Atkins on the Hop

[mboy]

What do you guys do If your having to prepare meals and your not going to be at home for a while..

example.. At lunch in work we have no fridge to store anything ( hence use overpriced canteen ) but we do have a handy microwave

I sometimes make a meal and store it in a cool bag with those ice things in them but im not sure how long this keeps the meat in a safe range of temperature, I then cook the food at lunch thoroughly. when I leave work often I have to go straight to something else so never know what to do for food then.. anything I made in the morning in the ice bags would surely be unsafe I would imagine ... sometimes I go to the grocery store and get these fresh cooked chicken thighs which are great, but its not always practical..

any ideas on this problem.. ?

[chinadoll]

Re: Atkins on the Hop

I would cook chicken before (it stores better cooked) and take it and veggies sticks, boiled egg, cheese in a cooler bag. Definitely invest in a better quality mini cooler rather than the soft side bags. You can always take a ziploc and get a cup of ice at the canteen to replenish the cooling qualities if the ice bag is no longer cold enough. After work, a drive thru burger without the bun or is a quick fix. For mayo and condiments, it is worth buying a restaurant pack that doesn't have to be refrigerated until opened. Get the little single use mayos and you dont have to worry about bacteria. Then you could even have 2 hard boiled eggs in there and make deviled eggs on the spot by squirting on a dash of mayo and mustard.

When you get to the nut level, an ounce of almonds will often hold me a couple hours and are so easy to carry.

[liv]

Re: Atkins on the Hop

I use burger patties often when I can get to a microwave at work. I freeze them and then just pop them in my tiny cooler with an icepack and warm it up at work. Cheese is great with it too. Meatloaf works well with this too. And Whitecaste pie from Linda's recipe site is really good frozen and reheated.

Linda's Low Carb Menus & Recipes

[JulieB]

Re: Atkins on the Hop

I go to school straight from work on Tuesdays - I bring my breakfast, lunch & dinner in an insulated lunch bag with ice-pack. Mine's still cold after work. You could try 2 icepacks if you find it doesn't stay cold enough.

Make sure your lunch bag is in good condition - once the plastic (or whatever) lining on the inside starts to tear/crack its not as good anymore...buy a good one, you get what you pay for! You could also use a small hard-sided cooler (six-pack size)...I've seen lots of guys on the bus with these.

You could also freeze your cooked meat overnight & put it in your lunchbag frozen...

[blondegypsy]

Re: Atkins on the Hop

I cook turkeys and hams year around, divide it up for main meals and small snacks in zip lock bags, pop them in the freezer. These have come in handy for me driving so much, I can eat the turkey or ham cold right from the bag as I drive and it doesn't make a huge mess. I also bring cheddar cheese cubed.


Keep Happily Turning Purple!!!!!!

[HoldItTogether]

Re: Atkins on the Hop

I've worked in restaurants for a few years and have a national food safety certification. If you're packing your lunch and using the ice packs you're fine. The meats are ok at room temp for about 3 hrs before I'd get concerned. So that means as long as you didn't leave it out on the counter for a while before you packed your lunch it's all good. The ice packs keep the food just below room temp and I'm going to guess that you eat about 3-4 hours into your shift. The ice packs probably keep your bag between 50-60 degrees so I'd say you're safe for up to 6 hrs (any more than that I'd be cautious).