We live on a island most people call paradise, so why should lunch here be an average meal?
There are more than a few simple pack lunches you can make at home yourself, ones that can and will encourage your body to make it all the way to the top of that mountain until you see miles and miles of ocean. And I’m here to introduce you to the world of those easy homemade lunch masterpieces.
1. Overnight Oatmeal
Photo courtesy of @dehandiyet on Instagram
Overnight oatmeal just might be the next big breakfast craze. And waking up with your lunch (or breakfast) already made means more sleep, who doesn’t want that? These awesome overnight oatmeal recipes that you can make in less than 10 minutes will save you from running around trying to find something to eat before your hike.
2. Pizza Sandwiches
Photo courtesy of @sarabinader on Instagram
Who doesn’t like cold pizza on a hot day? Whether you have an oven or a microwave, you can quickly prepare this sandwich within minutes by assembling your favorite pizza toppings and melting them all together. Wrap it up in foil and you’re good to go.
3. Mason Jar Salads
Photo courtesy of @primalkitchenfoods on Instagram
For those of you who choose to live on the healthier side of things, you can even enjoy a fresh salad when you’re on top of the world. They’re simple to make, nutritious and Instagram worthy. Check out this how-to guideline so you can make the perfect mason jar salad tailored to you.
4. Waffle Iron Anything
Photo courtesy of @vibrantfoodstories on Instagram
Waffles themselves are amazing, but putting non-waffle foods in a waffle iron is even better. From hash browns to s’mores, you can make unique, epic lunches using a waffle iron within minutes.
5. Hot and Cold Lunches in an Insulated Food Container
Photo courtesy of @hydroflask on Instagram
Not looking forward to a room temperature lunch? You can literally keep anything hot (or cold) in a insulated food container—like Food Flask by Hydro Flask—with your favorite hot soup or rice, heck, bring some spaghetti if you want to. Check out this five ingredient soup recipe for those days you don’t feel like eating soup out of a can.
6. Microwave Breakfast Sandwiches
Photo courtesy of @chubby_life on Instagram
This beautiful sandwich can get you out the door in five minutes. It only takes a minute and 30 seconds to microwave an egg (or egg whites) and stack up your favorite ingredients on a bagel, like cheese, veggies and bacon. Just wrap it up and you’re ready to go.
7. Stuffed Avocados
Photo courtesy of @foodiecrush on Instagram
Whether you eat it straight out of the skin or in a container, this fatty yet healthy fruit will regenerate all the energy you burned off on your hike to get you to your next destination without crashing. Some good stuffings to put on your avocado are shredded pork, chicken, tomato with balsamic vinegar, and cheesy bacon and eggs.
8. (The Classic) Spam Musubi
Photo courtesy of @hungryseattleite on Instagram
Celebrate that you’re in Hawaiʻi and enjoy the most popular lunch snack on the island. All you need is cooked Spam, rice and seaweed to put this sucker together and you have a beloved local snack. If you’re not feeling up to making it yourself, there are many places that sell Spam musubi’s (your local ABC store or gas stations, for example). There are also musubi shops like Musubi Cafe Iyasumi, Musukawas, and Mana Bu’s just to name a few of Honolulu’s.