Packed Dinner Ideas (no oven, microwave, or fridge)

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Trakandrose
Trakandrose Posts: 12 Member
in Recipes
Beginning this week I will be attending school on Tuesday and Thursday nights. I go straight from work to school, and will not have access to an oven, microwave, or fridge, only my lunch pack. Today I brought a PB Sandwich, Crackers, and fruit, but that's not enough to sustain me (both in meeting my caloric intake for the day, and keeping me full, stomach growling in class is embarassing). Any dinner ideas I could pack? I've thought about noodle salads, but I'm picky on ingredients. Your help is very much appreciated!

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  • badgirllaughing
    badgirllaughing Posts: 30 Member
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    I am constantly on the road, I get everything ready in advance (usually Sunday night) and also have no way of heating my food. I usually take any of these items: Kashi bars, apples, oranges, bananas, peeled carrots, salad with 3 oz chicken and dressing on the side), sardines, whole wheat tortilla wraps with ham, sprouts, mustard, (or even scrambled eggs & salsa), yogurt, almonds (about 12), grapes and yogurt, celery and peanut butter, etc.. :0) Just a few quick ideas. Preplanning ahead seems the way to go. Good luck!
  • mamaturner
    mamaturner Posts: 2,533 Member
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    That's a tough one w/ certain things. badgirllaughing, I worry how long those foods aren't refrigerated?? some of those only have a span of 4 hours of being able not to be refrigerated before they could cause you harm ie-chicken, dairy products, eggs...
  • badgirllaughing
    badgirllaughing Posts: 30 Member
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    My salads I refridgerate until I hit the road and put in a cooler lunch bag.. been at it for almost a year and no ill effects :0) ..
  • suejonestx
    suejonestx Posts: 256 Member
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    How about nuts? They're high in calories but also filling. There are "raw" nut mixes out there that don't use much salt. Another idea is a small can of tuna, mustard packet and red pepper. Mix the mustard into the tuna and scoop out with red pepper wedges or celery sticks. Special K makes yummy 90-calorie bars, and a 2-pack of nature valley granola bars is around 200 calories, but yummy and satisfying. I usually keep a large apple or banana in my purse for snacking emergencies! Hope this helps....
  • badgirllaughing
    badgirllaughing Posts: 30 Member
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    Just be careful with all the health bars, I have looked a lot and found Kashi bars are the best , the rest seem to have a lot of sodium. As for nuts again High calorie intake just make sure to limit how much. I stick to almonds (12 at one sitting).
  • cattiemac
    cattiemac Posts: 251 Member
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    My salads I refridgerate until I hit the road and put in a cooler lunch bag.. been at it for almost a year and no ill effects :0) ..

    I do the same thing every day and have never gotten sick. I keep my lunch in the fridge until I'm ready to head out the door and when I eat a few hours later it's always still cold. Or, you could get an ice pack to pack with you.

    Some good ideas:
    - veggies and dip or hummus
    - rice cakes and hummus
    - tortilla chips and salsa or hummus (can you tell that I like hummus?)
    - granola bars
    - grapes
    - bananas
    - apples
    - soy nuts
    - crackers & Laughing Cow Cheese

    How long will it be from the time you leave your house until you eat the food? It sounds like it could be long like 8 hrs. which may pose an issue with fresh foods.
  • Jerzeebabie04
    Jerzeebabie04 Posts: 272
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    Do you have a fridge at work to put your food in until you go to school? If you can do it that way then you will have many more options so that adding an ice pack will keep it cold in between the end of work and beginning of school?

    I like to eat apples because they help keep me full longer, so maybe a peanut butter sandwich on wheat bread with an apple, some type of nuts or granola, or even a protein bar. They have those packets of tuna that you could take, just wrip it open and you could have that too. They usually come in different seasoning flavors if you don't like tuna plain. Not sure if you have an Aldi's around you but I know they sell them and they also have little cans of tuna salad with crackers or chicken salad with crackers. They dont need to go in the fridge and the cans have a pull tab.

    Believe me I'm going to need these same ideas in a few weeks, I already go to school and work (luckily I have a microwave and fridge there), but I will also be starting another job (without microwave and fridge) so some days I will be going to both jobs and will need some healthy quick foods to bring. I'll check back for some other great ideas
  • Trakandrose
    Trakandrose Posts: 12 Member
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    I do have a fridge at work, so I can definitely keep stuff in there and then I could eat an hour or two after after work. These are some great ideas! I didn't even think of tuna, that would be delicious! And nuts are always a good option, along with a protein bar. :D
  • iRun4wine
    iRun4wine Posts: 5,126
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    I use an ice pack in my lunch bag- it keeps foods cold for hours. So, if you put your food in the fridge at work, and the ice pack in the freezer for the day... when you head out to go to school take them both out, throw them in your lunch bag, and you're all set. :flowerforyou:
  • mamaturner
    mamaturner Posts: 2,533 Member
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    My salads I refridgerate until I hit the road and put in a cooler lunch bag.. been at it for almost a year and no ill effects :0) ..

    Then you got it covered! I just worry! I have my sanitation and safety cert. (chef) I'm a bit of a freak when it comes to safe food handeling!!
  • ScarletTarah
    ScarletTarah Posts: 117 Member
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    I love pita bread 1 whole pita bread is 160 calories I cut it in half and stuff it with veggies romaine, onions, green peppers, tomato, and right now tuna thats what i'm eating as I type, it's very filling and having both halves is like eating just 1 sandwich, and trader joes has bbq baked chips 120 calories for 3 oz. which turned out to be quite a bit, I am all about quantity and taste I love to eat.

    I am also big on the 100 calorie snacks but for long outtings i'll prepop the pop corn and take it with me, that way i'll feel as if i'm munching all day.
    and 3 oz of baby carrots I find fill me up like a turkey dinner all that damn chewing.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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    Wraps are perfect for on the go lunches- whole grain wrap, chicken, salad mix, dressing, and cheese that's my fave.
  • Trakandrose
    Trakandrose Posts: 12 Member
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    I love pita bread 1 whole pita bread is 160 calories I cut it in half and stuff it with veggies romaine, onions, green peppers, tomato, and right now tuna thats what i'm eating as I type, it's very filling and having both halves is like eating just 1 sandwich, and trader joes has bbq baked chips 120 calories for 3 oz. which turned out to be quite a bit, I am all about quantity and taste I love to eat.

    I am also big on the 100 calorie snacks but for long outtings i'll prepop the pop corn and take it with me, that way i'll feel as if i'm munching all day.
    and 3 oz of baby carrots I find fill me up like a turkey dinner all that damn chewing.

    OoOoOoh that sounds delicious!! Thank you for the idea!

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