9 Hacks For Far-Superior Brown-Bag Lunches

Updated on Dec 26, 2015 at 11:00 AM

POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Whether you're trying to save money, you want to eat healthier, or the to-go options near your office are sorely lacking, brown-bagging your lunch can be a necessary part of life. Note that we didn't say necessary evil; while brown-bag lunches can be sad, they don't have to be that way. Armed with some solid recipes and these clever tips, you'll be the envy of your office mates come mealtime.

Keep a Lunch First-Aid Kit in Your Desk

Stock your desk with an organized collection of essentials, aka a first aid kit for lunch. Some ideas include: containers of olive oil, hot sauce, flaky sea salt, and soy sauce for salvaging underseasoned leftovers and takeout; packets of nut butter for bulking up toast or instant oatmeal; and Shout Wipes (or a Tide Pen) for accidents.

Stick to Sturdy Salad Ingredients

Even if you pack your lunch the morning of — and really, we recommend doing it the night before for sanity reasons — many salad ingredients will be beyond their prime come midday. Stick with sturdy ingredients like beans, grains, root vegetables, and the like to ensure that you won't tuck into a sad, wilted salad.

Or, Pack It in a Mason Jar

No, these aren't a passing fad. Avoid sogginess by packing salad dressing, croutons, nuts, and greens in different containers or by layering the ingredients of a salad inside a mason jar. Mason jars (unlike Tupperware) are virtually leakproof.

Consider Your Utensil Choice

Particularly when eating at your desk, minimizing mess is key. If you're adept with chopsticks, consider using them to eat a salad so that none of the pieces awkwardly fall into your lap.

Put a Hard-Boiled Egg on It

Look no further than the humble hard-boiled egg when it comes to bulking up your salad or toast. (They're also a great, protein-rich snack.) Boil up a batch at the beginning of the week — they'll stay fresh through Friday.

Or, Get Fancy With a Poached Egg

Want a poached egg for lunch? Pack the cooked eggs in a thermos filled with cool water. When you're ready to enjoy it, pour out the cold water, refill the thermos with hot water, and let the egg sit for about two to three minutes. Drain the hot water, then enjoy the egg on toast or on a salad.

Pack and Reheat Your Soup the Smart Way

Learn from our hard-earned wisdom: don't even think about packing soup in anything besides a secure, airtight container like a mason jar. Also, be sure to evenly reheat your soup, lest you end up with gummy results or a burnt tongue.

Pack Snacks Ahead of Time

Prep and portion out snacks ahead of time (we typically do this Sunday as well as midweek) so that you won't be scrambling to get things together in the morning. Mason jars are ideal for juicier items like fruit, while small snack-sized resealable bags are the perfect size for crudités, nuts, and crackers.

In a Pinch, Greek Yogurt Has Your Back

A tub of Greek yogurt on its own is a pretty sad lunch; add granola, fruit, jam, nuts, or savory add-ins, and it's (light) meal-worthy.