4-Ingredient Meals You Can Make at Work

Bean and Kale Soup

Add torn kale, canned tuna, and shaved Parmesan to a can of bean or vegetable soup. (Keep a block of shelf-stable cheese in the office fridge—it can be added to soups, salads, and sandwiches for up to a month.)

Tofu with bok choy

Microwave the young bok choy (cut in half lengthwise) with a few tablespoons of water in a covered bowl. Heat the diced tofu in a separate bowl. Toss everything together with hoisin sauce, slightly thinned with water. If you brought a spice jar from home, season the dish with sesame seeds, shichimi, or flaked tuna.

A Ploughman's Lunch

This classic pub dish is perfect for the office (sadly, without the beer). On a plate, combine a piece of bread, a wedge of cheese—try aged cheddar, gouda, or blue cheese—pickled vegetables (gherkins, pickled onions, chutney), and a couple of slices of ham. There are no strict rules: you can substitute a hard-boiled egg for the ham. Instead of pickles, use an apple. Or make it French-style, with dry, firm sausage and butter.

Tex-Mex

A can of chopped tomatoes and green chilies (like Rotel) will be your "canvas." Create a memorable dish by mixing the tomatoes with canned black beans (rinsed) and frozen or canned corn, then microwave it all. Head to the vending machine for a bag of tortilla chips and crumble them on top, or scoop them into the dish and eat without a fork.

Salad with pizza

Cut the leftover pizza into small pieces (this is easy with scissors). Toss with a package of salad greens and your favorite store-bought vinaigrette. Sprinkle generously with grated Parmesan cheese or crushed cheese-flavored chips, depending on what you have on hand.

Mediterranean style sweet potato

Microwave the sweet potato (cook for 5 minutes, flip, then cook until tender, about 5 minutes). Make a slit and stuff with rinsed canned chickpeas. Drizzle with tahini or plain yogurt, or harissa for a savory flavor.

Salmon with eggs

Wrap the asparagus in very damp paper towels and microwave until tender. Poach an egg in a coffee cup (fill the cup 1/2 full with water, crack the egg into it, cover, and microwave for 1 minute). Top the asparagus with a few slices of smoked salmon and the egg, drizzle with lemon dressing or sour cream-horseradish sauce, and you can count down the days until Sunday brunch.

Bowl with rice and vegetables

Microwave frozen brown rice and frozen mixed vegetables (such as broccoli stir-fry) separately. Arrange the vegetables on top of the rice. Add kimchi (or sriracha sauce) and fried onion snacks, available from a vending machine.

Avocado toast

Top crispbreads (good for long-term storage) with mashed avocado, a couple of slices of feta and a handful of walnuts.

Spinach salad

Combine a package of washed spinach with diced salami and provolone from cold cuts. Toss with balsamic vinaigrette (which is also handy to keep in the refrigerator at work). Use this dressing on sandwiches and grain bowls.

Asian Chicken Salad

Combine shredded coleslaw and carrots with the remaining shredded chicken (homemade or rotisserie). Toss with dark sesame oil and salted peanuts from the vending machine.