Lunch box ideas?

What do you guys take for lunch?

I like Jon to bring his lunch to work, because not only is it cheaper, but it's healthier. But I run out of ideas. I gave him cucumber tomato salad so many times that cucumber make him gag now. (Bad wife!) Mostly I need side ideas.

Thanks!

I make FH's lunch every night so it's ready for him in the morning. He gets 2 sandwiches (lunch meat and cheese), a yogurt, fruit cup of some sort, and a fruit roll up or other fruit snack. He changes the lunch meat and cheese almost every week, so he's not getting sick of a certain type of meat.

WHen i make dinner I pack a small serving of whatever I'm making for lunch the next day. As a side I usually have whatever fruit I have on hand.

Usually my husband will take a bit of whatever we've had for dinner the night before...and I try to make extra so it's there for him. Soup, chili, or a stew and muffins are a big choice for him. He has taken leftover veggie lasagna at times. In the summer, he'll take some salad with dressing on the side with a piece of whatever meat we grilled the night before. He rarely takes sandwiches, unless there's some leftover pork roast or some kind of chicken. We try to avoid deli meats now as we don't feel they are healthy.

I do try to keep some kind of cookies on hand for him, but I try to make sure they're lower in fat and calories; most of the time the muffins will supply his need for something sweet. There are always fresh vegetables for him in his lunch, too. Low fat or low sugar puddings help. And there's always decaf unsweetened tea for his thermos. As a treat, he'll help himself to some kind of lemonade or sweetened tea from the machines at work. But not very often anymore.

He has trouble with cholesterol, so that's why I'm careful with his lunch.

The other guys at work usually bring sandwiches. DH has told me that some of the guys have actually offered to trade lunches with him. I say, "What, are you guys seven years old, trading lunches?"

Sandwiches
Wraps
Various salads
Soups
Stews
Left overs from the night before


Supplement with fruit, yogurt, milk, granola bars etc.

Side ideas:
macaroni salad made with various colored peppers and carrots
Carrots, celery and broccoli with something to dip into: hummus/ranch dip/parmesan dip
Make your own trial mix - granola + whatever he likes
Pickles
coleslaw
3 bean salad
potato salad
salsa and chips
broccoli salad (like coleslaw but made with broccoli)
Tabouli
(brown) rice & vege garlic salad

My dad takes a small pasta salad, thats easy to make. x

I have some issues right now so bars are my best friend...

bora bora ones are very very good for you and cheap at costco

I also do fiber one bars and nutri grain

We're sandwich people in this house, so sides are cracker packs and yogurt or applesauce/fruit cups. Nothing too fancy here. DH eats on the run most of the time so convenience is more of a factor for him. I used to take leftovers or soup but that has been a while too.

About once a month I try to make a big pot of something (spaghetti, chili, a roast, etc) and freeze most of it in lunch size portions. I really should buy stock in ziplock containers. Now, whether DH remembers to take them or just takes money to buy is another story.

For sides, Suddenly Salad is really pretty good if you don't know how to make pasta salad from scratch (like me). I kind of doctor it up with sliced cherry tomatoes and any veggies I have on hand. Spaghetti salad is easy and quick...it just is more of a summer side for me. Just boil spaghetti and drain, through in some shredded cheddar cheese, what ever veggies you want, and miracle whip. Add some Italian seasoning and there you go.

There are so many choices, even books written on this very subject
I have homemade lunches practically every single day and we never get tired of them.
Wraps, soups, salads, sushi, leftovers, biscuits, crock pot slow roasted meals, egg salads, sandwiches, fruits, yogurts, cottage cheese, pastas, bean dips with pitas, fish, veggies, you can make everything as healthy as you want as well.
Cheap meat/convenience foods and most fast foods aren't really cheap or a good option when you factor in long and short term health, well being, and our environment.

Originally Posted by cococat

There are so many choices, even books written on this very subject

I have homemade lunches practically every single day and we never get tired of them.
Wraps, soups, salads, sushi, leftovers, biscuits, crock pot slow roasted meals, egg salads, sandwiches, fruits, yogurts, cottage cheese, pastas, bean dips with pitas, fish, veggies, you can make everything as healthy as you want as well.
Cheap meat/convenience foods and most fast foods aren't really cheap or a good option when you factor in long and short term health, well being, and our environment.

Click to expand...

For sure stay away from any fast/convenience foods. Soooo not good for you, and all the other things cococat stated. I take whatever we had for dinner for lunch the next day. We've been eating way healthier for awhile, no sugar, low carbs, a LOT less red meat (rarely red meat) If you opt for sandwiches,try to use some really good, thick whole wheat bread. Not that brown colored white bread (that's what I call it ) and try to steer away from packaged deli meats. It takes some thought to make a healthy lunch, but way better in the long run than greasy crap you buy from a store. There have been lots of good suggestions from others, some that I will use also,

When I used to pack my lunch every day, shrimp was a favorite. I would buy those frozen (cooked) shrimp rings, when they were on sale, two for one. Then I break them up and freeze individual servings, ten shrimp in each bag, high in protein, low in calories. I'd bring a little mild sauce for dipping. I kept them in the freezer.

Putting a bag of the frozen shrimp in my lunch box in the morning, they would be just thawed enough to eat at lunch time, still with a little crunchy ice on them. YUM! Add a peeled carrot with a little ranch dressing to dip, five triscuits and a little sharp cheese, and an apple, and you've got a very satisfyingly textured lunch!