Vegan or not, it’s easy to fall into the same old routine of boring lunch after boring lunch.
Try mixing it up a bit with these vegan packed-lunch ideas – some of which can be frozen in portions!
Whether you’re packing vegan lunches for your kids, your partner or yourself, there’s no doubt that it gets tricky coming up with creative meals that don’t involve ham, cheese or egg. Check out these 10 lunch ideas for some #LunchInspo
#1: ‘Cheesey’ Scones
Good for a yummy lunch or for afternoon tea, ‘cheesey’ vegan scones are definitely a winner in terms of packed-lunches. These savoury treats are easy to catch to school or work and are definitely worth making in bulk and freezing.
#2: ‘Fish’ Tacos
Bringing left over Mexican from the night before is the epitome of workplace food envy. Step it up a notch with these vegan battered ‘fish’ tacos. With guac, salsa and onion, this yummy treat is best to put together at work to enjoy right away.
The mock-fish used in this recipe can be found at The Cruelty Free Shop. This store is your go-to for any vegan ingredients you’re after!
#3: Turmeric Chickpea Salad Sandwich
If you’re a fan of the gold old-fashioned sanga, this turmeric chickpea salad sandwich would be right up your ally. With the mimicked consistency of the ever-popular egg-salad sandwich, this lunch comes close to looking like the real deal. The versatile chickpea is pretty good at pulling off whatever it is you’re missing since becoming vegan. Missing tuna? Chickpeas. Missing eggs? Chickpeas (or tofu, of course!).
#4: Thai Tempeh Buddha Bowl
If you’re into packing lunches that are a little bit fancy and a whole lot of healthy, this Thai tempeh Buddha bowl is the lunch for you. Pop it in your finest Tupperware at night and enjoy it the next day. This yummy lunch idea boasts a variety of flavours and definitely satisfies those workday blues.
#5: Basil ‘Ricotta’ Pinwheels
Great for making in a big batch and splitting across lunches for he whole family, these vegan basil ‘ricotta’ pinwheels are a cute, bite-size lunch to please everyone. With mock-ricotta and an abundance of salad fillings, these pinwheels will get gobbled up by grown ups and kids.
#6: Banh Mi
For a more filling lunch, try this vegan banh mi. This baguette is stuffed with veggies, tempeh, humus, Asian dressing and hot sauce and can be made using leftover vegetables from dinner.
#7: Vegetable Potato Fritters
Even though these vegetable potato fritters don’t have any egg in them, they hold together beautifully. Make a batch of 12 fritters in 25 minutes – and if 12 sounds like too many, pop them in an airtight container, separating each fritter with baking paper, and pop them in the freezer!
#8: Zucchini Quesadillas
For an easy lunch, try these vegetarian calabacitas (zucchini) quesadillas. Bring a container or two with guacamole and/ or salsa to dip in as you go. Get all those yummy Mexican flavours with this no-fuss recipe.
#9: Olive and Artichoke Tart
For those tart-lovers, this vegan olive and artichoke tart is sure to please. Utilising the popular vegan staple, nutritional yeast, this tart is hearty, creamy and could easily fool non-vegans into giving it a crack. Want to make this delicious treat last a little longer? Cut it into portions and pop it in the freezer.
#10: Sushi in a Jar
With all things mason jars being in vogue, this vegan sushi in a jar is both delicious and aesthetically perfect. This particular lunch idea is super flexible and can adapt to suit whatever your favourite sushi fillings are.
Loved these easy vegan lunch ideas? They are all great ideas to keep your meals healthy and well-portioned. Check out this mum’s story about how she lost 28kg of baby weight in 6 months!
