Working from home can be unpredictable. Sometimes there’s a lull in the middle of the day, and you find the time to take a break and make something special. Other days, things are so busy that you can only grab a minute to eat a few spoonfuls of peanut butter before you jump back online. No matter what type of day you’re having, a good work from home lunch is important for keeping you alert and happy all afternoon. 

Here’s how the team at Blue Apron makes work from home lunch a treat, even on those rushed days. 

Switch things up

I was getting tired of eating the same turkey sandwich for lunch so I decided to deconstruct it into a salad. You can do this with whatever produce you have at home, just top it off with  a simple vinaigrette. I also sprinkled some dill on top, as it was about to go bad in my fridge. Chef tip: fresh herbs are a great way to add lots of flavor to a salad! — Chef Sarah Entwistle

Turkey sandwich salad for work from home lunch
Turkey sandwich, but make it a salad

Reinvent your leftovers

This week I made a salad with chopped romaine, sesame seeds, lightly sautéed snow peas, and a tahini-ponzu dressing. I had some leftover chicken from dinner, and I tossed that on top for extra protein. I also sautéed the snow peas for 1-2 minutes, just to make them a bit more tender. — Chef Ashley Giddens

Give yesterday’s noodles new life

When you’re reheating pasta, drizzle a little water into the bowl (I use my fingertips to kind of “spray” water) before microwaving, it gives the noodles new life. Sometimes I’ll even make a little extra sauce on the side so that when I reheat and stir it together they’re still nice and coated with sauce. — Chef Emily Ziemski

Peanut noodles with tofu for work from home lunch
Crispy tofu & spicy peanut sauce with marinated carrots

Work in advance 

You can make a big batch of pancake batter ahead of time. The longer the batter sits, the more it “ferments” and builds flavor. Pancakes for lunch? Yes! In these weird WFH times, don’t be afraid of treating yourself to comfort foods. — Chef Emily Ziemski

Pancakes for work from home lunch
Pancakes for lunch? Why not!