You can take it with you

Portable meals are a constant struggle for students and cubicle workers alike. Why waste time packing something tasteless when you could buy lunch near work or campus and know it’ll be tasty?

If you choose to spend $7 a day on lunch, plus $3 for a coffee to get you through your slug moment in the afternoon, that’s $50 a week just on food! Bean salads are economical, filling and will soak in the flavors you have added throughout the day without needing to be refrigerated.

Save your money and make these easy (and affordable) meals to take with you. Use your extra cash for hangover breakfast on Saturday—or better yet, for next week’s grocery bill.

Beans à la Provence

Ingredients
1 can of cannellini or great northern beans
½ cup of green olives, pitted
Olive oil
1 red bell pepper
Juice from one lemon
Salt
Pepper
¼ cup of fresh parsley
Dried or fresh rosemary

Method
Rinse and drain the beans, making sure to get all extra juices and added salt off of them. Finely chop parsley. Mix beans with the rest of the ingredients, eyeballing the olive oil with fine drizzles, a little at a time.

Fiesta Bean Salad

Ingredients
1 can of black beans
½ avocado
1 can of corn
1 red bell pepper
1 tomato (if in season)
Juice from one or two limes
Red pepper flakes, if desired

Method
Chop veggies and drain beans and corn. Finely chop cilantro and mix with veggies and beans in portable container. Squeeze mixture with lime juice, adding red pepper flakes based on your heat preferences.

Asian Sensation Bean Salad

Ingredients
¼ cup sugar snap peas
½ cup shelled edamame
1 yellow bell pepper
2 teaspoons of Sriracha
2 tablespoons neutral oil like canola or vegetable   
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Juice from one large orange, seeds removed

Method
Finely dice bell pepper into bite-sized pieces, trim snap peas and thaw edamame if frozen. Add oils, orange juice, and Sriracha in a small bowl or cup and whisk thoroughly. Mix with veggies and beans and enjoy.

Build your own bean salad
Bean salads can really be adapted to whatever is in your cupboards. Choose one or two from each of the below categories based on your own pantry. Top your bean and vegetable combo with a homemade or store-bought sauce of your choice, some herbs and you’re good to go. Remember, don’t be afraid to be creative!

Beans
shelled edamame
black beans
kidney beans
great northern or cannellini beans
lentils, cooked or canned
navy beans
lima beans
fava beans

Veggies
bell peppers, diced
sugar snap peas, trimmed
tomatoes (when is season)
pearl onions
asparagus (cut into one inch pieces)
broccoli florets
carrots, cut into small pieces
green beans
mushrooms
olives (pitted)
red  or green cabbage, shredded
napa cabbage
spinach
bean sprouts