Incorporating more meat-free meals into your diet is a popular new year’s resolution.

Whilst it is relatively easy to have a vegan breakfast/dinner (by using nut milk over your cereal, and replacing the beef mince in your Bolognese for Quorn), when it comes to lunch, it’s harder to think of creative options.

I’ve been Vegan for just over a year now, and whilst there has been a lot of trial and error, I now have a collection of convenient lunch options that are easy to make and taste great too!

1. The Easy one: Leftover Vegan Pasta Salad

This is super easy and requires hardly any extra effort. Make a bigger portion of your favourite pasta in sauce (I make my own tomato one which is super easy and cheap) and then save some for lunch the next day- I pack mine in a Tupperware straight away to avoid eating it all for dinner the night before.

2. The Creative one: Chickpea “Tuna” Sandwich

This is by no means a like-for-like replacement for a tuna sandwich, but you’ll be surprised with the texture of the chickpea mixture! This is super high in plant-based protein so it’s really filling too (a great option for those long-library days).

3. The Budget one: Beans on toast

(This is self-explanatory- just heat up the beans and toast the bread!)
I add chopped black olives and mixed spice to the beans for some added flavour and then sprinkle over some nutritional yeast at the end for extra nutrients

4. The Vegan Classic one: Falafel and Hummus Pitta

This is such a vegan classic but a firm favourite amongst vegans and non-vegans alike. I buy my falafels from Abu Bakr in Hyde Park (pack of 18 frozen ones for £2.80!). I usually grill 2 or 3 falafels, spread hummus in a toasted pitta then crumble in the falafels along with chopped salad/cucumber.

5. The Fancy One: Couscous, Tofu and Kale salad

If you want to push the boat out a little bit then I recommend trying this one out. Just cook the couscous how you normally would, fry tofu in a little soy sauce and mixed spice and then microwave some kale to soften before adding it to the pan with the tofu to crisp up. Mix it all together in a Tupperware and drizzle over your favourite chilli sauce.

For more vegan recipes, visit www.basilandvogue.com

Andri Neocleous