8 Lockdown Lunch Ideas

If the lockdown is leaving you feeling less than inspired about lunch time, here are some ideas which might help break up the sandwiches and tinned soup monotony….

1. Try to fill your fridge and pantry with some lunch friendly staple ingredients whenever you do your grocery shopping. My favourites include rye and sourdough bread, eggs, smoked salmon or mackerel, feta cheese, hummus, avocado, ready to eat pouches of quinoa and Puy lentils, oatcakes, jars of roasted peppers and sundried tomatoes, salad greens, radishes, cucumber and tomatoes.
2. Whenever you’re making soup, double up the recipe, then freeze and save portions for another day.
3. If you’re making rice or pasta for dinner (ideally wholegrain), make extra and pop it in the fridge to use as the base for a lunchtime salad the next day. I love using leftover brown rice to make a poke bowl type salad with smoked salmon, avocado, radishes and a soy, ginger and sesame dressing.
4. Batch roast a load of vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots, red peppers and courgettes in olive oil and herbs and keep them in the fridge to use as the base for a quick and filling lunch. Just add some protein and healthy fat – feta cheese and pumpkin seeds are my favourite additions.
5. Experiment with different types of breads, such as rye and sourdough (which keep well in the freezer) and top these with some greens and other veg, a serving of protein and a small serving of healthy fat. I love rye bread topped hummus, roasted or fresh red pepper, rocket or watercress and for extra protein, you can add tuna or feta and for healthy fat, add a few slices of avocado or a drizzle of olive oil
6. Get creative and substantial with your salads. You can use roasted vegetables as a base or try one of my favourites which is feta, walnut, roasted beetroot, watercress and avocado salad with chickpeas. 
7. Keep some hardboiled eggs in your fridge – they are incredibly versatile. You can slice them and serve on them on rye or sourdough with a bit of avocado and rocket, create a Nicoise style salad with some tinned tuna, olives, corn and salad greens or mash them with light mayonnaise and chopped chives for a healthy take on an egg mayo sandwich.
8. Finally, don’t forget that you can always heat up last night’s left over dinner for lunch.