Making Lunch
Switch up your working-from-home lunch with our quick and easy ideas. For something more substantial, fill your freezer with batch-cooked portions for a hearty meal in minutes
The ultimate jacket potato
A crisp-skinned, fluffy baked potato is hard to beat for a working-from-home lunch. Our experts share tips for getting the crunchiest skin, and reveal their favourite fillings. Plus 30 instant topping ideas
Batch-cooked lunches
Spend a Sunday afternoon in the kitchen (glass of wine optional) and fill your freezer with handy lunches ready to heat up
HEALTHY LUNCH IDEAS
These recipes all come stamped with our Good Health logo, so you know you’re adding a nutrition boost at lunchtime
Vietnamese-style chicken noodle salad
The fragrant dressing adds bags of flavour to this zingy salad which is low in saturated fat and well worth the effort
Baked pea ‘falafel’ with tomato herb salad
Adding frozen peas to your falafel mix is a great way to bump up the veg and add a lovely sweetness. Serve in pittas with a few green leaves
Crab on toast with braised leeks
A low fat lunch for two – flavoursome crab is paired with tender baby leeks and a perky sauce of crème fraîche, gherkin and dill
Sweet potato & spring green hash
Pepped up with fragrant rose harissa, this easy, satisfying lunch is low in saturated fat
Mushroom & onion pâté on rye
Rich with flavour from dried porcini and fresh chestnut mushrooms, this recipe is simple to make and a great source of fibre
SANDWICHES AND FLATBREADS
Who doesn’t love things on toast or in a wrap? These recipes make a delicious change from your standard cheese and pickle or ham salad sandwich
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Got a little more time on your hands? Treat yourself to something a little different. These recipes are ideal for a weekend lunch
Hot smoked salmon tart with lemon & watercress
This looks special but is actually very simple to make. Top crisp puff pastry with a creamy mascarpone sauce and layer over salmon and watercress
Lamb and harissa sausage rolls
Few things compare with a homemade sausage roll still warm and crisp from the oven. For a twist on the classic, these are flavoured with lamb and aromatic herbs and spices
Easy home lunches
Food editor Silvana shows you how to make three quick lunches: a chilli cheese toastie, kimchi fried rice and a simple squash soup
Vietnamese spring rolls
These are delicious with a dipping sauce for a light lunch. You can add all sorts of ingredients to the filling, including tofu, cooked prawns or chicken
Poke-style prawn and avocado bowls
This traditional Hawaiian way of preparing seafood is all the rage right now. You’ll usually find raw tuna tossed in the soy dressing, but we think prawns work just as well
QUICK & EASY LUNCH RECIPES
Perfect for busy days, these lovely lunches are ready in 20 minutes or under
SATISFYING SALADS
Use these recipes more as a guide, swapping out the ingredients you don't have to something similar you do
Poached salmon, watercress, avocado & lime salad
This no-cook lunch is perfect as it is, though you could serve with some boiled new potatoes
Warm chicken & preserved lemon salad
A warm, tangy salad that features all the sunshine flavours of the Mediterranean
Roasted sweet potato and goats’ cheese salad
A satisfying vegetarian salad that's lovely served warm
Chargrilled vegetable & asparagus salad
We've used some speedy shortcuts but you could roast your favourite vegetables and cook your preferred grain
Potato salad with peas and pecorino
A wonderfully fresh-tasting potato salad with pops of salty cheese and subtly sweet peas
Chicken with fennel, chicory & orange
Ideal for days when you're craving something light and refreshing
Waste not...
Salad leaves or celery looking a little sad? Try plunging into ice-cold water for 15-20 minutes, before draining to bring back to life. Later, wilt the last of your salad greens in a little olive oil or butter with garlic to have as a side dish.