A poll by a UK soup company recently revealed one in six people have had the same lunch every day for the past two years. Mix up your lunchtime routine with these handy tips for a more creative lunchbox.

Firstly, create a strong lunchbox system by using muffin cases to store individual portions of fruit and vegetables. Invest in some silicone cases for best results so you can freeze food in the cases and then put them straight into your lunchbox before you head to work.

If you’re looking for an alternative to sandwiches, try making skewers out of your leftover meat and veggies. For those looking for a low-carb lunch, skewers are a great accompaniment to a salad, but they’ll also dish up perfectly with some pitta bread and a bit of dressing.

We all know those extra 10 minutes in bed are much more appealing than slaving over the hob and making breakfast. To save you some time, make some breakfast burritos on a Sunday night (fill them with whatever you like), wrap them in cling film and just pop them in the freezer ready for the week. Try to remember to get one out the night before you want to eat it, otherwise you’ll need to allow more time to defrost it in the morning.

If you haven’t tried frozen grapes, you really should. They’re a perfect snack in the heat – really healthy too – and they’re also great for popping in your drink as a replacement for ice. Just put them into a freezer bag overnight and they’ll be good to go.

Vietnamese rolls are an innovative way of using up leftovers and making snacks you can freeze for another day. All you’ll need is some rice paper, which you can use to wrap up some of your leftovers such as chicken, prawns, veggies or noodles. Once prepped, freeze ‘em up and they’re ready to go. Just don’t forget to pack some sweet chilli or soy sauce for dipping.

Another way to utilise your leftovers is to stuff them inside peppers for a healthy and hearty lunch. Just cut the peppers in half, remove the innards and put your leftovers inside. These can work cold, or simply put them in the microwave for a hot lunch.

Much like breakfast burritos, wraps are an easy lunch, and can be prepared in advance to save time in the morning. Fill your wraps with whatever you like, wrap them in cling film and store them in the freezer until you need them. Like the burritos, though, it is worth taking them out the night before so they’re defrosted in time.

There’s no such thing as too much Tupperware. Store little compartments inside your bigger Tupperware to keep everything fresh and perfectly organised.

Alternatively, store your lunch in a jar instead. Mason jars, such as those pictured, are great for storing salads or soups. The lid remains tight, so there’s less chance of spillage and everything will stay neatly contained.

Cooked pasta can turn to mush (unless it’s frozen after being cooked al dente) but tightly-wrapped fresh pasta freezes well for up to two months, so it's certainly worth keeping some in the freezer for nights when you have a little less time.

If you like making your own pesto (just whisk up some pine nuts, basil, garlic and parmesan cheese), then pour it into an ice tray so you’ve always got some on hand to add to your pasta. Jars of pesto don’t usually last long in the fridge once opened, so these cubes are a quick and easy addition to a simple pasta dish.

Everybody loves a baked potato for lunch, but cooking them in the microwave at work just doesn’t cut it. Instead, pop a load of spuds in the oven with a little olive oil and salt around the skins, leave them in for a couple of hours in the evening, and store in the fridge or freezer. In the morning, pack the potato and your choice of filling ready to be microwaved for lunch. It will taste hot and fresh and still be crispy.

Flavoured couscous packets are brilliant for work and a super easy lunchbox snack as you just need to add boiling water and stir. Pack a Tupperware with a few other ingredients such as veggies or chicken if you want to spice it up a little bit.

Miso noodle pots are also an easy lunch, and you can use your leftover vegetables too. Just add a dollop of miso paste and boiling water to a pot of veggies and rice noodles, then leave for 5-6 minutes.

Trying to cut down on salty snacks? Opt for some carrot batons and hummus instead. Store your carrots close to your frozen drink/ice pack for the ultimate crunch and keep your hummus in a separate piece of Tupperware.

Alternatively, freeze dips like hummus in ice cube trays, or a muffin tray, so they are ready to go when you need them.

Apple slices are a great lunchbox snack for kids and adults alike, but it doesn’t take much to turn them brown. Keep your apple slices fresh by putting them back into the shape of an apple again and tying it together with a rubber band.

Muffin trays are genius for obvious reasons, but they’re also great for whipping up a batch of mini omelettes for you to take to work. Simply whisk up your mixture, and instead of pouring it into a pan, pour it into the muffin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes. Freeze the tray and you’ve got a week’s worth of lunches ready to go.

Yoghurt is a great lunchbox filler, but by the time it gets to lunchtime, without a fridge it can be looking a little worse for wear. Try freezing your yoghurt the night before and taking it out in the morning. By midday, you should have a thawed yoghurt that’s nicely chilled.

It might seem obvious, but it’s the tip that will save you the most time, and provide some more innovative lunchbox ideas. Forget sandwiches and salads, making food in bulk means your lunchbox can be packed with anything from chilli to mac ‘n’ cheese.

And, of course, use dinnertime as an opportunity to make extra so you’ve got plenty to take for lunch for the next few days. This will save waste, money and time.

Freezing is the art to good food prep, and you can do it with pretty much anything. Baking a cake on a Sunday afternoon? Just slice it up and wrap the individual pieces in clear wrap, ready for the freezer. The same applies to biscuits too – don’t let things go stale that could provide a good lunchbox snack.

While you’re prepping meals, spiralise veg such as courgette, butternut squash and carrots ahead of time for some easy lunches. Turn your veg into noodles and pack up a separate pot of sauce and you’ve got yourself a quick, carb-free pasta that will take minutes to heat in the microwave.

Roasting vegetables is an effortless task in an evening, and can provide another easy and healthy lunchbox. Just chop up a group of vegetables that have the same cooking time, lay them out on a pan with a drizzle of oil, and a little seasoning, and leave them to roast for 30 to 40 minutes. Once cooked, they’ll keep in the fridge for a few days, or can be stored in the freezer until you’re ready to take them for lunch.

One of the main issues with creating the perfect lunchbox is time. Prepping meals, chopping, cutting, baking, frying – it all takes time. To eliminate that, make the most of your slow cooker (if you have one, of course). Check out some of our slow cooker recipes here for more inspiration. 

Boiled eggs are a great snack to help you through your working day. What’s more, once cooked they will last for a week. Just boil up a batch on a Sunday then refrigerate in their shells, ready to take as snacks each day.

Got a big block of cheese in the fridge that just isn’t going anywhere? Create another simple snack by cutting cheese up into batons to nibble on throughout the day.

It might seem boring, but soup is such a great way of using up ingredients in your fridge and preparing for the week ahead. Cook a large pot of your favourite flavour and dish it out into Tupperware for the rest of the week for a no-fuss lunchbox option. See some of our favorite soup recipes here.

There’s nothing worse than sipping on warm juice. If you don’t have access to a fridge, keep your juice boxes in the freezer overnight and take them out in the morning. By lunchtime, the juice will be perfectly cold and drinkable.

The same applies to your water. Keep a bottle in the freezer overnight and take it out just before you’re about to go. It will keep your water cool for hours and is the perfect refreshment on a hot summer’s day.

The good thing about freezing your drinks like this is it will also keep the rest of your lunch cold and fresh without having to pack an ice pack. Genius