Knowing what to pack for work lunches can be a daunting task and can sometimes leave you in a little bit of a conundrum. Some of us are time poor, some of us may be lacking inspiration, whilst others might not know the trick to boiling the perfect soft boiled egg (ahem 6 minutes 45 seconds). No matter your culinary level, the girls at LJHQ share their varied, healthy and MNB approved lunches to give you a little bit of #lunchspo for your next meal prep sesh.
Fiona: In house nutritionist/Content writer
Describe your approach to making lunches: Healthy eating doesn’t always have to be a boring salad or tuna and rice, it’s easy to make great choices when you have the great ingredients on hand. Preparation is key. Don’t have time to make it before you go? Assemble a nourish bowl of ingredients at work.
How would you sum up your lunch style in 3 words: Delicious, tasty and sensible
Ingredients you’ll almost always find in my lunchbox are: Sauerkraut, kale and avocado
My ultimate lunch would be filled with the following: Guacamole, sauerkraut, massaged kale, corn chips, lemon, beetroot, carrot, beans – mexi flavour is so easy to create and it’s always a regular appearance on my lunch rotation.
The recipe I rocked today was: A nourishment bowl of ingredients I had handy in the fridge. Purple cabbage mixed with lemon and salt, avocado, red capsicum sticks, cucumber sticks, leg ham and a fancy fig for some sweetness. Sometimes a nourishment bowl doesn’t need to make sense, it just needs to encapsulate your favourite flavours.
Olivia: Marketing Assistant/MNB Contributor
Describe your approach to making lunches: I honestly don’t really have an approach to making lunches, I’m pretty lazy so my lunches are usually leftovers from dinner the night before, because I think most things always taste better the next day and it’s easier than having to make something new.
How would you sum up your lunch style in 3 words: Satisfying hearty leftovers.
Ingredients you’ll almost always find in my lunchbox are: Lots of veggies and I always have to have meat or I’m not satisfied. In terms of snacks, I always have nuts & cranberries, a green apple and Anzac biscuits at the ready.
My ultimate lunch would be filled with the following: I love sweet jacket potatoes packed with lots of veggies like beetroot, avo & tomato and then topped with chives and sour cream. I also can’t go without snacks because I get really peckish in the afternoon.
The recipe I rocked today was: Just a simple chicken stir fry with brown rice and lots of veggies.
Ashleigh: Editor, MOVE NOURISH BELIEVE
Describe your approach to making lunches: I always like to have a good balance of complex carbs, protein and healthy fats. Plus, they’ve gotta be colourful and pretty – that’s just a given.
How would you sum up your lunch style in 3 words: Nourishing, vibrant and a little bit fanc-ay
Ingredients you’ll almost always find in my lunchbox are: Tahini (much to my roommate and fellow colleagues/ lunch companions dismay), kale, quinoa, avocado, sauerkraut, sweet potato, eggs and salmon.
My ultimate lunch would be filled with the following: Where do I begin? Oodles of noodles (soba of course), some kind of cruciferous vegetable, sauerkraut, 6 minute 45 second boiled eggs, a healthy helping of avocado and anything Mexican related (I have a slight mexi obsession).
The recipe I rocked today was: Honey, sesame roasted pumpkin on a bed of soba noodles and cucumber zoodles. The sauce is super simple too, it’s just a mix of tamari, apple cider vinegar, honey, sesame oil and sesame seeds.
Marnel: Business Development Specialist
Describe your approach to making lunches: Fresh is best and prep is key! Experiment and be creative without overthinking it. It’s all about the flavour and variety! Lunch should be balanced with the right amount of carbs, veggies and protein and every mouth full should be enjoyed.
How would you sum up your lunch style in 3 words: Clean, Lean and Balanced.
Ingredients you’ll almost always find in my lunchbox are: Brown/black rice, lean protein (salmon/turkey/kangaroo) & funky salad or crunchy veggies
My ultimate lunch would be filled with the following: Anything with avocado, haloumi cheese and fresh veggies!
The recipe I rocked today was: Fresh mixed salad topped with baked turkey breast, stuffed with (homemade) spinach, feta & garlic stuffing
Natasha: Graphic Designer
Describe your approach to making lunches: I am a really terrible cook. I know that if I tried harder, I would get better at it. But truth be told… the care factor just really isn’t there. However, I DO care about eating healthy, nourishing foods! So my approach to making lunches is: to try and make it as simple and easy as possible for myself, while keeping it fresh and healthy!
How would you sum up your lunch style in 3 words: Quick, easy, healthy
Ingredients you’ll almost always find in my lunchbox are: Tinned tuna, avocado and bananas.
My ultimate lunch would be filled with the following: Eggs, eggs and more eggs. They are my second favourite thing in the world (after my fiancé). I don’t care if it’s an omelette with loads of yummy fillings, boiled eggs served with sliced tomato, avocado, basil and sprinkled with salt and pepper, fried eggs (in coconut oil of course) on top of a healthy Asian stir fry or scrambled eggs on sourdough test…. Just give me all the eggs!!!
The recipe I rocked today was: Smoked salmon, avocado and baby spinach on top of rice cakes, with cracked salt and pepper and a generous squeeze of lemon juice.
Adriana: Business Development Specialist
Describe your approach to making lunches: I loosely follow Ayurveda (my dosha is Vatta), which means I eat warming foods to keep my digestive system happy. My approach is to make a vegetable curry or stir-fry at the beginning of the week and have my largest meal of the day at lunch.
How would you sum up your lunch style in 3 words: Lots of flavour, warm and lots of veggies.
Ingredients you’ll almost always find in my lunchbox are: Rice + veggies + avocado
My ultimate lunch would be filled with the following: Plenty of flavour from a quality masala spice mix and a little hint of chilli, mixed through with lots of coconut oil and of course lots of veggies.
The recipe I rocked today was: 1 x zucchini sliced, 1 x head of broccoli broken up, 1 x carrot sliced, 1/2 an eggplant, handful of cashews, 1/2 cup of cooked brown rice, stirfried with some dried chilli flakes, tamari to taste, a little honey, 1 teaspoon of fish sauce.
Phoebe: Deputy Editor, MOVE NOURISH BELIEVE
Briefly describe your approach to making lunches: I can’t cook, but I can chop so my lunches are always some variation of raw salad, but on days that I wake up and feel like a Masterchef I throw caution to the wind and steam my broccoli.
How would you sum up your lunch style in 3 words: Cool, calm and collected.
Ingredients you’ll almost always find in my lunchbox are: Broccoli, eggs, sauerkraut.
My ultimate lunch would be filled with the following: Quinoa, chicken, broccoli, eggs, slivered almonds, avocado and tahini. And a spoon full of peanut butter.
The recipe I rocked today was: Shaved broccoli salad with a side of zoodles, avocado and sauerkraut.
Stephanie: digital designer
Describe your approach to making lunches: I always try to bring lots of ingredients to work then put them all together just before I eat. I like to shop mostly at West End Markets and then experiment with the array of produce I’ve been tempted by.
How would you sum up your lunch style in 3 words: Leftovers, fresh, Asian inspired
Ingredients you’ll almost always find in my lunchbox are: Rocket, chicken, soba noodles, fresh herbs from the garden, salmon, tomatoes, cucumber, wrap bread, avocado,
My ultimate lunch would be filled with the following: Salmon and avocado sashimi! I am addicted.
The recipe I rocked today was: Ginger, coriander chicken with shiitake mushrooms, spinach and asparagus served with soba noodles.