Lunch Ideas

I need some lunch ideas for when I'm in orientation/training this weekend and for when I start working. I'm thinking something healthy because I'm trying to lose weight, and I would be game for vegeterian ideas as well! I'm not too too picky. I just don't like dill pickles YUCK! I just get sick of eating sandwiches all the time. I had a sandwich for lunch 3 days in a row, including today already so I'm kind of tired of that now. At least all of my turkey is gone now so I don't have anymore of it to eat! I've thought that I could make a batch of soup and eat on it for a few days, or those starkist tuna lunch kit things with the crackers. I'll probably take a piece of fruit with me each day as well.

I keep thinking that I should just go ahead and buy a lunch box thing..I always feel so wasteful with the brown paper bags.

Make food in a crock pot the night before and take the leftovers with you if you have a microwave at work.

And yes, you should get a proper insulated lunch box so you can put some cold packs in with your food.

This might seem dated: Lunchables. They are getting quite fulfilling and nutrious these days. I always pack them for my wifes kids, and they love them.

Well, I wouldn't need the cold packs. I forgot to mention that there are 2 refrigerators in the break room for employee use. They just told me to make sure my name is on my lunch so no one else takes it. I'm still thinking that I would feel a little less wasteful with one of those lunch container things. I have tupperware at my house already, but I don't want to write my name all over it LOL.

Originally Posted by mrbradstewart

This might seem dated: Lunchables. They are getting quite fulfilling and nutrious these days. I always pack them for my wifes kids, and they love them.

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I didn't know they still made those! My mom used to put those in my lunch as a kiddo back in the day LOL. They would be easy to take to work though. I wonder how much sodium the meat has in it though.

A nice salad is good to have a couple days a week. Its easy enough to make, can be eaten anytime, and you can add the ingredients you prefer.

Originally Posted by AlleyGirl

A nice salad is good to have a couple days a week. Its easy enough to make, can be eaten anytime, and you can add the ingredients you prefer.

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salads are a good idea. I did learn before at work not to put the dressing on it at home. It got kind of soggy when I did that, even when I put it on there in the morning right before work, but then again it set on it for about 4 hours before I ate it. Sometimes i just put canned tuna on it for flavor instead of dressing.

do you like cold pasta??

my mam cooks up some pasta for my dad on a sunday night then lightly fries up some peppers + mushrooms in garlic or chilli oil and then adds whatever meat they have had for sunday lunch and sometimes adds some light mayo

but you can put anything into pasta

Have you ever cooked indian food? I make up a big pot of curry or whatever, and then spoon servings into little tuperware containers for the whole week. It does have to be refrigerated and then heated up again, but it's definately something different! I have found that a lot of indian recipes call for a lot of oil, but I always cut it waaaay down to a tablespoon or 2 and it tastes just fine.


Aloo Matar - http://www.ivu.org/recipes/indian-root/alu-matar.html - potatoes and peas, my favorite
Curried Potatoes, Carrots and Green Beans - http://www.ivu.org/recipes/indian-root/curried.html
Diced Potatoes with Spinach - http://www.ivu.org/recipes/indian-ro...es-cooked.html
Pumpkin Curry with Lentils and Apples - http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pumpkin...es/Detail.aspx - I made this one this weekend, although I used butternut squash since that's what I had on hand.

The IVU website I linked to above has tons of great vegetarian recipes from around the world. When I'm feeling adventurous, I'll pick out a random vegetable from the grocery store, and then search for that veggie there and make what comes up. Always good for variety

And for soup, I *heart* this butternut squash soup - http://www.cookingcache.com/soupsand/squashsoup.shtml - I don't make the minut puree, and I use fresh instead of frozen.

I make several things for my lunches that are made the night before, keeping them fresh is all in the storage technique and I had to do a lot of trial and error to keep each one as fresh as possible, I find not putting tomatoes and sauces on things helps, putting them on at the end, and storing things between small cutting boards instead of wrapping them in foil.
Some ideas quesadillas with guac and salsa, homemade sushi (I lightly cook the fish - tuna or shrimp or salmon, and some vegs), portabella sandwiches with all the sides, whole wheat pasta salads or fresh potato salads with mustard (black beans, lots of red onion, olive oil, olives, etc.), whole wheat salad wraps with Swiss, organic salad mix, red onion, bell pepper, etc.), fresh salads, avocado sandwiches, fish sandwiches (made just like a burger only with healthier ingredients and some homemade pesto sauce), hearty vegetable or miso soups, homemade small veg pizzas on English muffins as the crust, and homemade Chinese stir-frys, spring rolls, and also crunchy veg roll ups (mushrooms, onion, water chestnuts, all cooked together in a homemade Asian sauces then wrapped before eating in lettuce wraps, organic peanut butter sandwich with whole wheat or whole spelt taste good too and can be filling, you can even add some honey. Hope these give you some ideas to start with for your lunches.
Sides that I bring with the main courses are hummus and veg, blue corn chips and salsa, organic yogurt, always fresh fruits, fresh nuts or seeds, and organic dried fruit or homemade granola. I also bring a mug of tea with fresh sliced lemon.

Originally Posted by Fuzzles

salads are a good idea. I did learn before at work not to put the dressing on it at home. It got kind of soggy when I did that, even when I put it on there in the morning right before work, but then again it set on it for about 4 hours before I ate it. Sometimes i just put canned tuna on it for flavor instead of dressing.

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You can either bring your own bottle of dressing to keep in the fridge, or what I do is pour a little into disposable plastic cups like these with lids. Then you don't have to worry about soggy salad

Originally Posted by AlleyGirl

You can either bring your own bottle of dressing to keep in the fridge, or what I do is pour a little into disposable plastic cups like these with lids. Then you don't have to worry about soggy salad

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Agreed. Never put the dressing on unless you are getting ready to eat it within a couple of minutes. You can even put it in a plastic baggie or Newman's dressing has small packages you can bring. You can put it in small plastic containers or even bring a bottle of your own. Many choices
Also, if you are preparing the lettuce yourself instead of buying it premade, I would cut the parts for your salad instead of tearing them. It makes it taste better, fresher. Also, if you buy the lettuce, as soon as you get it home, wash it, then put it in the salad spinner. That helps it be crisper as well. My favorite is red leaf lettuce. I then take what I am not using out of the salad spinner, although you can store it in there if you like, and place the leaves of lettuce in a large Ziploc with paper towels in between and make sure all the air is out when I seal the bag, like vacuum sealing without the vacuum sealer and vacuum sealer bags. It lasts a long time doing this and tastes crisp and fresh longer

These are all great ideas! I already went to the store today because I hate going around 5 when everyone gets off of work and got some strawberrys, spring mix salad, yogurt, low sodium v8 and a red bell pepper. I'm cooking some steelhead trout tonight for dinner. I bought a little extra of the trout so I'll put that on my salad. It's supposed to taste like salmon but better the meat guy said. Yum! I have some grape tomatoes and half a red onion and some grapes in the fridge that I am planning on using in my salad as well. I also have some cheese sticks in the fridge if I ever wanted to take one of those along with me.

So for lunch tomorrow I am going to have salad with a little fish on it with some bell pepper, a couple of grape tomatoes, some red onion slices and a little baggie with a few grapes and cut up strawberries and my v8. I may or may not take some yogurt with me. I haven't decided yet.

Oh and I love indian foods and curries! I have a yummy lamb vindaloo recipe that I just love and it makes quite a bit of food. That is a good idea as well. I think they taste better the next day anyway.

Oh yeah I forgot vegetarian chili and homemade corn bread, one of my husband's favorites and very easy to store and take to work, also makes a good filling snack on a cold day. And in many dishes if you make a lot, you can freeze it and save for later.

Originally Posted by cococat

Oh yeah I forgot vegetarian chili and homemade corn bread...

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Hey! A kindred spirit! That's one of my favorite meals, too!