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1. A 52-week tear-off meal planning pad with plenty of space for you to finagle your way into the brings-lunch-to-work crew by cleverly plotting how to cook dinner at home and then taking leftovers for lunch. I'm designing your medal right now.
Check out a TikTok of the weekly meal planning pad in action.
Sweetzer and Orange is a small business specializing in planners, stationery, and educational products.
Promising review: "The magnet is great, sticks to fridge very well, does not slide or move. Perfect for planning meals and adding needed grocery items to the right side. Then you just tear off the right side and head to the store. This has made our family meal planning so much easier!" —SandyBeach
Get it from Amazon for $8.99 (available in two styles).
2. A four-pack of super slim ice packs that'll take up just a smidge of real estate and keep things perfectly chilled — even if you can't put your lunchbox in a fridge 'til chow time.
Fit & Fresh is a woman-owned, Providence, RI–based small biz specializing in lunch boxes and related products.
Promising review: "These are thin enough to slip into a lunch bag. Yet they are big enough to spread the cold to keep from spoiling. Purchased these because my husband couldn’t put his lunch in the fridge during work. They work well. All I do is pop them into the freezer over night and they’re ready the next day." —Amazon Customer
Get a four-pack from Amazon for $7.46.
3. A *freezable* lunch box can cut to the chase in keeping your lunch nice 'n' fresh without ice packs (ahem, they're built-in). Also, it's just in a really cool print!
It uses patented EcoFreeze technology, with built-in ice packs to create a fridge-like cooling system that keeps food and drinks cool for hours.
Promising review: "I use this most days and enjoy the convenience of the built in gel packs. I work out of my vehicle in a region that sees 100+ degree heat. I can leave it in my hot car and still have a cold drink at lunch." —Jennifer
Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in a variety of prints).
4. A set of collapsible silicone microwave containers you'll use to pack your lunch, then collapse and slip into your bag so you don't have to carry home bulky food-storage containers.
SuperDee Corp is a small business that specializes in food storage products.
Promising review: "I keep one of these in my bag at all times, and now I can bring home leftovers from restaurants and not have to deal with single use plastic or Styrofoam to go containers that will just be floating around the planet a thousand years from now. They have never leaked or spilled. They are well made, easy to open and close, and take up little space in my bag." —Kristen Nicoletti
Get a set of four from Amazon for $24.95.
5. A sandwich cutter and sealer to help you DIY your own Uncrustables at home because those lil' sandwiches are delicious, but they do add up cost-wise very quickly. Plus, IMO, they're part of a perfect adult-at-desk lunch.
6. A Momofuku ramen noodles variety pack as a quick 'n' easy meal for when all you wanna do is open a packet, boil some water, and then chow down. This is one of my favorite lazy meals and there's been many times I've made one of these in the morning, dumped the noods into a thermos, and then enjoyed them at the office.
I tried out these noodles as part of the Ultimate Variety Pack and haven't looked back since. I want to ALWAYS have these in my kitchen cabinets. Yes, they're THAT good. I'm very lazy and have spent way too much money on takeout in my life, so I'm forever looking for a solution to help me get takeout-worthy food at home for the least amount of effort. These totally fit the bill. I also like to toss chopped scallions on top. I'll even even mix in sautéed veggies and chicken to help bulk up the dish...or just use up the stuff that I have that I know I need to eat. I adore them so much that I even bought my brother a big bundle of them for Christmas and he was VERY excited when he opened it because Momofuku and David Chang's amazing reputation precede them.
Get a 15-pack from Amazon for $48 (includes 5 servings each of 3 varieties) or get a 20-pack from Momofuku for $52 (includes 10 servings of the popular Soy & Scallion and 5 servings each of the other 2 varieties).
7. A salad-chopping tool that'll help break your $16-salad habit from that place down the street. This chopping tool (that costs less than one of those salads, btw) will bring a little bit of action to food-prep while helping convince yourself that your homemade salads are delish.
Heck, you can even use this on a Target or Trader Joe's salad mix that comes in a bag for even LESS meal prep time.
Promising review: "Probably one of the best things I have EVER bought!!! I am hooked on Subway chopped salads so I decided I wanted to buy the tool to make my own. This chopper is legit! It works amazingly! It chopped up my spinach, onion, peppers, pickles, cucumbers, and iceburg lettuce shreds like a charm and in little to no time at all. It also cleans very easily. Here is a pic of how finely it chopped my salad! If you love chopped salads, GET THIS!!!" —
Get it from Amazon for $10.99.
8. A Somos protein-packed burrito bowl kit will provide just everything except a bowl and microwave. Each part comes in a microwaveable pouch so you can take over the work microwave and do it there *or* do that part at home and just warm it up a bit all assembled in the break room.
I'm a fan of Somos and have tried both this and the smoky chipotle mushroom version to great success. They made for excellent quick WFH meals on days when I didn't want to use my lunch hour (take that lunch hour!!!) standing over a hot stove. It comes with microwave packets for all the ingredients and when I'm making just one serving, I leave half the ingredients in the microwave packs, then just use the packs again to heat up for the next round. So at about $5/lunch, this comes out MUCH cheaper than Chipotle.
Get it from Target for $9.79.
9. A six-pack of ready-to-eat refried beans to help you fill out burrito bowls, DIY quesadillas, and all kinds of delish meals. Or you can straight up stick the bag in the microwave to cook and then you can become the stuff of office legends after eating beans out of a bag with a fork during a work meeting that should've been an email.
A Dozen Cousins is a San Francisco-based, Black-owned small business that specializes in beans, rice, and seasoning sauces, and provides an annual grant and volunteer support to nonprofits working to eliminate socioeconomic health disparities in the US.
Promising review: "The Dozen Cousins beans are awesome! They are ready to eat and are very flavorful. I love them and they are very healthy. I have a very busy life working and fitness, and these are very easy to prepare. I purchased some for my daughter too. I highly recommend." —Janet Gosse
Get a six-pack from Amazon for $21.91.
10. A Bentgo stackable lunch container so you won't have to worry about different elements of your salad getting soggy before noon. (Go ahead, put your croutons on your work-lunch salad!) It's super sturdy and leakproof, and has a separate dressing container.
Promising review: "I absolutely love these salad containers. My fiancé and I have big appetites, but try to eat healthy. These containers fit a ton of salad greens and all sizes of toppings — nuts, beans, cheese, fruits, meats, pasta, etc. They make packing lunch easy. Just throw in some greens, a protein, a dressing, and toppings that make salad fun for you! We use ours several times per week and they make it to both our jobs without spilling or leaking. I walk and ride public transit, so mine gets tossed around a bit. Several of my friends and coworkers have bought them after seeing mine!" —izzo
Get it from Amazon for $13.59 (available in eight colors).
11. A premade Shredded Beef & Yakisoba you simply just keep refrigerated 'til it's time to heat up in the microwave. It's ready in 5 minutes and ships right to your door!
I sampled this dish, along with a few others, right when it launched and can confirm they're quite filling and ready in under five minutes. Granted I was eating a work-from-home lunch with these but they're quick enough to cook in a microwave that they'd be wildly convenient to eat in an office with a shared microwave. Psst, I also especially loved the Harissa chicken with chickpeas.
Get it from Blue Apron for $4.37+ each (depending on which meal plan you select; available in more dishes).
12. An egg bite maker in case you're a sucker for those bites and love to turn 'em into a lunch with a couple of other things. (You're an adult, you can eat what you want!) This'll help you make 'em on the cheap(er) and customize them as you like.
Psst. A lot of folks also use these for pancake and protein pancake bites!
Promising review: "I bought this in hopes to make egg bites similar to Starbucks' and I have not been disappointed. I chose this one after reading reviews on the smaller four-bite size. I have used it many times and have had excellent results each time. I followed the recipe in the booklet and used a tip from another reviewer who suggested to triple the cottage cheese amount. It’s very easy to use and clean." —April124
Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in three colors).
13. Some jarred truffle-infused pasta sauce for quite possibly the fanciest take on an easy, reliable pantry meal that you can dump into a thermos to keep warm for lunch. Nope, you don't even need to heat it up in the break-room microwave!
The Pomodoro sauce is hearty without any spice. And the Arrabbiata sauce delivers the heat. I've tried both of these flavors of Truff pasta sauce and they are SO good. It likely goes without saying but if you don't like truffles, you won't like this. It is VERY truffle-y. I'm also a big fan of the Truff hot sauce from the same brand. Most of the time I make a meal of whatever pasta and jarred sauce I happen to have as a last resort, but I look forward to eating pasta with this delish sauce — even if it's just noodles and sauce with not even a sprinkle of Parm to dress it up! It'll cost ya more than Prego or other store-bought sauces. But it's worth it as a treat!
Get two jars from Amazon for $29.99 (available in three flavors).
14. A bottle of Mike's Hot Honey to zhuzh up whatever leftovers you're toting to work. It's especially transformative on store-brand frozen pizza!
I've used this stuff and it is FANTASTIC. Just don't pour it in your morning tea! It's not that kind of honey.
Promising review: "This is a great topping to pizza. Can be used in a multitude of ways but I mainly just add it to a pizzeria pizza or a frozen pizza straight from my oven. Good flavor. There’s heat, but not too hot." —Kate Singleton
Get it from Amazon for $9.57.
15. A jar of Fly By Jing chili crisp that'll add a tingly kick to noodles, rice, meat, veggies, and anything else you pulled out of the freezer to whip up at home before you left for the office. You might even wanna buy a jar *just* for your desk.
Fly By Jing is Asian woman owned and sells sauces, oils, and dumplings!
Promising review: "I have purchased my share of Chili Crisps, but this is BY FAR MY FAVORITE!!!!!!! My job allowed its employees to build a box of our favorite items and this was one of the items I chose. And I tell you I’m so GLAD I DID!!!!! It had just the amount of heat and DID NOT HAVE A GREASY TASTE!!!! After my first BITE, I looked it up so I can place my order!!!!!!! GREAT JOB!!!!!!!" —Pozaya B.
Get it from Amazon for $11.99.
16. A dishwasher-safe silicone soup cube tray that'll hold 1 cup of delicious hot entrees like soup/chili/stew/sauce per cube so you can freeze and then reheat it later, then dump it in a thermos for a toasty winter desk lunch.
It also comes with a lid so you can easily stack them and four fill lines (½ cup, 1 cup, 125 mL, 250 mL).
Souper Cubes is a small business seen on Shark Tank that specializes in bake-and-freeze storage products.
Promising review: "I'm extremely happy with my Souper Cubes! I cook chili and soup and always make too much, having the ability to freeze serving-size portions is perfect. Saves time and food quality by not having to thaw it all each time I want another serving. High quality and since it's silicone and not rigid plastic it won't crack in the freezer. Highly recommend!" —Alexander S. Waterman
Get it from Amazon for $19.95 (available in three colors and packs of two).
17. A vacuum-insulated Thermos can keep your food hot or cold as you desire. After all, if you're bringing ice cream for lunch that's YOUR business.
This should be hand-washed only.
Promising review: "Keeps food hot, but for 4–5 hours only. Good for a single serving. We use this for my son’s school lunch and it fits in his lunch bag perfectly." —Leonard F.
Get it from Amazon for $27.25 (available in four colors).
18. An eight-pack of sippable soups you merely heat up in the microwave for those days when you've got one free hand and a packed work calendar.
Promising review: "This soup is liquid gold. To me, it tastes like those jack cheese and jalapeno tamales, but in liquid form, and it is not spicy at all. So no worries just enjoy. I bought a case of these, they are perfect to sip during a working lunch, especially if you work in a cold air-conditioned office building!" —Beckeyz
Get them from Amazon for $13.44+ (available in four flavors).
19. A set of reusable Gripstic bag sealers because sometimes lunch is an open bag of pita chips and container of hummus you quickly grab from the fridge.
Gripstic is a small business that specializes in reusable chip clips.
Promising review: "I'm a stickler about stale chips and have always used those little snapping clips. I thought they worked pretty well, but they really don't compared to Gripsticks. The snack that proved this the most was Pirate's Booty. If these are exposed to air for more than three minutes, they turn into styrofoam peanuts. I promise they're just as fresh as when you first open them with Gripsticks. They're going to be my go-to chip clips moving forward." —Rachel Campbell
Get a set of 24 from Amazon for $23.95 (available in four sets).
20. Fillo's Walking Tamales will make for a delish one-handed meal when you have exactly 10 minutes before your next 1-on-1 because you squeezed in a derm appointment during your lunch break. They're vegan and gluten-free. Plus, no need to refrigerate *or* microwave!
Fillo's is a family-owned small business established in 2017 that specializes in ready-to-eat Latin staples.
Promising review: "This is a great snack or mini-meal to keep on hand when you have no time or energy to cook. For diabetics or those doing meal planning, it is two carbs plus a protein exchange. It is very filling, and keeps me satisfied for hours. I wasn't sure I would like it, as I am not vegan and usually like my Mexican food smothered in cheese, but it is surprisingly tasty as is!" —Andrea Frankel
Get a pack of seven from Amazon for $17.99 (available in three flavors).
21. A cult-favorite portable blender in case you're on a smoothie kick and have been giving Jamba Juice allll your money lately. You can operate this wherever you are and if you can tote around a water bottle, you can tote this.
Promising review: "Yes, I did it. I bought the TikTok blender and I don't regret it one bit. I can create any smoothie I want, from healthy to dessert shakes for the kids. So easy to use, charge and clean. It's a must buy!!!" —Debby from Warren
Get it from Amazon for $23.63 (available in five colors).
22. A set of four condiment bottles so you can properly dress your salad or even bring some barbecue sauce for your heated up chicken fingers. Condiments can truly make or break a meal.
Plus, they're top-rack dishwasher-safe.
Promising review: "After many containers that promised leakproof and left me with my lunch sack bathed in salad dressing, I have been saved. For the past two weeks, I've taken different dressings, ketchup, and soy sauce to work and not a drip! I don't use plastic containers, but these cuties sit happy and dry by my glass containers. I am also eyeing some for liquid travel containers for flying. Plus, they're not hard to clean, and they just work!" —JH
Get it from Amazon for $10.99 (available in nine styles).
23. A three-compartment lunch container to keep your food separate and non-soggy. If you've ever given up on packing a work lunch because it required more than one container, this is for you.
Plus, it's dishwasher-safe and BPA-free.
Promising review: "I use these daily for taking lunch to work, where I have to haul it around in a backpack all day. It gets hit by thermoses, set on the ground, jostled, bumped, and it never leaks out unless I put something in it that's actually liquid — example, some very wet watermelon once had a minor issue with seeping. But that could have been me closing the container without checking to make sure nothing was in the seal. I recommend these all the time to co-workers." —Patricia jones
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in four colors and nine styles).
24. A bento box bowl — available in plastic or ceramic — you'll wanna show off because it's simply gorgeous. Say buh-bye to your orange-stained plastic containers.
Promising review: "I've stopped using Tupperware for lunches and meal prep. I’ve been waiting for something like this. It looks clean and is highly functional. The fact that you can microwave it and put it in the dishwasher is huge for me." —grubbinseattle
Get it from Amazon for $25+ (available in ceramic and plastic and in 10 colors).
25. A portable personal-sized Crock-Pot to park at your cubicle and feel superior about bringing your famous chili. Plus! You won't have to fight for your life just trying to microwave your food in between meetings.
It's 20 oz and has a dishwasher-safe removable container and spill-proof lid.
Promising review: "I love this food warmer. I use it for lunch and dinner at work every day. I meal-prep by freezing big batches of food in small freezer bags, and then I place them inside of coffee mugs so the food is in a shape that will fit in the Crock-Pot. I let the food cook from frozen for about two hours, and it comes out perfectly." —Karen w.
Get it from Amazon for $39.85+ (available in two colors).
26. A six-pack of fully cooked quinoa quick cups you can keep stashed in your filing cabinet for those days when everything went wrong at home before you ran out the door to work. After all, there are only so many Clif bar lunches you can have.
Kitchen & Love is a small business that specializes in portable, ready-to-heat snacks and meals.
Promising review: "This product was amazing! I got the variety pack and was pleasantly satisfied with the delicious flavor of each meal. They were extremely easy to prepare, and great for a quick snack or to serve with dinner. Tastes like something you would order at a restaurant, and is healthy. A win win with this product! I highly recommend to everyone!" —Matthew G
Get a six-pack from Amazon for $24.69 (and check out more flavors on their Amazon storefront).
27. A Stasher reusable silicone bag that's actually *airtight*, so you won't want to throw it away after a few uses like so many you've tried before. This'll make for super easy transport for a variety of lunch elements!
You can even throw it in the dishwasher and microwave! FYI, it's self-sealing and non-plastic. It's also free of BPA, PVC, and latex.
Promising review: "I've tried a LOT of reusable bags as there are a lot of options out there all using a variety of materials. The fabric ones just get gross over time. The vinyl ones are hard to clean and aren't usually dishwasher-safe. There are other silicone ones that need a separate rod to close them that you can easily lose. This one is the most simple and easy to use. No separate pieces to lose. Can withstand any temperature/microwave/dishwasher/whatever. And if they get gunky they are very easy to clean and I trust that they aren't hiding gross crumbs in any of the crevices. My only complaint is the cost — they are the most expensive and I wish they offered a bulk discount. If they were cheaper I would use them for EVERYTHING (open cheese in cheese drawer, all snacks on the go, etc)." —Megan A.
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in several sizes and colors).
28. Or some quick-dry cloth reusable bags that'll also let you tote (dry) lunch components to your job. These are also great if for whatever reason you don't want to advertise your delicious lunch to your nosiest coworker. Nope, I don't want to have a 20-minute discussion about natural peanut butter. Thanks!
Promising review: "I love when a product makes life easier, replaces plastic baggies, and looks cool to boot. I filled these with snacks for my last trip and loaded up my carry on. They're durable so I didn't worry about them breaking. I've been packing more lunches to work (saves money!) and take snacks on road trips (healthier options!) with these pouches. Easy to use, easy to love. Heck ya!" —Sandra Obremski
Get a pack of four from Amazon for $17.65 (available in 13 styles).
29. A three-pack of travel silverware sets with an obvious, dedicated pouch in case your workplace doesn't have disposable silverware you can use. Or you just aren't so great at washing dishes every day once you get home from work.
Promising review: "Great product. Small enough to fit in any bag. The fork tines do seem a bit sharp so I'm not sure about using for children. Works perfectly for adult use to pack with your work lunch. Plus you get three sets so I would highly recommend. Would buy again." —Lisa Rainey
Get three sets from Amazon for $7.99.
30. A MicrowavaBowl if uneven heating has been holding you back from becoming a full-on packed-lunch person. This bowl will prevent random cool spots that happen when you heat up your food in the container you transport it in.
Promising review: "These bowls are high quality and very convenient. They heat up food very quickly and evenly, saving you valuable time and energy. Its ability to heat the food and not the bowl itself is very valuable to me. Prior to this purchase, I would have to use a hot bowl holder to avoid burning my fingers. The size of the bowls are perfect for the dishwasher, making them easy to clean and use. I would highly recommend them to friends and family!" —Alana
Get it from Amazon for $29.95.
31. A Rapid Ramen Cooker to transform a brick of noods into the base for a delish meal in just three minutes in the microwave! 'Tis time to move that ramen you've been hoarding in your pantry to your filing cabinet, and then put it to good use!
Promising review: "God's ramen cooker. This thing may seem like just an ordinary Tupperware, but I assure you it will blow that thin plastic garbage out of the water. It retains heat amazingly and does not bend or falter under extreme temperatures. I'm a college student and I have never felt such joy from making ramen in my small dorm microwave, for a 900-watt I recommend five minutes. Buy this product if you live and breathe air, because it is beautiful." —Theron
Get it from Amazon for $9.79 (available in 15 colors).
32. An attachable Stanley cup snack bowl that'll help you basically live that Lunchables lifestyle whether you bring the snacks from home or raid your workplace's snack offerings.
Psst — lots of reviewers say this fits their Stanley cup *and* the cheaper alternative versions of it, like this $29 Simple Modern tumbler.
Check out a TikTok of the Stanley snack cup in action.
Promising review: "If using this snack holder on my Stanley is wrong, I don't want to be right. Now when I sit at baseball tournaments all day, I don't have to keep reaching into snack bags and coolers. We all get the snack we want and never have to carry more than a cup. I do get some odd looks but if they had one, they wouldn't be judging anymore. Sits very sturdily on my tumbler but comes off easily when I'm done with it." —Abby
Get it from Amazon for $12.79 (available in three colors).
33. A chic Modern Picnic lunch bag if what's been holding you back from packing lunch is lack of a cute lunchbox. Yep, this is an *investment* at $100+ but you did the math for how much you spent on lunches during workdays in 2023 and this turns out to be a smart buy.
Modern Picnic is a woman-owned small biz from Ali Kaminetsky. My coworker Chelsea Stuart adores hers: "I have the brand's Luncher in green faux croc and no one believes me when I say it's a lunchbox! It's just the right size for a small meal/smattering of snacks as it can fit a sandwich and side salad or a few hard seltzers, cheese, crackers, hummus, and veggies. I like that there are built-in slots for my utensils so they don't get lost in the bottom of the bag and the whole thing is rather rigid so if you're carrying something heavy like a drink, it won't make the bottom sag."
Promising review: "To everyone out there — you NEED this!! You can use this chic classy tote for: lunch for work, snacks for kids, breastmilk transport from work, IVF injectables (so you can actually leave your house and not carry a cooler). I could go on and on! I want one for every season!! Thank you for making my life classier. The Luncher just makes me smile with all the possibilities it can be used for." —Heather
Get it from Modern Picnic for $159 (available in 13 colors/styles).
34. A "Pizza Pack" that's collapsible and can contain up to five leftover slices of pizza so Domino's can continue feeding you. AND you can pop it in the microwave to heat up all slices at once if you're not part of the cold-pizza club.
Pizza Pack is a small business that specializes in sustainable food storage solutions.
Promising review: "It's always a pain to put away leftover pizza. It never seems to work. UNTIL THIS PRODUCT!!! I am very happy with my purchase. It's easy to keep the pieces separate from others and you don't have a large bulky box letting your crust dry out. You can use it for one piece or several — it is very easy to expand. The best part is that it is very easy to clean. Storing the Pizza Pack when not in use doesn't take up a lot of space either. Try it." —B. Cirincione
Get it from Amazon for $25.99 (available in seven colors).
35. A pack of reusable produce-saving bags to keep your fruits and veggies you bought to include in work lunches fresher for longer — which means you'll actually get to enjoy them before they go bad.
Promising reviews: "We decided to do a little test. One banana in a bag and one out, same location in the kitchen. This was after nine days you can see that’s there’s a distinct difference in the bananas. Amazing product!" —Trio Mum
Get a 20-pack from Amazon for $14.99 (also available in a 32 and 40-pack).
36. And Soylent meal replacement shakes to stock your fridge up with a viable option when you have neither the time nor the patience to prepare actual food.
Several of my coworkers swear by this stuff, and my brother (hey Walt!) also digs it.
Promising review: "This pack has been an absolute lifesaver! I’m an emergency dispatcher and with staffing levels down we basically get to leave our desks long enough to run to the restroom. So a full on lunch break is out of the question, it’s a desk lunch for us. These shakes are delicious, easy to grab, and I am still surprised honestly how well they fill me up. They’re like a little treat I look forward to having, they taste so good. The mint chocolate in particular is amazing! I keep my fridge at work and home stocked with these shakes at all times, it has made my life so much easier." —Wendy Johnson
Get a 12-pack from Amazon for $49+ (available in four variety packs).
On those days when your boss puts a meeting on your cal during your regular lunch time:
