10 Sack Lunch Ideas That Don’t Need Refrigeration

Many sack lunch ideas lovers assume that you can store the meal in a refrigerator until it is time to eat. But, sometimes, this is not possible, maybe because you are in school, traveling all day, or working in a place without a working fridge. Rather than make a sandwich that will be soggy by lunchtime, you can prepare a sack meal that does not require refrigeration. Here is a list of 10 sack lunch ideas that don’t need refrigeration for the perfect meal when you cannot keep your food cold or frozen:

10. Tuna or Chicken Packets

Chicken and tuna packets are a lifesaver if you are running late and only have time to whip up a quick meal. Pick as many flavors as you can find at your local store and have them handy in your kitchen. You can also throw in tuna or chicken pouches and use them to make a quick wrap or sandwich for a protein-rich lunch.

9. Scrambled Chickpea Pita

Vegans will love the scrambled chicken pita. If you have time over the weekend, make several pitas and freeze them. You can pick out one frozen pita during the week and place it in your lunchbox to thaw by lunchtime. Pack with dark chocolate, quartered strawberries, and sugar snap peas.

8. Potato Bowl

You can make a packed potato bowl with mashed potatoes, freeze-dried broccoli, dried chives, and some bacon bits. Stir in these ingredients to make a tasty, balanced meal, and add salt, pepper, and butter to taste. By lunchtime, you should have a hearty potato bowl ready to eat.

7. Peanut Noodles

Peanut noodles are a saucy meal that is both easy to make and a delight to eat. Even better, you do not really need to cook rice noodles – just soak them in hot water in the morning to soften them, and you are good to go. You can then mix several tablespoons of store-bought or homemade peanut sauce into the rice noodles. You can top the meal with red pepper flakes and pack with baby carrots, sugar snap peas, choose, and Triscuits. However, after warming your rice noodles in warm water, always run them through cold water to prevent them from clumping together.

6. Rice Cake and Nut Butter

If you have a nut butter you have been dying to try, there is no better way to do it than over lunch with rice cakes. You can use your favorite peanut butter or almond butter and make some rice cakes for the perfect fridge-free sack lunch. According to The Stoke Fam, if you do not eat nuts, swapping out the peanut butter with chickpea butter or making a nut-free sauce at home is recommended. For a full meal, pack your rice cake and nut butter with some potato chips, blueberries, and celery sticks.

5. Lentil Salad

Lentils are packed with protein and tend to hold up well for several hours out of the fridge. This is especially true about hearty brown or green lentils. Depending on how much time you have on your hands, you can get a lentil salad recipe online and make your own or buy a ready-made tub from your local salad bar or the deli counter at your grocery store. You can then pack your salad with roasted almonds, clementine, green beans, and snacking cheese.

4. Ham and Cheddar Muffins

If you like to bake, make a batch of ham and cheddar muffins over the weekend and place them in the refrigerator. Throughout the week, you can slice one or two in half and pack them in your lunch box. The muffins should be thawed enough by lunchtime to make a delicious meal. Pack them with graham crackers, nut butter, a small apple, and mini sweet peppers.

3. Soba Noodle Salad

Who doesn’t love a good soba noodle salad? If you are feeling like a thermos meal for today’s lunch, toss in some soba noodles in your dish with a vinaigrette drizzle, some green beans, and chopped carrots. Make sure to cook and cool the noodles before packing them. For the dressing, consider a simple mixture of ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. You can get a soba noodle salad online or buy the salad locally. Remember to pack with accompaniments like potato chips, beef jerky, sliced cucumber, and cubed avocado slices for an all-round meal.

2. Peanut Butter and Banana Pinwheels

Peanut butter and banana sandwiches are an all-time favorite. They make the perfect packed lunch because, in addition to being easy to make, they are chockful of proteins and nutrients like potassium. Unfortunately, the toast in a PB and banana sandwich may not hold up well out of the fridge, so consider substituting the bread with a tortilla. All you need to do is spread peanut butter (or any other butter you prefer) on a tortilla, place a peeled banana in the middle, and roll. For extra flavor, you can add a dash of maple syrup or honey. Also, consider packing it with blueberries, roasted almonds, dried mango, or celery sticks. This sack lunch is perfect for days on the go, hiking, and camping.

1. Marinated White Beans

Marinated white beans make a great packed lunch for fancier foodies that love a mezze platter. Because they taste better the longer they sit, plan to make your marinated beans over the weekend in a big batch, then pack smaller portions throughout the week. To level up the meal, you can throw in some freeze-dried vegetables one day and bacon bits another. You can also serve some sliced-up red peppers on the side or pack the beans with olives, pita chips, grape tomatoes, and a hummus cup. Like all the meals on this list, your marinated white beans will hold up well outside the fridge.

Conclusion

Whether you are gearing up for a busy week at the office or your child needs packed lunch every day this week, these Sack Lunch Ideas No Refrigeration will save you the hassle of worrying about access to a refrigerator. They are delicious, satisfying, versatile, and can hold up well at room temperature. Even better, they are affordable, easy to make, and readily available at local supermarkets and grocery stores.