Packing Lunches for Work

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Replies

  • texaricangirasol
    texaricangirasol Posts: 38 Member
    awesome ideas. I have turned the orowheat honey wheat sandwhich thins into pizzas, spinach or choice of veggies, pepperonnis or sausage crumbles, your choice of cheese slice, ligthly toasted, (haven't tried the microwave) and as long as you measure it, they can be under 300. I like using those sandwhich thins for sanwhiches (turkey, provolone or swiss and a lil bit of brown mustard).

    Carrots are good with creamy dressings (ranch and blue chesse) You can also make a sauce with garlic, italian seasonings and cream cheese (use some milk and butter and melt together). The sauce is good with salads, potatos, eggs, sandwhiches, etc. and u only need a little bit of it.

    if i am within my calories, i add a 90calorie rice crispie treat or a 90 calories fiber one brownie.

    Thank you to all the teachers out there for all the great work and the amazing patience that you have!!! God Bless you all!
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    Okay, so I pack my husband's lunch ALWAYS.
    Have done it for years.
    It's always the "same."
    ALWAYS sandwich, yogurt with fruit in it, chips, treat, drink (usually).

    BUT...
    You can get a lot of variation into that.
    You can use different breads, meat, veggies in the sandwich, as well as vary the condiments used in it.
    I have continually upgraded the ingredients over the years, so that the meat is almost always home cooked, divided into sandwich shaped portions and placed in a baggie, in the freezer, ready to make into a sandwich.

    The yogurt is scooped into a small container, is plain (greek), and I add fruit...and he likes cinnamon in it:)
    The chips can be varied, as can the treat.
    He likes GT Dave's Synergy as his drink.

    He eats the yogurt mid-morning as a snack, and the rest at lunch. Since he's an Orthopedic RN, he can be quite lunch-challenged! He's gotta get that lunch eaten before interruption.

    Knowing that this what he has in his lunch has really freed my mind of this "constant chore." Actually I'm not put off by it at all...but if I had to come up with some creative lunch all the time, I would probably lose heart.

    He's never tired of his lunches, and I can see why...they are really great!
    BTW I am a die-hard Trader Joe's shopper....best ingredients!
    I should add that he is known at work for his lunches LOL which cracks me up because they are so simple:)
  • ddiestler
    ddiestler Posts: 353 Member
    I too work in an elementary school and find lunches difficult. Thank you to the person who posted the website with all the pictures..I have some great ideas!!!!
  • smaugish
    smaugish Posts: 244 Member
    I LOVE this thread. I've got one day a week when I'm at Uni from 9-5 next year, so I'll be doing at least one packed lunch. This is full of great ideas.

    I have me one of these babys: http://www.sistema.co.nz/pages/Sistema-Lunch/coloured_lunch/1735.htm aaand I was planning on doing things like falafels, pasta salads, cous cous or quinoa, with veggies, fruit and maybe some skinny popcorn or something!
  • Gidzmo
    Gidzmo Posts: 906 Member
    Ah, sorry you have to deal with that (people swiping your lunch). Putting your name on the lunch box probably won't help, I take it.
  • saraann4
    saraann4 Posts: 1,296 Member
    Pack in some Fage. They make single 100 calorie serving containers. You could mix it with Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning to dip your veggies in. Good source of protein.
  • kmard81
    kmard81 Posts: 212 Member
    bump
  • iuew
    iuew Posts: 624 Member
    awesome lunchbox. i need to get one of those. i waste too much money on ziplocks for my chips and sides.

    as for suggestions, i usually do sandwiches and chips / crackers. i alternate sandwiches by week : turkey, ham, roast beef, and fat free bologna. crackers are generally toasted veggie chips, ritz toasted chips, baked lays / doritos, and snyders pretzels. mid week, i usually have a morning star griller, which tastes as good as a cheeseburger. i also vary the bread / buns each day. you can buy several kinds, freeze them in the package, and thaw them individually each day.
  • Gardengail
    Gardengail Posts: 596 Member
    I'm a fan of leftovers from the night before or fresh fruit/veggies with yogurt, etc. I cook extra proteins on the weekend, too, not just for lunches but for quicker dinners on weeknights. After going to the Y when I leave work at 6-6:30p I'm usually in a hurry for dinner.
  • Froody2
    Froody2 Posts: 338 Member
    My very very favourite lunch/snack to take is Greek style yoghurt with frozen mixed berries. *Homer drool*.
  • gjsmommy
    gjsmommy Posts: 90 Member
    Great thread! Thanks!
  • 780ck
    780ck Posts: 40 Member
    I also take my lunch daily. I have almonds in my desk, I love tuna wraps done on lettuce, and unsweetend applesauce. Cheese strings are nice as they are premeasured. I often take leftovers from supper. Good luck!
  • shellygressett
    shellygressett Posts: 80 Member
    Also a teacher...another suggestion: I bought a miniture, portable crockpot for lunches. I plug it in and it is ready by lunch time. This way I don't have to wait in the microwave line. I bought it off of amazon for 19.99. Love it.
  • LeslieBoBeslie
    LeslieBoBeslie Posts: 2
    grapes, berries, apple slices, orange slices (all chilled,) peanut butter for dipping apples, carrots or celery. Almonds, cheese cubes and crackers. Hummus and pita chips/bread. Spinach and feta whole-grain pasta salad. Yogurt, tuna/chicken salad, chicken/turkey wraps (cut into bite-size pieces...)

    I'm a nurse and rarely get a lunch so all I ever eat is quick snacks. Hope this helped a bit!
  • flslp87
    flslp87 Posts: 175 Member
    I do home therapy so I end up eating in the car while going from one place to the next so I pack stuff that doesn't need to be heated...


    I like sandwiches on those whole wheat sandwich rounds - I usually use a bit of turkey (love the Oscar Mayer thin ) w/ some 2% american cheese and maybe some lettuce...

    Also I like to add something crunchy, either a serving (or 1/2 sometimes) of light pringle chips, veggie straws, chip crisps, lentil chips, etc (since you can sit still you can take either guacamole or salsa for your lentil chips)

    and a fruit - watermelon, strawberries, grapes, etc...

    and a small dessert - I like those 90 cal fiber one brownies....sometimes even just a york patty or square of dark chocolate

    since you can heat things up you could take some mini corndogs (morning star)

    or salad w/ chicken, strawberries and almond slivers - light dressing...w/ crackers of some sort and fruit and dessert...
  • findingme07
    findingme07 Posts: 156 Member
    bump
  • jcmartin0313
    jcmartin0313 Posts: 574 Member
    bump....awesome thread!!

    I like to cook things like chicken sausage, pulled chicken, pulled pork, turkey kielbasa, etc which will last for a few days then throw in a good veggie. I usually eat either a Powercrunch protein bar or Belvita cookies in the morning and then in the afternoon a fiber bar and or peanut butter.
  • cristeberga
    cristeberga Posts: 251 Member
    *bump*

    *Love the box*
  • AstridParties
    AstridParties Posts: 85 Member
    bump
  • Dozrzz
    Dozrzz Posts: 245
    First off, let me just bow to your lunch box. Secondly, I'm part Spanish, so forgive the bias. I would do fajitas: Grilled chicken, veggies, etc, add a couple of tortillas and brown rice, and you've got a seriously good meal, and you won't be starving by the time you get home. If you're looking for something cold, I'd do salad with all the trimmings, greek yogurt + fruit + granola. Hummus is good, if you like it.

    Isn't it just too cool! I was so excited! lol I love Spanish flavors too so that sounds yummy!
  • Dozrzz
    Dozrzz Posts: 245
    Where did you get that awesome lunch box? I, too, am a teacher and always struggled with different things to take besides the usual. I am also trying to avoid eating the extra lunches the kids get completely this year, so that lunch box would help to vary my ideas. I don't want to do Lean Cuisines or other frozen meals either anymore.

    Believe it or not, I got it at Office Depot while I was shopping for post-its and things for my desk! It just looked interesting and I bought a special insulating sleeve that fits over it to keep things cooler longer. Very cool!

    I too as a teacher struggle with this and thank you for bringing the topic up .... what is the lunch box called or the brand ... I looked on the office depot website and CANNOT find it .... :-(

    Try myfoodmovers.com I think that was the brand (I've already taken off the labels -_- ) But I am pretty sure that was it...
  • Dozrzz
    Dozrzz Posts: 245
    I wish it would. I actually used to keep my lunch in the fridge in a cute little cooler lunch bag thing with my initials on it. Someone actually opened the bag, took my yogurt, and left the open bag in the fridge with my sandwich! Really?!?! Not cool!
  • eskimite
    eskimite Posts: 56
    Great thread! So many awesome ideas. I haven't seen anyone mention sliced up fully cooked chicken sausage from Trader Joe's as a protein idea.

    Wouldn't work with your lunchbox, but puréed or noodle soups with veggies/protein would make a nice main lunch course (in addition to your snacks).
  • Shawnette97
    Shawnette97 Posts: 29 Member
    bump
  • lengirl75
    lengirl75 Posts: 153 Member
    bump
  • Lovestoscrapbook
    Lovestoscrapbook Posts: 295 Member
    bump
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
    The biggest question is where can we get that spiffy lunch-box?
  • paulsmulski
    paulsmulski Posts: 5 Member
    Sugar snap peas in the produce section and some cut up peppers also celery with peanut butter pre made always seems to fill me up and its all clean living.
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
    I'm all about leftovers. When I clean up after dinner, I package 3-4 oz. servings of meat in baggies, or divide soups or casseroles into single serving gladware so I can just throw it in my lunch bag. Apple with PB, carrots and hummus, grapes, cherry tomatoes with sliced cucumbers with a bit of white wine vinegar, hard boiled eggs, turkey roll-ups... all would work in your lunch box.

    I'm not much for packing sandwiches because I don't eat bread very often, so I try to stick with lean proteins, fruits and veggies.
  • barbara352
    barbara352 Posts: 1
    Where did you purchase the lil container from? I really need something like this.

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