Work Lunch Ideas: a Week of Packed Lunches

Five packed lunches for work take just two evenings: on Sunday evening you prepare lunches for Monday to Wednesday, and on Wednesday evening (or Tuesday) the ones for Thursday and Friday. The reason is storage: according to microbiologist Lars Fieseler of ZHAW in Wädenswil, leftovers keep in the fridge for three days at most, and cooked rice for two days at most. Put everything in the fridge once cooled and reheat warm dishes to 70 °C before eating (BLV, the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office).

Updated October 2026. Sources: BLV, “Hygiene im Umgang mit Lebensmitteln” (wash, heat, separate, chill); SRF Wissen, “Foodwaste: Wie lange sind Essensreste haltbar?” (23.06.2014), with microbiologist Lars Fieseler, ZHAW Wädenswil.

Which 5 lunches can you prep in two evenings?

If your second evening is Tuesday, the dates move one day earlier: always check that you stay within three days. Rice is the trickiest, which is why Thursday is its day.

How do the two prep evenings work?

1. Sunday, before you start: cook the barley or spelt and the lentils, roast carrots and other vegetables on the same tray, boil the pasta.
2. Do not dress too early: keep sauces and pesto separate and add them in the morning.
3. Cool quickly: let it cool, then put it in the fridge, as the BLV “chill” rule asks.
4. Wednesday evening: cook the rice, prepare vegetables and egg, boil potatoes and beans. Keep the rice in the fridge and eat it on Thursday.
5. In the morning: fill the box, with no cooking.

Glass or plastic: which lunch container is better?

Glass is microwave-safe and does not absorb smells or the colour of tomato sauce or curry, but it is heavier in your bag. Plastic is light and harder to break, but it stains and can hold smells. Either way, the lid matters: it has to close tightly so nothing leaks in your bag.

• Pack the dressing separately in a small jar with a tight lid and add it just before eating.
• For soups and lentils, pick a box with a leak-proof lid.
• For salads, put wet items (tomatoes, mozzarella) on top and the dressing in its own container.

What if there is no fridge at work?

With a fridge the rule is simple: keep the lunch box chilled until your break, as the BLV asks for perishable food and leftovers. Without one, choose dishes that taste good cold, such as grain salads, pasta salad and potato salad, and use an insulated bag with a cooling pack. Do not leave the box next to a radiator or in the sun. If in doubt, do not eat it.

How do packed lunches fit into your weekly plan?

Lunch belongs inside the weekly plan, not next to it. To plan the whole week, read the guide on how to meal plan in Switzerland, plus the quick weeknight dinners and the guide to meal prep and grocery shopping. For balance, see the meal plan based on the Swiss food pyramid; if you live alone, there is cooking for one, and for the kids the school snacks and lunchbox guide.

In the Kitchen of the Rappn app (iOS and Android), the “Planner” screen shows the planned recipe in the “Lunch” slot with kcal, minutes and servings (recipe data). Under “Saved recipes” your lunch favourites stay at hand. On a recipe you set the servings to 5, the quantities rescale, and you send the ingredients to your list. More ideas are on the recipes page.