Fed-up with hostile post-it notes, sticky shelves and festering fast food containers? Don’t let an unfriendly office fridge bully you into blowing your lunch money on pricey take-out. Beat the system with these fridge-free, 5-dollar lunches.
Perish The Thought: Follow these simple, USDA approved, rules for food safety and give refrigerators the cold shoulder.
1. Play it safe: Minimize the amount of time your perishables spend in “the danger zone” (40-140 degrees) by keeping hot food hot and cold food cold.
2. Lunch Whistle: Consume packed lunch within 3-4 hours.
3. Natural Preservatives: Incorporate foods that naturally ward off bacteria, such as garlic, hot peppers, pickled vegetables, lemon and cilantro.
4. Don’t break the seal: Choose fruits and veggies that come pre-packaged by mother nature such as cherry tomatoes, blueberries and bananas, and leave them whole.
5. Towel-off: Moisture accelerates spoilage; so dry produce, like lettuce, thoroughly after washing and pack foods that may sweat with paper towel.
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Recipes For Success
Tex-Mex Rice Bowl
Some dishes are best served a la minute, while other improve over time. Rice salads, like this one, require at least an hour of commingling, so the longer it sits, the better it tastes.
1 tablespoon olive oil $.10
2 ounces pancetta $2.00
½ cup cooked brown basmati $.50
½ cup black beans $.30
½ avocado $1.00
1 tablespoon lime juice $.15
¼ cup grape tomatoes $.75
¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped $.30
salt and pepper $.05
1. Brown pancetta in a skillet; add tomatoes and cook, 3 minutes. Remove from heat and toss to combine with remaining ingredients. Allow to cool completely before packing.
* Triple Play-Besides adding a bright flavor note. The acidity in lime juice thwarts bacteria and keeps the avocado from browning.
