Hey all.

For the first time in my life, I have what is essentially a 9-5 job and am looking into making my own daily work lunches. I'll have access to a microwave, sink, etc so I will have a little flexibility at least.

I know this should be easy and any adult should be able to handle it but over a long term period, years really, how do you keep from hating yourself? I have always bogged down in the past with bland sandwiches and takeout boxes and usually quit after a couple of weeks.

I know there are legions of house wife blogs out there with Pinterest level lunches for their perfect husbands in their perfect lives but wanting to see what yall do. The work grinders who don't make fresh teriyaki every morning for their bento boxes. Mainly curious and looking for new ideas.

I keep a 1 quart crock pot in my office, we make chili, soups, spagetti, etc and freeze in round tupperware. Get to work, turn crockpot on low, drop in my foodsicle and by lunch time its ready.

Make soup / stew of some kind over the weekend and portion it out for the week.

Thanks all. Looks like meal prep is the answer then. I am still mid move so this week is a wash but should have a functional kitchen by next weekend.

Thanks for the idea!

I've been meal prepping for years. Just recently changed it up and am happy to not spend as much time on Sundays fooling with it.

I started buying big bags of frozen vegetables and make sure to always have a variety. We cook at home most nights and always cook an extra portion of meat. In the mornings, I just pick which veggies I want with lunch and dump them in the tupperware with the meat. They thaw enough in the work fridge that a couple minutes in the microwave gets everything just right.

I always keep couple potatoes and cooked chicken breasts handy in case we didn't have enough leftover meat from dinner. The potatoes do pretty good in the microwave.

Also make sure your break room has various seasonings and sauces. I usually eat my veggies without any seasoning but sometimes need a sprinkle of Tony's or a squirt of hot sauce.

I love to grill, so with meat, I'll normally I throw a few extra of whatever on, and pull them off first slightly underdone (slightly like 5 degrees). They go immediately into the container I'm going to take to work so they don't get mixed up with what we are immediately going to eat. That way when I heat it at the office, it isn't overdone and dried out.

There are also meal prep companies that you can get different meals already in containers. Not saying that is the cheapest option, but it isn't any more expensive than if you already are accustomed to eating out every day.

I usually spend Sunday afternoon making lunches. Depending on work schedule I have 15-20 to make between my kids, my wife and me.

Don't skip the PB&J! I have kids so they get them a lot in their lunches and we use Costco strawberry jam which is really good. I can't pass up one every couple of weeks or so. I could eat them way more often but there's a ton of calories in that much PB. Although I love sandwiches so I make them too, or tortilla wraps. Those are usually a Mon-Tue kinda thing because they'll get soggy.

As for the rest... we get tons of containers and have kinda settled on a few we like and buy then 20-30 at a time.

I'll do tortilla pizzas (tomato sauce or bbq sauce, cheese and toppings, oil the bottom and bake at 400 for a few minutes), quesadillas (similar, just oil both tortillas and cooktop, pan, or oven, flip once).

Salads work, just keep the lettuce / dryer veggies (like carrots or broccoli) separate from any wet or saucey ingredients (meats, cheese, even wetter veggies like bell pepper). At lunchtime throw everything into the tupperware you brought the lettuce in and shake it all up. Sky's the limit there, basically any meat and flavor combo you can think of.

Can wrap and freeze meat/bean/rice burritos, more of a meal prep but reheat fine. We also meal prep 3 or 4 trays of enchiladas at a time in foil pans. Those leftovers kick ass.

Most of the others we do I see in the thread. And yes, skip the dang fish leftovers except in rare occasions. Or do something you can eat cold like tuna salad sandwich. Actually try tuna salad as a dip for crackers and veggies.

Most of the time I do veggies and dip as a side. I can package up a mix like carrots, celery, snap peas, bell pepper into a bunch of containers and then make or buy some dips and dole out the right amount. Hummus, sour cream-based, ranch dressing, bbq sauce, sriracha, you name it.

Hope there's some suggestions in there you like!

htxag09 said:

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NETAG said:

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Oh, and I think every once in a while is acceptable, but don't be the guy that brings leftover salmon or take-out Chinese food every day and stinks the joint up.

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Left over fish is never acceptable...

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What about a can of sardines? I like them and I keep thinking it would be nice for a low cal lunch.

Eat them outside and leave the trash in an outdoor trashcan

Summer sausage, a nice cheese, Ritz, and a raw vegetable like radishes or sweet peppers.

I can eat that twice a week and be happy.
Leftovers the rest of the time.