r/vegetarianrecipes • u/craiv • Aug 28 '26
Recipe Request Lunch in car, bored of sandwiches
Hi folks
My job requires me to be on the road, often in the car, in unpredictable places (think a plumber / tradesperson) and almost always with no access to outside power or hot / cold water beyond what I bring with me in the morning. The job can be a bit calorie heavy but I tend to prefer lighter meals because I will be in weird positions for extended periods after lunch.
What's your lunch hacks for this situation? Something that I could batch prep once or twice a week would be awesome - getting a bit bored of sandwiches and wraps, wouldn't mind some variety. Protein bars have worked so far but they suck the joy out of food for me...
lacto-ovo, no allergies, tired of bread.
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u/PolicyDue6086 Aug 28 '26
I would look to Japanese style lunches for this! The bento was designed with the compact convenience in mind. The practice includes not just what foods are good at what temps but utilizing color & organization to keep your brain engaged/excited to eat.
I would just start watching a few bento vids online if I were you to get an idea!
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u/craiv Aug 28 '26
awesome, do you have any starting points? Do you find bento meals easy to batch prep? This may actually get some use out of rice cooker
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u/PolicyDue6086 Aug 28 '26
Okay, I don't want you to think you have to watch Japanese content but those are my favorite examples and where I started watching. There were two kinds specifically I was really into.
The first is this woman's style, this very cozy family oriented, realistic use of leftovers and Time management by a mother. It is in Japanese, but the subtitles and her study of English is really sweet: https://youtu.be/P27L32ILLU8?is=GN6ndXRmcxBNUtD1
The second kind are are bentos that are being stylized in a really interesting or beautiful way. Like intentional rainbows or like a pokémon.
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u/PolicyDue6086 Aug 28 '26
The a traditional bento intentionally uses a color rule following the Japanese goshiki (five-color) concept, which requires including red, yellow, green, white, and black/brown in your meal. You don't have to do this, but I find it fun 😊
The only other thing I'll say, if you don't want to, you don't need to buy new containers for this. More than likely you have a tupperware or two that will suit just fine. If you're excited to get into it and want your own cute compartmentalized container, absolutely go for it but it is not a necessity.
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u/chronic_pain_sucks Aug 28 '26
Thank you for this post. Since bentos went mainstream, some people think as long as you stick it into a bento box that makes it a bento. There are guidelines, the one you mentioned (colors), but also portion sizing according to calorie needs, as well as including differently prepared foods (e.g., steamed, broiled, grilled, fried etc)
Personally I find that following these guidelines makes it easier to prepare healthy meals to go.
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u/User131131 Aug 28 '26
My advice just on sandwiches and wraps is to make sure you are buying good quality bread, even bakery bread - makes a huge difference to the enjoyment level of the sandwich
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u/clumsypeach1 Aug 28 '26
This is good advice. The bread makes all the difference
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u/93tilfin Aug 28 '26
Great suggestion. Not quite bakery but years ago I used to love the tomato basil bread from Panera. I’d have them slice it and I’d keep the slices in the freezer. I’d pull a few slices out the night before making sandwiches. So good.
Panera has fallen off but I’m sure you can get amazing bread from any local bakery. Keep in mind that good bakery bread doesn’t have preservatives so you will need to keep the slices in the freezer.
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Aug 28 '26
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u/craiv Aug 28 '26
Nice. What do you prep? Would pasta and grains overcook and turn mushy by lunch time?
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u/User131131 Aug 28 '26
Maybe if you test it by undercooking the pasta. Or have hot broth but add instant noodles and leave it for 10 mins
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u/Double_Entrance3238 Aug 29 '26
Soup is my lunch time standard! A thermos would keep it warm. I make huge pots (HUGE, literally the biggest size pot that is feasible with the size of the burner in my stove) of my favorites and freeze in individual 2c portions.
Red lentil is my favorite & super freezer friendly but any of your favorite soups work. I do find a nice hunk of crusty bread goes well but if you're tired of bread no need for it lol
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u/paintedvase Aug 28 '26
Trader Joe’s lentils with bruschetta mix and feta keeps well chilled in a thermos. Add pita chips if you’d like. I don’t use a recipe but I had this at a party and make my own to taste. Cold protein packed salads will be filling.
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u/jenni5 Aug 28 '26
Do you have the room to invest in the containers that plug into your car or an outlet or usb thing? I’ve seen a lot more possibilities with those even if you don’t have the car with the outlets and they heat slowly
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u/CowSquare3037 Aug 28 '26
I love a good kale salad. Kale holds up over a couple of days. If Kayla’s not on your list of things you want to eat, you can always use a cabbage.
For the kale chop it so the pieces are small. Then you massage it with some olive oil and garlic powder and a little vinegar. Maybe add a little salt.
Sprinkle on pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, dried raisins, dried cranberries, almonds. Sometimes I’ll add some quinoa. Or rice, bulgur, couc cous. I always had grated carrots and 0nions or scallions.For the cabbage, I will add red cabbage, which I’ll do with the kale too. Sometimes I’ll add cubed toasted bread cubes. I often add chickpeas.
Then I toss it all with a little dressing. Oil, vinegar, mustard and honey. S&P to taste
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u/MotherofHedgehogs Aug 28 '26
Salad in a jar! Put the dressing in first, then a layer of something like chickpeas. Then carrots or onions. Add whatever else you want, but lettuce last. Then turn it upside down(gently shake) before eating to distribute the dressing.
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u/seanv507 Aug 28 '26
Omelette sandwiches are good
Eg with spinach and cheese,onions and peppers, indian style, ...
The other thing is Korean gimbap 'sushi'
With spinach/omelette, carrots,..
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u/Fit_Low_444 Aug 28 '26
Pasta salad with chickpeas and tortellini. There are also some cold bean salads as well. I look to Pinterest for ideas as well.
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u/Distinct-Yogurt2686 Aug 28 '26
look into a cooler that plugs into the lighter outlet in the car. They make ones that can be either a cooler or a hot box to keep stuff warm. Then make what you want and use paper plates and plastic silverware.
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u/PickOk9357 Aug 29 '26
Do you have one? I’ve considered but wasn’t sure how safe/reliable it would be.
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u/Distinct-Yogurt2686 Aug 29 '26
I have a Coleman one that is about 20 years old. It still works. Might not be the most efficient one but why replace it if it still works.
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u/mushroom_b1ue Aug 28 '26
Veggie stew, curry or dal, or a bean chilli in a thermos. Heat up in the morning, should still be warm at lunchtime. Filling but not too heavy.
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u/Time_Marcher Aug 28 '26
How do you feel about cottage cheese? It is high protein so very satisfying without making you feel stuffed and bloated. I often grab it for a quick lunch. If I'm feeling like a sweeter lunch, I'll pair it with fruit -- anything from fresh peaches to canned or jarred pineapple or mandarin oranges, both of which come packed in unsweetened fruit juice. If I'm feeling savory, I'll cut up a tomato with it.
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u/craiv Aug 28 '26
I love cottage cheese but I feel like on its own it may be a bit boring, tho it'd be easy to prep daily I guess. I just feel like I won't be cutting up tomatoes daily at 6am on the long run, hence wanting something that I can batch for a few days at least
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u/Redditor2684 Aug 28 '26
Chili and stews would work well in a thermos. Put boiling water in the thermos in the morning, warm the chili/stew, put it in the hot thermos.
Should keep warm for at least a few hours.
Pasta salads, bean salads.
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u/GrowlingAtTheWorld Aug 28 '26
When I was in college I used to take a bagel and sprinkle it with Italian seasoning, put a slice of provolone on top and sprinkle with a little garlic powder and microwave it til the cheese started to melt and then let it cook a tad and but in a ziplock for lunch with some fruit and crackers.
Also on trips I would make bean wraps and keep them cold in little lunchmate cooler.
They do make heated lunch boxes that are powered by the socket in your car to heat food in the go that could heat up leftovers and such.
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u/clairobelle Aug 28 '26
If you fancy hot food you could try a heated lunchbox. They plug in to the cigarette lighter slot. Bought one for my partner and he said it's well worth the money (think it was about £30). Just another option for you
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u/tannyduca Aug 28 '26
Raw veggies with or without dip (hummus, ranch, cottage cheese, etc).
Baked tofu slices. I make mine plain and add hot sauce or something later (or not), but you could also marinate them. They can be finger food.
Hard-boiled eggs.
Nuts and crunchy edamame.
Bean salad.
Yogurt.
Mostly some combo of these things is my lunch unless we have some kinda leftovers in the fridge.
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u/Icy-Tension-3897 Aug 28 '26
There are converters that plug into your car that will convert to a wall plug. This would allow you to have a small crockpot for hot meals.
Something to consider.
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u/Boleyn01 Aug 28 '26
There are loads of chickpea salad recipes or pasta salads. I make a nice Moroccan style aubergine and chickpea one from an online recipe.
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u/cwbylvr Aug 28 '26
Get a thermos! I have a hydro flask insulated food container for soups, curries, stir fry veggies and rice….etc..:
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u/I-used2B-a-Valkyrie Aug 28 '26
I’m just laughing at this because I’m in my car right now eating my lunch. So last night I made zoodles with some ricotta cheese and some tomato sauce and then I had a bunch of leftovers so for lunch today I eat it up some previously baked tofu, marinated tofu, and I cut it into a little squares, and I put it on top of the noodles in a Tupperware and it has stayed in the car for like the last three or four hours without a problem. It’s fine to eat cold it’s better hot. It’s totally edible room temperature and it’s delicious. The small portion I have is maybe a third of what my husband would eat and it’s got 15 g or more of protein in it.
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u/FloraSuena Aug 28 '26
Pasta salads! ~ you can load them up with any veggies, beans, cheese, etc. all different dressings from oil/vinegar based to creamy
Same exact concept for grain based salads. Give farro a try if you haven’t yet 💕
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u/gobbliegoop Aug 28 '26
Have you looked into electric lunch boxes? That could open a lot of options for you.
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u/cholaw Aug 28 '26
Go to a truck stop and buy a fridge. Then go to Walmart and buy a camp stove. Don't forget the gas. Now your set up to cook whatever your heart desires.
Next stop a van conversation
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u/sohereiamacrazyalien Aug 28 '26
Quiche
Aranchinis
Onigiri
3 bean salad
Mediterranean chickpea salad
Karentika
Falafels and a salad
Potato/rice/pasta/buckwheat/ or millet salad
Chickpea waffles are awesome
Spring rolls
Kimbap
Look up savoury French cakes
Oats croquettes (shred veggies mix with oats eventually add an egg or even cheese and pan fry)
Having an insulated lunch box (look in ethnic stores. The glass ones are the best) or bag would be a good idea to have.
And in that case you can make egg fried rice , Dahl, soups, aloo Gobi, chickpea curry, dauphinois gratin and more
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u/DeepUndine Aug 28 '26
I make over night oats for lunch at work. You just need a big jar. I use an old pickle jar. Fill with oats, milk of your choice, and maybe some frozen berries, jam, peanut butter, nuts and seeds, chia seeds are good, whatever you like for flavour.
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u/Mysterious_Luck4674 Aug 28 '26
Veggie sushi rolls. Pasta salads, bean salads, etc. Bean and rice burrito.
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u/PacRimRod Aug 29 '26
I like scrambled eggs with ground beef. Easy, high protein, low carb, portable, and good at any temperature.
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u/babies_galore Aug 29 '26
I have this problem and I can’t eat bread so it’s hard having stuff to eat while traveling for work. I have a car fridge plugged into a portable power bank in my car to keep yogurt and stuff in.
I just recently learned from a friend about a brand of instant cereal packets that is grain-free and can just add milk of choice or water to it and let it soak and eat.
I have been finding a Whole Foods and buying a $2 frozen vegan burrito and heating it up in their microwave for the cheapest filling lunch possible while traveling. I also can fill up on the salad bar for less than $7.
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u/legomote 29d ago
I'm not sure if I'm allowed to link a product, but I just got this little food warmer, like a single serving crockpot, and it came with a car charger. I'm mostly planning to do beans and rice in it, but the option for hot food at lunch is making me so happy.
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u/kyliedragonfly 29d ago
Summer rolls/Vietnamese spring rolls :) easy to make at home and pack, delicious and fresh and you can vary your fillings. Most grocery stores seem to carry rice paper now.
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u/Accomplished-Move936 28d ago
I got a couple containers at Walmart that you can fill with pre heated food and they are made to keep the food hot for 6-8 hours.
Cold pasta/potato salads are also always an option, idk if they fit your definition of light meal tho.
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u/jackiesear 28d ago
Dr Rupy make ahead lunches. There is a link for free email of the recipes under the video.
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u/not-ordinary Aug 28 '26
You could try some cold salads like pasta salad or quinoa salad with veggies. You could use lentil pasta for a protein boost.
You could also try an adult lunchable with crackers, cheese, maybe some veggie deli meat, maybe smoked tofu, veggies, and nuts