Pack a lunch like a snack board, not a meal

The easiest no-sandwich lunch is just a snack board in a box: protein, raw crunchy veg, fruit, and something fatty. You don’t need recipes, and you don’t need to reheat anything.

Start with one or two proteins: hard-boiled eggs, rotisserie chicken, canned tuna, edamame, chickpeas, or cooked shrimp. Then add a couple of colors of vegetables that travel well — cucumber slices, bell pepper strips, snap peas, or cherry tomatoes. For fruit, anything that doesn’t turn into mush works: grapes, berries, apple slices, orange segments. A quick splash of lemon juice keeps apples from browning.

Don’t skip the fat. A spoonful of hummus, a few olives, cubed cheese, or some almonds makes it feel like an actual meal instead of a sad bait box. If you’re hungry after that, add a handful of whole-grain crackers or cold rice. Portion-wise: about a palm of protein, two fists of veggies, one handful of fruit, and a thumb of fat.

Assemble it in a set of reusable containers or a bento box, keep wet things separate, and you’re done. It takes five minutes, and honestly, it beats the sad desk salad every time.