Person eating lunch out of a red lunchbox. Blueberries, olives and crackers in different compartments.

Food & Drink

13th November 2021

Pescatarian Lunch Ideas to See You Through a Day at Uni

Gone are the days of nipping downstairs in between online lectures to put a quick lunch together. For most of us, we now have to think about eating on campus. Whilst there are two Tescos in close proximity to the libraries, offering the most elite meal deals there are, spending £3 a day adds up. Why not consider preparing your own lunches ahead of a day on campus? Here are five quick, tasty and affordable lunch ideas to take with you to uni, provided you’ve got a fair amount of Tupperware!

Tuna Hash

I discovered tuna hash as a fresher flicking through the Nosh for Students Cookbook that everyone seemed to bring with them. It makes a yummy dinner too, so I’d recommend making a load of it the night before and popping some in the fridge for your lunch the next day.

What you’ll need:

  • 2 x medium potatoes
  • Good chunk of butter
  • Half a red onion
  • Tuna
  • Sweetcorn (tinned or frozen)
  • Mayo (to dip)

How to make:

Cut the potatoes into small chunks and boil for 8-10 minutes, or until a knife easily slides into them. Drain and stir the butter into the pan of potatoes. Add some oil to a frying pan and start to fry the onions. Then add the potatoes, but don’t stir too frequently or they won’t go brown and crispy. Add the tuna and sweetcorn once the potatoes are starting to brown. Again, don’t stir too often or the tuna will go mushy. Dollop a bit of mayo into your Tupperware to dip.

Salads

I know, I know, there’s nothing worse than the only veggie option on the menu being a salad. But hear me out! If you add just a few boujee ingredients to every salad you make you’ve got yourself a really delicious lunch. Plus, mixing the ingredients up regularly means it’ll feel like a different lunch every time.

The staple ingredients of all my salads:

  • Lettuce
  • Strands of peeled carrot
  • Small chunks of cucumber
  • Cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered

Some of my go-to additions

For some protein:

  • Mozzarella
  • Halloumi
  • Feta
  • Hard-boiled eggs
  • Tuna

Fruit (trust me):

  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Grapes

Veg:

  • Cress
  • Tinned sweetcorn
  • Olives
  • Beetroot
  • Avocado
  • Sugar snap peas

Dressing:

Having a variety of good dressings can be the key to not getting bored of eating salad for lunch. Check out Asda’s wide range here.

Pesto Pasta

A lunchtime classic. I don’t know about you, but pesto pasta got me through my A-Levels. I’d recommend making this the morning of, rather than the night before, so the pesto tastes nice and fresh.

What you’ll need:

  • Your favourite type of pasta
  • Your favourite pesto
  • Any additions to spice up your pesto pasta: Cheese, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, tinned sweetcorn, olives

How to make:

If you’ve got this far at uni and don’t know how to make pesto pasta, what exactly have you been eating?! Simply boil your pasta for the time specified on the packet, drain, and swirl in however much pesto you fancy. Top with chopped veg and grated cheese. It couldn’t be easier.

Pesto pasta in red bowl with fork and cherry tomatoes, tinned sweetcorn, cucumber chunks, lettuce
Image Credit: The Author

Tuna and Apple Pittas

Back to the tuna theme… because it’s just so quick. A friend introduced me to this mad combo and I will not stop shouting it from the rooftops – it’s so good!! Don’t knock it ’til you try it.

What you’ll need:

  • Tinned tuna
  • Mayo
  • Apple
  • Pittas

How to make:

Start by toasting your pittas. Then mix together your tuna and mayo and cut up however much apple you fancy into very small cubes. Stir the apple into the tuna mix. Once your pittas are toasted, cut in half and open up. Leave to cool. Spoon the tuna/apple mix into the pitta and voila! You’ve got yourself a tasty new lunch to try.

Halloumi Wrap

Nothing beats halloumi and nothing beats a wrap! Here’s how to spice yours up a bit.

What you’ll need:

  • Wraps of choice
  • Halloumi
  • Lettuce
  • Sauce of choice, eg pesto, houmous, or sriracha 

How to make:

To cook the halloumi you can either fry or grill it. Whilst grilling avoids the oil and is therefore a bit healthier, I like to fry as it’s easier to keep an eye on the halloumi and not let it burn. Once cooked, set aside the halloumi to cool. Spread your sauce of choice onto the wrap, and add the cooled halloumi into the middle. Fold and wrap in tin foil to take with you to uni.

So there you have it, five lunch ideas to see you through a day at uni. If you recreate any of these tasty meal preps, tag us on Instagram.

Check out LGSM’s Food & Drink section for loads more recipe ideas!

Featured Image Credit: Photo by Katerina Holmes from Pexels