If you prepare your lunch every night to take to the office the next day, keep these tips and recipes in your lunch box for work.
Eating in a restaurant every day is a colossal job. There are some details that can make this work more difficult. The first of them is the amount spent, which ends up weighing on your pocket at the end of the month.
The second is the quality of the food, which may be good, however, it will never be the same as what you prepare at home. Therefore, the best option is to pack your own lunch box for work.
By making your lunch box, you will be able to balance your accounts. According to research by the Association of Workers’ Benefit Companies (ABBT), eating out in Brazil costs more than 80% of the minimum wage.
Furthermore, by making your own lunch box, you will be able to make your diet more balanced, reducing the amount of salt and sugar. We’ve put together some tips for you.
Check out some tips for making lunchboxes for work
Choosing food and storing
Always choose good quality and fresh ingredients. It is important to pay attention to seasonal ingredients, as prices are better and the flavor is more intense.
For proper storage, the food must be cooled as quickly as possible. This way you reduce the risk of it spoiling quickly. Choose environmentally friendly glass (returnable) or reusable plastic packaging and freeze.
Making the lunchbox
Choose one day a week to cook. A meal well stored in the refrigerator lasts up to 5 days, depending on the ingredients in the lunch box. Add spices and fresh herbs only on the day you are going to eat.
Plan your plate for a healthy ratio of carbs, protein and good fats. You will need a type of carbohydrate (yam, sweet potato, rice and whole-grain pasta or a mix of different vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower and green beans); a type of protein (animal or vegetable); a type of grain or legume (beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas, among others) and green leaves as desired.
The vegetables for the salad can be seasoned and pre-cooked or sautéed, so you don’t have to add seasonings separately. If you prefer it raw, add the seasoning separately to avoid wilting the salad.
Good fats are welcome and can come from avocado, extra virgin olive oil or various nuts to enhance the lunchbox salad at work, for example.
Taking the lunch box
To take your lunch box to work, the best option is a glass jar. Plastic, when heated, contaminates food.
Some places do not have a suitable place to heat the lunchbox. If this is the case, bring meals such as tabboules or grain and legume salads, which can be served cold. Quinoa tabbouleh, white bean salad, natural sandwiches complete with leaves, grains and protein are also good lunchbox options that don’t need to be served hot.
Finishing
Choose foods without a lot of sauce or broth, to reduce the risk of accidents, such as leaks in your backpack. If you are going to bring sauce, do so in another container to ensure that your meal arrives “whole”.
A thermal bag will help a lot to maintain the routine of taking lunch to work. It is well stored and free from bacteria that could spoil the meal.
Now, check out two recipes to make your delicious lunchbox
Brazilian salad in a jar
Ingredients
1 avocado in cubes
1/2 grated carrot
1/2 red pepper, sliced and sautéed
1/8 sliced red cabbage
1/2 large diced tomato
2 cups of green leaf tea
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe Ingredients
1/4 cup of honey
1 tablespoon mustard
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4/5 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons of lemon
Preparation mode
Sauce
Place all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well until everything is incorporated and it becomes a creamy and velvety sauce.
Salad
Place all the ingredients in a glass jar, with the leaves on top without mixing. Take the balsamic vinaigrette on the side. Take the jar to work, when serving, just mix the time and shake the jar so the salad mixes.
“Greek-style” cauliflower rice and arugula, radish and cherry tomato salad (Recipe from Veganana)
Rice: Ingredients
One medium cauliflower (400g of flowers)
1/2 medium onion chopped
1 large clove of garlic, chopped
1 cup of green beans
1/2 cup yellow pepper
1/2 cup red pepper
1 cup grated carrot
Salt to taste
Olive or vegetable oil to taste
Chopped parsley and chives
Ground pepper
Curry
Rice: Preparation method
Separate the cauliflower flowers, wash them well and grind them in a food processor or blender. In a non-stick pan over low heat, add a drizzle of oil or olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic until they are lightly golden.
Add the pod and leave for a few minutes. Add the pepper, grated carrot and finally the crushed cauliflower. Season to taste: salt, herbs, curry and paprika are some good options. After 5 to 10 minutes on low heat, turn it off and it’s ready to serve.
Salad: Ingredients
1 bunch of arugula
2 small radishes, sliced
5 to 10 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Grain mustard
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon
Sal
Salty: Preparation method
Place the mustard seeds, honey, olive oil, lemon and salt in a glass jar and mix until it forms a sauce. Then add the cherry tomatoes cut in half, the radish and finally some arugula leaves.
So, what did you think of these tips and recipes? If you liked it, you’ll like this one too: 5 ways to fix excess salt in your food
Source: Active
