Do you take your lunch to work or hit the cafeteria and vending machines?
I am trying to get into the habit of taking my lunch to work but can't seem to make it work. I always promise myself that I'm going to take my lunch "next time" but it just doesn't happen, and I wind up getting cr@p from the cafeteria and snacks from the gift shop or Starbucks.
What do you pack for lunches and snacks? Any tips and tricks to make it easier to remember (short of having payroll deduct cancelled) and less of a hassle?
I usually spring for breakfast in the cafeteria and pack my lunch. I usually pick two or three out of: yogurt, leftovers, small lunchable, fruit, some sort of crackers and homemade dip, salad, fresh veggies, and soup.
I work weekends only and our weekend lunch choices usually SUCK. You can only eat black bean patties on whole wheat so many times before you blow up.
before my stroke, i worked at a state mental hospital comprised of a great many buildings spread over acres and acres and acres. each building had a kitchen the hospital stocked with such things as pb and jelly, lunch meats, cheeses, white and wheat breads, fresh fruits, jello and pudding cups, ice cream bars, coffee, tea bags, sometimes cookies, which were for both staff and patients' use. the nurses' lounge had a microwave and smaller fridge than the kitchen.
i worked 7pm-->7am and packed both leftovers or salad or a sandwich, along with nibbles. some of my favorites were wedges of laughing cow cheese with pretzels, grapes, apple or pear wedges, fresh fruits such as bananas, cherries, fresh pineapple chunks, whatever we had plus yogurt to dip them in.
wheat thins and flavored cream cheese, cut-up veggies with ranch, honey mustard, or italian dressings. also bottled water, and/or crystal light lemonade in a thermos. i also kept a few luna
bars stashed in my locker.
favorite sandwiches were egg salad, tuna salad, ham and cheese /c lettuce, tomato, mayo, rolled into a wheat, tomato, or spinach tortilla.
mildred's olive cream cheese
2 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese (i use low fat) softened
1 cup (about) chopped green olives
1 cup (about) chopped ripe olives
1 tbl. finely minced onion
1 garlic clove, finely minced
small amt. horseradish (i omit it)
soften cream cheese and dump into a mixing bowl. add seasonings and blend in well.
add olives and blend again. put into smaller bowl or refrigerator dish. refrigerate
several hours to blend flavors before serving.
mildred's fruit and nut cream cheese
2 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened (i use low fat)
1 cup canned pineapple chunks, coorificely chopped, drained
1 cup maraschino cherries, drained and coorificely chopped
1 cup coorificely chopped walnuts or pecans
dump softened cream cheese into a mixing bowl. stir in chopped fruits and blend.
if you want to, stir in a small amount of pineapple and/or cherry juice. not very much --
just swirl some in so it forms ribbons and doesn't dye the entire thing. fold in the nuts
and transfer to a smaller bowl or a refrigerator dish, then cover and refrigerate before
serving. good with a few chopped dates added too.
both are good as fruit dip, celery filling, on a bagel, on crackers,english muffins, etc.
don't use fresh or frozen pineapple, because the enzyme in it will cause the cream cheese
to separate and get strange.
these were my great grandmother's housekeeper's recipes. six generations have adored these!!
there should be no food that is green and fuzzy and slimy!
:barf01:
and the reheated in the microwave??
:redlight:
just stop, 'cause that ain't right!!!
yes! oh yes! yes! yes!
now... how the hel...uh...heck... do convince my very southern husband that any green slimy foods, such as the dreaded okra, were never meant for human consumption? even though they aren't slimy, could we add the dreaded lima bean:uhoh3: too? bleecchh!:chair:
Pack my lunch. Smart One/Lean Cuisine, or leftovers if we've cooked. A piece of fruit, a yogurt, and usually something sweet in small amounts. Water to drink, and before I got prego, a Mountain Dew to be consumed at some point. It couldn't all be healthy...
Last year my cafeteria deductions were $450, and I only work parttime. I've started brown bagging it (actually its an insulated coke lunch bag ). I make a huge pot of spaghetti, and freeze portions, and big chicken enchilada casseroles.
Find foods you like and just make a huge batch, and freeze portions. I buy salad mix, and put a salad together in about 30 seconds. Makes it easy to just grab stuff and run. So, even if you miss the brief period of time the night cafeteria is open, you always have food when you get a chance to eat.
I have to brown bag it. While the cafeteria is theoretically open on night shift, there is only one employee working so if he is on vacation or sick us night shifters are SOL. Also no guarantees that there will actually be time to run down there if it is open.
So I try to keep a good amount of frozen leftovers (turkey chili, enchiladas, lasagna, etc) on hand for both me and dh. Lately I've been very into salads since my garden is producing some nice tomatoes, and PBJ is always an option. As far as remembering to bring it, I find it's easier to remember things in general when I'm on nights because I (usually) haven't just rolled out of bed, but packing it the night before definitely helps, then it's just a grab and go kind of thing!
Last year my cafeteria deductions were $450, and I only work parttime. I've started brown bagging it (actually its an insulated coke lunch bag ). I make a huge pot of spaghetti, and freeze portions, and big chicken enchilada casseroles.
Find foods you like and just make a huge batch, and freeze portions. I buy salad mix, and put a salad together in about 30 seconds. Makes it easy to just grab stuff and run. So, even if you miss the brief period of time the night cafeteria is open, you always have food when you get a chance to eat.
I do not even want to know how much I spend I order out with my co-workers every day as of august I will have to "brown bagging it because I will be BROKE " so I trying to think of things I can make the night before I like the spaghetti idea but when ever i tried it it comes out not testing grate ?
Ps please post your chicken enchilada casseroles resapy it sounds grate !
i usually spring for breakfast in the cafeteria and pack my lunch. i usually pick two or three out of: yogurt, leftovers, small lunchable, fruit, some sort of crackers and homemade dip, salad, fresh veggies, and soup.
i work weekends only and our weekend lunch choices usually suck. you can only eat black bean patties on whole wheat so many times before you blow up.
omg please tell me that is not a real food yuck:lol2:
individual yogurt (oikos brand chocolate and caramel flavors of greek yogurt esp- high in protein, naturally fat free. and very decadent!), baby carrots in a baggie (it's a miracle i'm not orange by now), something salty (reduced fat triscuits, pretzels, baked lays, etc), apple/grapes (both pretty mess free if have to be eaten in a hurry), turkey sandwich on wheat, leftovers, chocolate teddy grams (during those chocolate-craving times during the month *ahem*), celery...
i find that bringing my lunch is contigent upon 2 things: keeping my groceries up to date (if i can't find anything that looks good, i'm not inspired to pack it up in my cute turtle lunch box ) and making my lunch LONG before it's time to prep for my shift...like i make it the night before (usually when i'm cleaning up after dinner) if i'm working a morning shift the next day...
it takes committment and a bit of planning, but Lordy my wallet isn't giving me too many choices these days, haha! good luck.
). I make a huge pot of spaghetti, and freeze portions, and big chicken enchilada casseroles. .thumb.jpg.673a970ef5656f84815d95fd288fc9bf.jpg){kind=small}
as of august I will have to "brown bagging it because I will be BROKE " so I trying to think of things I can make the night before I like the spaghetti idea but when ever i tried it it comes out not testing grate ? 
canigraduate
2,107 Posts
I usually spring for breakfast in the cafeteria and pack my lunch. I usually pick two or three out of: yogurt, leftovers, small lunchable, fruit, some sort of crackers and homemade dip, salad, fresh veggies, and soup.
I work weekends only and our weekend lunch choices usually SUCK. You can only eat black bean patties on whole wheat so many times before you blow up.