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Packing a lunch (Read 222 times)

    The lunch situation at my last job was perfect, meaning I had an hour break and there was a Panera five minutes away. Oh, Panera, how I miss you. My new job is in the middle of nowhere; the nearest place to get food is fifteen minutes away and is an expensive French cuisine restaurant. Even if I had the money for that, I don't have the time. So I'm in the market for a nifty new lunchbox.

     

    Food-wise, I need something to tide me over until the end of the workday so I don't fly into a hunger-induced rage that would make onlookers think I had a steroids problem if not for my spindly frame. There's not really a kitchen, the fridge is tiny and mostly filled with dog food cans. There is a microwave.

     

    What would you pack in your lunchbox if you were in my place?

     

    PS Double-entendres are incidental.

    TeaOlive


    old woman w/hobby

      Left overs from the night before.  Fruit.

      steph  

       

       

      stadjak


      Interval Junkie --Nobby

        Funny, I was just going to post a request for suggestions on simple meals to take to work.  My requirements were these:

        1. Simple/Quick to make (3mins - or about the same as a sandwich)
        2. Ingredients need to have a long shelf-life or very common for other things (like bread)
        3. non-meat (fish/eggs okay)

        My PB&J and Tuna-salad sandwiches are getting a bit old.

        2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do

        npaden


          I've always packed a lunch to work except on rare occasions.

           

          Pretty much what TeaOlive said, we tend to intentionally make big enough meals at supper that I can cobble together a lunch the next day from it.  Now that it's starting to get cooler, I'll start to add soups into the mix.

           

          Cottage cheese is easy, and good if you mix it with sugar free jello or some fruit.  I tend to pack quite a few snacks that I pull out during the day, fruit, nuts, etc.

          Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)

          Current PR's:  Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)

            +1 to fruit.

            "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus

            L Train


              My PB&J and Tuna-salad sandwiches are getting a bit old.

               

              No wonder.  Sounds like a disgusting combo.

               

                +1 to fruit.

                 

                +2   My running goes so much better when I eat a lot of fresh fruit.

                  I bring a lunch every day. I have one of those flexible insulated lunch boxes, usually packed the night before to save time in the AM. I am pretty boring/monotonous; unless there are interesting leftovers to bring, I pack a turkey sandwich, a container of greek yogurt, some baby carrots and/or snap peas. Also usually berries to mix with my yogurt (fresh when in season, but frozen is good.) Theroretically that should all be refrigerated, but probably OK for a few hours till lunchtime, or you can stick a cold pack in there. (Another good option are those foil packs of tuna, you can just bring those & some bread & make a sandich on site.) I also bring a banana to snack on in the morning & an apple for the afternoon. Not sure how much space is in your office, but I have a drawer keep a bunch of items (not requiring refrigeration) on hand for snacking: pretzels, almonds, granola bars, Clif bars, microwave popcorn. That stuff comes in real handy; I am currently on the DL, but when I am putting on the miles, I feel the need to be eating constantly.

                  Dave

                  mab411


                  Proboscis Colossus

                    Turkey sammich and pretzels, which is the same thing I eat in my current situation - band director with a mini-fridge in my office.  I just make the sandwich here, but if I didn't have access to the mini-fridge, I'd just make the same at home and bring it.

                     

                    My usual dessert might work well in your situation...I keep a bunch of Yoplait "Light" yogurt cups in the freezer section of my mini-fridge, then pop them in the microwave for about 30 secs. or so before eating.  Tastes just like frozen yogurt, ha ha!

                     

                    Ahem, anyway, it really thaws to a better consistency if I just leave it out in room temperature for a few hours instead of nuking it, so that would probably work pretty well in your situation.

                     

                    I have to ask, though: dog food in the work fridge?

                    "God guides us on our journey, but careful with those feet." - David Lee Roth, of all people

                    LedLincoln


                    not bad for mile 25

                      Mixed nuts or peanuts do help me fend off the purported steroid-induced rage in the afternoons.  Juice, too.


                      Hip Redux

                        Leftovers from dinner.   Make a crockpot of chili on the weekend and use for lunches.   Turkey, lettuce tomato, avocado, bacon sandwiches (bacon always makes it better).   Salad + grilled chicken, hard boiled eggs.

                         

                        I just put  a little blue ice freezer back in my lunch bag.  The work fridge is not something I usually want to put my food in, since it hasn't been cleaned since 1998.

                         


                        sugnim

                          I always have granola bars, crackers, and peanut butter in my drawer at work for snacking on.  Most days I bring fruit and/or yogurt and/or string cheese with me.  This way, I have a good amount of healthy snacks to choose from.

                           

                          For lunch, I like leftovers, salads from my garden, bean & rice bowls, sandwiches or wraps, or boiled eggs on toast.  Today I had PB&J with a  fruit salad.

                           

                          Question for OP:  Why do you keep dog food cans in your fridge at work?

                          dennrunner


                            I always have granola bars, crackers, and peanut butter in my drawer at work for snacking on.  Most days I bring fruit and/or yogurt and/or string cheese with me.  This way, I have a good amount of healthy snacks to choose from.

                             

                            For lunch, I like leftovers, salads from my garden, bean & rice bowls, sandwiches or wraps, or boiled eggs on toast.  Today I had PB&J with a  fruit salad.

                             

                            Question for OP:  Why do you keep dog food cans in your fridge at work?

                            Dumb question, I guess. But what are the mechanics of boiled eggs on toast? Hard boiled then sliced?

                              Interesting challenge in my office:there is a woman with a tomato allergy. Which I have never heard of, but to avoid any issues they have instituted a strict tomato-free policy. Particularly for leftovers you would bring in to heat up in the microwave, think of how many are tomato-based -- chili, soup, pizza, pasta.... Actually drives my wife crazier than me, because I would normally take care of all the leftovers, and now I have to ask whether she is making an office-safe dinner.

                              Dave

                              FTYC


                              Faster Than Your Couch!

                                Wraps are great, and you can turn those into a burito in the microwave, too. With some rice (leftover from the previous day's dinner), avocado, tomatoes, olives, and some fish or meat, or just a scrambled egg, cheese and beans or tomatoes, this makes a nice meal.

                                I prepare them in the morning, or the evening before, and stick them into my kids' lunch boxes. Unless there's fish in them, they don't need solid refrigeration from morning to lunchtime, just an ice pack is fine.

                                 

                                My daughter loves soup, I use a thermos food container to keep it hot (and these Nalgene neoprene sleeves for the wide-mouth bottles work great over the Thermos lunch containers to keep them hot longer). Or you could heat it up in the microwave. "Amy's" organic soups are good, filling and healthy, or just any old soup that comes in a package, or that you have made yourself. Mushroom, tomato, garden vegetable, Italian Wedding,... there are many options, and I sometimes add cooked noodles or rice, or beans to enrich them, so that they take me all the way to dinner.

                                 

                                Gnocchi (they come in packages which don't require cooling) work well, too, just boil them for a few minutes in a ceramic bowl with hot water in the microwave, then drain and add your favorite sauce (tomato, cheese,...) and a tablespoon of parmesan cheese.

                                 

                                Hot dogs are a favorite of my son, they can be heated up in the microwave (depending on the kind of hot dog, either in hot water in a small bowl, or just as is), and you can use vegetarian varieties as well. You can keep a few small packages of condiments (from the gas station, or a fast-food restaurant) in your desk drawer or locker.

                                Run for fun.

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