At the beginning of every uni year I make the same resolution to start cooking my own lunches in order to cut back on unnecessary food spending. Buying lunch every day from university cafés or Sainsbury’s may be an easy option, but it certainly doesn’t help that ever-increasing student debt.
The problem is that lunch simply does not ‘inspire’ me as much as breakfast, dinner, or desserts. Perhaps this is the result of the monotonous packed lunches eaten throughout my childhood, or the fact that sandwiches (unless they contain bacon or sausages) do not particularly appeal to me. The cheese-filled paninis on campus, however, have always seemed to me the tastier, although unhealthier, option.
This year, I’ve been determined to stick to my resolution: stop spending and start cooking. I have been in search of different lunch options to avoid the relentless repetition of those sandwiches that were the bane of my life at school. The result? I have discovered that lunch does not have to be that ‘fill-in’ meal that keeps us going until dinner. Here’s some inspiration that has helped me in my search for alternative lunchtime bites:
1. Soup
A classic Winter Warmer; soup is an easy and cheap alternative to your habitual lunchtime meal. No need for excess spending, as you will probably already have usable ingredients in your cupboards. Most vegetables can be used to form the basis of this meal, and you can experiment with different combos so that your soups don’t become repetitive. You can even throw a bit of cheese in there if that’s your thing!
Soup inspiration: carrot and coriander, butternut squash, leek and potato, broccoli and stilton, root vegetable, mushroom.
2. Jacket potatoes
Ah, the potato—a university staple food and foundation of many a first year diet. They may not be the most adventurous of foods, but jacket potatoes are another easy and cheap lunch option. You can experiment with different fillings in order to make your JP a little more interesting. Personally, I’m a fan of the classic cheese and beans combo, but there are loads of potential fillings that you could use.
Ideas for fillings: chili con carne, ham, bacon, chicken tikka, coleslaw, tuna mayo,
3. Quiche
The great thing about quiche is its adaptability: it can be eaten hot or cold, and can be tweaked to suit different food requirements. As well as your traditional Quiche Lorraine, there are plenty of vegetarian options out there for any non-meat eaters. You can find my own recipe for Quiche Lorraine on my earlier blog ‘Top Tarts and Tips’.
4. Sausage rolls
Whilst this may not be the healthiest of alternatives, sausage rolls are perfect for uni lunches. They’re tasty, portable, and edible cold. What’s more, they’re relatively easy to make. I used a bit of GoodFood inspiration for mine, although different ingredients can be exchanged and omitted depending on what you have at home.
Ingredients
– Sausage meat
– Mixed herbs
– Jus-Rol pastry
– Worcestershire sauce (optional)
– Egg (beaten)
Method
– Combine the sausage meat, mixed herbs, and a teaspoon (or two) of Worcester sauce in a bowl.
– Place the mixed meat in a line in the middle of a rectangle of pastry, and enclose the pastry around the mixture. Slice the larger roll into sections (depending on the desired size), then brush each individual roll with the beaten egg.
– Cook in the oven at 200 degrees for 25-30 mins or until golden.
5. Sushi
Sushi may not always be the conventional option, but it’s a portable and mega-healthy alternative to your standard sandwich. Contrary to popular belief, sushi is not always hard to make. That is, if you have the right equipment. I use a home-made sushi maker called SUSHEZI that I bought off amazon for under £10. This cuts out all the fiddly steps and makes sushi-making a quicker process. I normally opt for teriyaki chicken as a filling, but crab sticks and salmon are also tasty options.
Ingredients
– 1 or 2 chicken breasts marinated in Teriyaki sauce
– Spring onion
– Cucumber
– Avocado (if available)
– Sushi rice
– Rice mirin
– Seaweed paper
Method
– Cook the rice for the recommended time. Normally, you should let it cool for around 30 minutes.
– Cut the chicken into thin strips and fry until cooked.
– Cut the spring onion, cucumber and avocado into thin slices.
– Once cooled, add a tablespoon of rice mirin to the rice and stir.
– Following the recommendations of you SUSHEZI instructions, line the SUSHEZI with your ingredients in order to create the inner cylinder of your sushi roll.
– Once the above step is completed, roll the seaweed paper around the inner cylinder, sealing with a drop of water.
– Slice your sushi into small circles.
6. Stir-Fry
Stir fry is another easy and adaptable alternative. I usually stick to the vegetarian option to cut back on spending, although there’s always the opportunity to add meat if you’re craving extra protein. Ready-made stir fry packs are available in supermarkets, but I prefer to improvise with the vegetables that I already have in my cupboard.
7. Pitta breads
Okay, so the pitta may be sister to the sandwich, but it’s still an interesting and cheap option for uni lunches. I find that falafel and salad is a tasty and healthy filling that goes really well with pitta bread. Making falafel isn’t the quickest process (around 20 mins), but it’s relatively easy and can be prepared the night in advance if you have a busy day of lectures ahead.
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2589/spicy-falafels
8. Chicken and pesto pasta
This is a really easy and quick meal that can be whipped up before a day of study. Simply boil a portion of pasta whilst frying up one chicken breast. Once cooked, drain the pasta, add the chicken, and mix in the desired amount of pesto sauce.
9. Couscous
Couscous is another healthy option that can incorporate many different ingredients. For a vegetarian adaptation, you could add peppers, courgettes and different roasted vegetables. Many recipes also include raisons as a common accompaniment. Alternatively, you could add chicken, or mix couscous with salad for an extra-healthy lunchtime bite.
10. Wraps
Wraps have long been considered a lunchtime classic. There are endless lists of world-cuisine inspired combos that make for a really tasty wrap. To make your lunch a little different, you could try out different styles of tortillas. For a super-healthy option, you could use a spinach tortilla. Equally, if you like a bit of spice, most supermarkets sell chili tortillas that work really well with Mexican themed lunches.
First photo
http://www.av8-cotswoldairport.co.uk/menu/jacket-potato-2/
Second and Third Photo: my own
Fourth Photo
http://www.bazaarbreads.co.nz/Recipe-Details.aspx?id=45
Falafel recipe: