FoodBlog’s Packed Lunches: 5 Meat Pumped Lunches Powered by IPAK Bio 🥩
We’re here for week two of FoodBlog’s Packed Lunches where the packaging experts, Inserv stock us up with some nifty food containers to safely transport our lunches throughout the week. With IPAK Bio, there’s no need to worry about leaks or nasty spills, simply pop the biodegradable lunch box upright into a carrier bag and head off to work like a kid on their first day of school - totes proud of your new swag! 😎
This week we’re pumping in the protein with a meaty feast for your weekly lunches. There’s always a good reason to snack on a meat-packed treat, and if you know your lunch break is about to feature a succulent beef sandwich, a rich chilli con carne or even a hearty slab of ross il-forn, you might even be excited to head to the office for a change. 🧑💼
So let’s jump right in with a selection of 5 Meat Pumped Lunches brought to you by Inserv’s IPAK Bio, FoodBlog Packed Lunches style:
IPAK Bio’s 3-Part Container
With 3 separate compartments, this IPAK Bio container is all about versatility! There’s a slot for each part of your day, with snacks galore, or even a great all-round meal for those bigger appetites! How about a perfectly layered Reuben or some baked rice to kill your lunch time hanger? 🦍
A Classic Reuben Sandwich
If you’ve never had a Reuben but you claim to love sandwiches, we’re calling a bluff! This king of sammies is all about the layers and goodness presented between two slices of bread! Typically prepared on rye bread, this sandwich is perfect for meat lovers who love a tangy kick! 🥪
Prepare your Reuben with some sort of smoked beef, pastrami, corned beef or… if you’re really in a jam, bresaola will do. You’ll need some sauerkraut and Russian dressing, which is a simple sauce made from ketchup, mayo, Worcestershire sauce, paprika and horseradish! Schmear it on and layer your beef directly on the sauce. 🫙
Top your beef with a slice of cheese, followed by pickles or sauerkraut. Either will work just fine, but kraut is the traditional route for sure! Smack this in your IPAK Bio box, serve with some sliced apples, cubes of cheese and a handful of almonds in one section and maybe some nachos on the side. World’s your oyster with the sides, go crazy! 🤪
Cheesy Ross il-Forn
When it comes to ross il-forn, there’s no argument that Nanna makes it best. BUT, your granny can’t be preparing your lunches for you, so shape up and make the dish your own by adding some flair and interest to the dish. 🍚
Make your lunches so much better with a portion of homecooked ross il-forn!
This recipe calls for cheese, lots of cheese… 4 cheeses to be precise. The signs of a good cheesy baked rice are the cheese pulls you’ll see when mixing the meaty rice with your colossal amount of cheese and whisked egg. It’s a dream that only gets better once baked! Here’s the full recipe:
Baked Rice is always a winner!
Ingredients:
Serves 4
For the baked rice:
- 500g beef mince (you can use beef and pork)
- 300g long grain rice
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 tin of tomato passata
- 1tsp chili paste and/or kunserva
- 50g grated parmesan cheese (some to sprinkle on the cooked rice)
- 60g grated mozzarella
- 60g grated emmental
- 40g grated vintage cheddar
- 1 egg
For the side salad:
- some lettuce leaves
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 onion
- olive oil and S&P
- 2 3-Part iPak Bio containers
These are the ingredients you'll need for the dish!
Recipe:
- Boil some water to cook your rice. Add a heaped teaspoon of salt to add some flavour and remember to measure out your water with a 2:1 water to rice ratio. You should leave your rice, slightly undercooked, but only slightly!
- In a hot pan add some olive oil and cook down an onion. Add your ground beef or beef-pork mix, once it cooks slightly add in some garlic.
- Let the meat brown and break it down slightly to spread the meat chunks evenly in the rice dish. Once browned add your tomato passata, chilli paste and kunserva if you are using all 3 of the above ingredients. Allow the sauce to reduce, season with salt and pepper and thin out with a dash of water if it gets too thick.
- Once cooked, combine meat sauce with drained rice and mix thoroughly!
- Next add in your cheeses and mix, mix, mix! If the mixture is too stiff you might want to thin it out with a little water. Remember you can always add more, but never take out, so take it slow.
- Mix in your egg to bind the whole dish together and transfer to a deep ovenproof dish.
- Bake in a preheated oven for about 20-30 minutes or until the top is nicely browned. Set your temperature to 180 degrees on a fan assisted oven setting.
- While your rice is baking, prep your salad and get the washing up done - talk about multitasking!
- Pop that rice out the oven, sprinkle some parm on top, a little salt and if you fancy a little drizzle of olive oil.
FoodBlog Tip: Ross il-Forn freezes pretty well, so portion this beauty up and save some in the freezer for next week, if you planned on eating this for dinner, we don’t blame you, it’s one of our favourites too! 🧊
IPAK Bio’s 4-Part Container
Add some colour and versatility to your lunch with a 4-part container from Inserv! This IPAK Bio box is perfect for those meals where you want to taste a little bit of everything. Like tacos, tapas or maybe even a mini-cheese plate for your office lunch! On today’s menu; chili con carne tacos! 🌮
Chilli Con Carne Tacos
So simple, so delicious and always a favourite. There’s no doubt you’re going to love these bad boys! Chili con carne is, how I see it, a Mexican (and whole lot tastier version) or the Italian Ragu. The addition of beans to this meat sauce makes the pot of saucey food so much better and packs in a tonne of nutrients such as a 40% RDA of potassium per 100g serving. ✅
Make your chilli in advance and allow it to rest, meat sauces tend to taste better the next day when all the flavours seep into each other to create the perfect umami meat fest in your mouth! Scoop up a hearty portion into your IPAK Bio container, and add some raw sliced peppers to one compartment, some guac to another and shredded cheese to the last. You’ll need to take your hard shell tacos separately, they’re rather delicate creatures aren’t they? 🥑
Simply pop your chilli into the microwave at work, and smash it out like a pro, toast your tacos for some extra flavour and hey amigo, you’ve got yourself a killer meal! 👍
IPAK Bio’s Large Container
IPAK Bio’s larger container is great for one stab and go meals; and it’s also great to house big appetite subs to perk up those gloomy Hump Day lunches! Get your veggies in with your lunches, you might sulk and think it’s not going to fill you up but you’ll feel refreshed and ready to tackle that afternoon workload. No slump - all grind! 💯
Chicken Thigh Salad
One of the best meaty salads to brighten your day with is definitely a chicken thigh salad. Chicken breast is so last decade, chicken thighs are packed with flavour and will make any dull salad a whole lot more enjoyable! Simply grill your chicken, roast it or shallow fry it with the skin on for a tender, juicier bite. Slice up and serve on top of your greens to keep it moist and packed with flavour! 😋
The go-to chicken salad in our house is made with lots of love and avocado, two words that any foodie will agree carry the exact same meaning! Chop your lettuce, tomatoes, some raw onions and any other veggies (or fruits) into your salad and dress the greens with a little olive oil, some pepper and a teeny bit of salt - add fresh herbs, a little lemon juice and maybe some chilli to amp up the flavour. 🍋
Stack it all in an IPAK Bio container and crown it with your prepped chicken thighs. YUM! 🐔
Pork Meatball Sub
When you know you’re about to embark on a tough day at the office, carbs often seem to fix all problems! What better carb than a sandwich, and what better sandwich than a sub? Maybe a Reuben, but hey, all sandwiches were created equally in our eyes. A classic sub that always seems to impress is the iconic meatball sub. It’s simple to make and perfect to take to work with you. 🥖
Meatballs are versatile and delicious, so keeping a few rolled out pork meatballs in your freezer can be a lifesaver at times! Pop a few bad boys out of the freezer, defrost in the fridge overnight and pop them into the oven with a marinara sauce. Make your marinara with onions, garlic and some parsley to get that true sub feel. Slide your cooked tomato meatballs into a fresh roll, top with some cheese and finish off at the office. 🍅
Place your sub in an IPAK Bio container, one large roll (aka bezzun) will fit snugly in the box, even leaving a little space for a side salad, or some crisps if you’re feeling naughty! Heat at work, melt that cheese and chomp down! 🐖
Meaty lunches never made more sense! These 5 FoodBlog Packed Lunches will make your week that little bit easier, giving you enthusiasm to hit that keyboard, hold those meetings and slay the day with a full belly and a clean conscience. ♻️
Choose IPAK Bio as your lunch solution, this Inserv collection is better for the environment than your standard takeaway solutions and will transform your lunches into something special, even when you’re on the go! 🏃
Tune in next week for a whole new list of tasty lunchbox meals! 💣
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