Lunch (no way to heat anything up)

Hi all,
I am a salesman on the road. I do not typically have access to a microwave to heat food up. So I am basically stuck with what you can eat cold from a lunch box. Does anyone have a good link or a good Pinterest board that has this kind of food? I can only eat sandwiches for so long before I’m sick of them, and find my self at fast food placejust for a change of pace.

Replies

  • lx1x
    lx1x Posts: 38,308 Member
    edited February 2020
    They sell 12v food warmer.. thermos makes nice containers to keep your food warm also.

    wolqwgdbal1s.png
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
    Yes, if it must be warm, then you are somewhat stuck with going to restaurants. Hey, not all restaurant food is bad!

    But, you can also try chop-style salads, which can have almost anything in them (leftover meats, egg, cheeses, avocado, apples, nuts, beans, vegetables, rice, pasta). The key to flavor is making your own dressing, in my opinion. Also, bring a small piece of really good bread.

    The chain that can make this for you in the NorthEastern US is Sweetgreen. But, you can definitely make it for yourself, maybe even better!
  • richie_g20
    richie_g20 Posts: 14 Member
    edited February 2020
    lx1x wrote: »
    They sell 12v food warmer.. thermos makes nice containers to keep your food warm also.

    wolqwgdbal1s.png

    Wow this is awesome. I am certainly going to check this out.
  • barefootbridgey
    barefootbridgey Posts: 81 Member
    I do a salad pretty much every day and I"m not sick of it yet - I think the trick is to avoid lettuce, which is boring. I marinate several chicken breasts in a different rub/marinade on Saturdays and cook and dice them on Sundays and portion up for my salad. I've been using pre-shredded coleslaw mix mixed up with preshredded broccoli slaw (a bag of each is usually more than enough to get me through a whole week of lunches). I use the bolthouse farms ranch and mix one serving of that with one serving of Sweet Baby Rays Buffalo Sauce...sometimes a bit of cheddar cheese.

    Sometimes I make like, a pseudo lunchable without crackers - an ounce or 2 of sliced parmesan, a serving of turkey pepperoni and some raw veggies, and an apple.

    I don't have anything more creative than those two options, but theyre both pretty good.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,129 Member
    Cold pastas (Tuna/Chicken/Salmon/Pancetta), Salads, dips with flatbread/veggies (I had Beetroot Hummus with some salted crisps (chips) and celery for lunch today), Antipasti selection, Thick soup in a flask, overnight oats, boiled eggs, quinoa/couscous with roasted chicken breast.

    https://www.squirrelsofafeather.com/work-lunch-box-ideas/
  • Luke_rabbit
    Luke_rabbit Posts: 1,031 Member
    Here is some great info about thermos containers which are awesome for taking hot food:

    https://www.safety.com/thermos/
  • richie_g20
    richie_g20 Posts: 14 Member
    Here is some great info about thermos containers which are awesome for taking hot food:

    https://www.safety.com/thermos/

    Awesome! Thank you. Just trying to avoid the same old same old. I’ll look into this one also.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
    PS @lx1x : that's a nice suggestion for anyone driving around all day!
  • richie_g20
    richie_g20 Posts: 14 Member
    PS @lx1x : that's a nice suggestion for anyone driving around all day!

    I agree. That really is a game changer. I can make chicken and veggies ect. If it works as advertised it’ll be like a nice home cooked meal while traveling. I just bought it from amazon. If people are interested I’ll report back on how it works.
  • lx1x
    lx1x Posts: 38,308 Member
    PS @lx1x : that's a nice suggestion for anyone driving around all day!

    Wish they sell them when I was a surveyor... (Late 80s).. only thing we had then was Thermos containers which works.. unless it's really freezing outside.. would keep food warm for so long.
  • ssorg9
    ssorg9 Posts: 30 Member
    I do salads in a jar. Easy to look up ideas. I use the Zero cal dressings, 2.5 oz chicken or pork, 1/2 cup beans, and about 4 cups various greens (like a mixture of kale, spring greens & romaine). They easily last a week. I make 5 on Sundays.
  • Those Hot Logic things are the bomb. My boyfriend works in an office, and he just keeps his there in his cube. He plugs it in and puts the food in in the morning, and by lunch time his dinner's warm. If you're in a car I bet it will work for you.

    I make up dinners for him on the weekend, and something like enchiladas with rice and beans rewarms easily.
  • gettinthere
    gettinthere Posts: 529 Member
    I do lots of things in a jar as well. Salad, protein and sometimes cold rice noodles or beans. Pinterest has a ton of jar lunch ideas.