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I first came to France when I was 14, and I was shocked and very pleased to learn about the emphasis placed on lunch. Every day, my school shut down for two hours so that students could go home and eat the meal with their families. I, of course, was used to a typical school cafeteria where the food was questionable at best and where we often made do with bagels and muffins instead of sampling the hot “meal” being served. But even the cafeteria meals I ate in France (we lived too far from school to go home) were lovely–they had options such as cordon bleu (chicken stuffed with Swiss cheese and ham) and other meals with multiple courses, including salad, cheese, and dessert.

At university, lunch became a bit of an afterthought. I never had a standard lunch period, and I usually found time to eat leftovers whenever I could. But since entering the workforce, things have changed substantially. Most French companies still give employees an hour off for lunch, but because I work for a television station with a nightly news program, I don’t come into work until 11:00. I could go out and grab a sandwich, but I prefer to make and bring my own meals. I have only a few criteria: they have to be simple and quick to make the night before and they have to be tasty at room temperature (we have no microwave). Because I eat at my desk, I also try to avoid strong-smelling foods–there’s no reason to annoy my new co-workers.

Here are a few of my most recent lunch ideas. They’re full of fiber and protein, so I stay full, and they’re also fine at room temperature, which means you can keep the containers at your desk. Enjoy!

1. Tomato and White Bean Salad

Beans are a great source of protein, and when you get them from a can, they’re a snap to prepare. I mix white beans with halved cherry tomatoes, dried basil, salt, pepper, and a little olive oil the night before and leave it on the counter in a Tupperware container (refrigeration alters the flavor of tomatoes). Leaving the mixture out overnight allows the flavors to meld, and by lunchtime, this simple combo is quite tasty. The tomatoes release their juices and mix with the olive oil, and a nice roll to sop up the liquid makes this a good meal.

2. Chicken Salad with Cranberries

Tuna salad is a little smelly for the workplace, but whenever I roast a whole chicken, I reserve some breast meat for chicken salad. I toss shredded chicken and craisins with my homemade vinaigrette: two parts olive oil to one part cider vinegar and one part Dijon mustard, seasoned simply with salt and pepper. The vinaigrette keeps the chicken moist.

You can add some lettuce to bulk this up, but it should be carried in a separate container and added at the last minute. Otherwise, the vinaigrette will cook the lettuce and leave it soggy.

3. Roasted Potatoes with Peppers

The idea for this meal came from the typical Italian combination of fried peppers and onions. Instead of frying, I roast slices of red pepper, rounds of red onion, and quartered new potatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little cayenne. This dish is good hot, but it still tastes great cold.

To bulk it up, I sometimes add some white beans, but it’s also fine on its own.

4. Greek-Inspired Chickpea Salad

Yet another recipe using canned beans, but this one also lets you clean out the refrigerator. I take canned chickpeas and toss in whatever veggies I have lying around: red and green peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers…anything goes. You can even finish off a jar of roasted red peppers, olives, or marinated artichokes.

Add a little bit of feta or goat cheese and some oregano, mint, salt, and pepper. Dress the salad simply with olive oil and red-wine vinegar. Once again, if you want to add lettuce to this meal, you should do it at work as opposed to the day before. And if you add tomatoes, remember to store the salad on the counter and not in the fridge!

Yum!

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