ol geezer

We actually have a pretty good cafeteria at work. The food is generally pretty tasty. They have healthy options. To me, anyway, the food seems expensive. Today I had a cup of soup and the following from the cold food bar: cantaloupe, honeydew, baby carrots, cottage cheese ... stuff like that. I didn't load up on anything but the meal still cost over $9. I just feel like I'm throwing money away.

I'm not a lazy person ... usually. I love riding my a$$ off on my bike - I wish I had the time and logistics to ride long and hard every single day. But I just don't feel motivated to fix something and home and take it in. What I'd really like to do is have some ready-made, store-bought things I could just grab off a shelf (or out of the fridge) and throw in a lunch bag and take to the office. I know it would be more expensive than actually making something at home but I've got to believe it would be far less expensive that what I'm paying now.

I know I'd have to read the labels to make sure of what I'm eating. I always take fruit for a morning snack. We have a Wegman's nearby and I'm sure I can get healthy pre-made SOMETHINGs that I can stock up on, say, once a week. I just don't see me making a sandwich or salad the night before. I eat pretty healthy to begin with but want to get better at it.

What types of ready-made things do YOU take to work?

siGno

I take a date or banana raspberry smoothie to work with me every day, about 1000 cals worth also I have something of that sort or a big bowl of fruit for breakfast and then potatoes or pasta for dinner! With lots of veggies or a big salad High carb feeling AMAZING all day I am a skinny bean too and have MASSIVE energy on the bike ever since I started doing this 2 years ago. You should try it! Your body will thank you in MANY ways. Check out Raw til' 4 High carb vegan just google it!

gregf83 

I take a couple apples, a banana and leftovers from previous dinners. I have a stash of dates, almonds and clif bars, oreo cookies and ichiban soup at work if I want something different.

Machka 

First of all, I work within 500 metres of a fully stocked supermarket, in one direction, and a fresh fruit and veg market, in another direction. So I've got lots of choice near at hand.

Usually, once a week and often on Mondays, I go to the fresh fruit and veg market and buy 5 or 6 bananas, 5 or 6 kiwi fruit, and a few other pieces of fruit depending on what they've got, and especially what they've got on special ... apricots, pears, apples, lychee, etc. Those are morning and afternoon snacks for the week.

While there, I have a look at their Jalna yogurts. Blueberry and mango are my favourites. This is another morning or afternoon snack.
Pure Yoghurt & Fruit | Products | Public


On another day of the week, or sometimes during our main grocery shop, I pick up the following from the supermarket:All of those go into a drawer ... I usually have a week or two of lunches in there.

But I'm not limited to those things. Every so often I'll go browsing to see what other single-serve things they've got on the market, and I'll give various things a try. I tried a chicken and mashed potato single serve "lunch" a couple months ago. Not bad, but it needed something. So far it hasn't made a return appearance.


And then, I bring an individual steam bag of veggies from the freezer at home each day.

This is one brand, but there are others as well. What I get depends on what is on sale, and what I'm in the mood for. But cauliflower, broccoli, and snowpeas (if I can find them) are my favourite.
Corn, Cauliflower, Broccoli & Sugar Snap Peas Mix 450g


Come lunchtime, I heat my frozen veg and rice or whatever I'm in the mood for, and mix it all together. Sometimes I add the chicken, sometimes I don't. It's all good.


If I go to the supermarket near my office during a lunchtime walk, in addition to restocking the basics mentioned above, I might also have a look to see if they've got the Jalna yogurt I like ... or maybe small containers of cottage cheese ... or anything else that appeals.


Basically ... go to your local grocery stores and have a good look at what they've got. There are all kinds of options available.

caloso

Do you have Trader Joe's near you? Lots of options there.

RomansFiveEight

Well, I'm REALLY bad about going to Subway. Several times a week, usually. 6" sub on wheat bread, oven roasted chicken, usually with buffalo sauce; plenty of veggies. Maybe baked chips too.

But otherwise I tend to make my lunches ahead of time. Take a sandwich, something easy like that. I do canned soup/chili from time to time too. Though that's sodium and preservative city. Oh well, I guess!

nkfrench 

I have a microwave oven at my desk at work.
I cook big batches on weekends and portion into single-serving containers. Some go into the freezer and can provide variety during a workweek.
Homemade chili, stews (green pork chile is good), baked sweet potatoes, broiled salmon filets (goes on the cafeteria salad), all sorts of chicken casseroles with beans/rice/pasta/potatoes and vegetables.
The key is not minding having repetition in the day-to-day diet and willingness to package it up the night before.
The supermarket near my house sells pre-made sandwiches. Get the long sub with some vegs and cut it in half for two meals. They also have prepared finger vegetables and fresh fruit bowls.
7-11 also has some decent cold sandwiches and little fruit cups for a grab+go on the way to work.

tarwheel 

I bike commute and carry my lunch almost every day. The only thing that requires any effort is making a sandwich, which takes less than 5 minutes. I also generally carry an apple, banana, granola bar, sometimes some chips or pretzels. If we have leftover chili or pasta, I sometimes carry that in a sealed plastic container. Seriously, I probably spend 5 minutes max throwing a lunch together.

You can save some big money bringing a lunch. You used to be able to eat out lunch for about $5, but now it's hard to keep it under $10 with a tip at many places. I probably save $1,500 a year bringing my lunch to work. That's enough money to save for a new car, house or retirement.

cvskates

I bring a salad and some kind of protein for on top (tuna, salmon, chicken, something like that).

We have a cafeteria on board, but I'm highly suggestible and have low resistance. I walk back with the intention of getting something healthy, then the guy in front of me orders poutine and I'm sunk.

It's just safer for me if I pack a lunch - I make much better decisions about food on a full stomach :-)

wolfchild

For my lunch I bring a cup of cottage cheese, 2 slices of bread and an apple or a pear. Simple and easy, no cooking required.

snidely

1/2 cup brown rice (steamed)
1 cup ground turkey (seasoned to taste)
sliced mushrooms
chopped red bell pepper
Broccoli tips

Cook turkey and rice Sunday night, and chop up veggies.
Combine into microwave safe sandwich container each morning.
Heat in microwave 3 minutes at lunch time.

Greek yogurt for dessert.

Blanchje

Pack of tuna in water.
Raw broccoli
Raw carrots
Almonds
2 string cheese sticks.

12strings

I'll often take an apple to work, but the main thing is I try to keep a very large bag of trail mix in my office (several thousand calories worth). If I munch on that, I've got lots of protien, and it keeps me from being hungry if I have a good breakfast and supper at home. One big bag usually lasts about a week of "lunches"...longer if I end up getting a real lunch somewhere or having a lunch meeting.

cale

Fast, tasty, or cheap. Pick two.

atrp2biz

Not lunch, but I always ride into work (12-15 km) on an empty stomach and have breakfast at my desk. I throw oatmeal in a bowl, pour in instant hot water from the coffee machine and toss it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Done! I've recently been adding a scoop of whey protein powder to the cooked oatmeal. This easily keeps me going until lunch.

Fast, tasty and cheap.

Darth Lefty 

We also have a decent cafeteria with meal prices in the $6-8 range. I tend to overeat there.

When I pack a lunch I usually have some of the following...
Leftover serving of dinner main course, OR some salami and hard cheese, OR a cup of cottage cheese
A couple of fruit (this month it's steal-the-neighbor's-oranges)
Some kind of granola / energy bar - for a while I was really digging the Nature Valley protein bars but I got tired of them.
A tiny but powerful dessert, like a 72% dark chocolate square

I also keep smokehouse almonds or deluxe (ie, no peanuts) mixed nuts at my desk.

OldGlory

I bring a salad of kale, carrots, cukes, red peppers and some kind of protein for on top (tuna, salmon, chicken, or steak). I make my own dressing with EVOO, cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and garlic salt. Sometimes add hummus or cheese.

Breakfast is smoothie with whey powder, frozen fruit, plain Greek yogurt, and milk. Sometimes eggs.

brianmcg123

Amy's Burritos, found in the frozen food section with chips and salsa
Zatarran's Red Beans and Rice or Jumbalaya bowls.
Chili and fritos, sour cream and a bag of cheese.
Any kind of Hormel microwave stews.
A large salad, approximately 1lb of romaine and assorted other salad things.

I eat the above on a pretty consistent basis (not at the same time) if I don't have leftovers my wife makes. They are easy to just throw in my lunch cooler and taste good microwaved.

simonaway427

Bought a Vitamix....best thing ever.

In the morning, I dump a bunch of fresh veggies and some veggie broth. Run it for 6 mins while I make breakfast and I have fresh, piping hot soup to bring to work. Few pieces of pita bread on the side and i'm good for the day.

GravelMN

Making your own doesn't have to be time consuming or labor intensive. You can make your own version of many pre-packaged, single serve convenience foods at home for a fraction of the cost and probably with less effort than a trip to the store. You can make a crockpot full of soup, stew, or many other healthful meals with very little effort (really no more than cooking yourself or family a single meal) and dividing the leftovers into freezer bags or containers that you can warm up in the microwave. As an example: I made a 6-quart slow cooker full of chicken, vegetable and kale soup yesterday with a total of about 20 minutes of prep time using common pantry items -

- one box reduced sodium chicken broth
- one box no salt added chicken stock
- one can Cambell's Healthy Request Cream of Celery
- a handful of coarsely chopped celery leaves and young stalks (bag full of larger celery stalks ready to go for snacking)
- one bag frozen peas and carrots
- one can cannalini beans (drained)
- one chopped onion
- one crushed garlic clove
- two pounds frozen chicken breast (thawed and cut into cubes)
- about two cups coarsely chopped kale
- seasonings to taste

20 minutes from fridge to pot, slow cook for a few hours and the family had a good winter meal with several lunch size servings left over that went into containers to take to work. With a non-stick slow cooker, cleanup took about 10 minutes and my wife and I have lunches for the next 2-3 days.

When I do get something quick from the store, one of my favorite deli items is the leftover broaster chicken. The store has ready to eat broaster chickens for sale. I sometimes take one home for a hot dinner and then cut up the leftovers for lunch the next day or two. But if the store has any leftover at the end of the day, they do the same and sell the cut up cold chicken in 2-3 piece packs for about $3. The ready made broaster chicken is on the salty side, compared to homemade, but still a relatively good meal compared to fast food or vending machines. In a pinch foil packs of tuna or salmon will do along with some crackers and a piece of fruit.

Machka 

The week before last, I took a break from the usual (mentioned in my previous post) and had sandwiches. I had sliced chicken, cheese, cucumber and spinach on good quality bread.


One of my coworkers makes up a large pot of vegetable soup (probably similar to what GravelMN makes) every once in a while, then puts it into containers and freezes it. Then she brings a stack of containers into work and stores them in one of the work freezers.

Riveting

Bananas give all 3. And come in handy 150 calorie packs with biodegradable packaging that you can eat it out of, has 0 salt, 2.5 grams protein, only 1 gram fat, and contains Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Potassium, Manganese, and Vitamin B6. Requires no refrigeration, and isn't messy, drippy, or noisy to eat like other fruits (I'm talking about you, apples and oranges).

One banana for breakfast, one an hour before lunch (which is usually a salad), another an hour after lunch, and one more a 1/2 hour before the 10 mile bike ride home.

I typically make 5 (10 ingredient) salads on Sunday night, and take one with me on the commuter ride to work each day in a quick release rack mount rear trunk, with the 4 bananas, a yogurt, and usually either 8 oz. of fresh pineapple I chop myself, or grapes and strawberries. All of which stays in the trunk bag, which insulates stuff and keeps it cold enough all day while it sits under my cubicle desk.

Salad ingredients: iceberg lettuce, dark greens mix, chick peas, green bell pepper, carrot sticks, bean sprouts, raisins, sprinkle of nut mix, salad olives, celery.

rumrunn6

veggie patty with lettuce wedge

Machka 

As do the suggestions I've made.

For example, it takes 2 min to heat the veggies in the microwave and another 1 min to heat the rice & quinoa ... mix together and there's lunch. 3 minutes is pretty fast.

Veggies, rice & quinoa is yummy!

And the grand total on cost is usually <$3. That's pretty cheap.

Machka 

So ... have you tried any of our suggestions?