Ideas for packed lunches?

Question

I don't work in an office as such - I go to a different office every day, and have got into the habit of buying petrol station sandwiches for lunch every day.

I want to stop wasting money on this stuff. I need some good ideas for a packed lunch which I can make at home - it needs to be tasty, interesting, low in fat and quick to prepare in the morning.

Any good ideas???

Answer 1

Buy some interesting rolls - supermarkets do them.
Buy some alfalfa and radish sprouts or other sprouting shoots.
Buy some red onion or spring onion and finely chop.
Buy some watercress or unwashed rocket (which is better and keeps longer)
Buy some of your favourite wafer sliced meat (sorry, you did not say whether vegetarian or not) I like Schwarzwalderschinken from Lidls if you have one near you.
Caraway seeds, freshly ground black pepper or chilli flakes.

Spread the roll with butter or margarine, and starting with caraway seeds pile up the other stuff and finish with pepper on top of the meat. Place the top on and then wrap tightly in clingfilm and along with a cold bottle of water it will stay cold to lunch time.

Also take small pots of fruit or veg with you - one portion equals a handful.

Another thing that is good that I always make is Cheese and Carrot Slice.

Grated carrot
4oz porrige oats
8 oz grated cheddar or other hard cheese
1 Large onion very finely chopped (quicker quartered and blitzed in food processor)
2oz butter or margarine melted
1 large egg beaten and mixed with salt and pepper
Chopped mixed herbs or rosemary, fresh or dried
Caraway Seeds

Mix all "dry ingredients" in a large bowl.
Melt butter and mix that in well
Beat egg, s and p and stir that in when butter is cool.
It should be one sticky lump but if you feel it necessary add a little olive oil.

Turn into a lined roasting tin and press down hard all around to about 1/2 ins thick.

Sprinkle more cheese on top if required but watch for catching -c over if it gets too brown too quick.

Into the oven 180 degrees for 40 mins - check for catching and cover if gets too brown. Turn about 1/2 time.

Open oven door and trn off heat until tray handleable but still warm.

Turn out on to wire rack - bottom up and allow that to cool then cut into squares - using scissors however big or small you want them.

Put in an air tight box in fridge and they should last 1 week. Can be served hot or room temperature.

I could go on ad infinitum but I really need to rest before the party tonight!!

God bless you and Happy 2007

Answer 2

You can take good french bread, heat it up so it gets crusty, and put butter or butter substitute on it. Then just slap any fresh raw green vegetable and any leftover cooked meat you have. It always tastes good.

Or you can take any leftover chicken or turkey you have (doesn't matter how it was prepared) and chop it. Then chop some celery (celery actually requires more calories to eat than it contains! and it adds satisfying texture and flavor, so don't be stingy) and add a few squirts of good low-fat mayonnaise. You can add salt and pepper to taste. Eat it by itself or in a sandwich. It takes about 5 minutes to make.

In addition to your sandwiches, you can take a fruit and an energy bar. Energy bars can be bought in bulk at places like Costco or BJ's. They're healthy, cheap, and quick. If you want something a bit more indulgent, take 3 or 4 Hershey kisses, or other small chocolates. Even better if you take dark chocolate, which is good for you.

And then grab a bottle of water. You can always refill your bottle at work, or at home (at the refrigerator).

Hope I helped.

Answer 3

I bought a bento box (can go in frige, microwave and dishwasher) and started putting a little of whatever I had for dinner into it and into the fridge for lunch. Then cooking dinner and lunch were one activity. I would add a different vegetable or fruit side to the lunch for a little variety. I try to make sure it's something I can eat cold if I have to; most offices have microwaves, but not all. (Most of the boxes come with an outside pouch you can slip a frozen baggie of water/blue ice into to keep it cool, so refrigerators shouldn't be 100% necessary.)
http://www.laptoplunches.com/
http://www.mujionline.co.uk/catalogue/catalogue.asp?Sec=4&Sub=25&PID=1066
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bento-Boxes-Japanese-Meals-Go/dp/4889960732


Also, a list of simple items to add as sides/together as a lunch:

Apple slices and Nutella
Celery and peanut butter
Boiled Eggs
Egg Salad Sandwich
Chicken Salad Sandwich
Ham and Cheese on a Crossiant
Hummus and Bell Pepper in a Pita
Carrot Sticks w/ a creamy dressing
Leftover rice/pasta with a can of tuna/chicken dumped on it
Cheese and Crackers and Grapes
Peanut butter and Crackers and Apples/Celery

Are Mexican-style tortillas available where you are? Because tortillas with cheese or with cheese and black beans, rolled up and baked or fried are very good, and filling.
http://www.missionfoods.info/

Good luck!

Answer 4

I know i will probably get some thumbs down for saying this but Kraft Foods has a great web site full of ideas for 'kids' lunches.
i know you are an adult, but some of them are really smart ideas.

i like the ideas of wraps. I use left over chicken and lettuce with whatever vegi's i am in the mood for.
you could use almost any meat that you have left over from your family's meal. ahead of lettuce is only around 1.00 and you could buy all those ingredients with some low fat cheese and a bottle of low fat/calorie dressing, make a new wrap/and or/ salad every day of the week.

good luck breaking the monotony. Use a little of everyone's suggestions and make your own meal plan.

Answer 5

Try this. Take a can of tuna. Mix it with some low fat mayo, add some chopped sweet pickles. Mix it all together. Put between 2 peices of white or wheat bread (which ever you prefure). Grab a peice of fruit and head out the door. And if you dont like tuna try it with some chicken. Enjoy!

Answer 6

One of my favourite lunche is canned prepared tuna salad that you can buy at the grocery store. It doesn't need to be in the fridge or heated in the microwave and they're really tasty. That and some raw veggies and you're set.
You could make your own sandwich.
There's lots you can do with salad and salad dressing.

Answer 7

Put a fruit bowl on your desk and, every Monday, fill with apples and easy snack fruits like pears and oranges. Looks odd, but load sof your workmates will follow. You can munch during the day and you will probably not eat a full lunch, but you will definitely get your five units of fruit and veg in!

Answer 8

salads are good for health and easy to prepare, for taste add salt & pepper

make sandwiches at home - just take two slices of bread and spread butter on it, then sprinkle some salt or pepper, then place tomatoes on one slice and spread some ketchup, then place some cucumbers and then the other slice

fruit chat is tempting

take any juice, shake, coffee, tea or milk

when you are late for office simply take snacks or cookies

Answer 9

A flask of boiling water,a cup, bread roll and a packet of cup a soup. Piece of fruit and a packet of bicuits or crisps. nothing that will go soggy and smell all day before you eat it. Enjoy

Answer 10

do chopped veg the night before and take a low fat dip. or take tortilla wraps with whatever you like in them,i like cheese and ham and onion or salad or cold chicken fillets from supermarket chiller