Have you ever seen a can of cooking spray oil and wondered, "What would I even use this for?"
Wonder no more, check out this video to see how we used the Naturel spray oils in our meal prep!
Spray oils give you more control over how much oil you add when you're cooking. They're great for cooking foods that require minimal oil like omelettes, baking, grilling, roasting and sautéing.
Spray oils also have less calories; each spray contains less than 9 kcals! But remember not to get carried away spraying and overdo it, or you might end up using more oil than just pouring from a bottle!
The Lunchbox People is a narrative photographic series of individuals who have been packing their own lunches to school or work. We asked The Lunchbox People a set of 6 questions on what they usually pack and what motivates them to keep packing their own lunches.
Keep reading to find out Jared’s Lunchbox Journey, and hopefully you will find something that inspires you to join The Lunchbox Movement too!
How often do you eat home-packed lunches?
I eat home packed lunches about five times a week — I eat them on school / work days and give myself a treat on the weekends.
What do you usually pack for lunch? Share with us your go-to recipe.
I’ve experimented with my packed meals over the years — I used to pack single chicken breasts and potatoes, but the daily preparation was tedious and the food would go cold / dry by the time I wanted to eat it. My current meal is a single sandwich, which is a lot more manageable preparation-wise. I usually alternate between a Ham / Egg and Tuna / Onion combination.
How much would you say one home-packed lunch usually costs you? Perhaps elaborate a little on the ingredients you get — any favourite must-have ingredient?
I usually spend about $15 on ingredients a week, and each individual meal shouldn’t cost more than $1.50. I buy regular bread, eggs and tuna (the kind you’d see in the average Singaporean household) and the ham is a local brand called Handwerker. Eggs are a must-have ingredient — they’re tasty, easy to prepare, and keep you full longer.
What made you start to bring your own lunch? What motivates you to keep doing so?
I started packing meals for two reasons — I was saving money for a holiday, and also felt that outside food was getting too unhealthy. Since I’ve started, I’ve saved a significant amount of money and feel a lot fitter at the same time (with exercise too, of course), so that is more than enough to keep me motivated.
What would you say to someone who wants to start bringing their own lunches?
Keep it simple — you won’t last long if your meals are a chore to prepare, so try to find a balance between good taste and ease of preparation. Also, don’t give up on eating out altogether; join your friends and give yourself a “treat” every once in awhile, and the food will taste especially good because you haven’t eaten it in a long time too.
Any favourite motivational or inspirational quotes?
Clichéd as it might be, Confucius once said “It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop” — packing meals is not an easy lifestyle change (especially when food in Singapore is both cheap and good) and you will be tempted to just spend three dollars on a plate of Nasi Lemak instead of painstakingly preparing a meal in the morning. You might fail a few times along the way, but as long as you keep at it, you’ll eventually achieve a better you.
The Lunchbox People is a narrative photographic series of individuals who have been packing their own lunches to school or work. We asked The Lunchbox People a set of 6 questions on what they usually pack and what motivates them to keep packing their own lunches.
Keep reading to find out how much Kenny’s lunches usually cost, and hopefully you will find something that inspires you to join The Lunchbox Movement too!
How often do you eat home-packed lunches?
At least 4 times a week.
What do you usually pack for lunch? Share with us your go-to recipe.
I only ever pack the same thing consisting 200g of protein with seasoning of choice and 250g of veggies. I prefer the frozen chicken breasts you can buy from NTUC, with broccoli/cauliflower.
First, I’d remove the chicken skin and cut the chicken breasts into similar sized pieces, season with salt, pepper and a tablespoon of cornstarch. Then on medium heat, cook the chicken and cover for about 15 minutes, depending on the size of each piece. For the veggies, I’d chop them up and steam them to a point that they still retain their crunch. Then using a scale, portion out and store in the fridge immediately.
How much would you say one home-packed lunch usually costs you? Perhaps elaborate a little on the ingredients you get — any favourite must-have ingredient?
CP- Raw Frozen Boneless Skin-On Chicken Breasts 1kg - $6.90
China Broccoli – $3.80/kg
HomeProud Microwave Container Hpq17 – Rectangle $4.40 for 10 (reuse 2 times each)
Seasonings – negligible
From my experience, each bag of frozen chicken breasts serves 4 lunches due to the skin and weight lost through cooking. While the broccoli would lose minimal during cooking and cleaning.
I would estimate each lunch costs about $1.725 (chicken) + $1.00 (broccoli) + $0.22 (container) = $2.945 ~ $3.00
What made you start to bring your own lunch? What motivates you to keep doing so?
I began packing my own lunch because I started dieting and counting my calories. Food served outside contains way too many calories and they can’t be tracked reliably.
What would you say to someone who wants to start bringing their own lunches?
Keep the bar low and slowly build yourself up. Remember why you chose to start preparing your lunch. Helpful tips—cook on your day off; cook in batches (i.e. pack for the week); and find simple one-pot recipes to follow, such as pastas. Finally, enjoy the process!
Any favourite motivational or inspirational quotes?
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 25 mins
Serves: 4-5 pax
Ingredients:
For the dressing:
¼ cup canola oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon chili oil
¼ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 garlic clove
For the salad:
270g soba noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 capsicums
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cucumber
¼ cup leek
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
Directions:
Cook the soba noodles according to the instructions on the package, or until tender but not mushy. Drain and rinse with cool water, or dunk in an ice bath until the noodles are at room temperature. Drain off excess water.
Meanwhile, slice the capsicums and leek, and mince the garlic.
Spiralise the cucumber. You can also shred the cucumber lengthwise if you don’t have a spiraliser at home.
Heat up olive oil in a pan and cook the capsicums and bean sprouts; set aside when cooked.
In a large mixing bowl, make the salad dressing by whisking together the canola oil, sesame oil, chilli oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and garlic.
Add the cooked capsicums and bean sprouts to another bowl. Add the soba noodles, shredded cucumber, sliced leek and sesame seeds.
Add the salad dressing and toss to coat.
Serve at room temperature. If not eating immediately, keep salad and salad dressing separately to prevent the soba noodles and vegetables from becoming soggy. Mix well before eating.
The Lunchbox People is a narrative photographic series of individuals who have been packing their own lunches to school or work. We asked The Lunchbox People a set of 6 questions on what they usually pack and what motivates them to keep packing their own lunches.
Keep reading to find out more about Mabel’s Lunchbox Journey, and hopefully you will find something that inspires you to join The Lunchbox Movement too!
How often do you eat home-packed lunches?
I pack my own lunch during the weekdays, so five times a week!
What do you usually pack for lunch? Share with us your go-to recipe.
My favourite packed lunch would be black pepper salmon baked with sweet potatoes, sweet corn, stir-fried mushrooms with garlic, and broccoli. I try to ensure that my meals are balanced with a mix of protein, healthy carbohydrates, and tons of vegetables and some fat to keep me feeling full for the rest of the afternoon :)
How much would you say one home-packed lunch usually costs you? Perhaps elaborate a little on the ingredients you get — any favourite must-have ingredient?
It would usually cost me $4 to $6 if I'm bringing salmon (because each piece would cost about $4), but if I was bringing baked chicken instead then my cost per packed lunch would be roughly $3 to $4. A must-have ingredient would be sweet corn because it's so versatile—I'd usually add it to my salads along with a sprinkle of walnuts or almonds, and I'll sometimes add them to brown rice and mix them together with some salt and pepper for a healthy 'fried' rice.
What made you start to bring your own lunch? What motivates you to keep doing so?
Three reasons:
I started bringing my own lunch because I wanted to feel less sluggish and home-packed lunches are way healthier because you know the ingredients that make up your meal, and you can mix-and-match to create your perfect combination for a mid-day boost in energy.
I enjoy eating huge salads, but because of the cost of healthier options outside I started to pack my own; salads are just too expensive when purchased from shops (roughly costing about $10 and above) and it's mostly just vegetables!
I realised that I would get hungry quickly after eating out, because meals that are not balanced (with protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats) will leave me feeling unsatisfied—most Singaporean dishes from the hawker centres are carbs-based and lack enough protein, so I'll always include these elements when I prepare my own food.
What would you say to someone who wants to start bringing their own lunches?
Start with a reasonable goal—for instance packing lunch once or twice a week, and invest in a portable steamer that allows you to throw all the ingredients inside and leave it unattended while it cooks! It isn't as time-consuming as it seems, because I save myself the hassle of having to queue, think and choose something to eat during the lunch hours and it'll leave you feeling refreshed for the whole day, trust me :)
Any favourite motivational or inspirational quotes?
The only obstacle to success is yourself. Never, never give up!
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Serves: 4 pax
Ingredients:
2½ cups whole grain penne
5 tablespoons olive oil
90g fresh basil leaves
¼ cup celery leaves
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
2 teaspoons salt
¼ cup cherry tomatoes
1 cup parmesan cheese
Directions:
Add ½ teaspoon of salt to a large pot of water and bring to a boil.
Add pasta and cook until al dente* according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
*al dente: cooked so as not to be too soft or overcooked; firm to the bite
Meanwhile, make the pesto sauce by combining the olive oil, basil, celery leaves and pine nuts. Blend thoroughly until smooth and creamy, adjusting to desired consistency with water. Add salt to taste.
Toss penne in pesto sauce. Top with cherry tomatoes and basil leaves; grate and add parmesan cheese to taste.
