Mam, can I have a packed lunch?

[venta]

How exciting. I have a new solution to the knotty problem of reasonably priced, interesting, hot food to take to work in lieu of sarnies.

Today, taking a short-cut through Waitrose, I observed that those nice people in Covent Garden who make yummy soup have also started making risotto. I acquired a diddy little tub of mushroom and parmesan risotto, and a freshly-baked bread bun, which made a very passable lunch for the sum total of £1.83. Which, for those of us without access to a subsidised canteen, is in my opinion a pretty reasonable price for a bought lunch.

It wasn't the best mushroom risotto I've ever tasted. On the other hand, I have eaten much worse in restaurants and would rate it quite highly for something that is basically a readymeal. My only real criticism is that the microwave instructions require you to have read step 3 before you do step 2. Yes, I know you should read all the instructions before you start.

Obviously this midday food solution does assume access to a microwave at work. I've no idea how common that actually is.

Incidentally, I am well aware that the best solution to the aforementioned knotty problem is to make stuff yourself. That is usually what I do. However, some days lack of time, lack of leftovers, amnesia, laziness, incompetence etc get in the way.

Do you have any particularly fine baitbox tips ? Yes, I do call the packed lunch I take to work bait.

Comments

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

Ooh, Covent Garden Risotto - sounds good to me! I might have to give that a try ...

[skorpionuk.livejournal.com]

Good call!

innocent also make something similar, veg pots.

They're probably not quite as cheap, but they do make for a substantial meal, and are super-fresh.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Yup, I'm a big fan of innocent's veg pots. Sadly, they're a bit beyond my budget for the everyday, though.

[sushidog.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to take a packed lunch in now that I'm a student again; my standard is pasta (wholemeal stuff, 'cos it's theoretically healthier) with pesto, a squirt of tomato paste, and some roasted cherry tomatoes/chopped pepper, plus a sprinkling of pumpkin and sunfower seeds. Eat hot or cold. It's easy to prepare, and fairly cheap, but still nice, and makes quite a decent lunch.

[bateleur.livejournal.com]

I observed that those nice people in Covent Garden who make yummy soup

I would have said "shockingly mediocre soup which in all but a few cases tastes only of tomato, cream or water", but it seems one's mileage may vary!

[venta.livejournal.com]

Blimey. I haven't tested their soups extensively, not being much prone to buying cartons of pricey soup, but the ones I've had have seemed pretty nice.

[davefish.livejournal.com]

I go to Tesco (just beside work) and make use of their deli counter and a small baguette.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Yup, I've done that before (when I worked nearer a thing which had a deli counter). You can get an awful lot of sliced salami and bread for the price of a sandwich :)

[ladylizbet.livejournal.com]

These soups are divine : http://www.gloriousfoods.co.uk/products.html

Morrisons stock them. And they easily do two lunches.

Home made rice'n'peas'n'ting is always a good one, and I make it often in the winter, enought to do a couple of days and use up left overs.

xx

[uitlander]

I'm rather partial to the innocent vegetable tubs, although these generally come in just over the £3 mark. (On special at Tesco atm at £2.21). Their Thai green curry one is yum!

[ebee.livejournal.com]

Despite the fact that the afore mentioned issues normally stop me making bait, the Amazon FOOD FLASK did help a lot during winter.
Ex