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Adult packed lunch ideas please!!

13 replies

MessyMummy15 · 15/01/2019 22:55

Need ideas for a packed lunch for OH please.
He is out driving for 12 hours of the day so doesn't have facilities to heat up food and needs quite a lot to keep him going.
We are trying packed lunches to save on some money but seems like he always has the same thing so was hoping someone could offer some fresh ideas!

These are some of the things he has quite frequently.
Chicken wrap or cheese bagel or ham sandwich
Cheesestring or pepperoni
Crisps
Some kind of fruit
Breakfast bar or similar.

Any other ideas for sandwiches or other things I can throw in his lunchbox?

OP posts:
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Blondie1984 · 15/01/2019 23:52

Would he have something like a pasta or couscous salad? For example tuna & sweetcorn pasta salad?

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oxcat1 · 16/01/2019 00:01

Cold sausages/cooked meat
Boiled eggs/scotch eggs
Smoked fish
Pasta/rice/couscous salads
Quiche/pies
Daal (I find this ok cold, others may not)
Felafals/humous etc

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Blondie1984 · 16/01/2019 01:42

Could you get one of the thermos food containers? That would open up lots more options...

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Orchardgreen · 16/01/2019 02:18

Chopped cold chicken with chopped apple and walnuts in mayonnaise.
A sort of Waldorf salad.

Fruit salad with yoghurt.

It’s hard to avoid over-doing bread in a packed lunch. It can end up rather carb heavy.

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Ricekrispie22 · 16/01/2019 05:18

You could swap the sandwich for a sausage roll, pizza, tart, frittata or a steak slice if he doesn't mind it cold.
These are the recipes I use although you could buy them
realfood.tesco.com/recipes/the-ultimate-sausage-roll.html
www.helengraves.co.uk/steak-slice-recipe/
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2545/cheese-tomato-and-pesto-tart
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/679639/quiche-lorraine-frittata
realfood.tesco.com/recipes/puff-pastry-tart-with-gruyere-and-bacon.html

My DH also likes filled baguettes. His favourites are tuna mayo, coronation chicken, roast beef and horseradish sauce, and egg mayo.

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PinkGin24 · 16/01/2019 16:36

Crudite and dips? Depends how early he eats lunch/whether dips might go a bit funny if not in the fridge?

I love cold pasta. Also love cold fajhitas so always an option if you can't heat up?

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LovingLola · 16/01/2019 16:37

Get a flask and make soups.

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maxelly · 16/01/2019 16:43

Agree that a wide necked thermos would be a great investment as that would give you a lot more options particularly if he needs/likes something quite substantial for his lunch (plus a hot lunch is really nice in winter). You could do soups, leftovers from dinner e.g. stews or cottage pie, pasta, noodles etc.

But for cold options, how about a big spanish omlette or frittata cut into slices, or a big salad with plenty of protein (boiled egg, roast chicken, lentils, chickpeas or ham) and something like couscous or bulgar wheat for carb?

Or I quite like cold leftovers, things like cold pizza, cold noodles, cold pie, cold pasta and sauce (I might be weird though!)

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Bloomcounty · 17/01/2019 15:52

I buy large packs of dried fruit and unsalted nuts, and mix them up in a box. OH has this as part of his lunch and also as a snack that he can dip in and out of as he needs. Would this appeal?

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MillicentSnitch · 17/01/2019 23:18

I second the wide-mouthed flask - they're great and mine has a spoon you keep in the lid. Stew or chunky soup with meat/beans & veg. Big chunk of bread & butter. Cheese - I like those mixed bags of little wrapped ones you can get from supermarkets. Nuts. Hard-boiled eggs. Fruit. Aldi has some lovely inexpensive & creamy yogurts. Homemade traybake or flapjack that you can divide into portions & freeze.

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Peepingsnowdrops · 17/01/2019 23:24

Food flask - pasta pesto or soup

Or something like quiche would fill him/ chicken legs and pasta salad

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April2020mom · 19/01/2019 19:17

Pasta salad is a favourite of mine. Alternatively I make ham sandwiches and smoked salmon bagels for packed lunch at work. I’ve also made wraps and taken slices of cake and pizza.
Quiche sounds nice too.

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SweetPeaPods · 19/01/2019 19:48

couscous salad
Pasta salad
Soup (in flask) or hot water in flask with a pasta pot
Pork pie, cold meat, cheese etc.

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