Forums > Social Chat > Packed Lunches - need ideas

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flash fireBRONZE Member
Sporadically Prodigal
2,758 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
Hey guys,



My finances need a serious re-jigging, and as a result I will need to stop purchasing food during working hours. This means I have to get my act together and take prepared lunches. Very scary concept, as I don't enjoy spending time in the kitchen and my culinary skills are devoid of flair & creativity.



I'm hoping you can help me out. I need some ideas, aside from left-overs, for what to eat for lunch.



I don't want to eat too much bread. I am lactose intolerant, so no cheese, cream or yoghurt. I don't really like meat, so cold cuts are out. I ride a motorcycle, so lunch needs to be compact to carry and not too leaky! I have access to a fridge & microwave at work.



Any ideas? I'm so bad at food stuff. I eat take away/fast foods most nights and this also needs to change.

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IgirisujinSILVER Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,666 posts
Location: Preston, United Kingdom


Posted:
Right, no meat so thats 3/4 of the good sandwich fillers out the window lol, no cheese, hmm that leaves you with...salad, can you at least eat salad cream?

I suggest getting some 12 in bread rolls and cutting them in half to 6 inches. All I can think for you to eat is salad and salad creame and pickles and tomatoes. Yum my mum used to make those for my packed lunches in primary school. They fill you up too.

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flash fireBRONZE Member
Sporadically Prodigal
2,758 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
Salad cream? Do you mean mayonnaise?

I eat a bit of meat, I just can't dig the whole devon/ham/reconstituted chicken & turkey thing.

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Boo_BunnyBRONZE Member
Sparkely arty Mormon rainbow fairy
933 posts
Location: infront of you, United Kingdom


Posted:
Salad cream


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try googling packed lunches

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flash fireBRONZE Member
Sporadically Prodigal
2,758 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
I'm scared that if I google packed lunches I will be presented with a plethora of something akin to camel toes.

Salad Cream - not something I have ever seen in Australia. Is it like Thousand Island dressing or something?

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IgirisujinSILVER Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,666 posts
Location: Preston, United Kingdom


Posted:
Oh yeah, I was going to write mayonnaise but then I thought, maybie they odnt call it mayonnaise in australia so I went with salad cream. salad cream is better tho :P

Oh well you can add abit of meat then its not so bad after all. Oh you could add sliced red and yellow peppers to give the sandwich a tangy kick.

This is making me want to make a sandwich now.

Chief adviser to the Pharaoh, in one very snazzy mutli-coloured coat

'Time goes by so slowly for those who wait...' - Whatever Happend To Baby Madonna?


Lefterisstranger
19 posts
Location: Thessaloniki, Greece


Posted:
you can also try olive oils with tomatoes and cucumber, some roka instead of lettice if you feel in a more Mediterranean mood, its healthy too

Boo_BunnyBRONZE Member
Sparkely arty Mormon rainbow fairy
933 posts
Location: infront of you, United Kingdom


Posted:
a while back there was a sandwich thread. ill try and find it. might give you inspiration

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fNiGOLD Member
master of disaster
3,354 posts
Location: New York, USA


Posted:
yogurt?

kyrian: I've felt your finger connect with me many times
lou kitten: sneaky little meatball..
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flash fireBRONZE Member
Sporadically Prodigal
2,758 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
nup. I can eat Soy Yoghurt, but I'm a growing girl and need more than that to satisfy me!

Thanks boobunny! smile

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Boo_BunnyBRONZE Member
Sparkely arty Mormon rainbow fairy
933 posts
Location: infront of you, United Kingdom


Posted:
[Old link]

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flash fireBRONZE Member
Sporadically Prodigal
2,758 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
Thanks for the link Boo_Bunny!

Surely there's more to lunch than sandwiches.... ??

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IgirisujinSILVER Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,666 posts
Location: Preston, United Kingdom


Posted:
But sandwiches can be soo versatile

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'Time goes by so slowly for those who wait...' - Whatever Happend To Baby Madonna?


jeff(fake)Scientist of Fortune
1,189 posts
Location: Edinburgh


Posted:
Many lactose intolerent people are able to eat yoghurt since it has very low lactose count compared to milk. But if you've tryed it and had an unpleasant reaction then you're probably one of the unlucky ones.

Pitta bread? Much nicer than regular bread.

According to Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle of Quantum Dynamics, we may already be making love right now...


roarfireSILVER Member
comfortably numb
2,676 posts
Location: The countryside, Australia


Posted:
What about some sort of spread on some dry biscuits/crackers? Tomato & avacado etc.



Fruit salad



A little container of assorted nuts



Rice cakes are good with stuff on them



You could try packets of noodles/cup-o-soups. There come in a lot of different flavours these days...except they aren't the healthiest of things...

.All things are beautiful if we take the time to look.


flash fireBRONZE Member
Sporadically Prodigal
2,758 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
Sweet - thanks guys smile

Also, I just found a really cool website https://www.recipezaar.com

You can even plan your meal schedule and create shopping lists from the site. That's my kinda website!!

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spritieSILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
2,014 posts
Location: Galveston, TX, USA


Posted:
salads with a pre-cooked chicken breast work well for lunch at work. You can even bring some salad dressing with you if you put it in a small tupperware container and place that inside a plastic baggie...

mediterranean foods like tabouli, hummus, babaganoush (sp?) work well

pasta with pesto sauce or italian dressing - good both warm and cold

things like tuna fish, chicken, and egg salads

since it sounds like you might be aiming for vegetarian fare, maybe some grilled portabello mushrooms - they heat up great in the microwave and also also yummy over a salad instead of the chicken breast

That should at least give you a decent start. can you tell I bring my lunch to work often?

RoziSILVER Member
100 characters max...
2,996 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
Invest heavily in "mountain bread" (that unleavened bread used in wraps). wink

Try falafel, hummous & lettuce (can also be microwaved). Or a Massive salad version. Or grilled eggplant & assorted anti-pasto.

The portabello mushrooms are a great idea. Try them spicy with chilli, lemon & thyme. Or milder with roasted capsicum , olive oil & basil.

Pasta salad with pesto & sundried tomatos (if you use the pasta made with corn starch it'll be lighter, or use wholewheat if you need the fibre).

Green bean salad with tomatos & garlic (to breathe on your co-workers).

It was a day for screaming at inanimate objects.

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GeoffonTour04SILVER Member
enthusiast
360 posts
Location: Oxford, United Kingdom


Posted:
Ok key to sarnies is the bread - buy unsliced, soft & crusty as you can get it.

some favourites of mine

Bacon lettuce tomato, grate some pepper on the bacon while it's frying & add horseradish sauce for gourmet version

Some sort of salmon pate with cucumber, lettuce or spring onion

a pot of humous or tarasmalata & a stick of french bread to dunk in it

I tend to cook a joint of meat & use it in various sarnies/ chile con carne/ pasta sauce during the week instead of buying plastic ham slices (can't stand em)


PS there should be more firespinning bike riding women about *swoon*

EeraBRONZE Member
old hand
1,107 posts
Location: In a test pit, Mackay, Australia


Posted:
Try boiling some chickpeas in cumin and turmeric then add roast vegies of your choice, I've got pumpkin and carrot in mine, then drizzle a little olive oil and balsamic over it.

Cook up lentils with an onion and allspice, add mushies, whatever you like. It looks like slime but tastes wonderful.

Haricot beans with green beans and capsicum in ginger and lime dressing.

Legumes are the way to go for low GI, cheap and filling meals. Not nearly as gassy as people would have you believe too.

There is a slight possibility that I am not actually right all of the time.


MiGGOLD Member
Self-Flagellation Expert
3,414 posts
Location: Bogged at CG, Australia


Posted:
One idea is to invest in a pie maker thingy, or make pies at home the night before/in the morning. Can put whatever you like in them, pretty healthy (depending on fillings, of course), portable, nice smile. Not sure what sort of pastry (if any) you'd need to get that hasn't got lactose in it. Actually, not sure if pastry's got lactose in it...

Woolies does salad packs, so if you can get a bowl and leave it at work, wth some salad dressing, and get a salad pack, it'd probably last you a couple of days. Or, you could buy tomatoes and lettuce and stuff.

Vegetarian shepherd's pie is nice too. I'll pm a recipie if interested.

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"master"
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hexagonicClubbles Jugs
1,687 posts
Location: Manchester


Posted:
I love getting those little cartons of orange juice for lunch smile

Also a bag full of apples is good but they always manage to get bruised in my bag :conused:

ah wah wah wah a wah wah


flash fireBRONZE Member
Sporadically Prodigal
2,758 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
fabulous ideas! smile Thanks so much everyone. biggrin

I'll have no excuses anymore. MiG - am definitely interested in that recipe for vegie shep pie - can you please PM it to me with very specific instructions (otherwise I freak out) ubblol

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Gayle......!SILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
2,444 posts
Location: Bristol !!!!!!, United Kingdom


Posted:
cous cous packed with vegatables using a vegetable stock cube in the water is good.

If you have a microwave you can do jacket potatos and fill them with whatever you choose.

If you have a toaster then you can do filled pitta pockets and toast them in the toaster.

Gayle.....!


fluffy napalm fairyCarpal \'Tunnel
3,638 posts
Location: Brum / Dorset / Fairy Land


Posted:
Yeah BABY! biggrin (very excited about food........ as always)

1) Couscous - definately. Great alternative to too much bread.
Simple and quick to prepare too, and YUMMY ubbrollsmile
(my favourite = ginger and spring onion or herb n sundried tomatoes or mushrooms n garlic mmmmmmm). You can either make it yourself or buy packets that you just add water to (which can be very good too).

2) Bulgar Wheat
Kinda like couscous but grainier and a bit more substantial. Soak, and add stuff. (fluff's recipe tip of the day = drizzle with mustard, honey and olive oil and mix in pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, chopped dried apricots and sultanas)

Beauty of bulgar n couscous is you can have them on their own, stuffed into pitta or tortillas, with a green salad, with roasted vegetables etc etc.......

3) Soup biggrin
So many people forget the joy of a mug of soup. Though I suppose it's summer for you there so you won't be feeling in a hot-soupy-mood so much.

4) Wraps/tortillas
Buy flatbread/tortillas/chapattis and wrap up lots of yummy stuff in them. Anything really. Like sandwiches, but more exciting. I like fresh leafy spinach, chopped peppers and cheese. Mmmmmm. Ultra exciting cos you can cook up whatever filling you feel like with a bit of olive oil and herbs before you stuff 'em (and reheat at work) or treat them like a sandwich and just use cold stuff.

5) Jacket potatoes.
The ULTIMATE lunchtime choice (other than soup................ and couscous...........and........well yeah ok I like everything, but they are wicked for a multitude of reasons). They take no effort (put in oven, forget for an hour, put in fridge, take to work the next day, repeat.......) AND you can put anyhting on them. biggrin They don't go 'off' or spoil in a hurry, they are tasty hot and cold, and they fill you up without all the wheaty bloatedness of lots of bread. And you get really rediculously creative with fillings.

biggrin

Oops - sorry if i have just ranted - I like food biggrin
If you want any other ideas I have a million - or if you want any comprehensive recipes rather than just general stuff pme me and I'll be glad to help.

ubbrollsmile

Geologists do it in the dirt................ spank


MynciBRONZE Member
Macaque of all trades
8,738 posts
Location: wombling free..., United Kingdom


Posted:
cook a load of pasta and wait for it to cool a bit

then just mix in a couple of tablespoons of mayo and a teaspoon of green or red pesto..

mix it all together and you have a meal costing almost nothing....

you can make several meals in 1 go, just store them in the fridge in plastic tubs biggrin

tastey and filling and VERY cheap. no meat or cheese (unless you want to add some) wink

A couple of balls short of a full cascade... or maybe a few cards short of a deck... we'll see how this all fans out.


Nephtysresident fridge magnet
835 posts
Location: Utrecht, The Netherlands


Posted:
Oooh! Food!!! heheheh.... i have the same reaction to it, Fairy!

I always find muesli with yoghurt (soy yoghurt in your case) and assorted chopped up fruit yummy, my favourites are kiwis, nectarines and blueberries.
If you have a blender at home (or can bring one to work!) make a smoothie with orange juice, bananas, kiwis, strawberries, or whatever takes your fancy, and pour this over muesli.... for some reason this makes a lot of people go "eeeeeeeeeeeeew", but it's yummy, trust me!!!


and some very specific recipes for the kitchenally-challenged princess smile

tuna & potato salad:
you need:

- can o' tuna (i prefer tuna in oil, but go for the brine variant if you want to keep it light)
- small can of sweetcorn
- some boiled baby potatoes, cooled
- a chopped red bell pepper (or different colour... red just happens to be my favourite)
- two or three spring onions, chopped
- grated soy-based cheese
- mild paprika powder, salt & pepper to taste.

recipe: mix 'em all together!! smile this will keep a couple of days, too.

thai curry that is great re-heated:

you need:
- onions, chopped
- other vegetables to taste, such as bell peppers, carrots, pumpkin, pak soi, also chopped. (i like adding mango too, but only do this if you enjoy sweet things in spicy dishes)
- a can of coconut milk
- store-bought thai red curry paste
- pandan rice cooked according to package instructions
- soy sauce or thai fish sauce
recipe:

1) fry the onions in a little oil over a medium heat until they're glassy
2) then add coconut milk and a tablespoon of curry paste - you can add more later but wait till all the vegetables etc. have been added so you can judge the level of spiciness properly
3) add the other vegetables: if you're using carrot or pumpkin or other vegetables that take a while to cook through, add these first and wait a little with the other veg
4) let simmer until all the vegetables are cooked
5) add soy or fish sauce until it's salty enough for you, and more curry paste if you want it spicier. Keep in mind that it will be less spicy once you'ce added the rice
6) stir in rice
7) voila!!!

If you want to add meat, chicken is nice with this: dice it, and fry it with the onions until it's turned white on all sides before adding the coconut milk. It's also very nice with salmon, which you can just throw in with the vegetables, but make sure you re-heat very thoroughly if using either chicken or salmon. Cashew nuts are nice in this too, but sprinkle them on after you've finished cooking/reheating or they'll go soggy.

hug

Neph

everyone's unique except me


DevilsarmyBRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,984 posts
Location: Nuneaton, United Kingdom


Posted:
well might i suggest something, my mum usally makes me a sandwich, piece of fruit, chocolate something, a drink and a side salad. that might help and to give u an extra hand buy some freezer block things, u put them in the freezer and then put them in ur box and they keep ur food nice and cold! they are worth it!

Actually back on HoP guys ...

Owned By MiG
Owns Fyre and Mods_Stole_My_Name


ThumperabbitBRONZE Member
Zebberdy and Jack Daniels
278 posts
Location: Swansea, south wales


Posted:
When I was back in my first year of college, and had the typical student role of having no money, I used to take Cold pre-cooked potato wedges to college.Bit of olive oil, crushed black pepper, bit of chili sauce and paprika. And PRESTO. Stick in the oven at gas mark 7 for 30minutes. Kept me fed through college. If you leave it in the baking tray over night it's very nice because all the flavours still infuese the potato's.

The only reason i'm scared of little kid's is because I know in ten year's time they'll be mugging me.....


_Aimée_SILVER Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
4,172 posts
Location: Hastings, United Kingdom


Posted:
I need to start doing this too..
Yesterdays college bought smoked salmon and soft cheese bagel and tuna salad came to a whopping £5.10 :o

DuncGOLD Member
playing the days away
7,263 posts
Location: The Middle lands, United Kingdom


Posted:
My girlfriend was telling me all about their pack lunches and what she had sounds perfect for you (presuming you like the ingredients!)

By the way I'm not sure what does/doesn't have lactose in it.

She used to have very nice tasting but simple to prepare things like; stuffed mushrooms - big shroom, stuffed with anything from lettuce and summer veggies, to winter veggies like sprouts and things, potatoes, lentils, lentil dahl, rice, and any of the above.
The key to not spending too much time is to make a few days worth at once (generally takes the same time as making one days worth) and keep them refrigerated or frozen.

Same for stuffed jacket potato skins.

If you take a weekend to learn some very basic cooking skills like pastry/soda bread etc you can make things like mini quiches and sandwiches you can probably tolerate.

You can also bake banana bread which is awesome! ubblove Ask Fluffy Napalm Fairy for the recipie cuz she makes a lovely one! A loaf of that will last you a week or two with a slice in your pack up each day.

Wow there loads, but probably the best advice is spending a few days learning to cook the basics, you'll save an absolute fortune and the skills you learn will along with an odd recipie book or two will change your eating habits and get you away from the nasty fast food places for good! It really is easy and not to time consuming. A cake/loaf etc can take much less than an hour to make and last you at least a week in your lunch box smile

Let's relight this forum ubblove


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