Lunch

63 Work Lunches You Don't Have to Refrigerate

If you don't have an office fridge, no problem. These lunch recipes travel well and can stay at room temperature all morning.

November 26, 2018

Photo by Alex Lau
1/63
Quinoa Bowl with Lentils and Mustard Vinaigrette
Yes, you can cook lentils and quinoa together. And now your life will become exponentially easier.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
2/63
Miso-Tahini Squash Soup With Brown Rice
Rich with nutty tahini, savory miso, and plenty ginger and garlic, this comforting vegetarian soup is just what the doctor ordered for a chilly winter day.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
3/63
White Bean Salad With Lemon and Cumin
These light and lemony beans can be tossed in a salad or grain bowl. Or, pack crunchy greens up and make lettuce wraps at your desk.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kate Schmidt
4/63
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes With Curried Chickpeas and Mushrooms
Embrace the start of autumn with cozy, Indian-inspired sweet potatoes loaded with curry-spiced chickpeas, mushrooms, and spinach.
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Photo by Alex Lau
5/63
Curried Lentil, Tomato, and Coconut Soup
Packed with flavor from curry powder and fresh ginger, this fragrant soup is wonderfully filling, but won’t weigh you down.
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Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li
6/63
Silky Peanut Butter Dressing
Adding silken tofu to the base of this dressing both enriches it with a little added protein and lends it a satiny texture. You can adjust the amount of water added to create something thicker and dippable for crudités or thinner and drizzly for tossing into salads.
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Photo by Candice Kumai
7/63
Spicy Tahini and Avocado Soba
Soba + tahini + avocado? Enough said. This full- meal noodle salad is the best way to fill up on good carbs, healthy fats, and plenty of nutrient-rich greens.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
8/63
Big-Batch Roasted Kale
This big batch of tender roasted kale can be kept in the fridge and added to meals throughout the week. Toss it into salads and stir-fries, stir it into soups, or use it in a grain bowl.
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Photo by Ed Anderson
9/63
Cold Sesame Noodles with Cucumber
Better than takeout and delicious eaten at room temperature, this is the perfect packed work lunch.
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Photo by Lizzie Mayson
10/63
Big Bhaji Burger
This juxtaposition of Indian cuisine with the classic American burger works incredibly well. It’s a fantastic fusion of flavors that are really big and satisfying, and you can play with really interesting toppings; or make smaller bhaji bites and serve them with curry.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
11/63
Baked Sweet Potatoes
This simple preparation of sweet potatoes can become the base for many lunches and weeknight meals.
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Photo by Alex Lau
12/63
Pasta Salad with Spring Vegetables and Tomatoes
Ginger-roasted cherry tomatoes, skillet-charred snap peas and scallions, and plenty of fresh basil and mint make this lighter pasta salad eminently craveable.
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Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Megan Hedgpeth, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
13/63
Curried Chickpea and Lentil Dal
This super-easy recipe is a perfect canvas for punchy, crunchy toppers like toasted coconut and mustard seeds with turmeric oil and a zingy chutney. The dal is vegan but full of hearty protein thanks to the chickpeas, lentils, and coconut milk.
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Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
14/63
Rice Noodles al Pomodoro with Chili Oil
Bursting with jammy cherry tomatoes that make their own sauce, this rice noodle–and–chili oil riff on the classic Italian pasta takes just 20 minutes to throw together.
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