Sure , we allmeanto be good adult human beings and convey our lunch to work every day . But sometimes gaze down at a salad of wilted lettuce and ironical baby carrots is too much when your boss is breathe down your neck and Joel from method of accounting is being a jerk . So , Seamless it is . Again . And that prick add together up .

The keystone to beating the urge to fuck up your hard - earned cash on a non - depressing lunch is to fetch one you really desire to feed , not some half - assed bullshit you ’re dreading to eat . preserve your kale for the fun clobber outside of work , like a nice trip to the South of France or a dark out at the opera … just kidding , you know you ’re going to blow it at the bar . Either mode , here are the move for make your place lunches awesome .

1. Make Sunday your bitch

The work hebdomad gets hectic fast , between work on that bod at the gymnasium and attempting to have a social life . practice Sunday to plan out some all-fired pleasant-tasting meal and pick up some groceries . Put on that Netflix serial publication you ’ve been intend to glut watch while you fake up soups , swither , chilis , meatloaf , lasagna , and other microwavable meals . Remember this : any food that requires ho-hum cooking either on the kitchen stove , slow cooker ,   or in the oven normally inflame up really well .

2. Pre-washed greens are your friends

The only thing more irritating that washing and dry lettuce is plunking down $ 14 ( and an hour – was that really an hour ? ! – in personal credit line ) on a freaking salad . A 5 oz bag of triplex - washed super C typically costs $ 3 - 4 , and you could easily make two hearty salads from one . That come out to a simple $ 2 per wait on ! Most supermarket stock at least one variety , if not several . For a heartier green that will last through the week , sister kail is great . Get creative and mix up several types like arugula , baby romaine , and Spinacia oleracea . You ’ll palpate like your own Sweetgreen .

3. Frozen shrimp = classy af meals in seconds

Pre - cooked icy prawn are a great item to keep buy in in your Deepfreeze . snap up a smattering the break of day of and by lunch metre they will be defrost yet still moth-eaten . Toss them atop a salad or love them apparent with some cocktail sauce . you’re able to also deice the shrimp the sidereal day before , cut ’em up and toss them with a trivial mayonnaise , Citrus limon and chives for shrimp salad , which is gravid on goner or over greens .

4. Crunch time

Know how every sushi roll is made better by bring “ crunch ” to it ? Same formula practice to your soups and salad . Store pecans or almonds , sunflower seeds , sesame seeds , bread crumbs , or nori in your desk draftsman . When lunch rolls around , you’re able to transform that pile of greens or soup into something with a little more flava .

5. Make a baller grain salad

Grains are not bad . They ’re healthy , filling , easygoing to cook , are delicious red-hot or cold , and last throughout the workweek – oh , and did I cite bum ? They ’re so tinny . Cook up a cupful of quinoa , farro , or wheat berries and let nerveless . Then toss it with some European olive tree fossil oil , cured balsamic vinegar , and a lil ’ common salt and peppa . This salad pay back good with time so you may lend a deal of it to work and then use different mix - ins each day , like feta high mallow , roasted common pepper , and leek ; or grill wimp , arugula , and walnut tree .

6. Start a lunch club

Tired of only relying on yourself for your meals ? Organize a group lunch with some friendly coworkers once a hebdomad . Just bring in a few spare portions of that famous chile you ’ve been working on , switch with it your raw lunch buds , and , voila , diversity in your dieting .

7. Anytime 30-second tunafish salad

Keep a sack of Opuntia tuna , dried cranberries , and a packet of mayo in your desk drawer . Mix the three together with a small calamitous pepper for a quick and tasty tuna salad in a touch ( the cranberry really make it pop ) . For a hot - meal tactic : schmear the Anguilla sucklandii salad on some boodle , top with a slice of swiss , pop it in the toaster , and you have one delicious tunny melting . Just do n’t blank out the foil on the tray .

8. Add some spice

Take Sriracha : you may mix in it withmayonnaisefor an additional awesome sandwich spread or ketchup for spicy topping for leftover meatloaf . For the slightly more adventuresome , try piri piri ( spicy Lusitanian capsicum sauce ) , yuzu kosho ( a Nipponese citrus hot sauce ) , or gochujang chili sauce ( fermented Korean hot chilli paste ) . They could all make anything delicious .

9. Sex up canned soup with ravioli

Make transcribed soup into a full - fledge warming meal by adding piffling cheese- or marrow - filled pouches of happiness . Toss in a few icy ravioli or tortellini with your soup in a trough , be it tomato , chicken attic or mushroom-shaped cloud , and cover it with a dampish report towel . Then pop it in the microwave oven and oestrus on eminent for two to three   second . Top it all off with some sliced Parmesan or cheddar cheese for a tiptop - square soup .

10. Invest in a freezable lunch bag

Is your office refrigerator 144 , overcrowded … or prone to theft ( you make love who you are , sandwich stealer ! ) ? Make your own mini fridge . Popthis freezable lunch bagin the freezer at night and it will become a “ ice chest ” by the next cockcrow . It ’ll rest cold-blooded up to twelve hour so you do n’t even need to refrigerate your food when you get into the office .

11. Become a microwave ramen master

Take your regular crying ramen packet , add boiling urine ( either from a kettle or a deep brown machine ) , crack in an egg , and nuke it for about one moment . Top it off with some toasted seaweed snacks and you ’ll have a kick - ass trough of ramen for tiffin .

12. DIY dim sum

The glories of dim sum no longer have to be reserved for the weekend . Buy a big bag of dumpling , dowery out between six to eight piece per baggy , and store them in your freezer . Grab a udder before work and at lunchtime fill a bowl with hot H2O so they in full cover the dumplings . encompass the pipe bowl and nuke on gamy for three to four minute . The dumplings will be quick when they are float in the water . Drain and serve with soybean sauce or something spicy .

13. Repurpose a rotisserie chicken

corrode the same food for lunch as you did the night before can be depressing . But simple foods like a rotisserie chicken can be made new again with some loose tweaks . Slice up leftover chicken and smother it in BBQ sauce and stuff it into potato buns for slipper or toss it with some pesto and noodle for a full-bodied alimentary paste salad . Full recipeshere .

14.  Think outside of the standard sandwich

Turkey , provolone , and mustard on whole wheat is a fine sandwich , but you may change it up . Get fancy and use rich breads such as a meaty seven grain or a rustic sourdough , which are not only delicious but run to oblige up well than your regular pre - sliced material . open on some figure jam . This combo is killer pledge .

15. Make mug omelets

No one ever say omelets were an exclusive breakfast food . ( In fact the French only eat on them for dejeuner , so alors ca va ! ) Spray or butter a mug , crack an ball or two within , add a little milk or water , salt , some cheese , and whatever cooked vegetable you have lying around and mix well . Microwave on mellow , exposed , for one minute . Enjoy with some butter pledge for alovely repast .

sign on up herefor our daily Thrillist email , and get your fix of the best in food / beverage / fun .

good lunch

Arina P Habich/Shutterstock

crock pot

Courtesy of Damn Delicious

shrimp salad

Yeko Photo Studio/Shutterstock

quinoa salad

Elena Veselova/Shutterstock

sriracha

Flickr/NukelarBurrito

tortellini soup

Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock

dumplings

szefei/Shutterstock

chicken salad

Iryna Melnyk/Shutterstock

mug omelet

zoryanchik/Shutterstock