Tired of the same old lunches?
Are cheese sandwiches and a packet of crisps just not cutting it anymore?
Then perhaps it’s time to change things up!
Whether it be at home or in the office, lunch is an important meal in the day as it provides you with enough energy to get through the afternoon.
For many people, lunch is not something they give much thought to. Often it involves warming up last night’s leftovers. Or a last-minute throwing together of whatever happens to be sitting in the fridge.
But even if this is the case, there are several things you can do to enhance the look and taste of what you eat during the day.
With that in mind, here are 14 amazing ways to upgrade your lunches. None of which take up too much time, money or effort.
1. Use a nice plate
Eating should always be a pleasure we delight in and lunch is no exception. So, whatever you choose to eat for lunch, why not make an event of it?
One of the easiest ways to do this is to eat off a nice plate. But while you might have a nice stack of dinner plates at home, do you have a designated lunch plate?
It is worth buying some – which will be distinct from the ones you use for your main evening meal – as this will create a sense of a special occasion.
Even if you are eating at the office, be sure to take one of these plates with you. Doing so will provide you with a much more enjoyable experience than eating out of a cheap lunch container will.
2. Use fancy cutlery
While you are at it, be sure to use fancy cutlery too. Even if you are at the office.
Food that is eaten with a plastic fork screams functionality. If you want a more pleasurable experience, use a good quality knife and food.
For an extra special touch, don’t be afraid to add a cloth napkin to the proceedings.
3. Turn the TV off and put the devices away
Lunch is a chance to take a break from your daily activities, refuel and relax. So why take the opportunity to do just that?
If you are at home, turn the TV off and set your phone to one side.
Instead, why not create a casual and relaxed vibe by putting on some nice, restaurant-type ambient music?
This should make the food the centre of your attention and also provide you with a very pleasant dining experience to enjoy.
4. Dine al fresco
Just because you are at home or in the office doesn’t mean you have to eat at your kitchen table or work desk. One great way of upgrading your lunch experience is to dine al fresco.
For an occasional change of scene, try and find somewhere inspiring to eat. This could be in a park, by the river, or next to the beach. Essentially anywhere that can amplify the experience.
5. Add some gourmet salt
While you might season the food you eat, regular table salt can only take a meal so far.
However, the addition of gourmet salt can boost it to a completely different level.
There are many different salts to try, all of which have their own unique taste sensations. So whether you want to go for lemon, sea, Himalayan or Murray River Pink Salt, be sure to sprinkle some on your food to give it a real lift.
6. Glug on some olive oil
In the same way as salt can transform a dish, so can really good quality olive oil too.
Rather than just picking up something from the supermarket, why not treat yourself to something from your local provider?
Top-shelf olive oil comes in many different forms, so be sure to experiment with those which are infused with truffles, lemon, chilli, garlic or basil, to name but a few. All of which can be drizzled onto anything from soups and curries to salads and grain bowls.
7. Add a splash of Balsamic
Whilst you are at your local provider you should check out their range of balsamic vinegar too.
Balsamic is another exceptional way to transform a dish and can turn even a simple green salad into something that will make your taste buds sing.
Some terrific brands of balsamic vinegar to try include those which are flavoured with whiskey, lime, blood orange and herbs. But again, it is worth checking out what is available.
8. Squeeze on some lemon or lime
Adding lemon and lime is another incredible way to impart extra flavour to a dish, particularly one that is a little dry.
It is also particularly nice on chicken or fish and like balsamic vinegar, can spruce up a salad too.
9. Add sautéed nuts
Another terrific way to add more flavour bombs to your lunch is to sprinkle sautéed nuts on top of it.
This crunchy, salty, and buttery topping not only looks great but also provides extra texture to your dish as well.
10. Upgrade your bread
Should you still fancy a sandwich, one way to increase its desirability is to upgrade the bread you use.
Bog standard sandwich bread can get a bit uninspiring after a while. So instead, why not replace it with something more exotic like focaccia, sourdough, ciabatta, brioche, or a baguette?
If you can get them fresh from the baker that morning, then you will enjoy them all the better.
11. Mix up your sandwich fillings and spreads
If you usually have the same old sandwich fillings and spreads on rotation throughout the week, then consider switching them up.
There are scores of different sandwich combinations you can try, so ditch the usual ham or cheddar and try something more exotic like brie and bacon, fig and prosciutto and avocado and chickpea.
When you do fancy ham or cheese, be sure to swap mayo or pickle for something like rose harissa, pesto, hummus, olive tapenade or aioli.
12. Eat around the world
Whilst it will be lovely to be able to do this, until such time as you are able to teleport yourself, Star Trek-like, to other countries, you obviously cannot.
However, what you can do is draw inspiration from other nations around the world when it comes to choosing what to eat.
By devising a lunch plan that incorporates dishes from several different countries, you will be able to treat yourself to rich and varied culinary experiences every lunchtime.
Start by writing down a list of food genres you enjoy, for example, Indian, Thai, Chinese, Mexican, Spanish, Greek, and Italy. Then try to come up with three or four different lunchtime ideas for each country.
13. Have a BBQ
Sometimes you just can’t beat a barbecue.
So, if the weather is good and you have the time, why not put a couple of steaks or shrimp on the grill?
If you don’t fancy doing it yourself, you can always call in the experts. In which case, you might consider Gathar’s example of BBQ catering as one option.
14. Have a dessert
Just because it’s lunchtime doesn’t mean you can’t have dessert!
For those who want to upgrade their lunch experience, having a sweet course is the perfect way to follow their lunch.
Even if you don’t fancy a chocolate cake or a bit of pavlova, you can always treat yourself to a couple of squares of chocolate or a nice bit of ice cream.
Final Thought
We hope this list of amazing ways to upgrade your lunches has given you plenty of inspiration to enhance your midday dining experience.
Whether you choose to take them on board is up to you. But at the end of the day, if you really want to enjoy some wonderful dishes at lunchtime, all it really takes is a little thought and creativity.