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Lunchbox ideas?


AndreaM

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I pack my hubbie's lunch and I'm running low on ideas. Pre-Whole30, I always packed him a sandwich, chips and fruit.

I especially need a way to get more veggies into his lunch. He doesnt get any for breakfast currently, and his lunches have been mostly protein and fat as well.

He doesnt have access to a microwave, and can't sit down at a table to eat. He basically sits on his tailgate at the jobsite and just eats out of his lunch box. He will NOT eat a salad for lunch---not sure why because he loves salad.

 

I've done:

 

sliced cold meatloaf, olives, pineapple chunks.  packed some red bell pepper strips but he said he wished he said something to dip them in.

 

avocado chicken salad and lettuce cups, grapes, olives

 

hard-boiled eggs and cold bacon, though he prefers this for breakfast

 

cold salmon patties and homemade tartar sauce

 

Anyone have any ideas? Thanks!

 

 

 

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I'll be keeping an eye on this thread as I'm going back to school in September and will likely be in the same situation two to three days a week.

 

My husband refuses to take salad to work as well, he thinks it's not substantial enough (I think it's because his mates would mock his lunch).

 

Nomnompaleo did a few lunchbox posts a while back. Here's a link to the first of the 5. http://nomnompaleo.com/post/30267255011/a-week-of-paleo-school-lunches-part-1-of-5

 

A thermos that will keep stew or other food warm till lunch time would open up your options, just depends on how fiddly of a lunch your husband is happy with.

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I make salmon or tuna salad at least every other day as a way to make sure I am getting enough fish oil. My standard canned fish salad is made with chopped onion, diced pickle, diced hot peppers, nuts, dried cranberries, and either fresh lettuce or carrots, or canned beets, artichoke hearts, or hearts of palm. I sometimes use avocado instead of mayonnaise and sometimes I combine the two. Here are two recipes as examples...

 

http://www.wholelifeeating.com/2012/11/salmon-salad-over-salad-cut-hearts-of-palm/

 

http://www.wholelifeeating.com/2012/10/tuna-salad-with-avocado-onion-jalapenos-pickles-and-dried-cranberries/

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Roasted chicken is very good cold, and a filling protein.  Could be eaten in lettuce "sandwich" with more veggie toppings like tomato, etc. or plain or any number of ways.  Also, because you will have cooked a whole chicken (or bought one already cooked,) you'll have bones from which you can make broth.   

 

Another "uses a whole chicken" idea is to cook the chicken, shred it, and mix it up with homemade salsa or pico de gallo.  

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How about chicken breast strips coated in some kind of cajun/mexican/moroccan spice mix. I often take this kind of thing for myself for lunch along with some salad, but you could easily send some veggie sticks along with it. And possibly add something to dip the veg sticks in - nut butter, home made guac, home made mayo etc. 

 

A serve of stew in a thermos?

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I'm not a huge salad fan either, but crudites (usually a mix of celery, cukes, carrots, snap peas, etc.) with mayo dip plus leftover protein is delicious. We had leftovers of chicken with garlic and orange that was amazing at lunch last Wednesday. 

 

Or cooked meat mixed with frozen veggies and spices, the veg will no longer be frozen and a quick microwave will cook it perfectly. I've done ground beef with carrot/broccoli/cauliflower and Greek seasoning with tomato sauce.

 

Zoodles with meat sauce is also delicious.

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He doesnt have access to a microwave, and can't sit down at a table to eat. He basically sits on his tailgate at the jobsite and just eats out of his lunch box. He will NOT eat a salad for lunch---not sure why because he loves salad.

Great post, I'm having the same problem and was searching for ideas. Add in that he won't eat normally heated foods cold and has no access to reheat food, and with hard labor construction has a hardy appetite during their lunch break. This is a big struggle for us and we've only just finished day 1. I'm so glad to have seen this post!

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Great post, I'm having the same problem and was searching for ideas. Add in that he won't eat normally heated foods cold and has no access to reheat food, and with hard labor construction has a hardy appetite during their lunch break. This is a big struggle for us and we've only just finished day 1. I'm so glad to have seen this post!

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The Thermos brand thermoses are great at keeping food hot for several hours...and well worth the $20-25 investment. That should allow for more options also.  (only mention the brand because I tried some off brand at Target one time and it was just as costly and didn't work near as well.)

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The Thermos brand thermoses are great at keeping food hot for several hours...and well worth the $20-25 investment. That should allow for more options also.  (only mention the brand because I tried some off brand at Target one time and it was just as costly and didn't work near as well.)

Thanks for the brand info, I don't remember which one he has so I'll definitely check that out!

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Great post, I'm having the same problem and was searching for ideas. Add in that he won't eat normally heated foods cold and has no access to reheat food, and with hard labor construction has a hardy appetite during their lunch break. This is a big struggle for us and we've only just finished day 1. I'm so glad to have seen this post!

 

The things he has liked the best so far are:

tuna fish, olives, veggie sticks/lettuce cups

salmon patties and tartar sauce---surprisingly tasty when cold!

hard-boiled/deviled eggs and bacon

 

i packed him some cold meatloaf Friday and he decided he'd rather go eat Mexican food :(

 

Tomorrow he'll be having cold chicken, veggie sticks, cherry tomatoes, olives, hard-boiled eggs

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  • 4 weeks later...

Andrea I feel your pain.

As hard as I try, my husband wont' let go of certain things.

I work hard to put raw milk, grassfed beef, organic pastured chicken, and local vegetables on the table, which he loves, but then he'll finish his day with a stack of grocery store cookies, he'll pack crackers in his lunchbox...and his bedtime snack continues to be a giant bowl of ice cream or boxed cereal.  The kids are the same.

 

Dont' buy the stuff you say? That might work for the kids, but he'll just go buy it himself, and it will still be there....LOL. 

 

I consider it a great success that I was able to get him to break up with Little Debbie, Oreo Cookies, and pasteurized milk...but we have a long way to go for sure.

Hooray for small victories...and kudos to you for trying SO hard to take good care of your husband.

Marie

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I just got Diana Rodgers' new book the other day -  Paleo Lunches and Breakfasts On the Go.  Lots of great ideas in there!  I'm having the turkey dijon apricot wraps (although I used chicken because it's what I had) for lunch today.  The book is not strictly Whole30, so just keep that in mind if you're planning Whole30 meals from it!

 

-- Alyson

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