Men's packed lunches - need inspiration!

[celandine]

I make DH sandwiches every night to take into work the following day. I've just realised lately though that I just give him the same easy things all the time - cheese and onion, tuna and onion, (he likes onion...) corned beef and mustard, or any leftover meat.

It's ALWAYS sandwiches and surely there's more a creative, loving wife like myself can put together for a man? I mean, I love cooking and spend hours making recipes for our main meals but cannot find the inspiration for packed-lunches. I used to take in salady things when I worked but DH prefers something more substantial.

Any ideas for either more creative sandwiches or other (preferably healthy) lunches? He works in an office, there's a microwave there, he normally has a working lunch and will eat pretty much anything.

oh yes

My dh also likes cold pasta dna sauce formt he night before and ......yum cold sausage sarnies

we share making 'snap boxes' as they are known in South Yorks.

But mine are far more inventive than DH's

pasta, rice or cous cous salads are faves at the mo.

years ago youthful DH made up his snap box for work - was late, grabbed a tub of 'dripping' from the fridge, slapped it on bread and dashed out. Only later discovered it was pure LARD!!!!

and meat balls would be also a good idea (make some for your family dinner and save some for his lunch the next day)

yum or spag bol

I'm with Hercules and Motherinferior - I have no idea what DH has in his lunchbox ()

I do make his dinner though - am I a 50s throwback too?!

I make DH's too - for two reasons:

1. am making mine and a sandwich for DD1 to have as snack - so why not make his at same time.
2. He otherwise raids the "household account" to spend on bought sandwiches. I have to manage that money and it's £70 or so I can't spend on that coverted pair of shoes -

Gosh - am shocked that I provoked a reaction from some quarters re. subservience issues. It didn't even occur to me that making sandwiches for dh was a questionable thing to do.

Perhaps it is because I'm a SAHM, although I recall making them for him even when I worked full-time. I like to make sure he has healthy food cos if I left it to him he'd have over-processed limp white bread and cheese everyday with not a glimmer of salad. ALso, he probably wouldn't even bother making them and just buy ready-made sandwiches which I reckon cost too much.

Overall though, I feel it's just nice to do little things for each other and that's just one of my 'things' wherease he gives me feet massages and I wouldn't go near his feet

Lately DP has been making up our kids packed lunches every night (I'm naughty and buy a sandwich at work ) but soon we will be swapping roles as I am going to be a SAHM and DP is going to work. I must say I am actually quite looking forward to making his packed lunches up for him (gives me the perfect time to slip a little steamy note in for him to find at lunch time )

A friend of mine gives her husband - at his request - the same thing EVERY day. Marmite sandwiches.

This is simply a lifestyle preference. I personally enjoy taking care of my husband. I take pride in it. Making sure he is fed well is my way of showing him I love him and I know it is something he appreciates. He changes my oil, takes care of the lawn, hangs curtains, and I cook a lot, do laundry, clean and organize. We work together using our strengths. I'm good at some things, and he's better at other things. We are a unit, not separate. Everything gets done and sometimes we have to pick up the slack for the other when someone is sick or simply doesn't have any energy left to get it done. We think in terms of helping the other one, rather than helping ourselves. I think that's the key to managing our household.

The noise of crisps being crunched wouldn't bother me, but some food smells are really anti-social in a shared office. I love curry, but I objected when a colleague used the mic to re-heat his lunch. So be careful what you provide.

Nothing wrong in a wife making sarnies for DH, there's a trade-off.

e.g. I got fed up ironing DH's shirts, & told him so. He offered to swap the ironing for the lawn-moving and/or the car-washing.

I countered that with cleaning the bathroom versus ... Can't remember, we ended up in bed & tried to decide who's turn it was to go on top.

Homemade sausage rolls (literally a pack of puff pastry, squished out sausage meat, roll up in pastry)

Chicken quesadillas (handy if you've eaten it the night before)

Lay tortilla in a pan
Sprinkle with cheese
Add cooked chicken and veggies and any salsa, mayo etc
Fold over
Toast till tortilla is brown and cheese melting

(Reheat in microwave for lunch)

Scotch egg.
Homemade pasties - cubed swede, potato, onion, beef skirt, a bit of salt and lots of white pepper. Do not mince the meat! Encase in shortcrust pastry. Cook for about 50 minutes in a moderate oven. (nb. this is a Devonshire pasty. Those sneaky Cornish pretend they invented them...)

I agree with varying the bread and contents of rolls and sandwiches. If it's what he likes, why change it? My DH went through a (much missed) phase of making me amazing deli-style ciabattas with ham or tuna, artichoke, sundried tomatoes, grilled courgette, mozzarella - that sort of thing.

Having said that, there are some amazing videos for Japanese bento boxes on Youtube if you want to blow his mind one day.