita 1d ago
high in protein and a nice break from usual tuna. Sounds weird but it’s really tasty especially when you use fresh herbs!
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u/reamkore 11h ago
You should get a hot logic mini. You can plug it into your 12v plug and it doesn’t use much power and you can cook tons of things
It’s a life changer.
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u/Mysterious-Range328 10h ago
One of my cold lunches was just rolled coldcuts(roast beef, turkey or ham), baby carrots, cherry tomatoes with some ranch dip. Not fancy but I liked it.
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u/Level-Worldliness-20 1d ago
Club sandwich with some salt and vinegar chips
Fried chicken and potato salad
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u/Dorkken 1d ago
An alternative would be to go to a gas station or truck stop and use their microwave. Depending on where you are, you can try QuikTrip or sheetz, speedway has them most times, pilot, etc
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u/britthood 1d ago
My coworker does this quite often, I believe. Will have to try that. I just feel kinda awkward going in to just use their microwave… guess I could always just buy a drink while I’m there?
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u/jamesgotfryd 1d ago
Wraps. Meat and veggie wraps. Pasta salads. Sandwiches (put a paper napkin or folded paper towel in with it to absorb excess moisture so the bread doesn't get all soggy, I usually wrap a paper towel loosely around mine).
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u/FlashyImprovement5 1d ago
I carry one container of Greek yogurt flatbread and a second of either hummus, pesto or chicken salad. I make my own flatbread and don't want it to get soggy so I pack it all separately from the wet ingredients.
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u/Greenhouse774 1d ago
Try different types of sandwiches.
Thinly sliced Polish ham and thinly sliced Havarti cheese on a croissant is a great taste sensation, with a tiny bit of mustard.
Olives and pickles in a little container can liven up lunchtime.
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u/zombiemind8 1d ago
Look at onigri and Korean kimbap. There are many different varieties and combinations. You don’t have to roll them just make a rice bowl.
Example salmon, furikake, and rice tastes good cold.
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u/ZealousidealTailor56 1d ago
I like spaghetti with harboiled eggs. Have spaghetti and noodles for dinner then for packed lunch skip the noodles and load up on eggs in the sauce. Love cold pasta sauce
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u/Carefree_Highway 1d ago
Lost a bunch of weight in field sales. PB&J and baby carrots. Got me through the day. Maybe an energy bar just in case.
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u/Ladyarcana1 1d ago
Classic: PB &J For a twist you can make your own jelly. Heck you can even make your own bread too.
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u/crossstitchbeotch 1d ago
Wheat Berry Salad with Goat Cheese
I love this salad. You can make it Sunday and it will last all week. You can buy a bag of wheat berries from Amazon, they are very economical. I love this with pita chips.
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u/Fuzzy_Welcome8348 1d ago
Feel free to check out r/mealprep and r/mealprepsunday for tons of meal ideas!
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u/pinkystar5 1d ago
Try making tortillas (or buying them) and u fill it up with anything u want.
I also have to bring cold food and that is my good to go, I just make some tortillas with a little flour, water and salt and I put whatever is in the fridge, cheese, tomato, (meat if you want), sometimes rice, almost any food will do.
Something like fajitas
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u/nifty-necromancer 1d ago
I’d go with things like turkey or roast beef wraps with hummus and veggies, or grain salads with quinoa, lentils, and feta. Tuna or salmon salad with crackers is great too, or even hard-boiled eggs with some nuts and fruit on the side. You could also try pasta salads with things like salami, mozzarella, and olives for extra protein.
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u/colluctatiofuturum 1d ago
I try to make a couple cold salads for the week, (tuna, lentil, egg, bean, cucumber) and fill it out with some cheese cubes, fruit, cut veggies and dipping dressing, crackers, and/or some nuts depending on how hungry I am so I can assemble as needed and kind of graze. I think I eat a variation of this 5 days a week lol
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u/pwrslide2 1d ago
I call them Adult Lunchables. Quality Salami or smoked summer sausage, cheese and crackers of your liking, fruit, nuts, and a protein shake or Greek yogurt. Easy to prep-prep and store. mini snack baggies are your friend. If you don't like the idea of wasting baggies, they do make some good containers with separators as well.
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u/DeeJae951 1d ago
Mediterranean wraps (Beef shwarma/chicken) Add veggies,hummus and garlic sauce.
Or shrimp spring rolls Not the fried ones
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u/MountainMirthMaker 1d ago
Tuna salad with crackers, turkey wraps with hummus, or hard boiled eggs with some cheese and fruit. All hold up well cold and give you solid protein without needing a microwave.
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u/YardLads 22h ago
My Girl! Loving the responses to this. It's a good question. I've been eating cold lunches for a long time and actually picked up a few good ideas from some of the responses, especially around pasta/bean salad lunches.
One thing I haven't seen yet for some reason is a garden/vegetable salad. Salads are practically the GOAT summer cold lunch. A salad is a simple combination of a infinite possibilities! I like to use last nights leftovers. Taco night is taco salad. Grilled steak is a steak salad. Any vegetable can be cut up. Any fruit, any meat it's endless and once you get into it your biggest problem is what CAN'T you make into tomorrows salad lunch.
I like to make my own dressing (1 part vinegar 3 parts oil use your imagination! Maple syrup is good too).
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u/Fun-Platform-4764 22h ago
mosakkah idk its a greek/levantine dish that is best eaten cold and its really cheap to make and filling at the same time
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u/Goblue5891x2 21h ago
I used to bring in left over shrimp for protein. 15-20 ct size. I only had the protein though, so answers half of your question, I guess.
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u/Displaced_in_Space 21h ago
I'll let others chime in below with recipe ideas, but I wanted to remind you by sharing something I rediscovered a couple winters ago.
I am not a coffee drinker, but I saw someone with a short, fat thermos. So I went out and bought a Stanley 1 QT thermos. It's got a large screw on cap that functions like a bowl/cup.
You can heat just about anything and it will still be hot 8 hours later. Of course I do soups that I eat along with sandwiches, but also pastas, rice bowl, etc. I basically nuke it until it's far too hot to eat that mornign, then spoon it into the thermost carefully. I then bring a tablespoon or fork to eat it. Hot food, whenver yo uwant it!
Works like a charm.
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u/Dangeresque2015 20h ago
Pasta salad. With marinated chx. Once you figure out how to make the chx, your opinion of it will change.
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u/Lady_Lyiiii 7h ago
Cold chicken is a nope for me too. Favorites: tuna/salmon salad wraps, turkey or roast beef wraps, hard-boiled eggs + veggies, charcuterie boxes, or Mediterranean chickpea salad. High protein, no microwave needed, and all travel well in an insulated lunchbox.
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u/that_one_wierd_guy 1d ago
a good sandwich with all the fixins. the key is to keep everything separate and assemble when ready to eat
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u/houston-we-have-uh-o 1d ago
Italian pasta salad! Easy to make ahead, gets better with time, and delicious cold or room temp. Can add as much protein as you want.