Ideas for non refrigerated lunches?

katieca123
katieca123 Posts: 70 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm a college student who is stuck on campus from 8 am until almost 5 at night, and I only have time for a 45 minute lunch break. I'm trying to avoid fast food, which is basically all we have. I don't have access to a refrigerator, so I'm just wondering if anyone knows of some lunch ideas that will keep until lunch and don't take up a lot of space in my bag (I'd rather not carry around a lunch box, since I'm carrying so much around already)

Replies

  • jamesfreire
    jamesfreire Posts: 1
    Just my opinion from my experience, pretty much anything you bring with you won't spoil in 4 or even 8 hours. This is especially true if you keep it in a 'thermal' type bag. I bring lunch all the time and just leave it next to my desk. A cooked piece of chicken, some rice, veggies, etc will not go bad that quick. Quality deli meats last quite well too because of the salt and nitrates.
    If they are cooked well and put in clean containers without being handled with bare hands, they last. Cooking sterilizes the food a lot when compared to storing some raw meat. (Heck, I let a whole chicken get to room temperature for a few hours before cooking it, on purpose).

    I wouldn't worry about it and just bring whatever you want. Maybe keep an ice pack in your thermal bag, and things will stay cool for most of the day


    -James
  • RavenLibra
    RavenLibra Posts: 1,737 Member
    clif bars... bottles of "Ensure"
  • FancyPantsFran
    FancyPantsFran Posts: 3,687 Member
    apples, bananas, grapes

    Cliff bars, almonds walnuts you can pack sandwiches too they wont go bad that fast
  • yc4king
    yc4king Posts: 117 Member
    My lunch almost every day is a sandwich and yogurt. Both will last just fine for lunch or supper from 7am in your backpack. I'd recommend a rigid plastic container for the sandwich to prevent crushing it :P
  • booboo68
    booboo68 Posts: 302 Member
    When I need to be out and about, I do some of the following things:

    I make a GNC Total Lean 25 shake with fruit or whatever and freeze it. It starts to thaw midmorning and I sip on it throughout the morning or wait for lunch and drink the entire thing.

    Almonds

    Jerky

    Cheese sticks

    Veggies

    Fruits

    Boiled eggs
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Any fruits or veggies are going to be fine. Look for a non-dairy salad dressing. Can you add some frozen chicken strips to your lunch bag in the a.m? Otherwise tuna pouches or the small cans are good add-ins.

    A thermos can keep things cold as well as hot. You might invest in a good quality one.
  • Joannah700
    Joannah700 Posts: 2,665 Member
    apples, bananas, grapes

    Cliff bars, almonds walnuts you can pack sandwiches too they wont go bad that fast

    Ditto.

    Add beef jerky, vitamin water, breakfast bars, peanut butter, fruit.

    Also - sometimes you can buy just plain chicken at the college fast food/cafeteria. You can bring a salad, add their chicken and then a fruit/nut mix and dressing.
  • rachelrb85
    rachelrb85 Posts: 579 Member
    Sandwiches and wraps (no mayo), protein shakes, protein bars, fruit, string cheese, beef jerky, nuts, trail mix, tuna and crackers. You can also invest in a little lunch bag cooler with an ice pack to bring other stuff like salads, greek yogurt, hard boiled eggs, etc.
  • daisycharlie100
    daisycharlie100 Posts: 1 Member
    I don't eat carbs so can't take sandwiches , a tin of tuna in a self opening can and a salad with low calorie mayonnaise works for me , it does mean you have to drain the oil/brine off somewhere and take a fork but at about 250 calories its a good option , healthy and keeps me full until dinner. (you can vary with sardines , tinned meat, frankfurter oe boiled eggs in their shells)
  • S_Murphree
    S_Murphree Posts: 94
    What about those tuna lunch kits, fruit cups, peanut butter sandwiches on wheat?

    Also, I've made salads in a jar. The glass jar will keep the salad cold for quite a while. Organize yourself skinny has alot of recipes.

    Pasta salad using a vinaigrette dressing.
  • strivingfor130
    strivingfor130 Posts: 221 Member
    I've brought leftovers and forgot to put an icepack in my lunch bag, and it was just fine. I also do sandwiches or wraps with fruits, veggies, or small bag of chips. Salads are always a good option. Just use separate container for the dressing. You could freeze yogurt or a smoothie and by lunch time it would be ready to eat. Maybe soups or pasta salad?
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    I have a soft lunch box that I bought at Costco. It comes with a snaplid bento style box and a great re-freezable gel pack to keep everything cold. It cost less than $15 and I use it nearly every day for my lunches. It expands or zips down to fit what you put in there. Instead of a lunchbox you could also just use plastic container and a freezer pack wrapped in a towel or something and it would take less room in a backpack.

    Otherwise, you've already gotten some great suggestions. There are plenty of things you can freeze overnight and they'll thaw during the morning. Be careful of condensation and your paperwork, though (it's why I suggested the towel earlier).

    A few non-refrigerated ideas follow. Just be sure to put the soft foods in something crush-proof.

    Celery with peanut butter, hard-boiled eggs, sandwiches (nothing that will get soggy), nuts, whole fruit, etc.
  • AnnaVee84
    AnnaVee84 Posts: 345 Member
    celery/apples/banana/rice cakes with justin's peanut butter squeeze packet
    beef jerky or pepperoni slices
    string cheese or babybel cheese
    quest bar or other protein or bar
    tuna in a bag
    carrots with hummus snack pack
    salad with greens, nuts, meat separated from wet ingredients (tomatoes, etc) - separate container for balsamic vinaigrette or dressing - I've seen lots of great recipes for "salad in a jar" which would eliminate need for multiple containers.
    ---- could do like canned chicken breast or fish if you can't prepare in advance.

    i guess the list is similar to what i could carry on the plane for long flights!

    also for my water bottle, i carry a lil container of my pre-workout energy powder with me as well so i can go directly from classes to the gym.
  • tabicatinthehat
    tabicatinthehat Posts: 329 Member
    I keep hot food in my car. Then again, I do live in Louisiana. It may as well be a microwave in there.

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