Cold vegan lunch ideas...help!
Posted by travis_d_05 on Sep 28, 2009 · Member since Jan 2009 · 2 posts
I just got a one year internship a few weeks ago and I need some ideas for lunch. I'm in an environmental position where I work out in the field, so I can't heat anything up. I have to bring my lunch in a backpack where it stays cold until lunch time. So far I've been eating PB&J, wraps/sandwiches (with simply hummus, lettuce, tomato, peppers), peanuts, crackers, pretzels, soy yogurt, and apples, (oh, and I don't like bananas). That's about it. I'm willing to try some new ideas, so I'm hoping you've got some!
Thanks,
Travis
I always make a huge batch of rice, beans, and veggies with curry seasoning on the weekends. I partition it into 5 servings. I warm mine up when I can, but it isn't necessary. You could also put that mixture over some raw greens for like a rice/bean salad...
i love mock chicken and tuna salads (made with garbanzo beans) i would just pack the salad mixture and bread separately so it wont get soggy... pasta salad, potato salad, veggie sushi, and salad with dressing on the side
Soba noodle salad (Thinly sliced peppers, green onions and cabbage, soba noodles, baked tofu, tossed in a simple sesame soy dressing)
Edamame
Spring rolls
Fruit salad with soy yogurt
Refried beans, salsa and tortilla chips
White bean spread (cannellinis pureed with olive oil, roasted garlic and a little fresh rosemary) with raw veggies or on a baguette
Gazpacho
Any combo of salad greens, any raw or lightly cooked veggies you like, beans, baked tofu or tempeh and nuts to make a giant, filling salad. My favorite salad ever is baby spinach, beets, avocado, roasted almonds and chickpeas with Annie's Woodstock dressing (IMHO, the most delicious bottled salad dressing of all time).
Quinoa is great cold, especially with roasted or grilled veggies
I eat leftover pasta w/marinara cold all the time...but maybe I'm just lazy.
If you want to keep food hot (soups, chili, mashed potatoes, pasta etc) start bringing a thermos. Also, both the Vegan Lunchbox cookbooks are great and not just for kids!
xo,
MA
thanks for the ideas everyone!
If you are really feeling lazy, Hormel's makes a vegetarian (really vegan, but it's marked vegetarian) chili that has one of those can tops that is a pop top, so you could just bring a can of that and a spoon and eat it cold. I was bringing this stuff to my job all the time over the summer (granted, I could heat it up) because it meant I didn't have to refrigerate it between 6 am and noon.