Question:

I feel so much better when I bring home-cooked meals to the office for lunch. Do you have any good recipes that adapt well as leftovers for lunch?
Anna Ballard

Answer:

There's a simple equation to use when you make a lunch from leftovers: protein + grain = lunch.

You can orchestrate the evening meal with the next day's lunch in mind. Or you can be a little more adventurous and just toss some combination of the contents of your refrigerator — such as cooked chicken or shrimp, rice or couscous, some frozen vegetables, and your favorite sauce — into a resealable plastic container.

To make Couscous Salad with Chicken and Apricots for lunch, cook some couscous and roast a chicken (or buy a rotisserie hen or two) the night before and serve it with a vegetable, perhaps carrots. Then later that night or the next morning, shred the chicken and toss it with the remaining ingredients.

When making your lunch, keep a few logistical issues in mind, namely portability, ease of reheating, and whether the meal will satisfy your appetite. A green salad might sound nice, but it wilts easily, requires you to transport the dressing in a separate container, and tides you over only until mid-afternoon.

Renee Schettler
Food Editor