With the most recent announcement encouraging people to go back to work, I thought it was appropriate to do a lunch special. Some people might be due back in the morning so here are some quick lunch box ideas from your store-cupboard saviours that are quick to make and stop you from having to buy those money making meal deals.
The first idea is a simple tuna and sweetcorn pasta.
You will need:
-Tinned tuna
-Tinned sweetcorn
-Pasta
-Maybe mayo
-salt and pepper
Method:
- Boil some pasta with salt and pepper (I recommend you portion it out with the lunch box you intend to use filling it up just under half way)
- Whilst your pasta boils you want to mix your tuna and sweetcorn you can also add some mayo if you want it to be a more together mixture (I would usually do this in the lunchbox too, because I don’t like washing up.)
(You can also add more salad food if you have some going spare like tomatoes or cucumber as it just adds some more colour, texture and overall makes it healthy.)
- Drain your pasta and leave it to cool.
- Once cool mix your tuna mix into the saucepan and then transfer to your lunch box
The second quick idea is a crunchy chicken salad. Ideal for leftover roast meat. (Might not be a store-cupboard saviour but definitely good for leftovers)
All you will need is:
-Chicken
-Pesto
-Kale
-Green beans
-Tomatoes
-Wrap.
(You can swap any of the veggies or salad for whatever you may have at the end of the week)
- Firstly put a wrap in the oven with some salt and pepper, use baking parchment to prevent it sticking. Put this in the oven for 10 min on gas mark 5 / 375 f / 190c
- In the meantime take some leftover chicken and mix it with some form of marinade I tend to use pesto, but you could use mayo, tomato puree or even just some salt and pepper.
- Prepare a salad, this can be made up by some of the veggies you think you might be binning soon. I usually use Kale and some green beans (if so boil these for 5 min and then cool) I then add some tomatoes to the cooled veggies (but you could just have some tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, beetroot and grated carrot).
- add the chicken and toss to mix it together then transfer it into your lunchbox
- take the wrap out the oven and break into small pieces sprinkling it over your salad for extra crunch.
(you could also add grilled halloumi or even use halloumi instead of meat for a meat free option.)
The third and final idea is Tomato chickpea pasta salad
You will need:
-chickpeas
-chopped tomatoes
-garlic
-basil (dried or fresh)
– onion
-pasta.
For measuring your pasta use the earlier method
- boil your measured pasta.
- In a frying pan add chopped onion, and chickpeas season and stir fry for 2 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, some garlic and the basil (if dried) and stir.
- Add the boiled pasta to the sauce and mix together. (if using fresh basil add it here)
- Allow the dish to cool then transfer it to a lunchbox.
Hope these ideas help, Thanks for joining me on this journey and I hope to see you soon.
Hannah x
Thrifty Tastebuds 