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bringing food to work

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I work downtown and so far it's been easiest to just go a few feet to the nearest eatery and pay out the ass for something that tastes like smoker sputum and/or has several distinct hairs protruding from it, but that luxurious lifestyle is really starting to take its toll on my pocketbook.

So does anyone have recipe ideas for lunches to bring to work? Preferably something more interesting and healthier than pb&j and chips 5 days a week. Also, I know how to use the internet so don't just copy/paste the first thing you find on google. Personal experience would be ideal. :)
 

Geoff

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I work downtown and so far it's been easiest to just go a few feet to the nearest eatery and pay out the ass for something that tastes like smoker sputum and/or has several distinct hairs protruding from it, but that luxurious lifestyle is really starting to take its toll on my pocketbook.

So does anyone have recipe ideas for lunches to bring to work? Preferably something more interesting and healthier than pb&j and chips 5 days a week. Also, I know how to use the internet so don't just copy/paste the first thing you find on google. Personal experience would be ideal. :)

Buy a bag of about 4 chicken quarters/legs Take the skin and obvious fat off and bake them with a little spices.. a sprinkle of something mexican works well. Take them in with a salad, or some decent crusty bread. If your work has a microwave, makes it hot chicken.
 

Valiant

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Rice-based things. Jambalaya and stuff.
 

wolfy

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I usually take onigiri (rice balls) Quick to make and quick to eat. Convenient.
Tuna mayo is my favourite.
 

Lady_X

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soup is easy...lots of different sandwiches or pasta is easy to make the night before and take...salads with a chk breast. i like those amy's enchillada things and i can't remember the brand but there's some yummy indian food microwavable dinners too.
 

kyuuei

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I make onigiri a lot and eat it on the go :) It's really easy, takes almost no money, and it's transportable rice.
 

JocktheMotie

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So does anyone have recipe ideas for lunches to bring to work? Preferably something more interesting and healthier than pb&j and chips 5 days a week. Also, I know how to use the internet so don't just copy/paste the first thing you find on google. Personal experience would be ideal. :)

I was so hyped to suggest this until I read your post :(

Honestly I make PB+J [crunchy or gtfo] and sunchips/celery/carrots like every day. Love it.
 

Lady_X

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yum...me too jock i love them. :)
 

Ivy

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Everything's funner if you put it in a bento box. At least if you're an NF. I don't know if this rule applies to NTs.

493392236_c033ee061f.jpg
 

Tiltyred

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Chicken salad with celery, grapes, apples, and Triscuits.

P.S. Instead of mayonnaise, use fat-free Greek yogurt, juice of a lemon, some brown sugar, salt, pepper, and a spoon of Dijon mustard.

If you cook up several chicken breasts for chicken salad, you can use the broth for soup -- chop up one of the chicken breasts, add diced carrots, celery, leeks, a little tarragon, a splash of white wine if you have it, some leftover rice, or what have you.
 

ThatsWhatHeSaid

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Well, I was going to give you a horrible idea, but it looks like you already have 9 of those.

This is what I ate for about 3 years:
Take a tortilla (whole wheat, sun-dried tomato) and add humus and/or mustard to it. Add cheese, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, and a little balsamic vinegar/dressing. Wrap with paper towel and tinfoil.
For a side, take fruit and whole vegetable like a bell pepper, which is actually really good and sweet by itself. Alternatively, you can make a salad with basically the same ingredients.
For a drink, buy a can of Diet Coke.
 

heart

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I work downtown and so far it's been easiest to just go a few feet to the nearest eatery and pay out the ass for something that tastes like smoker sputum and/or has several distinct hairs protruding from it, but that luxurious lifestyle is really starting to take its toll on my pocketbook.

So does anyone have recipe ideas for lunches to bring to work? Preferably something more interesting and healthier than pb&j and chips 5 days a week. Also, I know how to use the internet so don't just copy/paste the first thing you find on google. Personal experience would be ideal. :)

I used to take lean cusine every day. My husband takes Hormel's ready made dinners that mirowave in 2 min. They are called "completes" or something like that. I buy them in mass when they go on sale half off so then they don't cost as much.
 
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I'm Chinese so I'm not sure how much this applies to you...

I cook rice and a vegetable/meat stir-fry, pack it in a lunchbox with some fruit and that's lunch. It's difficult cooking for myself because I live alone, so I usually cook 2-3 days' lunch at once and pack them in different containers. In the morning I usually just grab the container and a spoon and run.
 

spirilis

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I cook enough brown rice and stir-fry veggies for 4 days' lunches, pack that away and put a quarter of it in a container each day, then add one of those prepackaged lunch portion tuna/salmon pouches and microwave it for 2min30sec. I keep a small supply of soy sauce in my overhead bin at work and use that on top. Plus I keep a cheap ceramic plate & metal fork at my desk and wash it each day.

For the last day of the week, I typically stop by Wegmans on the way into work and pick up various items that are edible for lunch (lol). They have lots of small packaged portions of mashed potatoes/veggies/etc. and the deli sells stuff like salmon & chicken. Or if I forget to do this, I'll order from the place next door.
 

rhinosaur

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Casseroles are easily transported, and they keep and microwave well. Plus it's easy to make enough for several days at one time.
 

ceecee

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Everything's funner if you put it in a bento box. At least if you're an NF. I don't know if this rule applies to NTs.

I take a bento almost daily. I usually take a lunch one and a breakfast/snack one. They aren't always traditional bento fare but I often take rice and I have a couple sandwich style bentos I use a lot too. I use leftovers, frozen mini items, fresh fruits and veggies, noodles, buns filled with meats and baked. They have built in portion control and I love things being arraigned beautifully.

876453834_8710c063de_o.jpg
 
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Well, I was going to give you a horrible idea, but it looks like you already have 9 of those.

This is what I ate for about 3 years:
Take a tortilla (whole wheat, sun-dried tomato) and add humus and/or mustard to it. Add cheese, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, and a little balsamic vinegar/dressing. Wrap with paper towel and tinfoil.
For a side, take fruit and whole vegetable like a bell pepper, which is actually really good and sweet by itself. Alternatively, you can make a salad with basically the same ingredients.
For a drink, buy a can of Diet Coke.

Thanks, but for the drink I'd probably substitute liquified pot roast

(btw, artificial sweeteners are bad. They make you hungry. Plus studies have shown that they're yucky)

Chicken salad with celery, grapes, apples, and Triscuits.

P.S. Instead of mayonnaise, use fat-free Greek yogurt, juice of a lemon, some brown sugar, salt, pepper, and a spoon of Dijon mustard.

If you cook up several chicken breasts for chicken salad, you can use the broth for soup -- chop up one of the chicken breasts, add diced carrots, celery, leeks, a little tarragon, a splash of white wine if you have it, some leftover rice, or what have you.
this sounds delicious.

On the bento thing, it looks nice but don't all the foods start tasting like each other?
 

ceecee

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On the bento thing, it looks nice but don't all the foods start tasting like each other?

Nope. Many boxes have dividers. I use silicone baking cups to keep wet bits away from dry bits and such. Glad Press and Seal is also a nice product for use with a bento.
 

kuranes

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I used to bring a screw top plastic container of the sort left-overs or camping supplies might be kept in. It would have crushed Ramen noodles in it, sliced green onions, diced chicken breast, and other stuff just waiting for some real hot water that I would pour into it about five or ten minutes before lunch.

Sandwiches were often sliced Muenster cheese with sliced chicken breast on high fiber bread and Dijon mustard ( and sometimes pickle ) for spice.

Occasionally English muffins and mozzarella with a small can of pizza sauce if there was a fridge and microwave I could use. Keep the sauce in the can in a plastic bag so that it doesn't dry out, and that way you can use it more than once. Don't use a 16 oz. can of pizza sauce as it may go bad before it is finished.
 

Jive A Turkey

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A little more than a month ago I set some up some rules for myself.

Every meal:
1. is prepared on site during my lunch break (some exceptions like pastries)
2. is served on formal China
3. commemorates some event on that day in world history (usually celebrated by preparing foods indigenous to the region of mention, but sometimes implying some culinary metaphor or joke)

I thought for sure I would have given this up by now, but suprisingly I'm still going strong.
 
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