Desi Lunch Ideas for the Office That Reheat Well

What makes a good office lunch

An office lunch has a few extra requirements that home dinners do not. It has to survive hours in a bag, taste good after reheating, fit in a container, and not make a shared kitchen smell too strongly. The good news is that many desi dishes meet these rules easily, especially thick, dry-ish curries and rice dishes.

Dishes that work well

Lemon rice

Lemon rice takes about 30 minutes in total on the recipe card for 4 servings, and it tastes good at room temperature or reheated. It is mild in smell, which colleagues appreciate. Pack it with yogurt in a separate small container and a boiled egg or a handful of roasted peanuts for protein.

Khichdi

Khichdi reheats well, though it thickens, so stir in a splash of water before heating. It is filling, gentle on the stomach and inexpensive. Pack pickle and yogurt separately.

Chana masala with rice or roti

Chana masala is one of the best office lunches, since chickpeas hold their shape and the gravy improves overnight. Pack roti separately and wrap in foil or a cloth so it does not go soggy.

Daal with rice

Daal tadka is a classic. Pack the daal in a leak-proof container and the rice in another. Lentils thicken in the fridge, so add a little water when reheating.

Aloo keema, dry style

Aloo keema (about 50 minutes on the recipe card) is a good meal if you make it fairly dry. Minced meat must be cooked to 71 C (160 F) for beef, lamb and pork, or 74 C (165 F) for poultry. Keep the lunch box cold until you reheat it.

Wraps and rolls

Roti with a dry filling such as paneer, egg bhurji or leftover chicken makes a cold or room-temperature lunch that needs no microwave. A wrap with a dry sabzi and a smear of chutney is easy to eat at a desk.

Dishes to avoid for the office

• Very watery curries that leak.
• Fried items, which go limp (though a samosa reheated in an oven toaster is fine).
• Strong-smelling dishes such as certain fish curries, if your workplace shares a microwave.
• Anything with raw salad vegetables sitting directly on hot rice, which makes everything soggy.

A week of lunches from one cook

Cook two main dishes on Sunday, one lentil and one chickpea or vegetable, and make rice fresh on the nights you need it.

How to pack it well

1. Use leak-proof containers. Steel tiffin boxes, glass with locking lids, and good-quality plastic with silicone seals all work. Glass and steel do not stain from turmeric.
2. Pack separately the parts that go soggy: roti, salad, chutney, raita.
3. Warm it before packing only if it will be eaten within a couple of hours. Otherwise, pack it cold.
4. Use a thermal container or an insulated bag with an ice pack. Hot food should stay hot (above 60 C or 140 F) or cold (below 5 C or 41 F), not warm.
5. Add a small fork or spoon, a napkin and a wet wipe to your bag.

Keeping lunch safe

An office lunch spends a long time between kitchen and mouth, so a few precautions are important.

• Do not leave a lunch box in a hot car or a warm bag for hours.
• If your office has a fridge, put the lunch in it when you arrive.
• Reheat to steaming hot (at least 74 C or 165 F) in the center and stir halfway through so there are no cold spots.
• Rice needs extra care. Cool it within an hour after cooking, refrigerate it, use it within a day and reheat it once.
• Throw away leftover food that has been out for more than 2 hours, and do not take it home to eat later.
• Wash your lunch box thoroughly each day with hot soapy water.

Dealing with smell and the microwave

• Cover the container loosely so food does not splatter.
• Wait a minute after heating to let steam disperse before opening the lid.
• Keep spice strength moderate on workdays and add chili powder or chopped green chilies at your desk if you want more heat.
• If your workplace has a policy or a colleague has a concern, a thermal container that keeps food hot without a microwave avoids the issue altogether.

Variety on a budget

Eating the same thing every day is the fastest route to buying lunch. Keep three or four dishes in rotation and change the sides: a different pickle, a new raita, fruit or a handful of nuts. Check the pantry before your weekend shop so you buy lentils, rice and spices you actually need. Degchi, an Android app, can keep that list, though a note in your phone does the same thing.

A quick checklist for Sunday

• Choose two main dishes and one rice or bread.
• Cook, cool quickly and portion into lunch containers.
• Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days, and freeze the rest the same day.
• Pack soggy-prone items separately.
• Bring an ice pack or thermal container.