Today is the big day—the first Take Your Lunch Tuesday from BUILT! It’s the kickoff of our month-long effort to save a few bucks before the holidays and bring healthy lunches to work. Let us know how you’ve done so far, then sign up for the BUILT $250 giveaway. Didn’t get around to bringing your lunch yet? You’ve still got time to tote this week. Check out a fantastic recipe—Lunch Box Burritos!—below for inspiration.
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It’s easy to fall into a salads-and-sandwiches rut when we bring our lunches to work. But when we only have a few minutes to throw together a sack lunch, it’s hard to think of alternatives to the same-old, same-old like PB&J.
What makes this burrito recipe so great is that it’s just as quick to make as a sandwich, but it feels like a real takeout treat. The key is to pack the fresh ingredients separately and add them after re-heating the burrito so it has that fresh, crunchy quality you get in restaurant versions. If you’ve got a long morning commute, BUILT neoprene lunch totes are perfect for this type of meal. They keep food insulated for several hours, and they stretch to fit a few small containers at once without feeling too bulky.
It happens to be a great time to invest in one of their bags: BUILT is offering a 20% special discount on all of their lunch totes during this month. Just visit the BUILT website and use the discount code APT20.
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• BUILT Giveaway! Don’t forget to enter the BUILT giveaway for a chance to win a $250 gift card good for any product purchase at www.builtny.com. Click on the form at the bottom of this page to enter!
Lunch Box Burritos
Makes 1 burrito, but feel free to multiply as needed!
1 12” flour tortilla
1/2 cup shredded cheese, such as Monterey jack or cheddar
1/2 cup cooked brown or white rice (follow package directions or see how here)
1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup frozen corn (defrosting not required)
1/2 cup leftover hamburger or chicken (optional)
Fresh toppings - pick 2-3 of the following and measure out 1/4 cup portions: shredded lettuce or cabbage, salsa, diced avocado, sliced radishes, shredded jicama, diced bell peppers, diced red onions
Lay a large piece of parchment paper on your counter and lay the tortilla on top. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese down the middle of the burrito and then layer the rice, black beans, corn, and meat (if using) on top of the cheese also down the middle. Fold the top and bottom flaps of the burrito over the fillings and then roll up the burrito from right to left. Wrap with the parchment so the burrito is completely sealed and secure with a piece of tape or loose rubber band.
Put the fresh toppings of your choice in a separate sealed container. If you’re making lunch the night before, refrigerate everything until morning. It’s also best to put your lunch in the fridge once you get to work—the vegetarian version of this recipe will be okay for a few hours at room temperature, but if you’re using meat, it needs to be refrigerated.
At lunchtime, unwrap your burrito and unroll it on top of the parchment. Microwave on high in 30 second bursts—wait about 3 seconds between each one—until the cheese is melted and the fillings are hot (about 1 minute total). Remove from the microwave and add the fresh toppings before rolling the burrito back up again.
• Packing Tip! Round out this midday meal with whole-grain crackers and a banana on the side.
Elizabeth Apron fro...

gee, can i take my lunch to work every day, not just tuesday? like i always do? and i always have done? wow, way to make something utterly ordinary feel exceptional!
I have the bag in the lower right hand corner and I LOVE it. I can fit so much into it. I've actually had co-workers comment on it and some have asked if it was my purse (???).
I'm excited for these weekly posts because while I already pack everyday, I had gotten into a lunchmeat sandwich rut. Not only was it not the healthiest of lunches...it was getting tedious. And since I can't really do last night's leftovers (nor do I really want to), I'm on the lookout for some quick & tasty alternatives.
I pack my lunch most every day but often feel uninspired. I'm looking forward to these weekly discussions to get ideas.
On Sunday I made a big pot of butternut squash soup and shopped for lots of veggies to have a soup and salad lunch week. So far so good! I think I may need to do burritos next week. Looks delicious.
I got a BUILT lunch bag at Cosco and it came with a variety of tupperware that all fit inside the lunch bag. On the box it showed all the combinations and I LOVE it!
Exciting! This is exactly what I blog about, so I will definitely be checking back for inspiration. Plus, Built's bags are definitely crush-worthy.
I try to make sure my sweetie always has something special in his lunch at work. One lunch he loves is hummus and pretzels. I usually pair that with fresh grapes or an apple. If he wants more protein, I make a hummus and turkey sandwich with alfalfa sprouts and a nice smoked cheese, with baked pita chips and the fruit.
Another favorite of his is chili over rice. A good-sized hunk of bread and some pineapple go well with it, and usually the fruit is enough to satisfy his sweet tooth.
When I've made it, French beef stew with sugar snap peas, half a small baguette, and a pear fill him up nicely.
In the summer, I make tuna-mac salad with a balsamic and olive oil dressing (I leave out half the mayo and replace it with a few tablespoons of olive oil tossed over the pasta while it's still hot). He loves this with black olives and trail mix (2 parts peanuts, 1 part raisins, 1 part M&Ms) on the side.
And he never objects to a little chocolate at the end. ;)