4 Reasons to Pack Your Own Work Lunch (Plus Easy Leftover Ideas)

Here’s a funny thing about lunch. You can cut a sandwich into perfect triangles, remember which kid has gone off tomato this week, and fit three snacks, a yoghurt and a sneaky treat into a Bento without even looking.

Then you get to work and realise you didn’t pack anything for yourself.

You’re definitely not alone. When you’re the one keeping everyone else fed, your own lunch tends to slide to the bottom of the list. So it ends up being a rushed cafe run, a few crackers between meetings, or nothing much at all.

This one’s for you. Here are four good reasons to pack your own work lunch, plus easy leftover ideas that mean it barely takes any extra effort. Because it’s your turn.

1. It Saves More Money Than You’d Think

A bought lunch doesn’t feel like much on the day. But at around $15 a pop, five days a week, that’s roughly $75 a week and well over $3,000 across a working year.

Packing lunch from home, especially from leftovers you’ve already paid for, keeps that money where it belongs. Think of it as a little pay rise you give yourself. Maybe it goes towards the family holiday fund. Maybe it goes towards something just for you. (We won’t tell.)

2. You Get a Lunch You Actually Look Forward To

When you’re hungry and short on time, you grab whatever’s close. Packing your own means you choose what’s in it: the foods you love, in portions that suit you, ready whenever your break rolls around.

It helps with the 3pm slump too. A proper lunch, plus a snack tucked away for later, makes the office biscuit tin a lot less tempting.

3. Leftovers Get a Second Life

That last serve of dinner has a habit of sitting in the fridge until it’s past its best. Turning it into tomorrow’s lunch means less food in the bin, fewer takeaway containers, and one less meal to think about.

It’s the easiest kind of meal prep there is, because the cooking’s already done.

4. It Gives You Back Your Lunch Break

No queues, no ordering, no wandering around trying to decide. When lunch is already packed, your break is yours to actually enjoy. Find a sunny spot outside, call a friend, or just sit for a minute without anyone needing anything from you.

You spend so much of your day looking after everyone else. A real lunch break, with food you’ve chosen, is a simple way to look after you.

Easy Leftover Lunch Ideas for Work

The secret is to cook once and pack twice. When you’re dishing up dinner, set a portion aside for tomorrow before it hits the table (before anyone goes back for seconds). Here are some of our favourite ways to turn last night’s dinner into today’s lunch.

Roast Chicken Grain Bowl

Shred leftover roast chicken and pile it over couscous, quinoa or rice with roast veggies and a handful of baby spinach. Keep the dressing separate and add it just before you eat, so everything stays fresh.

Best packed in: Multiway Lunch Box, with the dressing in its own section

Curry and Rice

Curries are the ultimate make-ahead lunch, and they often taste even better the next day. Pack the rice and curry in separate sections so the rice doesn’t go soggy, then reheat at lunchtime.

Best packed in: Multiway Lunch Box

Spaghetti Bolognese, Round Two

Pack it with pasta, or switch things up and spoon it over rice or a baked potato. Pop the grated parmesan in a separate section so you can add it fresh.

Best packed in: Multiway Lunch Box

Taco Night Burrito Bowl

Leftover taco mince or chicken becomes a burrito bowl with rice, corn, beans and cheese. Keep the crunchy and wet bits (lettuce, corn chips, salsa) apart until lunchtime, then build your bowl.

Best packed in: Multiway Lunch Box

Fried Rice Fix

Day-old rice makes the best fried rice. Toss it in the pan with frozen veg, an egg and whatever protein is left over, and you’ve got a couple of lunches sorted in about 10 minutes.

Best packed in: Multiway Lunch Box

Leftover Veggie Frittata

Got odds and ends in the crisper? Whisk them into a frittata for dinner and slice the leftovers for lunch. It’s just as good cold, with a side salad or some crusty bread.

Best packed in: Multiway Lunch Box

Desk Grazing Plate

For morning tea or that mid-afternoon pick-me-up, pack a mini grazing plate: cheese and crackers, leftover roast veggies with hummus, a few nuts and some fruit. No cooking required.

Best packed in: Multiway Snack Lunch Box