Snack lunch ideas for school

[cherribom1]

Since I started school in October it's been super hard bringing low carb foods for lunch. I am up at 5:30 am and leave the house by 6:15am, I have no time to cook breakfast. I get hungry by 8am. I have been running out of ideas on what to bring that will stay fresh. The icepak I have in my lunch box doesn't seem to work that well plus the classroom is super hot. I am there for 8 hrs. Cheese and some vegetables seem to spoil if I don't eat them right away. Salad gets boring after awhile and the oil & vinegar dressing is hard to keep with out smelling or leaking. I can't digest nuts well. Sometimes I am not able to heat any of the hot foods I bring. Any ideas for snacks and breakfast & lunch food I can bring to get me through the 8 hour day? Help!

[Alexa]

Re: Snack lunch ideas for school

Hey,

Sounds kinda tough - but there are ways around it.

Firstly is there anyway you can get up early and have a super quick breakfast? You can make omelette, smoothies, etc the night before. Just microwave the omelette. You could take smoothie to school with you too - I make mine with cream, fruit, tofu and yoghurt.

I always take lunch in and I either have a salad - the key here is to get a liquid locking lunch box to stop leaks and smells. I put mine in the staff fridge in the morning - can you do that? If not, veggies that are more durable are celery, cherry tomatos and strips of pepper. The bigger you dice them the less they wilt. Cheese in small packet as opposed to cut at home sweat less. Mini baby-bell is good for this. I take ham sometimes and it survives fine. Add the dressing just before you eat it if possible so the salad is crisper.

Or I have soup which I take in a thermos and drink out of the cup/lid. It stays hot fine.

For both of these I never make them in the morning! I tend to make lunch as dinner cooks, or on Sunday make a big batch of soup or salads to see me through for the first 2-3 days at least. If I am really pressed for time I make more dinner than I need and take leftovers.

Hope that helps!

[Chicklady]

Re: Snack lunch ideas for school

I bought a few "frig to go" quite a while back when I worked days. They are lunch bags with built in ice packs on all sides and the bottom....you store them in the freezer till you're ready to use them. they say they will keep food cold up to 8 hours. I have found 6 hours to be more realistic, but plenty long till lunch/snack time. My problem these days is I need something I can munch on in the pitch dark

[Siccaluvn]

Re: Snack lunch ideas for school

I work at an office- so I understand how messy snacks can be a nuisance!! Here are some snacks I choose maybe you would want to try and mix some in to your routine-

Celery sticks and cream cheese - I pre-cut my celery stalks and toss them in bag, they stay crispy for quite a while, and then I buy the little plastic tub of Cream cheese and just dip the sticks in as I eat. You can also use Peanut Butter, just be sure to check the label- there are great varieties out there with hardly any sugar in them. Other options can include tuna or ham salad.

Cheddar & Pepperoni- I know you said you were bored with cheese, but maybe adding some pepperoni or salami slices will help? Perhaps a bit of a stone ground mustard for dipping?

Make a crustless Quiche (see recipe in ATK book)- take individual slices with you each day, either in a tupperware or wrapped in plastic- maybe for those days when you know you'll have access to reheating?

Cottage Cheese- I know, another cheese variety, and I think you're high enough on the ladder to have it- very filling though- and if you had a little baggy of berries to throw in it's super delish!

Jerky- Any variety- just read the label to check for the sugar content (some are made with very sugary sauces).

Wraps- There are some really good low carb wraps out there, stuff them with all your favorite low carb ingredients- you can do ham and cheese, veggies, chix salad, and they aren't as messy as salads I think, cause you can wrap them up completely and don't need utensils to worry about. I like to make a wrap, then cut the whole thing in half so I have TWO, and save the second part for another snack or meal...

Egg salad- I'll buy a small container from the store deli, or make my own, and add some olives and shredded cheddar, it tastes wonderful! No bread needed...SOMETIMES I'll eat it with some low carb crackers.


Hmmm, I need to think of some more...

[TitianWasp]

Re: Snack lunch ideas for school

Chicken wings, boiled eggs and pre-wrapped cheese sticks. They are all lifesavers, and two of them come with their own packages.

[*Emma*]

Re: Snack lunch ideas for school

I work at an office- so I understand how messy snacks can be a nuisance!! Here are some snacks I choose maybe you would want to try and mix some in to your routine-

Celery sticks and cream cheese - I pre-cut my celery stalks and toss them in bag, they stay crispy for quite a while, and then I buy the little plastic tub of Cream cheese and just dip the sticks in as I eat. You can also use Peanut Butter, just be sure to check the label- there are great varieties out there with hardly any sugar in them. Other options can include tuna or ham salad.

Cheddar & Pepperoni- I know you said you were bored with cheese, but maybe adding some pepperoni or salami slices will help? Perhaps a bit of a stone ground mustard for dipping?

Make a crustless Quiche (see recipe in ATK book)- take individual slices with you each day, either in a tupperware or wrapped in plastic- maybe for those days when you know you'll have access to reheating?

Cottage Cheese- I know, another cheese variety, and I think you're high enough on the ladder to have it- very filling though- and if you had a little baggy of berries to throw in it's super delish!

Jerky- Any variety- just read the label to check for the sugar content (some are made with very sugary sauces).

Wraps- There are some really good low carb wraps out there, stuff them with all your favorite low carb ingredients- you can do ham and cheese, veggies, chix salad, and they aren't as messy as salads I think, cause you can wrap them up completely and don't need utensils to worry about. I like to make a wrap, then cut the whole thing in half so I have TWO, and save the second part for another snack or meal...

Egg salad- I'll buy a small container from the store deli, or make my own, and add some olives and shredded cheddar, it tastes wonderful! No bread needed...SOMETIMES I'll eat it with some low carb crackers.


Hmmm, I need to think of some more...

Just to any inductionees/newbies who come in here, most of these arent induction legal

wraps, crackers, cottage cheese, berries are not allowed on induction

Pepperoni/salami is high in sodium and could cause you to retain water.... Jerky is more than likely the same, but theres a great recipe in the recipes section of this board!

store bought egg salads mostly have sugars in, be very careful when readin labels!

[Siccaluvn]

Re: Snack lunch ideas for school

For any of you in the early phases here are some other snack options-

Wraps- use lettuce, if you buy the big green leaf kind you'll find it works just fine, you can even do a proper burrito folding! Fill it with tuna, ham, egg salad (that you made so you know the carb content)....I like to use sliced cheese to give it some "structure"

Asparagus Wrapped in Ham and Cheese- steam the asparagus the night before and cut the bottoms off so they're a few inches long- wrap in cheese and a thin slice of ham- pack them in a bag and you're all set, they are very filling!! Can be done with Turkey too!!

Cucumber sticks- cut into sticks instead of disks and you'll find they dip into dressings much better. They also travel better too. Be sure you choose the right dressings, or make your own so you know the carb content (Ranch is my favorite).

I'm always looking for more ideas--- anyone else???

[not2late]

Re: Snack lunch ideas for school

You also need proper containers for your foods.

Get an insulated lunch bag to hold your foods. There are many different kinds of bags and they all seem to do the job well.

If you want to keep your foods cool, get a re-freezable ice pack or freeze a bottle of water and put it into your insulated bag with your food.

If you want to keep your foods hot, get a wide-mouth thermos container.

[not2late]

Re: Snack lunch ideas for school

Oh and the salad dressings...Try to find a small plastic jar with a screw top lid, like the kind some spices come in. You can put the dressing in that the night before and pop it into the freezer. In the morning take it out and keep it with your veggies. It will slowly defrost and help keep your veggies cool.

[apple]

Re: Snack lunch ideas for school

Good thread...especially since Winter break is nearing and gearing up for the next term.

I don't know about you, Cherri, but I snack A LOT when I'm studying.

I found some small containers by Rubbermaid both round and square to put in some small stuff. But I need a new lunch bag...maybe I'll borrow my DD's...lol...

Here's what I have on my list of things to buy and keep on hand next term....(I have a touch of OCD, bare with me.... rofl..)

Pepper slices
String cheese.....cheese is actually better at room temperature
sugar snap peas/snow peas
cucumber slices
celery chunks/bites...they fit better in a small container and will be good for munching
jicima chunks/bites

...and with great list of what everyone's shared, I think I'll add a few suggestions from those.

[apple]

Re: Snack lunch ideas for school

Oh and the salad dressings...Try to find a small plastic jar with a screw top lid, like the kind some spices come in. You can put the dressing in that the night before and pop it into the freezer. In the morning take it out and keep it with your veggies. It will slowly defrost and help keep your veggies cool.

I love this! Great recycling idea!! Thanks!

[HoldItTogether]

Re: Snack lunch ideas for school

Have you tried freezing dressing before? I work in a restaurant and we had our cooler get too cold and accidently freeze our bleu cheese a couple times... it got all gross and seperated and def wasn't edible... so I'd be careful on that one.

[Chicklady]

Re: Snack lunch ideas for school

Walden Farms puts out packages of individual serving packets of no cal no carb dressing. I have italian and ranch and while I wouldn't have an orgasm over them, they are acceptable

[apple]

Re: Snack lunch ideas for school

Oh, freezing dressing isn't something I can handle either...I have to have fresh and even then I'm a brand snob. Go figure....we get to be Low Carb and brand snobs with this woe! lol.

[Chicklady]

Re: Snack lunch ideas for school

well, if you had small containers of each oil and vinegar, you could mix them at work. granted you'd be having vinegarette with each salad....