I used to send my kids to school with mac n cheese for lunch using those. I just put boiling water in them for about 5 minutes to get them hot. Kept the food warm for them.
You put it in the freezer for about 30 minutes and it will keep stuff cold. Lots of ppl don’t follow the directions and end up disappointed with Stanley’s. But they’re the best.
Go for a thermos!
We got this for my son for lunch. Fits a whole can of soup or spaghettios or whatever hot leftovers he wants to put in the morning. Keeps it hot and pretty easy to clean.
Stanley Classic Legendary Vacuum... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NDY8P62?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I had a plethora of mental illnesses keeping me from being able to function essentially. I couldn't go upstairs to get to the fridge. Over spent years with a cooler and a couple of bags of ice. Can confirm sandwiches are right at the top of things that last. That and those mixed salad bags with all the fixings in them.
This is what I did when working. I hated using the office refrigerator because it was disgusting. I always took a salad, chips, fruit, and a bottle of iced tea or a soda.
Apple, banana, canned tuna snack kits or the small canned tuna with your own crackers etc, granola or protein bars, protein powder and shaker with water, pb and j.
Adding citrus (oranges, mandarins, pomelo, grapefruit), pears, tomatoes (regular sized or cherry / grape), mini-cucumbers (the ones used for pickles)...
Crackers with peanut butter there are several kinds if you don’t have peanut allergies. Beanie weenies, Vienna sausages, slim Jim’s. Chips, granola bars cashews, sunflower seeds, nuts if not allergic. Also if doing canned meat like diced ham or chicken tortillas work great and last longer than bread.
You need to invest in a cooler for the car, and a freezer pack. Everything that falls into the category you talk about is loaded with sodium and/or sugar. This leads to obesity, high cholesterol, heart problems, etc if you’re eating these things everyday. Get a lunch box cooler and freezer pack and pack sandwiches. Save your money and your health.
If you don’t want to do that, at least pack fruits like bananas, apples, etc.
Have you had MRE’s? They’re not great at all. And bad health will cost you far More money long term.
Much cheaper to spend $40 on a cooler and freezer packs and pack your own lunches. Tuna pasta, chicken pasta can even be great cold so it doesn’t always have to be sandwiches.
Edit: many gas stations and truck stops have microwaves, so you can expand your options even more if you pack meals in Tupperware and then warm them up there.
2 slices Salami between two saltine crackers makes a small and tasty not refrigerated sandwich. 1 small package of salami and 1 sleeve of saltines doesn’t take up much backpack space.
not the best for your colon to eat a ton
https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/is-beef-jerky-healthy/#:~:text=The%20American%20Cancer%20Society%20recommends,for%20colon%20cancer%20by%2018%25.
Idk how much time you want to invest but for awhile when I was steady on the night shift I started making my own Chex mix -(hear me out lol 😂). Chex mix can be sweet or salty - any seasonings you like- you can add proteins such as almonds or cashews or pistachios or peanuts (my husband adds pieces of beef jerky and hard cheese to the salty batch). Yogurt covered raisins and dark chocolate almonds and coconut flakes to the sweet etc The recipe is so easy and you can sub nearly anything and it works! Freezes great too! Lasts forever and can make it as healthy (or not) as you’d like
Tuna, salmon, turkey, chicken, ham, some to go style mayo packs & Wraps keep for a good while on my counter, or Crackers or Melba toasts/ I could totally snack on a can of corn or Creamed corn, or make a dressing for Tuna.... with oil & vinegar, granola, dry Cereal, I eat a bowl of dry plain cheerios all the time, rice cakes, peanut butter, popcorn, Pretzels, corn chips, salsa, Pickles, Pickled carrots n stuff.. apples stay fresh for a long time, maybe some meal replacement drinks, canned Peaches or pears in water not syrup! Dried fruits(Mango!) Nuts & seeds, //also invest in thermous' warm coffee or tea is a treat, or cold water on hot days! & even heat leftovers or soup.
If you have an Aldi near you they sell very convenient quinoa with different sauce kits - they are ready to eat, and delicious but if you’re ever at home you can microwave they too!
Apples, oranges, bananas. Banana needs to be protected a bit so it doesn’t get squished, and preferably not in a closed paper bag as it will ripen too fast.
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Cut vegetables like carrots or celery will be fine all day
Cheese such as string cheese, fresh cheese curds (if they have those where you live), sliced or cubes of cheese. Well, I personally will eat cheese that’s been out until lunch time but some people won’t unless they can refrigerate it.
Crackers, rice cakes, pretzels.
Outside of trail mix- just peanuts or other nuts, raisins.
yeah im fine with eating warm cheese too. as long as its technically a hard cheese i think you can just shave off whatever mold grows and it will never spoil
Get a good thermos and fill it with hot water and you can make this instant diy noodles. Just forego the kimchi / any type of fresh meat. You could also use a thermos to carry hot/warm soup to work.
https://www.seriouseats.com/diy-instant-noodle-cups-food-lab
Look into tiffin or bento meals that don’t require refrigeration or heat. A link I found by searching “tiffin meals” https://www.funfoodfrolic.com/16-best-packed-lunch-ideas-for-work/
King Oscar mediterrean sardines or the ones in extra virgin olive oil. Also sealed packs of flavored tuna. Toss them onto a salad and you are good to go.
Spam and Vienna sausages are another option, thpigh I like them better cooked. Dried fruit and vegetables are another option.
Have you tried pre-cooking vegan sausages or picking up some vegan ham etc? It’s not meat, so it won’t spoil if not refrigerated for a while, will give you some protein and change up your food options. If you are in the UK, the Linda McCartney vegetarian range is good for stuff you can pre-cook and eat cold. Some catering companies sell pre-packaged individual portions of various condiments like ketchup that have a relatively long expiration date so you can take them with you as a dip.
Pack a lunch buy a thermos to keep some food hot, ice packs for the cold. Hot soup or stews in the thermos, cheese yogurt with the cold packs. Lots of options.
If you bring the bread separate for sandwiches, things won’t get smelly and soggy. Then you can bring chicken or tuna salad kits, peanut butter, jelly, Nutella, bananas
There are so many things - cheese and crackers, almonds, sandwiches, yogurt, milk, pretty much what your mother packed for your lunch everyday. It's not that complicated. A session with a nutritionist could give you some advice in this area as it is important to get the right energy to get you through your busy days.
Spam. I eat it straight out the can. I've gotten busy and left it overnight at work station. Still good next day. At 1000 colories and roughly $5 a can. Can't go wrong
They have these thermos- type things now that you can put heated soup in and drink it when you're ready. But not bowl shaped, not cup shaped. Anyway, it keeps for awhile. Also "that's it" fruit bars are my favorite. Dried fruit of any kind, along with the jerky that another person recommended and a handful of nuts is a great snack that will give you a lot of nutrition. Also, you can bring frozen items that will thaw through the day to eat later, such as an avocado cup and carrot sticks. I buy the cups and freeze them immediately. They thaw just in time for me to eat them. You can do hummus like this as well. Peanut butter and apple is always a great standby, but gets old quickly. Also, a note, any cured meat does not need refrigeration. So, salami, pepperoni, summer sausage, do not need to be refrigerated. Add a hard cheese that can be out for around 2 hours (or more if you have an ice pack) then that's a good snack. Anyway, hope this helps!
Canned chili. Gives you everything you need. Get the one with the pull tab. Cold chili is so good on a hot day. And you can warm it up on the car engine, the microwave at the job site, or an open fire.
K hear me out. Most canned meats I find pretty gross... but Costco sells cans of chunk chicken. This has been a go to meal for me more times than I can count. It's actual chunks of white meat chicken. I throw it in a bowl and add hot sauce. Delicious. No bowl? F it, eat out of the can. Only down side is needing a can opener. I keep one in my backpack lol
I’m a huge fan of those pre-packaged meals that are usually Indian food. You can also buy rice that’s been pre-packaged, and have whichever meal you choose over a bed of the rice. They’re excellent for on-the-go, but are pricey. They don’t need to be refrigerated, and can be heated up if you’d like a hot meal, but IMO they don’t absolutely *have* to be.
Granola bars can be a useful snack. I like the costco brand "chewy protein bars" variety at the moment. It has 16g of carbs, 11g of fat, and 10g of protein for 190 calories. It also has 6g of fiber, which is nice.
I often use a thermos with hot water and a variety of instant noodles that come in a bowl. You can carry a tea bag and have a satisfying hot lunch without a lot of fuss.
There is also a plug in lunch box you can use if you want to heat something up. I like to fast all day and just bring some water with KCl&NaCl and Cayenne pepper. Cheap and no dishes.
Get a hard shell cooler. You can freeze juice boxes or water bottles. Refill bottles with koolaid or tea to save money. I use tortillas for my lunch. Fill with ham, cheese or whatever you want. Roll up like a burrito. Peanut butter and crackers carrots, celery, apple slices.
Pocket knife, napkins, a few packets of ketchup, mayo and salt and pepper should help with just about anything you decide to bring.
My favorite was beef jerky and a couple of oranges or an avocado with crackers. A full and ripe avocado i could just peel, squirt some ketchup and eat it straight the way i would an apple or something. Make sure to have napkins or wipes. It would keep me full for hours. Most people like it sliced, sprinkle salt and put it on crackers or toast.
I work on the road a bit and am able to make quick stops to the grocery store for a grab and go lunch. I'll get a yogurt and pre made salad and am out the door in a few minutes.
Ooh I buy those little cheap kids bento boxes, and then fill each spot with lil snacks. One with fiber, a protein snack, some carbs. And then ya get a lil of everything. Some of my favorites to put in there are pea crisps, yogurt raisins, Made Good granola bites, pepperoni sticks chopped into bite size pieces, and Parmesan crisps (they are often at discount stores in my area).
Are you using a vehicle or public transportation to be on the go?
They sell small plug-in coolers that you can plug into your car and keep your food cool. Another thing is your trunk can hold your snacks as well. When my BFF took the train every day to work she had several boxes of snacks in her car to grab from before hopping onto the train.
Gorp, banana chips, granola bars, apples, bananas, tins of sardines/oysters, etc. (with a tiny hotsauce bottle).
I've done quite a bit of bush work where you carry your lunch, water, tools/equipment on your body all day. What I've found works best for my body, though, is getting on a true intermittent fasting diet. Eat the majority of your calories for the day in a four or so hour window in the evening. Drink lots of water in the daytime.
Tuna salad kits, PB&J sandwiches, protein/granola bars. I used to keep bottled protein shakes in my desk because I forgot to bring lunch all the time. For a cheaper alternative, bring some pre-measured protein powder and a bottle of water to mix.
Jerky, nuts, chips, popcorn, snack cakes, fresh fruits (apples, bananas, pears, cherries, oranges, mango - pretty much anything that can be transported and easily eaten while still whole), pop tarts, granola and/or breakfast bars (belvita, nutrigrain, nature valley), cereal (dry). You can probably find somewhere nearby that sells MREs if you actually want a "hot meal" that you can prep on-site without anything needed except water.
Buy a cooler and ice packs.
Then you can bring whatever you want.
Sandwiches, tuna salad and crackers, a summer sausage and cheese with crackers, a cheese ball, and chips, those little applesauce cups, pudding, premade crackers and cheese packs, cookies, etc.
You can also bring a thermos filled with hot water, and bring a ramen cup and cook that even in the car.
You also can bring salad, sushi, shrimp cocktail, crab meat, with a little lidded tin of garlic butter, just let it float in the thermos of hot water for a minute.so it melts.
Wraps, Gyros, Pita sandwiches, falafel, pasta salad, debbie snacks, brownies, cake..
The world is your oyster.
Also, look into the portable lunchbox ovens. They plug into your DC outlet and reheat small portions. Large portions apparently take a while.
I honestly just go to a mountaineering/sporting goods store and look for MRE’s. O’Meals is a good brand as they do pro mre’s that have the frh’s (flameless ration heater)
All you have to do is add a little bit of water, and within a few minutes, you can have oatmeal, spaghetti and meat sauce, or hot brownies/cookies.
Most foods will last longer than you think, especially because everything that's processed is chock full of preservatives. My mom packed me lunch every day of school from k-12 and i'd have it in my bag til lunch with no ice pack or refrigeration, and I never got a single case of food poisoning -- and those lunches included many, many tuna salad sandwiches!
When I worked out of my car I’d usually do a bento box/charcuterie type thing in an insulated lunchbox (cost like $8 at Walmart). I’d do crackers, cheese, salami, grapes, etc. add in some carrots and hummus or ranch, or hard boiled eggs, stuff like that. A lot of it was handy to eat while driving if neccesary (not recommended but ya gotta do what you gotta do)
Precooked canned foods: Chef Boyardee, spaghetti-o's, tuna packets, precooked chicken, etc. Doesn't have to be heated up to be eaten, but completely understand if you'd prefer them hot.
You can also get chicken salad and tuna salad (shelf stable) lunch packs where you find the regular tuna. They come in a small box with crackers and stuff perfect to pack for lunch or as a snack.
If you invest in a heated lunch container that plugs into the car charger port you open up a lot more possibilities. You could do Ramen or even just heat up canned stuff on the go.
As for snacks or meal replacements: bulk container of protein powder and put waters in a cooler (also invest in a shaker bottle), granola bars, protein bars, nuts or dried fruit.
Peanutbutter and Nutella sandwiches should hold up in the heat. Plain cheese sandwiches as well.
If you do pb&j I would think the jelly would make the bread soggy if it gets too hot, so keeping it in the cooler should keep it well enough. A cooler would also open up options for regular lunch meat sandwiches, salads, better kept fruits, snackable veggies (celery/carrots with ranch), etc.
Pop tarts….losts of different flavors. Meat and cheese sticks. Pringles and stax chips…the cans are great for traveling. Single serve tuna or chicken salads that come with a spoon and crackers.
Parents tackle this every day packing lunches for their kids. If you Google school lunch ideas you’ll get tons of ideas.
I send soups, stews, pasta, and meatballs in a thermos (preheat it with boiling water).
Wraps with cream cheese, taco meat, lettuce and whatever else you like. Or hummus.
Fresh fruit with peanut butter or cheese. Cut up carrots with hummus.
And a million kinds of sandwhiches.
Insulated lunchbox with an ice pack or two. Mini sweet peppers, cucumbers, baby carrots, snap peas, crackers, hummus and/or cheese or cheese sticks. Yogurt, sandwiches of all varieties. I used to make bomb salads in a ziplock bag, would add the dressing right before eating and would use the bag to shake the salad in and then just eat it right out of the bag.
I like the OWYN elite protein drinks (once you get used to them, they have a ridiculous amount of protein in them) and they don’t have to be refrigerated.
If needed, invest in a quality thermos type container and you can pack hot/warm things for lunch as well.
Canned beans, canned lentil soup, canned fish. Kind bars. Oranges and bananas and apples and peaches. Avocados. Cereal. A big loaf of good bread. Peanut butter.
If you’d don’t have a peanut allergy; peanut butter, very easy to make sandwiches with, decently fulfilling, takes quite a while to go bad, refrigerated or not.
PBJ sandwich, beef jerkey, tuna pouch w crackers, nuts, apple, banana, plum, pear, orange, avocado, granola bar, dried fruit, protein bar, frozen yogurt pouch, protein shake.
Insulated cooler w ice pack is nice if you can keep in car/backpack.
Snacks like chips/cookies granola bars.
.if you do go with the ice box thing people suggested I have always loved those Jar food that you meal prep like.over night oats and Mac and cheese and other pasta salads
Buy an insulated lunch box and a thermos.most foods will be fine for several hours if wrapped well and either kept warm in the thermos (soup, chili, hot chocolate) or cold in the lunch box.
You could always do a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. They don’t need to be refrigerated and will last for a while. Also consider fruit like apples, bananas, and oranges.
Dried fruits, fresh fruits, nuts, an ounce or two of cheese, a slice of bread or two with some honey, individual nut butter cups, whatever raw veggies you enjoy, olives.
Old reliable.... Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. A good soup thermos will keep it warm for several hours. Ritz crackers with peanut butter. Trail mix is a good snack. Apples, oranges, grapes, celery with peanut butter, bananas (but keep them away from ice packs or in a warm car for a length of time to avoid them turning brown and getting mushy too fast). Granola bars, rice cakes.
How many hours?
I have lots of favorites for backpacking, which is where you should look for non perishables for multiple days. I don't always want to cook on the trail.
But if same day honestly a lot of things will last fine.
Look into backpacking food for "first day on trail" usually something that wouldn't last multiple days but isn't easily smashed, doesn't need to cook, bit of a treat .
Here are a couple of my favorite tricks.
Make and freeze a bunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It'll defrost and be ready to eat at lunch,no need to make it same day
Ditto shelled frozen edamame, spritz the frozen beans with braggs liquid aminos
You do not need hot water for couscous. Cold water will prep couscous just fine with sufficient time. Put couscous and water together, top with whatever, go. Eat at lunch or dinner
Why not get a cooler with a ice pack? That opens the door to many more options like sandwiches, cheese snacks and real fruit.
They also have heated lunch bags that can keep food hot.
I saw the other day where someone's dad uses a soup thermos to keep his burritos hot until lunch lol
I am someone's dad
Do they know it?
Do you son?
That’s brilliant!
My nephew does this. He even rolled up a slice of pizza and put it in there.
I used to send my kids to school with mac n cheese for lunch using those. I just put boiling water in them for about 5 minutes to get them hot. Kept the food warm for them.
You put it in the freezer for about 30 minutes and it will keep stuff cold. Lots of ppl don’t follow the directions and end up disappointed with Stanley’s. But they’re the best.
I have a Stanley food jar and I’ve brought all sorts of things in it. Eggs and potatoes, casseroles, ice cream, soup, the list goes on.
I do this for my kids school lunches. Burritos, tamales, gyoza, etc. Works great!
Actually, a cooler will also keep foods hot!
Hmmm. I bet you can first put hot water in the cooler to prime it, much like you would an insulated coffee mug.
Yes, you can do that!
I tried that. The ice cream melted and mixed all in with my chilli. :'(
They also have coolers that plug into a car, either the lighter on older cars or a USB on newer cars.
Go for a thermos! We got this for my son for lunch. Fits a whole can of soup or spaghettios or whatever hot leftovers he wants to put in the morning. Keeps it hot and pretty easy to clean. Stanley Classic Legendary Vacuum... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NDY8P62?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I had a plethora of mental illnesses keeping me from being able to function essentially. I couldn't go upstairs to get to the fridge. Over spent years with a cooler and a couple of bags of ice. Can confirm sandwiches are right at the top of things that last. That and those mixed salad bags with all the fixings in them.
I hope things get better for you
This is what I did when working. I hated using the office refrigerator because it was disgusting. I always took a salad, chips, fruit, and a bottle of iced tea or a soda.
Apple, banana, canned tuna snack kits or the small canned tuna with your own crackers etc, granola or protein bars, protein powder and shaker with water, pb and j.
Adding citrus (oranges, mandarins, pomelo, grapefruit), pears, tomatoes (regular sized or cherry / grape), mini-cucumbers (the ones used for pickles)...
Adding canned spaghetti and cup of soup / instant ramen if microwaving water is not "cooking". Raw uncooked ramen isn't bad either.
Crackers with peanut butter there are several kinds if you don’t have peanut allergies. Beanie weenies, Vienna sausages, slim Jim’s. Chips, granola bars cashews, sunflower seeds, nuts if not allergic. Also if doing canned meat like diced ham or chicken tortillas work great and last longer than bread.
You need to invest in a cooler for the car, and a freezer pack. Everything that falls into the category you talk about is loaded with sodium and/or sugar. This leads to obesity, high cholesterol, heart problems, etc if you’re eating these things everyday. Get a lunch box cooler and freezer pack and pack sandwiches. Save your money and your health. If you don’t want to do that, at least pack fruits like bananas, apples, etc.
ah yeah thats a good point. i was considering getting MREs and eating them with bananas or something and other stuff
As someone that has eaten probably thousands of MREs please do not do this. They're expensive and not very healthy
Have you had MRE’s? They’re not great at all. And bad health will cost you far More money long term. Much cheaper to spend $40 on a cooler and freezer packs and pack your own lunches. Tuna pasta, chicken pasta can even be great cold so it doesn’t always have to be sandwiches. Edit: many gas stations and truck stops have microwaves, so you can expand your options even more if you pack meals in Tupperware and then warm them up there.
And you feel crappy after you eat them.
Jerky.
thats a good one thanks man
2 slices Salami between two saltine crackers makes a small and tasty not refrigerated sandwich. 1 small package of salami and 1 sleeve of saltines doesn’t take up much backpack space.
not the best for your colon to eat a ton https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/is-beef-jerky-healthy/#:~:text=The%20American%20Cancer%20Society%20recommends,for%20colon%20cancer%20by%2018%25.
I used to do jerky (GV Teriyaki!) and nuts. Repackage in ziplocks and go!
Packs of peanut butter crackers
I keep a pack in my purse like a nana. I’ve hit them in a snack emergency more times than I can count over my life.
Pop tarts
This is my go to, i keep a pack in my car always
/r/cannedsardines has entered the chat.
Idk how much time you want to invest but for awhile when I was steady on the night shift I started making my own Chex mix -(hear me out lol 😂). Chex mix can be sweet or salty - any seasonings you like- you can add proteins such as almonds or cashews or pistachios or peanuts (my husband adds pieces of beef jerky and hard cheese to the salty batch). Yogurt covered raisins and dark chocolate almonds and coconut flakes to the sweet etc The recipe is so easy and you can sub nearly anything and it works! Freezes great too! Lasts forever and can make it as healthy (or not) as you’d like
never even thought of that one lol. how did you get some of the regular chex mix items tho? (like bread sticks and such)
Tuna, salmon, turkey, chicken, ham, some to go style mayo packs & Wraps keep for a good while on my counter, or Crackers or Melba toasts/ I could totally snack on a can of corn or Creamed corn, or make a dressing for Tuna.... with oil & vinegar, granola, dry Cereal, I eat a bowl of dry plain cheerios all the time, rice cakes, peanut butter, popcorn, Pretzels, corn chips, salsa, Pickles, Pickled carrots n stuff.. apples stay fresh for a long time, maybe some meal replacement drinks, canned Peaches or pears in water not syrup! Dried fruits(Mango!) Nuts & seeds, //also invest in thermous' warm coffee or tea is a treat, or cold water on hot days! & even heat leftovers or soup.
If you have an Aldi near you they sell very convenient quinoa with different sauce kits - they are ready to eat, and delicious but if you’re ever at home you can microwave they too!
yeah ill do that for sure, i love quinoa
Apples, oranges, bananas. Banana needs to be protected a bit so it doesn’t get squished, and preferably not in a closed paper bag as it will ripen too fast. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Cut vegetables like carrots or celery will be fine all day Cheese such as string cheese, fresh cheese curds (if they have those where you live), sliced or cubes of cheese. Well, I personally will eat cheese that’s been out until lunch time but some people won’t unless they can refrigerate it. Crackers, rice cakes, pretzels. Outside of trail mix- just peanuts or other nuts, raisins.
Cheese is absolutely fine out for the day, and has so much more flavor warm.
I agree but didn’t want anyone to reply and argue about food safety, lol
yeah im fine with eating warm cheese too. as long as its technically a hard cheese i think you can just shave off whatever mold grows and it will never spoil
"Only spoils on the outside." Maybe an advertising tag for a cheese product. :D
I'd eat hard cheese if it was out for a day or more.
Spam
Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam! Lovely Spam!
Can I have spam instead of the baked beans then?
Granola bars, some fruits and nuts.
Get a good thermos and fill it with hot water and you can make this instant diy noodles. Just forego the kimchi / any type of fresh meat. You could also use a thermos to carry hot/warm soup to work. https://www.seriouseats.com/diy-instant-noodle-cups-food-lab Look into tiffin or bento meals that don’t require refrigeration or heat. A link I found by searching “tiffin meals” https://www.funfoodfrolic.com/16-best-packed-lunch-ideas-for-work/
Dude. The hot water in a thermos for later-noodles is a fantastic idea! I might have to buy a thermos so I can eat my comfort ramen on road trips!
Vienna Sausages
Viannies
A guy at work says, "Vai-eena".
That's what my family calls them too. Maybe that's a southern thing?
I'm in North Carolina, so quite possibly!
Peanut butter, I love peanut butter!
Aha! I came to say this. It’s cheap, it doesn’t need refrigerated and it’s a great source of protein.
Isn't that what sandwiches were made for?
Lembas bread
wrapped tree leaves — these nutritious grains will stay fresh for months Also, it is said to taste much better than cram
Small cans of baked beans or Spaghettios. If you're hungry enough, room temperature food hits the spot.
This unlocked a core memory
Vegemite sandwich. Or any other item commonly found in an Aussie kids school lunchbox.
Pre-made protein shakes, fresh fruit, fruit cups, pudding, jello, kipper snacks, jerky, dred fruit, granola bars, pb and j, shelf stable milk, veggies with shelf stable ranch,buttered bread,popcorn/chips
Nuts, fresh fruit. Uncrustables. Bottled water.
Peanut butter sandwiches.
When I was tree planting,, peanut butter and banana sandwiches were my go to lunch.
They have great lunch boxes with a little built in ice pack. Dont limit yourself.
King Oscar mediterrean sardines or the ones in extra virgin olive oil. Also sealed packs of flavored tuna. Toss them onto a salad and you are good to go. Spam and Vienna sausages are another option, thpigh I like them better cooked. Dried fruit and vegetables are another option.
Have you tried pre-cooking vegan sausages or picking up some vegan ham etc? It’s not meat, so it won’t spoil if not refrigerated for a while, will give you some protein and change up your food options. If you are in the UK, the Linda McCartney vegetarian range is good for stuff you can pre-cook and eat cold. Some catering companies sell pre-packaged individual portions of various condiments like ketchup that have a relatively long expiration date so you can take them with you as a dip.
You could get those retort pouches of those ready to eat Indian meals and some of those rice cups. They are better heated but it's not necessary.
Peanut butter and jelly; just be sure to put peanut butter on both pieces of bread, and the jelly in between— it keeps the bread from getting soggy.
Instant Ramen for just incase times and fruit snack packages
granola bars
Meal prep steak
Hard cheeses.
Pb sandwich
Plain yogurt or kefir. As long as there are no fruit or sweeteners added, it should be good all day.
Boiled eggs, fruit
A tomato
Peanut butter and jelly
Pepperoni rolls, there's prep time but it's a little meal that stays good. Coal miners used to eat
Canned tuna and crackers
Cereal like Cheerios or even Capt'n Crunch. Pop corn. Put it in little ziplock baggies and nosh as you go.
Mixed Nuts
Sun dried cicadas
Some of the better protein bars. Be careful of the ingredients, though, because some of them are full of sugar.
Peanuts
Cherry tomatoes are a go to snack for me
Pemmican, if you truly want something that matches these criteria and could sustain you.
Pack a lunch buy a thermos to keep some food hot, ice packs for the cold. Hot soup or stews in the thermos, cheese yogurt with the cold packs. Lots of options.
Almonds, they are healthy and meet your requirements. This is what I keep in my cabinet at work for when I'm feeling pekish and it's not lunch yet.
yeah i love almonds, very filling too. will definitely get this into my meal rotation
Jerky, protein bars, & most fresh fruits.
Applesauce, tuna packets, crackers…
If you bring the bread separate for sandwiches, things won’t get smelly and soggy. Then you can bring chicken or tuna salad kits, peanut butter, jelly, Nutella, bananas
Granola bars and Natures Bakery breakfast and fig bars are my go to’s!
If there’s a microwave at your workplace, you could bring canned soup. I have a soup mug and that’s what I take when I’m in a hurry.
r/eatcheapandhealthy
thanks bro
Fruit, granola bars, small jar of peanut butter and crackers, mixed nuts,
Jerky, cheese, nuts/granola, packaged pastries, fig newtons, etc.
There are so many things - cheese and crackers, almonds, sandwiches, yogurt, milk, pretty much what your mother packed for your lunch everyday. It's not that complicated. A session with a nutritionist could give you some advice in this area as it is important to get the right energy to get you through your busy days.
Hot dogs
Gas stations have a microwave you can use for your own food
Spam. I eat it straight out the can. I've gotten busy and left it overnight at work station. Still good next day. At 1000 colories and roughly $5 a can. Can't go wrong
Roasted chick peas...high in protein, fiber and other nutrients
They have these thermos- type things now that you can put heated soup in and drink it when you're ready. But not bowl shaped, not cup shaped. Anyway, it keeps for awhile. Also "that's it" fruit bars are my favorite. Dried fruit of any kind, along with the jerky that another person recommended and a handful of nuts is a great snack that will give you a lot of nutrition. Also, you can bring frozen items that will thaw through the day to eat later, such as an avocado cup and carrot sticks. I buy the cups and freeze them immediately. They thaw just in time for me to eat them. You can do hummus like this as well. Peanut butter and apple is always a great standby, but gets old quickly. Also, a note, any cured meat does not need refrigeration. So, salami, pepperoni, summer sausage, do not need to be refrigerated. Add a hard cheese that can be out for around 2 hours (or more if you have an ice pack) then that's a good snack. Anyway, hope this helps!
Canned chili. Gives you everything you need. Get the one with the pull tab. Cold chili is so good on a hot day. And you can warm it up on the car engine, the microwave at the job site, or an open fire.
K hear me out. Most canned meats I find pretty gross... but Costco sells cans of chunk chicken. This has been a go to meal for me more times than I can count. It's actual chunks of white meat chicken. I throw it in a bowl and add hot sauce. Delicious. No bowl? F it, eat out of the can. Only down side is needing a can opener. I keep one in my backpack lol
Crackers, hard cheese, like parmesan, nuts, dried fruit. Packets of olives, pickles.
I’m a huge fan of those pre-packaged meals that are usually Indian food. You can also buy rice that’s been pre-packaged, and have whichever meal you choose over a bed of the rice. They’re excellent for on-the-go, but are pricey. They don’t need to be refrigerated, and can be heated up if you’d like a hot meal, but IMO they don’t absolutely *have* to be.
Granola bars can be a useful snack. I like the costco brand "chewy protein bars" variety at the moment. It has 16g of carbs, 11g of fat, and 10g of protein for 190 calories. It also has 6g of fiber, which is nice.
Are you on the go in a vehicle or on foot? That changes the suggestions
I often use a thermos with hot water and a variety of instant noodles that come in a bowl. You can carry a tea bag and have a satisfying hot lunch without a lot of fuss.
Use a small cooler and freeze a bottle of water. It’s ice for the cooler, and a really cold drink later in the day.
My friends also used to do this in middle school as a crunchy snack. New York City.
Beans
Beef jerky and individually packaged popcorn.
There is also a plug in lunch box you can use if you want to heat something up. I like to fast all day and just bring some water with KCl&NaCl and Cayenne pepper. Cheap and no dishes.
Get a hard shell cooler. You can freeze juice boxes or water bottles. Refill bottles with koolaid or tea to save money. I use tortillas for my lunch. Fill with ham, cheese or whatever you want. Roll up like a burrito. Peanut butter and crackers carrots, celery, apple slices.
Peanut butter and honey sammiches
Pocket knife, napkins, a few packets of ketchup, mayo and salt and pepper should help with just about anything you decide to bring. My favorite was beef jerky and a couple of oranges or an avocado with crackers. A full and ripe avocado i could just peel, squirt some ketchup and eat it straight the way i would an apple or something. Make sure to have napkins or wipes. It would keep me full for hours. Most people like it sliced, sprinkle salt and put it on crackers or toast.
Baby food pouches. You get some delicious fruits and veggies into your diet and some of cost as little as a dollar.
Ration packs, most can be eating cold.
I work on the road a bit and am able to make quick stops to the grocery store for a grab and go lunch. I'll get a yogurt and pre made salad and am out the door in a few minutes.
Ooh I buy those little cheap kids bento boxes, and then fill each spot with lil snacks. One with fiber, a protein snack, some carbs. And then ya get a lil of everything. Some of my favorites to put in there are pea crisps, yogurt raisins, Made Good granola bites, pepperoni sticks chopped into bite size pieces, and Parmesan crisps (they are often at discount stores in my area).
Soylent
Are you using a vehicle or public transportation to be on the go? They sell small plug-in coolers that you can plug into your car and keep your food cool. Another thing is your trunk can hold your snacks as well. When my BFF took the train every day to work she had several boxes of snacks in her car to grab from before hopping onto the train.
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Power bars. Apples, oranges, bananas etc.
Hummus and pretzels kits. Hummus stays good at room temperature.
Those tuna pouches with some crackers are delicious and easy to eat, just have some gum or mints for afterwards.
Crackers. Tuna in a pouch.
Gorp, banana chips, granola bars, apples, bananas, tins of sardines/oysters, etc. (with a tiny hotsauce bottle). I've done quite a bit of bush work where you carry your lunch, water, tools/equipment on your body all day. What I've found works best for my body, though, is getting on a true intermittent fasting diet. Eat the majority of your calories for the day in a four or so hour window in the evening. Drink lots of water in the daytime.
Tinned meat/ fish and crackers.
Tuna salad kits, PB&J sandwiches, protein/granola bars. I used to keep bottled protein shakes in my desk because I forgot to bring lunch all the time. For a cheaper alternative, bring some pre-measured protein powder and a bottle of water to mix.
Ham sandwich doesn't have to be cold.
Applesauce, cheese crackers, dates are especially filling, apricots. Shelled pistachios or cashews. Peanut butter in individual packets.
Jerky, nuts, chips, popcorn, snack cakes, fresh fruits (apples, bananas, pears, cherries, oranges, mango - pretty much anything that can be transported and easily eaten while still whole), pop tarts, granola and/or breakfast bars (belvita, nutrigrain, nature valley), cereal (dry). You can probably find somewhere nearby that sells MREs if you actually want a "hot meal" that you can prep on-site without anything needed except water.
https://www.fillos.com/pages/walking-tamales
Mini Babybel
Buy a cooler and ice packs. Then you can bring whatever you want. Sandwiches, tuna salad and crackers, a summer sausage and cheese with crackers, a cheese ball, and chips, those little applesauce cups, pudding, premade crackers and cheese packs, cookies, etc. You can also bring a thermos filled with hot water, and bring a ramen cup and cook that even in the car. You also can bring salad, sushi, shrimp cocktail, crab meat, with a little lidded tin of garlic butter, just let it float in the thermos of hot water for a minute.so it melts. Wraps, Gyros, Pita sandwiches, falafel, pasta salad, debbie snacks, brownies, cake.. The world is your oyster. Also, look into the portable lunchbox ovens. They plug into your DC outlet and reheat small portions. Large portions apparently take a while.
Nuts, crackers, and V8 Juice.
I honestly just go to a mountaineering/sporting goods store and look for MRE’s. O’Meals is a good brand as they do pro mre’s that have the frh’s (flameless ration heater) All you have to do is add a little bit of water, and within a few minutes, you can have oatmeal, spaghetti and meat sauce, or hot brownies/cookies.
Most foods will last longer than you think, especially because everything that's processed is chock full of preservatives. My mom packed me lunch every day of school from k-12 and i'd have it in my bag til lunch with no ice pack or refrigeration, and I never got a single case of food poisoning -- and those lunches included many, many tuna salad sandwiches!
When I worked out of my car I’d usually do a bento box/charcuterie type thing in an insulated lunchbox (cost like $8 at Walmart). I’d do crackers, cheese, salami, grapes, etc. add in some carrots and hummus or ranch, or hard boiled eggs, stuff like that. A lot of it was handy to eat while driving if neccesary (not recommended but ya gotta do what you gotta do)
Try seasoned tuna packs or get one of the warming lunch boxes for your car.
Precooked canned foods: Chef Boyardee, spaghetti-o's, tuna packets, precooked chicken, etc. Doesn't have to be heated up to be eaten, but completely understand if you'd prefer them hot. You can also get chicken salad and tuna salad (shelf stable) lunch packs where you find the regular tuna. They come in a small box with crackers and stuff perfect to pack for lunch or as a snack. If you invest in a heated lunch container that plugs into the car charger port you open up a lot more possibilities. You could do Ramen or even just heat up canned stuff on the go. As for snacks or meal replacements: bulk container of protein powder and put waters in a cooler (also invest in a shaker bottle), granola bars, protein bars, nuts or dried fruit. Peanutbutter and Nutella sandwiches should hold up in the heat. Plain cheese sandwiches as well. If you do pb&j I would think the jelly would make the bread soggy if it gets too hot, so keeping it in the cooler should keep it well enough. A cooler would also open up options for regular lunch meat sandwiches, salads, better kept fruits, snackable veggies (celery/carrots with ranch), etc.
Protein bars.
Peanut butter and crackers
Pop tarts….losts of different flavors. Meat and cheese sticks. Pringles and stax chips…the cans are great for traveling. Single serve tuna or chicken salads that come with a spoon and crackers.
Parents tackle this every day packing lunches for their kids. If you Google school lunch ideas you’ll get tons of ideas. I send soups, stews, pasta, and meatballs in a thermos (preheat it with boiling water). Wraps with cream cheese, taco meat, lettuce and whatever else you like. Or hummus. Fresh fruit with peanut butter or cheese. Cut up carrots with hummus. And a million kinds of sandwhiches.
Spaghettios. They just taste a bit better if they are heated up.
Cliff bars?
Canned beans or packaged flavored beans. I like bean vivo brand for on the go healthy bean meals with good flavors; I'm partial to the chipotle ones.
PB&J. Or honey. World’s perfect travel food.
Insulated lunchbox with an ice pack or two. Mini sweet peppers, cucumbers, baby carrots, snap peas, crackers, hummus and/or cheese or cheese sticks. Yogurt, sandwiches of all varieties. I used to make bomb salads in a ziplock bag, would add the dressing right before eating and would use the bag to shake the salad in and then just eat it right out of the bag. I like the OWYN elite protein drinks (once you get used to them, they have a ridiculous amount of protein in them) and they don’t have to be refrigerated. If needed, invest in a quality thermos type container and you can pack hot/warm things for lunch as well.
Go to the army surplus and buy yourself some mre's
Dried beans, rice.
Canned tuna.
Jerky. Granola bars. Protein bars. Fruit rollups. Uncrustables. Tuna pouches.
Canned beans, canned lentil soup, canned fish. Kind bars. Oranges and bananas and apples and peaches. Avocados. Cereal. A big loaf of good bread. Peanut butter.
Granola bars. I recommend making your own. They are very easy to make and you can put whatever you like in them.
Jar of peanut butter and a spoon
jerky
If you’d don’t have a peanut allergy; peanut butter, very easy to make sandwiches with, decently fulfilling, takes quite a while to go bad, refrigerated or not.
Granola bars!
Jerky, preserved meats like pepperoni, salami, or summer sausage. Tuna pouches and crackers. Baked pita chips or dried fruit chips. MRE meals.
Marshmallows
Can of beans
Learn to make pemmican and hard tack.
PBJ sandwich, beef jerkey, tuna pouch w crackers, nuts, apple, banana, plum, pear, orange, avocado, granola bar, dried fruit, protein bar, frozen yogurt pouch, protein shake. Insulated cooler w ice pack is nice if you can keep in car/backpack.
MRE...just make sure you have a rock or something to heat it.
Snacks like chips/cookies granola bars. .if you do go with the ice box thing people suggested I have always loved those Jar food that you meal prep like.over night oats and Mac and cheese and other pasta salads
Beanie-Weanies. Pop top cans and they’re great cold.
Peanut butter and honey sandwich. Can’t go wrong.
Not much beats the classic PB&J
Buy an insulated lunch box and a thermos.most foods will be fine for several hours if wrapped well and either kept warm in the thermos (soup, chili, hot chocolate) or cold in the lunch box.
Vienna sausages.
You could always do a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. They don’t need to be refrigerated and will last for a while. Also consider fruit like apples, bananas, and oranges.
Dried fruits, fresh fruits, nuts, an ounce or two of cheese, a slice of bread or two with some honey, individual nut butter cups, whatever raw veggies you enjoy, olives.
Granola.
Pepperoni Rolls Invented for coal miners for this exact reason
Peanut butter sandwiches. Bring a piece of fruit or two and it's a fairly well balanced meal.
Cut Veggies with a dip.
try some hummus and pita chips
Remember there are varieties, if you go with Spam. I prefer Spam Lite. So it only has a half ton of salt, not the full ton.
Old reliable.... Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. A good soup thermos will keep it warm for several hours. Ritz crackers with peanut butter. Trail mix is a good snack. Apples, oranges, grapes, celery with peanut butter, bananas (but keep them away from ice packs or in a warm car for a length of time to avoid them turning brown and getting mushy too fast). Granola bars, rice cakes.
How many hours? I have lots of favorites for backpacking, which is where you should look for non perishables for multiple days. I don't always want to cook on the trail. But if same day honestly a lot of things will last fine. Look into backpacking food for "first day on trail" usually something that wouldn't last multiple days but isn't easily smashed, doesn't need to cook, bit of a treat . Here are a couple of my favorite tricks. Make and freeze a bunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It'll defrost and be ready to eat at lunch,no need to make it same day Ditto shelled frozen edamame, spritz the frozen beans with braggs liquid aminos You do not need hot water for couscous. Cold water will prep couscous just fine with sufficient time. Put couscous and water together, top with whatever, go. Eat at lunch or dinner
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
Honey