Finding time to prepare lunch during a busy workweek can be a daunting task - especially when your kitchen arsenal is limited to just an air fryer and a microwave.

To see if I could manage this challenge while still enjoying varied and satisfying meals, I spent a week creating office lunches using just these two appliances.

With the help of pandamart, foodpanda's online grocery, which offers a huge range of fresh and ready-to-eat products delivered in an hour, I found out that it is indeed possible to make office lunches interesting and delicious with just a bit of creativity.

From Sept 2 to 15, pandamart is having its mega grocery fest with daily mega deals and a chance to win one year of free groceries and more!

Monday: Lime and chilli chicken breast salad

I kicked off the week with a straightforward yet satisfying meal: Farmfresh Tender Chicken Breast Lime and Chilli (buy any two Farmfresh Tender Chicken Breasts, save 50 per cent on Sept 9) paired with WA Harvest Baby Spinach (30 per cent off on Sept 4) and brightfarms Hanjuku Quail Eggs ($2.95).

I microwaved the poached chicken for a minute and served it over a bed of fresh baby spinach for a simple yet flavorful salad.

This combination of protein and greens was both nutritious and filling, making it a great start to the week!

Tuesday: Beef sukiyaki don

Tuesday's lunch was all about convenience and comfort.

I opted for pandamart's house brand brightyums' Beef Sukiyaki Rice ($6.70), a ready-to-eat meal that only needed a few minutes in the microwave.

The tender and flavourful pieces of beef paired with pearl rice made for a hearty lunch that could contend with any neighbouring Japanese food stalls near the office.

Wednesday: Creamy sesame cereal with strawberries

For a change of pace on Wednesday, I went with a lighter lunch.

First, I mixed Quaker All Natural Sesame Cereal Beverage (30 per cent off on Sept 15) with OATSIDE Original Oat Milk Barista (only $1 on Sept 13) till it's all smooth and creamy - and surprisingly, it didn't take more than 30 seconds.

Then, I added frozen strawberries from Emborg ($5.46) - frozen fruits are my favourite, fuss-free way to add nutrients to a meal - to the creamy base and the result was a sweet treat that's both nutritious and satisfying.

This meal is perfect for those days when you need something quick but still want to enjoy a bit of variety.

Thursday: Crispy chicken with Mediterranean dressing

Thursday's lunch was a bit more indulgent - I prepared Farmpride Frozen Crispy Chicken Karaage (25 per cent off on Sept 12) in the air fryer, which came out crispy and flavorful.

To round out the meal, I added brightfarms Greek Roasted Capsicum & Tomato Hummus Dip ($7.15) and brightfarms Greek Tzatziki ($7.15). The chicken karaage was hearty and paired well with the cool, creamy tzatziki and tangy hummus. A side of WA Harvest Baby Spinach (30 per cent off on Sept 4) added some fresh crunch and #health.

Friday: Steak and tea

Make no mis-steak - this brightfarms Sea Salt Butter Aged Steak ($12.24) was also cooked in the office - an air fryer, no less.

It's Friday after all, so I decided to go out with a bang for a more luxurious lunch.

I stuck the seasoned steak in the heated air fryer. After about 12 minutes at 200 degrees, the steak was perfectly seared on the outside while remaining juicy inside.

I paired this with Authentic Tea House Ayataka No Sugar Japanese Green Tea (30 per cent off on Sept 2), which provided a clean, subtle flavour that complemented the steak beautifully.

Bonus: Desserts to share

Each day's lunch was rounded off with a dessert that I shared with my colleagues, adding a touch of sweetness to our workday.

Some sweet treats we had include:

• brightfarms Watermelon Chunks (30 per cent off on Sept 6), which were a big hit, offering a refreshing and light option that everyone enjoyed
• brightfarms Fresh Thai Pre-Cut Coconuts (30 per cent off on Sept 2) were also crowd-pleasers, with its tropical flavour providing a pleasant break from a savoury lunch
• Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Share Bag (any 2, save 25 per cent on Sept 9) was a favourite amongst my colleagues, its individually wrapped packaging made it a perfect shared treat
• Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream (35 per cent off on Sept 11) was just the ultimate indulgence

Save big at pandamart's mega grocery fest

Running from Sept 2 to 15, the mega grocery fest will feature a variety of daily mega deals on fresh produce, ready-to-eat meals, and other grocery staples.

Each order will also come with a sure-win scratch card for discounts, including a chance to win a year of free groceries (worth $5,000) and more!

Also, remember to use the promo code "MARTFEST" for 20 per cent off your purchases - it will certainly make experimenting with different lunch options more affordable.

Whether you're short on time or just looking to simplify your lunch routine, pandamart, an air fryer and a microwave are going to be your new best friends.

This article is brought to you in partnership with foodpanda.

Lynette@asiaone.com

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