Out from 9am to 9pm food to take all day - Ideas Please!

I'm in the same situation as you! I have lecture and lab, then nursing clinicals all day from 8am to 9pm (ADN student, blech.) And we only get about an hour inbetween lab and clinical, which means no sitting down for a Panera salad and grilled chicken unless we order ahead and leave the car running in the parking lot! I always pack non-perishables in my purse/backpack to nibble on for snacks like sunflower seeds, almonds, carrots and cucumbers (they can be okay warm, but I prefer them cool), Luna Protein bar or a Good Greens + bar.

Then, in my lunch bag, I have two meals planned out with additions depending on how hungry I am at that moment. I start with a base-grilled chicken, salad mix, leftovers, or cooked fish. Then have additions-tomatoes, cukes, dressings/flavorings (I'm in love with frank's red at the moment, only 5 calories). Then a side-frozen fruit that has thawed in my bag, fage yogurt, deli meat. So, if I happen to be ravenous that day, I have plenty of stuff to fill me up. If I'm not so hungry, I eat all the perishable stuff first then stick it back in my insulated bag and reuse it. I also keep a cooler in the trunk of my car since my food needs to last from 8am to 9pm.

So, all in all, small things that require no prep like fresh/frozen fruits and veggies, yogurts (not sure if you like yogurt, but I practically live off of it), baggies with 3-4 oz of chicken or deli meats, nuts, seeds.

Lara Bars are amazing........ I keep some stashed with me at all times. They taste like a treat, but are healthy- only dried fruits, nuts, and spices.

I would suggest taking some nuts. My go to snack are almonds, they're delicious and filling!

I would add a few pre-mixed protein drinks for snacks or even as meal substitutes. I like the Myoplex Lite's Dark Chocolate Fudge. It has about 20 grams of protein and 170 calories. The Atkins shakes are pretty good too.

my bf packs my lunch every day and on wednesdays, I work 9-9. In the morning I have a green smoothie and sometimes an egg.

for midmorning, I have yogurt & granola (both homemade). the granola is full of seeds & nuts. that keeps me 'til lunch.

at lunch i have a salad with apple, onion, carrot, feta, egg, pickles and sometimes avocado and/or tomato with homemade dressing.

for midafternoon i have homemade hummus (usually garlic & hot pepper) with carrots & celery

by evening, i have a thermos of coffee and either an apple or an orange or both if i'm super hungry.

this keeps me until I get home when I usually have another yogurt & granola or soup or whatever he may have made for dinner.

it doesn't sound like a lot, but it surprisingly is. the salad is more dinner-sized. if you eat meat, you could add chicken to the salad and then bring other things to take with you: hard boiled eggs, raw broccoli & cauliflower with hummus, a banana & peanut butter (or almond butter), or if you eat meat: cold chicken with hot sauce or tuna with mustard.

i like to stay away from things that need to be microwaved or refrigerated, but if you add those two factors, your options significantly increase.

whatever you bring, make sure it's something you really enjoy eating, you know? otherwise, you'll be headed for the snack bar.

My favorite protein bar (which makes me think I'm eating something more like a candy bar) is Nature Valley Peanut, Almond and Dark Chocolate Protein Bar. There are 10 g protein in each bar and are REALLY good!

Be careful of too many fruits- lot of sugar there. Get protein in, too- maybe some cheese or natural peanut butter with your apples and grapes. Head to target and grab an insulate bag and cold packs- keep it with you at all times so that you don't stray. And be nice to yourself... Jello pudding is very light and sweet (if you get sweet cravings like me). Also, bring water crackers or wasa for your carb fix... they are low in calories and you can pair them with anything (tomatoes, cheese, avacado, etc.) as a substitute to a sandwich.

i would choose an apple over jello any day. but that's just me.

fruit also packs fiber, so don't worry about the sugar that comes in fruit. yeah, don't go ape on it, but it's perfectly fine to eat because of the fiber and nutrients they carry.

granola bars, trail mix, string cheese, rice snacks, fresh fruit and veggies, crackers...

Some things that won't need to be kept cold would be good, too! 100 calorie packs of any nuts, peanut butter (they have packs now for travel!), granola bars or any variety thereof, and maybe some fruit snacks for something sweet!

I was going to suggest the very same thing! The Nature Valley Protein bar is amazing and tastes delicious! Anything high in protein and/or fiber will keep you full throughout the day and give you more energy!