bekahellen Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I am in the reintro phase but feel like my pants are getting a little tight again... My first two weeks of Whole30 were AWESOME and my pants were fitting so much better and I looked great. Then I started getting lazier and resorting to more fruit and nuts, and I can definitely tell a difference. The worst part of my day is lunch. I am a college student and don't have time to go home and make lunch in the middle of the day, so I usually end up eating a Lara bar and several apples or bananas and then some almonds for lunch and snacks. I don't have access to refrigeration at school so I don't think I could bring meat with... Also I pretty much hate vegetables except for carrots and salad greens. Any ideas that would be easy to prepare during hectic mornings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmary Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Ok, I'm being the tough-love moderator all over the board today, but you can do better! Just because you are a college student is no excuse to neglect your health, and frankly, if you think the working world will leave you with loads of extra time to get stuff done you are in for a big awakening. You need protein at lunch. period. Many people pack lunches with protein (for work or for school) that meet the guidelines, and you can do it too. Cooked meat with a cold pack works fine. (bean-free) Chili in a thermos works fine. You could take tuna or sardines still in the can and open them at lunch. I've even seen organic canned chicken that was compliant. Or hard boiled eggs (these will keep for a day in all but the hottest weather). Raw veggies (salad greens, carrots, cucumbers, bell pepper) all keep fine at room temp. So do roasted and steamed veggies (both of these are still good cold, IMO). Bring salad dressing in a small container on the side, or make a salad with kale or cabbage and just let it marinate in the dressing all morning, but don't try to convince yourself this is too hard. It is not too hard. you can do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jent103 Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Ditto MissMary! And my first tip - don't prep in the mornings. Do it the night before, and even better, do a lot of prep on the weekends (or whenever you have a few hours strung together) and then all you have to do is pack a lunch bag. Do you have access to a microwave at school? If so, get an insulated lunch bag with a freezer pack and you are set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bekahellen Posted April 18, 2014 Author Share Posted April 18, 2014 No microwave, but a freezer pack is a good idea! I just wish I wasn't so picky... I may have to force myself to eat hardboiled eggs or canned chicken (any seafood is out for me. Yuck). I could do a salad, too. Thanks for the ideas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmary Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I may have to force myself to eat hardboiled eggs or canned chicken (any seafood is out for me. Yuck). What kinds of meat to you eat normally? Cooked chicken breast or thighs, even chicken sausages, cooked roast beef or flank steak would all be nice cold with some salad. With an ice pack I think it would all keep fine for half a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jent103 Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I'm a reformed picky eater - I still have some very strong opinions about certain foods. It took a lot of trying different things and getting my taste buds used to different foods, but now I love a lot of meats and vegetables. Keep trying! I grew up eating Southern-cooked vegetables (like boiled canned squash - I don't care if it was preserved from my grandmama's garden, it loses a lot of flavor when it's canned and boiled!), so it took a lot of work for me to find ways that I like them. Other cold/room temp ideas - meatballs? Do you have Well Fed 2? That cookbook has a whole section on different variations of meatballs/sausages/burgers that you could do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmayPA Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Yes! With an ice-pack or two and a good insulated lunch bag (I have one that I can sling over my shoulder, which I find really helpful) you absolutely can keep things safely packed. We have a fridge at work, and half the time I forget to put my stuff in it, and it's still fine... Good luck with your studies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almondjoyless Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I keep a tin of smoked oysters (packed in olive oil) in my bag. Highly portable protein and fat. Throw in some carrot sticks and you're all set! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bekahellen Posted April 19, 2014 Author Share Posted April 19, 2014 I usually just eat chicken breasts or eggs (or my favorite Applegate hot dogs...) and if someone else is cooking red meat like steak or burgers then I'll eat it. I think I'll try throwing some leftover chicken on a big salad! Thanks everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jillian Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 My favorite way to pack a hot lunch is this 16oz food thermos linked below. It keeps things hot for hours. Make a big batch of chocolate chili and you'll have lunch for more than a week. You don't have to fuss with reheating it - lunch is ready to go. http://www.amazon.com/Thermos-Stainless-King-16-Ounce-Midnight/dp/B0017IFSIS/ref=pd_sim_sbs_sg_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=0Z0P8X1QCP1M7HGEWR2D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hockeymom Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 I keep my lunch at my desk in a great big insulated lunchbag with a cold pack. Like the others, I pack a great big salad with a tiny container of dressing inside and a hard cooked egg. I also made paleo mayo, and with some of the chicken that I roast on Sunday, the mayo and some spices I make up a chicken salad - tops a green salad instead of dressing. Or tuna would be just as good. I also made up a huge batch of W30 compliant chili (ground beef, fire-roasted organic tomatoes, sauteed peppers and onions, adobo) on Sunday so I could heat lunches for my thermos during the week. If you heat it up super hot before you put it in the thermos, it will stay very warm! I will slice and cook up some compliant chicken sausage in a skillet with some sliced carrots and broccoli and make a big stir-fry. It tastes great without even needing anything else - that could go in a thermos too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuiseRN Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 The other day I had to leave for work at 5 am! I had to drive to another town which was a three hour drive. I did not have time to cook a breakfast. I grabbed some left over roasted chicken breast and a pack of raw veggies I had placed in a zip lock. I felt funny having that for breakfast but it tasted good and I felt good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noelle Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 I second the suggestion of packing in the evening. It makes a huge difference during hectic (and non-hectic!) mornings. Have you seen the salad-in-a-jar ideas that are all over the Internet? I've never done that myself, but they look like they would work well for a student on the go. Also, if you feel like fruit and nuts might be a problem for you, give them a rest for a few days. Throw some cooked beets into your salad for a little sweetness at lunchtime. Veggies you don't care for normally might be more appealing finely chopped or diced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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