Need ideas for lunch for a mail carrier

talaysia3

My husband is a mail carrier and has decided to jump on board and start losing weight and eating healthier with me. Although he gets tons of exercise throughout the day working in excess of 60 hours of week, his eating is not the greatest, therefore he has packed on a few unwanted pounds. Currently the challenge is lunch. What can he take with him to eat? He doesn't have access to a refrigerator or microwave. What he takes would have to be able to survive being left out most of the day. Usually he stops for fast food, but this is where the problems set in. Does anyone have any ideas? He takes fruit with him to eat on all day. He drinks at least a gallon of water throughout the day. Thanks for any ideas!

fofipps

My husband is a mail carrier too. Noodle salads, sandwiches, trail mix, and yogurt are typical lunch box staples. I can freeze the yogurt and it's thawed and ready by the time he gets to it. I also put cold pizza and cheese, meat and crackers from time to time.

talaysia3

I didn't think of the noodle salads. I'm not sure he'll go for that. Usually when he gets in his mind to watch his eating it means cutting carbs. I'll run it past him. That's a good variety from the green salads. He keeps different nuts with him to snack on as well. I didn't think about freezing the yogurt, will definitely give that a try. Thanks!

elyelyse

how about getting an insulated lunch bag? that way meats, cheeses and veggies stay cool. You can even put an ice pack in there (or the frozen yogurt!) if it's warm weather.

AthenaArcher

I am a mail carrier too Pb&js or any nut butter(jiff in cups works well) goodness knows bars, cliff bars, smoothies freeze half ,veggies cut up,trail mix,freeze water bottles and put them in a cooler to keep his food cold. Good luck! :happy:

nxd10

A roast beef tortilla rollup with cream cheese and salady stuff on it. You can pack anything with a small cool pack.

talaysia3

He has a lunch tote with ice packs that he can carry sandwiches and such in. But I guess what I was looking for was something a little more filling than sandwiches. He leaves for work around 7am and doesn't get to take a lunch until @ 3pm most days. By then because we are in the South and he's in his vehicle in excess of 100 degrees everything is kind of melted and mushy and he's starving.

CF4L

You mentioned he stopped for fast food. If he has time to stop somewhere like he had been have him stop by a grocery store near his route that has a salad bar and make a fresh salad. Doesn't take long to eat a salad.

fofipps

Ugh, I hear you. Gotta love the LLVs with no AC and no meal breaks. I use multiple ice packs, and freeze bottles of water. I also pack several meals. He says sandwiches get old, but they are easy, and can be eaten with one hand. Maybe try a bulkier bread like ciabatta?
One thing I forgot is hummus and vegetables or crackers as a snack.

talaysia3

You mentioned he stopped for fast food. If he has time to stop somewhere like he had been have him stop by a grocery store near his route that has a salad bar and make a fresh salad. Doesn't take long to eat a salad.

We don't have any grocery stores that have a salad bar. Good idea though. He will stop in a chinese restaurant if there is one on the route and get chicken and vegetables. But he doesn't always get that chance since he doesn't have his own route.

talaysia3

Ugh, I hear you. Gotta love the LLVs with no AC and no meal breaks. I use multiple ice packs, and freeze bottles of water. I also pack several meals. He says sandwiches get old, but they are easy, and can be eaten with one hand. Maybe try a bulkier bread like ciabatta?
One thing I forgot is hummus and vegetables or crackers as a snack.

Yea..looks like we'll have to continue with the sandwiches. He takes a few frozen bottles of water with him. That's what he drinks on all day long. He loves bread and crackers, but gets a fear of carbs. He takes celery sticks and baby carrots from time to time to snack on.

CF4L

I know this is not a lunch time suggestion but I would recommend he carry some beef jerky with him. It is a relatively low calorie snack and packed with protein. If he ate that as a snack he wouldn't be so ravenous during lunch time in the afternoon and therefore may make it easier to make better decisions. I know if I am starving I tend to make poorer decisions than when I am not.

bahacca

Rice balls! Target sells sushi rice if you have a hard time finding it or venture into an ethnic food store if you cannot find it in a regular store. Then order the molds online-just search for "bento supplies" You then cook the rice and while still warm, stick it in the molds, pop them out then put them in the fridge. They can be eaten hot or cold or room temp. If he likes soy sauce, buy the little soy sauce containers from the bento place as well. My kids AND my husband love rice balls.
What about hard boiled eggs? Just be sure there are ice packs.
I make my kids "lunchables" with cubes of turkey, cheese and then some cherry tomatoes and some crackers.

LoosingMyLast15

this would be a nice snack for him

my favorite thing to make right now is my own granola balls. oatmeal, peanut butter, honey, flax seed meal and whatever dried fruits/nuts you like. portable and you can freeze them overnight so they are ICE COLD.

girllovedcupcakes

I eat lunch and two snacks at work. I make a sandwich wrap with spinach, turkey and cheese for lunch with cottage cheese, tomato and jello. My snacks are celery and carrots in the AM and a Fiber One bar in the PM. All of that could be kept in a lunchbox! I have an open diary if you want to know more.

StarryOne

Hi! My husband is a mail carrier too, with a walking route. However, he is 6' and 150# and walking all day doesn't do anything to help him put on any weight- but he also eats mostly healthy food. He has found it impossible to pack lunches and keep them cool until he gets a break. He gets a lot of his food from gas stations (bananas, crackers, cheese, etc.). Luckily he has a food co-op on his route so he hits a salad bar at least a few times a week. He'll also go to Jimmy Johns or Subway once a week or so. He also eats a large and protein heavy breakfast each morning, which helps him make it through. He's also developed a very elaborate water system with 3 water bottles- one fully frozen, one halfway frozen, and one with just ice cubes so that he has hope of having cool water throughout the day and he stays hydrated on those days that it is very humid and hot and the days are long.