Brown Bag Blues!

[Brenda.]

Maybe it's the mid- winter blues but I am so tired of getting up every morning and throwing together a sandwich for lunch at work.

Every day it's the same thing, yogurt and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for breakfast, ham or bologna sandwich and pretzels for lunch.

Once in a while I'll take leftovers or I'll make this salad.
Caprese Pasta

I have access to a fridge and microwave, I'm just in a Brown Bag rut

I'm looking for something that I can make ahead in a smaller portions (my DH is super picky and likes the same old sandwich routine) that I could take to work for maybe just 1-2 days.

I've given numerous suggestions to others in this forum but can't seem to find the drive to "shake up" my own routine.

I need inspiration!

Thanks,
Bren

[farmchick #2]

If you like Mexican food here is an idea. I make Mexican Creation from this website. You can use any kind of salsa in it, and what you don't want to eat right away freezes nicely. I make 5 containers of salad (my husband loves spinach for this, but lettuce is also great). Portion out 5 containers of the Mexican Creation (this will be your "dressing", and you can eat it warm or cold), and if you want a small bag of chips to crumble over it. SOOO GOOD. My husband eats this everyday. But the mix is also good on rice, in a wrap, plain....

Another thing that we do is just pack up leftovers in his lunch containers when we put them away at night...really no extra work. Lunch packed and ready to go.

My mom used to have us make a weeks worth of sandwhiches (no small job with 7 kids) and put them in the freezer. My sister was in charge of putting them in the lunch bags with fruit, and also a frozen cookie. It worked great for a few years until the boys decided that it was so much easir to grab a frozen sandwhich whenever they got a bit hungry. And need I even mention what they would do to the cookie supply. Since Mom was still out milking when we left in the morning we made lunches the night before...and I think Mom told us if she caught anybody eating frozen sandwhiches she was going to let them go to school empty handed. I'm sure Dad was laughing in the next room.

In the past my husband would take cereal or oatmeal and a jar of milk.

He goes in a little later now so he eats breakfast at home.

For snacks I always keep fresh fruit on hand. He also loves cottage cheese, and hard boiled eggs.

Hope this might help.

[Brenda.]

Great ideas- Thank You!

This recipe sounds like something I would like:
Mexican Creation

I did make a HUGE batch of veggie soup and took that for a few days.

Thanks again for your ideas

Bren

[Susie D]

Lunch can be a drag even without the morning rush.

How about some easy salads? I make a reduced amount of the recipe & portion straight into containers.
Tuna Rice Salad
Chipotle & Lime Marinated Mushrooms by Mrs Goodall (I add aditional veggies along with the mushrooms.) Yummo if you like spicy!
Imitation Crab (Surimi) and Avocado Salad by red apple guy
Shrimp Cocktail-Mexican Style by sugarnuts
Cucumber Chickpea Salad by iewe
Oriental Curried Rice Salad by GaylaV
Citrus Tuna Salad by Mami J
Curry Vinaigrette by Sandi from CA
Chickpea Salad With Ginger by KozmicBlues
Cucumber Vegetable Salad by ellie

Add some spice to your lunchbox with soup. These are soup-er easy too!
Senegalese Peanut Soup (WeightWatcher's Points)by Carianne
Vegetarian Cream-Style Corn Soup (China) by Papa Syd

[Brenda.]

Oh delicious ideas Sissy!

For whatever reason the Cucumber Chickpea salad sounded exceptionally good to me this morning

Thanks for the ideas

Bren

[NorthwestGal]

Wow, so many great ideas have already been offered (and I've saved a few for my own use!) But I also think if you occasionally switched up the bread used for sandwiches, it sometimes seems like a different thing. Like, instead of plain white bread, use bagels or English Muffins (depending on the sandwich filling, of course).

From my recipes though, I think these would be great for ToGo lunches...

Easy Muffin Melts (add a bit of chopped chili pepper for fun)
Seaside Garden Sandwich (yes, a sandwich....but oh so delicious)
French Twists
I-Love-You Scones (serve it with a pear half for a complete lunch)
Swiss Chicken Wrap With Honey Mustard Sauce

or any quick bread (like banana bread, zucchini bread, carrot bread) paired with a flavored butter or a fruit-flavored cream cheese.

I think the citrus touch in my Kumquat Pecan Bread would make it a natural to be topped with Spiced Rum Orange Scone Butter. Add a side of seasonal fruit, and you have a nice, healthy lunch.