r/Cooking • u/britthood • 2d 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/Mando1825 2d 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.