By all standards healthy eating lunch is considered the most strategically important meal of the day. So missing it is a crime. As well as replacing a properly balanced lunch with monotonous and inferior snacks. Therefore, I propose to make it a rule to never neglect dinner. And cooking it yourself is not difficult at all, even if you have a minimum of free time. But first things first - let's talk about the "formula" of the perfect lunch, simple recipes and about the most necessary "arsenal".

The Formula for the Perfect Office Lunch

Your lunch must include:

• complex carbohydrates(whole grain products);
• fats- (vegetable oil, avocado, nuts);
• cellulose(vegetables, herbs, unsweetened fruits, bran);
• squirrels(legumes, meat, fish, dairy products, eggs).

This balance will make you feel great and keep you full for a long time. Here is a perfect example of a balanced lunch: a salad from fresh vegetables with greens (more than half of the total lunch volume), rice (about a third of the volume), chicken (about a quarter). As you can see, all this fits perfectly into a standard lunch box:

"Magic" boxes

Now there are so many lunch boxes on sale that the choice of convenient food containers depends only on your appetites and needs. If the office does not have a microwave, purchase a thermos container:

Or a special thermo-case that will keep lunch hot:

Well, if there is a microwave, the most convenient thing is multi-section lunch boxes, each cell of which can, if necessary, be heated separately:

Three universal recipes

1. Pasta salad with vegetables and ham

What do you need?

200 g pasta, 200 g cherry tomatoes, 150 g ham, 100 g olives, 2 tbsp. l. white wine vinegar, 2 tbsp. l. olive oil, 1 tsp mustard, salt.

How to cook?

• Boil pasta in salted water according to package instructions.
• Cut tomatoes into halves.
• Cut the ham into cubes.
• Make a sauce of oil, vinegar and mustard - season the salad.
• Mix everything and salt.

2. Zucchini casserole with minced meat

What do you need?

5 medium zucchini, 500 g minced meat, 2 medium onions, 500 g tomatoes, 4 eggs, 200 g sour cream, 2 tbsp. tomato paste, 100 g hard cheese, 2 tbsp. vegetable oil, salt pepper.

How to cook?

• Prepare minced meat - fry finely chopped onion in a deep frying pan in oil, add tomato paste, ground meat. Mix, salt, pepper.
• Whisk eggs, add to egg mixture sour cream.
• Grind the zucchini on a coarse grater, salt, squeeze the juice.
• Grate the cheese, cut the tomatoes into plastics.
• Put half of the zucchini in a greased form. Then - a layer of minced meat, and cover with zucchini.
• Top with plastic tomatoes, and pour the egg-sour cream mixture.
• Sprinkle with cheese and send to the oven preheated to 180 C for 30 minutes.

3. stuffed peppers and tomatoes

What do you need?

2 large tomatoes, 2 large sweet red peppers, 2 tbsp. l. olive oil, 350 g rice, 100 g gifted almonds, a bunch of parsley, salt, pepper.

How to cook?

• Cut off the tops of the tomatoes. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon, but don't throw it away, you'll still need it.
• Cut peppers in half, remove seeds.
• Place peppers and tomatoes in a baking dish, drizzle lightly with olive oil.
• Finely chop the onion, chop the parsley.
• Chop the remaining tomato pulp.
• Fry the onion until golden brown.
• Then add tomato pulp, rice and herbs to the pan. Stir, simmer for a couple of minutes and remove from heat.
• Add roasted almonds, pre-coarsely chopped.
• Stuff vegetables with rice. Place in an oven preheated to 200 C for 35-40 minutes.

Illustrations: etsy.com, lelong.com.my, aliexpress.com, talkyland.com, costablanca.ee, mujeres.elsol.com.ar, shop-from-china.com

I have as many as two bonus cards in Eldorado and from time to time a "generous" store throws up money on them for 200 rubles. For the Eldorado store, this is a very small amount, you can’t buy almost anything with them. So I go puzzling over what to buy for such a bonus in the store.

My husband recently refuses to take first courses (soups, borscht) to work with him. He constantly leaks all the containers that I buy. Although I do not buy the cheapest options. So it occurred to me to buy a high-quality container for first courses, so to speak, to please my beloved spouse)

There are cheap options in the store (although they are not exactly cheap, since the same containers are much cheaper in other stores).

Decided to buy for a long time container brand Grand Chef collection CURVER.

I have square shape volume of 1.2 liters.

I was attracted to this container by a silicone lid, it fits very tightly to the container itself.

The lid has a convenient edge for opening.

I can note that the lid closes the container with difficulty, you need to make no small effort.

There was also an information brochure inside.

My husband has already tried to wear my soups to work. Nothing spills! Really 100% tightness)

The only minus I can note is the price, in the Eldorado store the price was 299 rubles, but since I paid 200 rubles with bonuses. That capacity cost me 99 rubles.

I think that 99 rubles is an adequate price for plastic, albeit of high quality.

Homemade food is the tastiest and most inexpensive, as every hungry office worker knows. But, the first time you collect a package of lunch at home, you usually encounter a problem - how to pack food so that it does not leak or wrinkle? Traditionally, simple plastic containers are used for this. the site explains why some of them cannot be used, and also offers several other options for transporting products.

plastic containers

There are many options for plastic containers. These can be square and rectangular bowls with lids, matryoshka bowls that are nested one inside the other, slamming sandwich containers like a suitcase. Some models have special plastic dividers to put several dishes in the container at once. Pay attention to the lids - some have valves to release steam when heated, while others must be removed in the microwave.

Pros: low price, low weight, reusable, reheatable
Minuses: many fakes made of plastic, harmful to health

Metal containers with plastic lids

Pros: long service life; you can cook a dish, and take it with you without removing it from the container. It won't wrinkle or lose its shape.
Minuses: higher price, noticeable weight, can not be placed in the microwave

vacuum containers

These are plastic containers with a special sealed lid. A miniature pump is mounted in it, which sucks air from the container, and therefore products under such a lid are stored longer. There are options with manual pressing (they are cheaper and easier to use, but they do not remove all the air to the end), as well as with an electric pump (it is sold with a container and can be powered by a mains or battery). Food in such dishes is stored much longer - up to 2-3 weeks. So that the owner does not forget how many days he keeps meat or cold cuts, there is a special date and month indicator on the lids of expensive containers.

Pros: food is stored for a long time, reusable, can be heated
Minuses: price, difficulty in use (for electric pumps)

Disposable containers

In such dishes, salads are often sold by weight. They are convenient and very cheap (wholesalers ask about 600 rubles for 1000 pieces). But do not wash or reuse them a second or third time. Under the influence of oxygen, light and room temperature, disposable tableware deteriorates. Throw it away immediately after use. By the way, it is also not recommended to heat food in the microwave - put the food on a plate.

Pros: very low price, almost weightless, you can immediately throw it away and not carry empty dishes home with you
Minuses: fragile, cannot be heated, the lid does not fit tightly, therefore they are suitable only for solid products.

Thermoses

If you want to carry soup to work, where there is a lot of grounds, choose thermoses with a wide mouth. If you prefer broths, traditional thermoses will do. The best choice- thermoses of small displacement, why do you need extra weight?

When buying food containers, pay attention to their labels. The label must contain the name of the manufacturer, its trademark, address and product name. Most importantly, the material from which the container is made and the indication for which products it is intended must be indicated.

The reason is that not all types of plastic are suitable for storing food. Therefore, study the container carefully before buying: the side should be sign with the image of a glass and a fork. If this sign is crossed out, food cannot be stored in this plastic and this box is intended for something completely different, for example, for nails.

The second important factor is that it is possible to store food in some plastic, but not to heat it up. For example, when heated, polystyrene becomes "poisonous". Under the influence of temperature, styrene is released from it, which can accumulate in the internal organs and contribute to certain diseases - for example, cirrhosis of the liver. Therefore, pay attention to the marking - it must contain an inscription "for hot food products» or designation of permissible temperature in numbers. Polypropylene polymer is considered the safest plastic. It is marked with letters RR.

Therefore, it is so important to buy food containers not from cheap Asian production, but from trusted brands (for example, Tupperware), which guarantee not only quality, but also that the labeling clearly corresponds to the raw material of the product. Another problem with cheap containers is that the lids may not fit properly and food will leak into your bag. Or, if it is a slamming lid, it will break soon enough on the fold.

Text: Sofia Ponomareva

A lunch box comes to the aid of office workers - a small container for food, which is convenient to take with you. Food from home is cheaper, tastier and healthier than fast food. Sometimes it happens that a person needs a special diet, or there are no worthy offers for lunch near the office.

Containers and bags for food are also convenient because many can withstand heating in the microwave. They are made from materials of different strength and durability, most often food-grade plastic, stainless steel. Some containers retain heat for a long time like a thermos.

Products are useful for parents, they can put a snack or a full meal to the child with them. Because many children do not eat in the dining room, but you can’t stay hungry all day. You can take a closer look at the catalog of lunch boxes at the link: https://homemarket.ua/store/posuda/lunch-box

What are lunch boxes?

There are models on the market for every taste at different prices. Buying a vessel pays for itself in 2-3 times of use, because taking food from home is cheaper than in a cafe. You can enjoy warm food in the office, do not limit yourself in choosing lunch. Containers are cared for like normal dishes

Food grade plastic lunch boxes

Available model - lunch boxes with compartments made of food grade plastic. They are compact, lightweight, close with a lid, and are inexpensive. There are different volumes - from 0.2 liters to several liters. They can store products in professional kitchens. Food-grade plastic is non-toxic when heated, so it is allowed to put hot food and heat it in the microwave.

• lid leaks;
• instability to damage;
• food cools down quickly
• fragility with daily use.

Lunch boxes that keep you warm

Thermo lunch boxes made of stainless steel with compartments resemble professional dishes. This material is considered strong, durable, it stores products with any environment. It is convenient to take it to work, because the food does not cool for a long time, the lid is airtight (although it is not recommended to wear soups).

Double or triple separation allows you not to mix the main course and salad. They note the approach to design: you can choose the color and pattern to your taste. There are round, oval, square. Product advantages:

• retain heat and cold;
• food does not cool down for 4-5 hours;
• folding plastic handles;
• several levels or compartments for different dishes.

Among the cons:

• average price, more expensive than plastic;
• the container is heavy;
• can not be heated in the microwave;
• large volumes, more often from 0.5 l;
• the thermal layer wears out, the capsule ceases to hold the temperature.

Thermal bags

Lunch bags are special bags with a thermal layer that keep the temperature. Professional use for home delivery of food. The bag keeps both warm and cold.

Small ones with a pattern are suitable for food containers for work or leisure. Depending on the size, a different number of vessels will fit in it, but not less than 2 by 0.2 liters. The inner material is a foil cloth, the outer one is a different fabric. Be sure to fasten with a zipper, otherwise the heat will be lost.

Products will be useful on vacation if you need to take perishable food from home or leave drinks cold. There are large and small models with colorful designs. Among the cons:

• high price;
• effective if the dishes are packed in temperature-preserving containers;
• impractical for 1 boat;
• only suitable for storage.

An office employee who has the opportunity to heat up food is better off using food grade plastic. If there is no equipment, then take a thermo container, and then a lunch bag. This will allow you to bring and store several meals and snacks. Often, special plastic spoons and forks are included, which is also convenient to use.

November 3, 2016

text: Myhandbook

What could be easier: to collect fresh delicious ingredients for soup, salad or granola in a jar / bottle and take it with you to work. When you want to have a snack, all you have to do is pour hot water Or add dressing and stir. Ksenia Tatarnikova, blog author smart cookies, tells how to cook delicious and quick lunch in a new way.

I first heard about salads in jars from my sister - she has been living in Berlin for a long time, and recently it has been customary for them to take such colorful pretty jars or bottles with them to work, and in them - salads, pickled vegetables, granola, oatmeal and even cupcakes!

Easier than ever: put the ingredients in a jar and pour hot water before use or add yogurt, if we are talking about granola. It remains only to mix or let it brew for ten minutes - and voila! - lunch is ready. You can cook it the day before and put it in the fridge, vary the ingredients according to your mood, your own taste and budget possibilities.

Here are some tips on how to assemble the jar:

- it is better to pour dressing or liquid on the bottom;

- then - "heavy" ingredients like vegetables and boiled legumes;

- on top - "light" greens and herbs, berries and boiled rice, pasta, soba, (so that the cereal does not become watery at the bottom of the jar due to dressing);

- finally, on top - nuts, seeds, pieces of dried fruits, crackers.

Quick noodle soup in a jar

Put in a clean dry glass jar with a wide lid: 1 tbsp. l. soy sauce, 1/2 tsp. lemon juice, 1/4 bouillon cube (you can make homemade vegetable broth and freeze), 1/4 tsp. grated ginger (optional), 1/2 tsp. grated carrots, 1/2 tbsp. chopped straw Chinese cabbage, a handful of chopped parsley / spinach / cilantro, pepper to taste. Place a handful on top rice noodles(break with your hands). Close the lid and store in the refrigerator (no more than a day).

Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before eating. Then pour boiling water (water should cover the noodles) and leave to brew for 10-12 minutes. Stir gently. You can eat the soup straight from the jar or pour it into a bowl.

What else can be used in quick soup: dried shiitake mushrooms, sweet corn, sliced ​​or paneer, seaweed, bean sprouts, watercress, hot and bell pepper, green onion, kimchi.

Multi-colored salad in a jar

By analogy with a quick soup, you can take it with you on the road.

"Eastern": put a dressing of yogurt, salt, pepper, finely chopped cucumber, chili pepper and parsley on the bottom of the jar, top 3-5 tablespoons of cooked orzo pasta, 2-3 chopped sun-dried tomatoes, green onions, 3-5 tablespoons of boiled (canned, washed and discarded in a colander), a handful of iceberg lettuce. Stir gently before eating. Stored in the refrigerator for a day.

"Motley": beat with a whisk and put a dressing of olive oil, salt, pepper on the bottom of the jar, lemon juice, apple juice, Dijon mustard and finely chopped chives. Top with slices of tomato, carrot, yellow bell pepper, fennel, mushrooms and lettuce. Stir gently before eating.

Quick breakfast for work

Lay in layers in a glass container. fresh berries or fruit, thick natural yogurt, and on top - granola (baked muesli) or nuts. crispy fruit parfait ready! Don't forget to bring a spoon with you. It is better to take separately and add right before meals. And yogurt and fruit can be put in the refrigerator in advance.

Proven combinations, for different days:

blueberries/blueberries + walnuts

raspberry/blackberry + granola

apricots, cherries/cherries + cashews

Vietnamese pickled vegetables

Peel and cut into strips a long cucumber, daikon and 3-4 small carrots. Mix 200 ml rice vinegar (no additives), 2 tsp. sea ​​salt, 150-200 g of sugar and 200 ml of water until the sugar dissolves. Put the vegetables in a jar, pour the marinade, close the lid. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably 3-5 days. Take it out, put it on, decorate with greenery and enjoy!