3 easy, cozy hot lunch ideas
We love a good bagged lunch for work or school—a great sandwich, a homemade wrap packed with last night’s chicken, or even a steak salad with ranch dressing on the side. Packing a tasty lunch from home is a great way to save money, reduce waste and make the most of your leftovers. We’ve shared lunch ideas on the blog before but as the weather grows colder, here are some easy, cozy hot lunch ideas that are perfect for fall and winter.
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Soup or stew
If you’ve got a thermos of chicken noodle soup or beef stew, a dinner roll, a granola bar and an apple—you’ve got a pretty perfect lunch for family members of any age. Feeding a bigger appetite? Add a yogurt cup, a clementine or banana, or some homemade trail mix (nut-free if you’re sending this lunch to school). Here’s a great recipe for chicken noodle soup and another one for beef stew. Or, make it easy and use our prepared beef stew or homestyle chili!
Pasta
There’s something awesome about opening up your thermos to find it full of delicious spaghetti and meatballs or another comfort food favourite. Pasta is a super easy, tasty hot lunch that kids and adults alike will love. The simplest way to pack a great pasta lunch is to cook a great pasta dinner the night before. Consider this recipe for cheeseburger casserole with ground beef, this chicken parmesan pasta (start with our boneless skinless chicken breasts), or this skillet pasta dish with Italian sausage.
Tacos
Tacos for lunch? Absolutely! While this may not seem like an obvious choice, this is an easier hot lunch than you may think. Pack a thermos of warm, seasoned ground beef (we like it cooked with diced onions). Then, pack a bento box with some cold items: shredded lettuce, grated cheese and a few scoops of salsa and/or sour cream. Wrap a couple of tortillas in tin foil, be sure to add some napkins or wet wipes, and you’ve got a DIY taco kit that travels well and tastes amazing! Thanks for reading—and be sure to add your hot lunch ideas to the comments on Facebook.