Nothing against sandwiches per se, but if you pack one for lunch week in and out, palate fatigue can set in. The next time you're looking to mix things up, try one of these alternative brown-bag lunches — we've included recipes for everything from hearty salads to chili to Summer rolls.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Anna Monette Roberts
Adding steak to a heaping pile of greens and noodles is a delicious way to use up leftover beef. Follow this recipe and toss the noodles in the dressing the night before. That way, it's easy to pack the next morning.
Instead of getting a takeout chopped salad, whip up this homemade take that packs chickpeas, turkey, mozzarella, bulgur, cucumbers, and more into each bite.
Like all Summer rolls, this recipe has the best texture on the day it's made but is also still solid the next day and is a great change-up from your typical lunch routine.
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Quinoa Salad With Cherries and Feta
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Make use of cherries when they're in season with a quinoa salad with cherries and feta. The juicy-salty combo mixes with parsley, shallot, and almonds for a brown-bag lunch like you've never tried.
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Mediterranean Quiche
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Plenty of vegetables — caramelized onions, bell peppers, zucchini, and sun-dried tomatoes — bulk up this crave-worthy Mediterranean quiche.
Slow-Cooker Beans and Quinoa With Scallions, Cheddar, and Hot Sauce
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A big batch of slow-cooker beans and quinoa yields enough for a whole week of lunches. (Hot sauce, scallions, and cheddar ensure you won't be sick of it by Friday.)
If you love the rich, nutty flavor of peanut noodles, try this spicy tahini soba noodle salad; sesame-based tahini has a similarly rich flavor to peanut butter.
We recommend packing this avocado-tuna salad with cucumber noodles with one major caveat: be polite to your neighbors by not eating it at your desk (unless you have an office to yourself).
If you like pad thai, then you'll love this Thai-influenced quinoa recipe. It contains all of the best elements of the classic dish, such as peanuts, cilantro, and bean sprouts, with a fun twist: it substitutes quinoa for rice noodles.
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Black-Bean Salad
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Corn kernels, black beans, and confetti-like diced bell peppers, radishes, and red onion combine into a hearty, salsa-like salad.
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Roasted Sweet Potato and Quinoa Salad With Mango Balsamic Vinaigrette
While your office probably doesn't have a stovetop or oven, chances are there's a functioning microwave. Make a pot of spicy tomato soup and reheat it at work. (Swap crumbled Cheez-Its for the grilled cheese croutons since leftover grilled cheese isn't great.)
This salad really does have everything! Kale, mint, raisins, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, and other scrumptious ingredients work together to turn your meal into a beautiful orchestra of flavors.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Anna Monette Roberts
A hearty farro salad is guaranteed to give you the energy needed for a long day at work. The citrus vinaigrette dressing and fruit add a lively spring to this salad's step.
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Slow-Cooker Chili
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Anna Monette Roberts
Low effort to make (it's a straightforward, set-it-and-forget-it slow-cooker recipe) and great as leftovers, this hearty chili is a no-brainer inclusion to this list.
The ingredient list of this chicken salad with kale calls for a variety of colors and textures — think crunchy cucumber, creamy avocado, leafy kale, and comforting quinoa with a lemon-flavored dressing that will easily make your co-workers jealous.
A rainbow in a bowl, this citrus quinoa dish incorporates plenty of fresh produce. Prepare to make your co-workers jealous when you bust this out at lunch.