Do you guys ever pack a lunch to work? Any good lunch ideas?

ctkim · Feb 15, 2013

I'm on a budget and can't be eating out everyday for lunch. I was wondering what you guys typically bring to work for lunch and if you guys had any good, healthy lunch ideas?

Joffrey · Feb 15, 2013

I make big meals at home and bring the left overs in. Stick the food in a tuperware jar, some fruit and ocassionally a drink (soda) and voila.

Reggs · Feb 16, 2013

I did this for a while once. It's also a great chance to improve you health. I would make sure to eat breakfast at home, then at work I would have a pack of frozen green beans I cooked in the mic, a nutrition bar that was very filling, and a can of sardines with mustard salt and pepper.

I was also working out at this time too. I was in great shape.

Thomas · Feb 16, 2013

Joffrey said:
I make big meals at home and bring the left overs in. Stick the food in a tuperware jar, some fruit and ocassionally a drink (soda) and voila.

I do this as well, or sometimes I do the sandwich / chips / cookies thing.

MarkI · Feb 16, 2013

Buy a bunch of chicken breasts. Marinate them for a few hours in some mayo, hot sauce, some herbs and spices and parmesan cheese.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for a half hour give or take.

I then cut up a simple salad, lettuce, tomatoes, red pepper, celery, avocado, cucumbers + whatever other veggie i've got lying around. Salt, pepper, olive oil. Cut the chicken up over the salad. Boom.

Grab some nuts or a cheese stick or two for snacks and you're set.

Politely · Feb 16, 2013

At one point, I got tired of eating meat sandwiches, pizza, take-out and restaurants. For about 2 months, packed PB&J almost every day. Eventually got tired of it, but saved a ton of money and it was easy to make, easy to carry, and easy to store at work. Also, didn't have to stand around the lone microwave on the floor with a bunch of other people waiting with their tupperware lunches... or worry about some clown stealing my lunch from the lone fridge on the floor.

ctkim · Feb 16, 2013

Politely said:
At one point, I got tired of eating meat sandwiches, pizza, take-out and restaurants. For about 2 months, packed PB&J almost every day. Eventually got tired of it, but saved a ton of money and it was easy to make, easy to carry, and easy to store at work. Also, didn't have to stand around the lone microwave on the floor with a bunch of other people waiting with their tupperware lunches... or worry about some clown stealing my lunch from the lone fridge on the floor.

Haha this is me exactly. I pack a pb&j almost every time, but I'm just getting tired of them. One of my resolutions for this year is to live a healthy lifestyle and a lot of people recommend packing a lunch. This way you stay away from all fast and processed food, and you know all the ingredients that go into what you're eating.

ctkim · Feb 16, 2013

why did you stop?

suited · Feb 18, 2013

I pack once a week or so. I'm fortunate enough to work close enough to home that I'm able to go home to eat, which is usually easier than packing something...not to mention it feels good to take a drive and get out of the office at some point during the day. If I do pack, I try to include some type of fruit. Bananas, apples or oranges are common. They don't spoil very fast and are easy to eat at your desk. I also bring protein bars, and I will usually pack something that was leftover from a previous meal. When I get up in the morning, the last thing I want to do is make my lunch, so a packed lunch is almost always leftovers from the night before.

I think lunch meat is common, although it becomes very, very bland after eating it more than a couple of times in a week. I don't bother buying it anymore because I get sick of it almost instantly. I'm big on pasta and homemade meatballs, and it doesn't get much easier when it comes to reheating something at work.

zombie · Feb 18, 2013

Still a student, but I pack my lunch every single day – it's always whatever I prepared in bulk during the weekend (crockpot is my best sober friend). Lunch always includes a legume (usu. lentils) and skinless chicken thighs || breast. Actually, I'll eat the same thing or some variation for 1-3 months. Yes it's boring as hell, but you become used to it if you happen to entrench yourself into that whole heavy/Olympic lifting lifestyle. This time around I'm packing everything you'd get in a chicken burrito or bowl at Chipotle/Qdoba sans the empty macros e.g. tortilla, cheese, rice, guacamole. Use fat free, plain Greek yogurt as a killer substitute for sour cream and this lunch becomes tolerable for several weeks.

ctkim · Feb 18, 2013

suited said:
I pack once a week or so. I'm fortunate enough to work close enough to home that I'm able to go home to eat, which is usually easier than packing something...not to mention it feels good to take a drive and get out of the office at some point during the day. If I do pack, I try to include some type of fruit. Bananas, apples or oranges are common. They don't spoil very fast and are easy to eat at your desk. I also bring protein bars, and I will usually pack something that was leftover from a previous meal. When I get up in the morning, the last thing I want to do is make my lunch, so a packed lunch is almost always leftovers from the night before.

I think lunch meat is common, although it becomes very, very bland after eating it more than a couple of times in a week. I don't bother buying it anymore because I get sick of it almost instantly. I'm big on pasta and homemade meatballs, and it doesn't get much easier when it comes to reheating something at work.

Yah, I think leftovers are the way to go. I really enjoy cooking a nice meal so I'm definitely going to try to cook bigger portions that I can pack the next day.

zombie said:
Still a student, but I pack my lunch every single day – it's always whatever I prepared in bulk during the weekend (crockpot is my best sober friend). Lunch always includes a legume (usu. lentils) and skinless chicken thighs || breast. Actually, I'll eat the same thing or some variation for 1-3 months. Yes it's boring as hell, but you become used to it if you happen to entrench yourself into that whole heavy/Olympic lifting lifestyle. This time around I'm packing everything you'd get in a chicken burrito or bowl at Chipotle/Qdoba sans the empty macros e.g. tortilla, cheese, rice, guacamole. Use fat free, plain Greek yogurt as a killer substitute for sour cream and this lunch becomes tolerable for several weeks.

You seem like a really healthy person which is exactly what I aspire to be. I've been meaning to buy a crockpot. Will definitely check out some models on Amazon.

suited · Feb 20, 2013

ctkim said:
buy a crockpot. Will definitely check out some models on Amazon.

+1 on that idea, it's a good way to incorporate vegetables into your meal as well.

javyn · Feb 20, 2013

For breakfast at work, boiled egg, banana, raw almonds or some combo of those, with two cups of god awful mud that is marketed as coffee. Thankfully that contract is now up at the office and we are getting Camfield. Lunch is either a lame lunchmeat sandwich, which gets old really quick, or a salad which never gets old. Usually toss in pickins' from a roasted chicken in the fridge or a can of chicken or tuna. Dinner leftovers are left for dinner the next day.

edit: Oh yeah I go out on my salads, baby greens, red and gold bell pepper, mushrooms, nice, salty domestic feta, sunflower seeds. I'm not above the Wishbone rasbperry hazel vinaigrette or Mediterranean dressings.

buy a crockpot. Will definitely check out some models on Amazon.

Crockpot is indispensable to me, but I don't understand how they can get up in price to 400 dollars.

Bussit · Feb 20, 2013

I bring leftovers to work almost everyday since my mother always cook enough to last a week. I also buy fresh greens, fruits, and berries (once a week) because I leave my blender at work. Sometimes, I make a salad though. I stocked up on Clif Bars and canned tuna from Sam's Club at work too. Since OP is on a budget and assuming you have a toaster oven (or a microwave) at work, you can buy corn tortilla instead of bread. Depending on how much cheese you consume, buy a block of it and ask the folks at the deli to slice it for you. The same goes for ham.

I had two corn tortillas, each with a slice of cheese, Claussen (master race) sliced sandwich pickle, a slice of meat/tuna, and sriracha as my snack, lunch, and dinner at work for several months before I started using my blender again.

Joffrey · Feb 20, 2013

Bussit said:
I bring leftovers to work almost everyday since my mother always cook enough to last a week.

Do you guys ever pack a lunch to work? Any good lunch ideas?

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