A daily routine of slightly stodgy pasta salads from Essentials or cheese sandwiches from home can be pretty uninspiring, but few of us have the funds to venture to Bakery 164 or the Hidden Café too regularly. Below are a few ideas for lunches which don’t take too long, but will keep you going through a long afternoon of lectures.
Salad-y salads
Leafy salads work best if you keep the dressing separate until you come to eat it, otherwise the leaves tend to go soggy. Grab a bag of mixed salad and have it with beetroot, feta, pine nuts and a lemon and mustard dressing, or make a simple nicoise by adding a boiled egg and tinned tuna. For something more substantial, roast butternut squash and scatter over salad with cooked brown lentils or pumpkin seeds, and top with a chilli and lime dressing.
Noodle salads
Noodle salads are pretty much just a cold stir fry with crunchier veg. Try noodles with beansprouts, peppers or peas, topped with a soy, honey and ginger dressing, or a sweet chilli dipping sauce. To add protein, sprinkle peanuts over the top or marinade and fry some chicken or tofu.
Pastries
A box of ready-rolled puff pastry isn’t particularly cheap, but it’ll work out cheaper than a pasty a day. Spread tomato puree on half of a rectangle of pastry, grate cheese over it and sprinkle over some dried herbs then fold in half, crimp the edges and eggwash. Bake in the oven, leave to cool and take into uni the next morning to enjoy pizzay goodness.
Rice salads
Rice salads are versatile because they can be made to fit any kind of cuisine. The flavour spreads over the rice best if you mix it all together while the rice is hot, combine with beans, roasted vegetables, curried lentils, Mexican chicken and peppers, avocado, or a salty cheese such as feta. Change it up by using brown rice or couscous.
Becky Shortt
Photo: Property of bbc.co.uk