Taking food to work when there's no fridge to store it...

[ssd]

In a new job and trying to cut my costs, I have to bring in food but there's only lockers to store it in. The shift is long and the food might go off.
What's the best way to store it?

I use an insulated lunch bag and cool pack for cold food, and a Thermos food flask for hot stuff, and they both seem to work well.

Cool bag and a couple of freezer blocks?

DH takes a cooler

I'd just take stuff that won't go off. Still in a ĺunch cool bag that has been in the fridge overnight. Lots of things don't need to be in the fridge.

Cool bag with ice packs. In winter you could store your dinner in your car boot if you park your car near work, things tend to keep cool in the boot when it’s cold. If you’ve got a microwave you could also take tins in to have things like soup and beans on toast, and buy one of those microwaveable soup pot things which are good. Or you could put warm things in a flask which keep warm for 12 hours.

Take tins / packet soups and rice cakes / crispbreads etc. Or buy a mini loaf that will last you for toast for the week. Mug shots / pot noodles etc might be an option.

Did you never have a lunchbox as a kid? Sandwhich, biscuit, piece of fruit and a can of juice is fine in a tub outside of the fridge.

We have fridges but I rarely use them as they get so full.

Little cool bag with an ice block. I just have a little square one.

All the best with the new job.

I've got to mid 50s without ever storing lunch in a fridge.
Sandwiches etc are fine.
Salads are fine
Fruit is fine
You can (depending if you have kitchen facilities) take a can of soup or some leftover from last night's meal and they'll be fine. Even without you can get mugshots etc you can just make with hot water, and take in a bread roll or some other carbs if you wish.

If you are an anxious type then take an insulated lunch bag or even a bigger cool bag.

Insulated lunch bag, ice block. If you take a juice box it could be frozen prior to taking it. Make lunch the previous night & put it in the fridge so it starts as cold as possible.

Stanley do a particularly good wide mouth food flask. IME soup etc has still been piping hot at lunchtime, when I'd filled it at 7am.

If you are an anxious type then take an insulated lunch bag or even a bigger cool bag bit of an odd comment! 🤔

I worker somewhere without a fridge for a bit. I just tool a sarnie!

I've taken hot food in a food flask too.

I've recently moved to a new job where theres no fridge.

I take my food in an insulated lunch bag with a smalfreezer pack in. I almost always hlbe salad of some description with chicken or veg. It's worked fo me.

Cup a soup , noodles .

I don’t know where you work but you said No Fridge ?
Do you have access to hot water ,microwave ?

I just leave it on the shelf in my office. I probably wouldn't do that for fish/chicken/seafood in high summer, but otherwise, I've never had a problem and as others have said, there are plenty of coolbag type options or ambient packets/tins that you could use if you prefer.

@Blahblahblahnanana - I was pointing out that I've never suffered any food poisoning or similar in something like 35 years of taking packed lunch without putting it in a fridge. If however, the very thought makes you anxious, then you still have the option of insulated lunch bags / cool bags. Point being, there is no need, but, if it makes you less worried, then it's an option.

Thanks all.

You can also freeze leftovers at home and then just put the frozen pot of whatever in a cool bag. It will probably still be frozen at lunchtime.

Oh... I wouldn't bother worrying about it.

Unless you're planning on taking sushi or something

Sandwich, fruit, rice cake, crisps, pasta, cheese salad, cakes, ... Whatever will all be fine.

How warm do you think it will get??

I'd just leave it in my bag, just like I do now.

I don't get all this ice pack and cooler bag thing that seems to be essential to so many these days. I spent 15 years of school taking my sandwiches, yoghurts, fruit etc in a tupperware box, nothing bad ever happened to my lunch. I used to eat some of it on the way home. Heck it had been out of the fridge for a whole 8/9 hours by then. Honestly it'll be fine.

Try an insulated bag with freezer blocks as above, or a soup flask, pot noodle, shot mugs.
Can’t really suggest anything else.

I have a thermos food flask for hot food, if you pre-heat it with boiling water it keeps food piping for hours.

I take an insulated lunch bag with cool packs for sandwiches etc

And for breakfast I take instant porridge pots

Oh and I always keep instant noodle pots on my desk for emergency lunches.

as everyone else said
insulated lunch bag and take food that doesn't give you food poisoning.
you can freeze yoghurt, or rice pudding, they keep the lunch box cool and are a lovely dessert.

good luck in your new job!

Thanks everyone 😊