Brown Bag Lunches - A plea for Help

[Coyote_Bandit]

Gonna have to start packing them again. I don't think I can survive even a week of sandwiches. I will not have access to either a refrigerator or a microwave. Need some suggestions. Thanks.

[Warpy]

1. Soups survive a thermos relatively well

but nothing else does, although beef stew is edible.

Cold soups like gazpacho are also good in brown bags. You can do seafood and pasta salads if you put a frozen cold pack in with them to keep them too cool to be hospitable to bacteria. Corn chips and bean dip can be a good lunch. Pita bread with hummus and a salad on the side can make a more interesting sandwich option than the usual tuna fish.

Cheese and fruit will keep you going, too.

Just do buy one of the freezable packs, either at a supermarket or a drug store. They can keep things cool enough to widen your choices considerably.

[Coyote_Bandit]

4. Umm ummm ummmm

Ok I can definitely include a sandwich in the rotation - hummus with avocado and alfalfa sprouts. Or I could just do the hummus with some chips and veggies.

I'm trying to stear clear of the chips but cheese, pasta salad, pita bread and fruit sound good. I amy have to experiment with the soup in a thermos idea.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Warpy]

11. We old boomers survived years of brown bagging

back in the bad old days when workplaces didn't have fridges and microwave ovens were something people went nuts over on "The Price is Right."

We know what works. Oh, and don't do peanut butter sandwiches. It will be edible, but the texture gets really, really weird.

[Coyote_Bandit]

17. I brown bagged it to high school

thirty years ago. Half a sandwich, a single serving bag of chips, two cookies and a carton of milk. Every single day.

I just can't even think about doing that again.

[The empressof all]

2. With cold packs you can do quite a bit

Do you like Quiche? I enjoy it cold. Taboulleh Salad stuffed into a tomato is always a good standby. You can also pop a yogurt into the freezer the night before and grab it to go in the morning with a Zone Perfect Bar. I eat a yogurt and a bar for lunch several times a week. You can also enjoy a piece of fruit, celery and Peanut Butter or Cream Cheese or even a hard boiled egg. I know when I pack lunches, I like to have a variety of foods so I'm a big believer in lots of small portions of stuff.

[Coyote_Bandit]

3. I've got a couple of freezer packs

maybe an inch thick maybe 3 inches by 6 inches or so in size.

Lots of small portions of stuff. I like that idea. I could make a rotating meal of yogurt and fruit with a hardboiled egg. Or substitute a granola bar for the fruit.

I'm looking for healthy, cheap food that I will enjoy. If I don't enjoy it then I'll never get that bag packed.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[grasswire]

5. ants on a log

peanut butter on celery with raisins -- good stuff!

crackers and cheese and salami and olives

V-8 and a cup of cottage cheese and triscuits

those are always refreshing to me

A sub for a cold pack is to freeze some kind of juice box to tuck in. Just be careful of the sugar count if that's important to you.

[Coyote_Bandit]

8. I don't count calories or carbs

Maybe I should. But I find if I watch my sugar and fat then those items usually take care of themselves.

I'll pass on the ants on a log. Partly because of the fat in the peanut butter and partly because I'm not so fond of raisins.

But I love cottage cheese. Just never even considered packing it for lunch even with a cold pack. And the finger foods are always good.

You've reminded me that I have some juice box size plastic containers around here somewhere. If I can find them I can freeze and take my non-carbonated beverage of choice.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[hippywife]

12. Since you love cottage cheese

try adding things to it to make it different each day. Tomatoes one day, peaches the next, pineapple pr pears on other days.

Are you actually taking a brown bag or an insulated lunch pak? Those cold packs tend to make brown bags get wet and tear.

[The empressof all]

13. I eat a lot of Fat Free Cottage Cheese

My favorite way to eat it is to mix it with two good squirts of Fat Free Ready Whip, Cinnamon, some Stevia and a finely chopped Apple. Adding the whipped cream makes it almost taste like Rice Pudding. I swear! But then again I've been on this low glycemic, low fat, low carb, low cal food plan so long -shredded cabbage with Reddiwhip on it might taste good.

[Coyote_Bandit]

19. I just may

have to try that. Sounds good.

[Coyote_Bandit]

18. No I'm not taking a real brown bag

Just a figurative one. I actually have an assortment of containers and bags I can use.

I can't do cottage cheese every day but I like the idea of varying different things with it and I will definitely work this into the rotation.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[beac]

6. Grilled veggies are good cold or at room temp the next day.

Or you could take veggies, hummus and some flatbread (packaged separately) and assemble your wrap right before eating.

[Coyote_Bandit]

9. Grilled veggies are good cold?

Who knew? They never survive here long enough to cool.

I'm liking the idea of packing hummus with some frequency.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Tesha]

7. Salads...

as long as you use an oil-based dressing you can have anything without needing a fridge


pasta salads, fruit salads, veggie salads, bean salads, rice salads,

add a cold pack and you can add meats and seafoods.

rice salad with salmon mmmmmm - I think that's next in rotation for me!

[Coyote_Bandit]

10. I hadn't thought

about packing a salad for lunch. I suppose I could take individual dressing packages for something other than oil based dressing. I love cobb salad and chef salad. Add a few crackers or half a pita and it's a full healthy meal.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[NMDemDist2]

29. they make these AWESOME salad bowl freezer thingies that kept hubby's

salads cold up to 8 hours in a very hot truck.....they have some gel stuff around the bowl you freeze the night before and it keeps the salads cold, for several hours in an insulated bag. Check em out....

http://www.coolgearinc.com/housewares2.html

[Coyote_Bandit]

30. Ummmm......

cold for 8 hours in a hot truck in New Mexico? Couldn't ask for a much better recommendation.

I'll definitely have to see if I can find one of those.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[spindrifter]

14. I cannot begin to imagine how many

lunches I have made. The summer I was 19 I made only cheese sandwiches. Sliced with mayo, sliced with mustard, grated with mayo, grated with olives, etc. I still love cheese sandies. What about a bagel with one of those Laughing Cow triangles? A non-sandwich--hummus w/ baby carrots, peapods, celery sticks and pepper sticks. Then there are banh mi--the Vietnamese sandwiches with fried tofu (you can get cubes of it already fried)--just slice them smaller, add grated carrots--using a mandolin is best, tho, add fresh, sliced jalapeno pepper, lettuce and cilantro. Chicken is a substitute if you don't fancy tofu. A piece of fried chicken and a biscuit is a sandwich alternative. Watch the newspaper cooking section, as this is the season they start printing ideas for back to school lunches. There are usually some good ideas.

[Coyote_Bandit]

20. I refuse to read

the local red state Republican rag.

But you have made some tasty suggestions. Another vote for hummus. Some healthy food. And cold fried chicken. Yum.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[buzzycrumbhunger]

15. Well, a fun container is half the battle.

For some reason, it's always most fun to eat out of compartments, like a bento box. I found these a while back and they're pretty cool--under $10 and have a thing you freeze, so your salad or whatever stays fresh. An insulated lunch bag would definitely keep it cold until midday, even in your desk. Compartments for side dishes or midafternoon snack. Gave my son one (LOL--I work from home, so have to live vicariously) and he actually stopped getting crappy takeout every day. The trick is to make too much at dinner of something that will translate well for lunch the next day, or at least prepare it when you're cooking dinner anyway so you don't have to deal with it in the morning. He also will slice up a mess of carrot coins, celery sticks, and cheese on Sunday night to last through the week. If all else fails, he keeps fancy salad greens and a pack of nutty toppings to make it seem special. Gave him a sushi kit and he even occasionally makes (mostly vegan) sushi rolls, and if he can control himself, has enough for work.

[Coyote_Bandit]

21. I poked around

that website and found some nice lunch accessories.

I suspect if they'd had those 30 years ago I wouldn't be dreading brown bagging it so much now.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[japple]

16. If you're not watching sodium, you could use canned tuna on

a salad or stuffed into a pita with tomatoes and other veggies, drizzle with oil & vinegar.

My favorite cream cheese mixture is with chopped green olives and toasted pecans. It can last a few hours without refrigeration. Smeared on a bagel or whole wheat bread, or even celery.

[Coyote_Bandit]

22. Small fishy things

are another favorite. I'd be happy to include sardines and crackers in the lunch rotation but for the fact that they are so smelly and I know some of my lunch companions would not appreciate them. Tuna is a great alternative.

Hadn't considered including anything with a cream cheese spread.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[beac]

23. Remembered you today while making my lunch--- cucumber sandwich.

I like really thinly-sliced rye toast, but obviously any bread you like is good.

You could bring the toast (or plain bread) and a whole small cucumber in with you and keep little packets of mayo and salt and pepper in your desk. All you need is a knife, and voila-- yummy lunch and only the knife to wash.

This would also work for the rest of tomato season, if you have access to good tomatoes.

[Coyote_Bandit]

24. Ahhhh - thanks

I like cucumbers but they are the one food that really truly does not like me. More than a couple of thin slices and I taste them for hours.....

I'm going back to school - full-time in a bench jeweler program at the local tech school. A lot of the high school kids also take classes there. No knives allowed. Hell, I feel lucky to be able to take my cellphone with it being set on vibrate. There is a small cafeteria but from what I can tell it leaves a lot to be desired.

[beac]

25. Oh, I'm jealous-- not that cukes are off limits-- but about the bench jeweler program.

In my dream life, I am a jewelry-maker.

Be sure and take some pics of your work--- with your lunch, of course!;)-- and post!

[Coyote_Bandit]

27. For me it is a leap of faith

I learned to do leaded stained glass about 3 years ago. I found a local teaching studio and started spending 10 to 15 hours a week there doing glasswork. Leaded, foiled, fused, slumped and cast. Then last fall I took a metalsmithing class. Continued those classes for the past year. Recently I've started doing pieces that incorporate both glass and metal techniques.

Through it all I have been struggling to find a new career - and cognizant of the fact that I will likely be required in the not too distant future to relocate to help care for aging family members. Although I am well educated my job skills will not transfer well into that much smaller area. It doesn't seem to make sense to get additional training that builds on the skills I already have. It seems that technical or trade skills might be more valued. Truth be told, there is no work that I have ever done that I want to do for the rest of my life. However, I did put myself through business school by doing freelance graphic design work - and I very much enjoyed the creative aspects of doing so.

I've debated the pros and cons of enrolling in this program all summer. I finally decided to enroll because I didn't want to look back in 6 months and regret not having done so. I've been looking for a project to help pay the tuition and expenses. I'm dreading the daily commute. And I'm wondering just how well my tired old poorly sighted eyes will hold up. I've got 8 weeks to determine if I want to continue.

[The empressof all]

26. Ha! I was thinking about this thread too...

But I was fantasizing about my favorite sandwich.... Provolone Cheese, Genoa Salami, shredded lettuce, EVOO, Red Wine Vinegar and some Basil and sliced tomatoes on a good crusty bread. Wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and let it sit for a few hours and it melds it all together into the perfect sandwich.

Honestly, I could eat that every day....But I don't... :cry:

[Coyote_Bandit]

28. Ohhhhhhh that sounds good

and I'm not particularly fond of sandwiches......

Sounds like you need one of those soon. Maybe lunch tomorrow?

[politicat]

31. Coyote, yep. Have lived that.

For more years than I care to count. (Psych departments are never well funded... and Anthro refused to share their fridge.)

Insalata caprese, wraps, Vietnamese rice noodle salads all stand up to room temp pretty well. If you've got a decent source of fresh mozzarella (Costco's brand is pretty good, and at $4 a pound, a steal...) and decent tomatoes, mix some jarred pesto (basil is really seasonal here and I can't keep a plant going through the winter -- my best windows are on the north and basil needs more light) with a little bit of olive oil and balsamic. Also try stuffing a ciabatta with fresh mozz, sliced tomatoes and the pesto-olive oil-balsamic mixture (If you have them, add sliced, grilled portabella mushrooms... heaven). Add fruit or vegetable sticks and you've got a complete meal.

Try tortillas instead of bread with whatever cold cut you like -- or use leftover supper meats/proteins. Add some thinly sliced tomatoes, flat lettuce or sprouts, a little honey mustard, Russian salad or French salad dressing (just avoid the mayo based ones) and roll it up. (Note -- these can also go through Security theater at the airport.)

Rice noodle salads take more prep, but you can make them for supper and carry one the next day.
(This recipe makes 2 salads, but obviously it scales.)

Rice Noodle salad
1 bun rice noodle vermicelli (asian market, very inexpensive)
3 cups greens, torn and washed
4-6 ounces protein (grilled tofu, chicken, shrimp, pork...)
2-3 sprigs cilantro, torn and tossed with greens
1/4 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cucumber, peeled and sliced
carrot, sliced
1/4 cup daikon or jicama, julienned
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts

Dressing:
(Makes 6-8 servings)
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 dried red chile or a diced fresh pepper (some heat is proper, but an anaheim gives flavor without heat)
2-3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2-3 tablespoons fish sauce
1-2 teaspoons sugar
1-2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tsp fresh minced ginger
Mix all ingredients, cover, refrigerate. May be used as a marinade or a dressing.


Boil 2 cups of water. Place rice noodles in water, remove from heat and cover for 5 minutes.
Assemble greens and vegetables; toss.
Drain noodles, rinse with cold water. Place on top of assembled vegetables.
Top with protein, sprinkle with nuts, drizzle with dressing to taste.

(This one's at your own risk -- I've never had a food poisoning issue, but I'm sure someone will tell me I'm tempting fate and likely to die tomorrow for doing it...) This recipe's for a week's worth, so try it first. Locally, we had a shop that specialized in "fast food" teriyaki and sushi. The only ones left are either at the University food court (which I avoid when possible) or 40 miles away. I loved this thing they made so I learned to build it myself. It's a great mix of textures and flavors and highly portable, but it looks odd at first glance.

Teriyaki steamroller
8 oz light cream cheese
8 ounces grilled teriyaki chicken, chopped fine (leftover is perfect -- charred is good; boneless, skinless thighs are best in my opinion) (teriyaki tofu slices work, too.)
grilled vegetables (my preference is for zucchini, asparagus, or steamed broccolini, but I guess others would work. Those are what *I* usually have.)
1 bunch green onions, chopped fine
2 tb good teriyaki sauce (bottled or homemade, your preference.)
1 package whole wheat tortillas, warmed and ready to use.

Let the cream cheese soften and mix the green onions and teriyaki sauce into it thoroughly, by hand or by mixer. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese mixture on a tortilla, then lay on a piece of vegetable and some chicken. Roll up like a burrito. (The flavor should be slightly sweet, savory and slightly creamy -- almost like a krab rangoon.) These can also be optionally warmed (steaming is best, so microwave, but it's unnecessary).

Cold soba noodles in sesame sauce travels and holds well; so does (surprisingly) pasta in pesto or garlic, parsley and oil.

Bagels with flavored cream cheeses travel well -- currently, I'm partial to cream cheese with green onions, diced tomatoes and diced jalapenos. (Last week it was green onions and slivered dried, chipped beef. Old family recipe. Next week, smoked salmon and diced cucumber, probably...)

Yes, I know these tend to be more carb based than protein based -- sorry. Carbs travel better and I trust them more without refrigeration, plus, we try limit meat to flavoring (not vegetarian, just very moderate consumption.) For the past few months, beans (save garbanzos, for some reason, but you've got lots of hummus suggestions) have been triggering migraine for me, so I'm out of the habit of cooking with them, and my partner is an avowed nut-phobe. (He says he's not a cannibal...)