healthy packed lunches to take to work

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minimalistmatt

15-01-2008

I love reading these ideas, and Elanor you are an inspiration ! Thanks for your Flickr updates.

I really couldn't abide Nigella Express too. After Christmas I had a book voucher to spend and went into Waterstones for a cheap diary ! And I came out with "Wild Garlic, Gooseberries and Me" which they had for half price (£10).

I sort of picked it up in a rush, and didn't even realise it was all veggie recipes (handy for me, because I don't eat meat!) It's a lovely book with some great ideas in it, which for someone like me who eats plenty of veg, but has got a bit bored with it all - seems perfect.

There are so many wonderful and inspiring vegetable recipes in it, I'm bowled over! No more steamed tomato's, bean sprouts and brocolli for me

Elanor

15-01-2008

Originally Posted by loubie:
“I was going to buy one of those laptop lunch boxes but I found a smaller version of the same thing in Waitrose last week. It's basically a tupperware box with three compartments and a good lock/seal lid. I've been using this for the past week to take salads, cottage cheese etc. It's been great and I've saved lots of money and haven't missed sandwiches at all.”

Yay! Great find. Make sure you take some photos.

Elanor

20-01-2008

Originally Posted by Elanor:
“
Real Muesli Bars:
Makes 16.
350g rolled oats
30g shredded coconut
50g flaked almonds
45g wheatgerm
30g sesame seeds
35g sunflower seeds
55g chopped dried apricots
185ml honey
55g firmly packed brown sugar
125ml vegetable oil.

Preheat the oven to 130 C(250 F/Gas 1) and lightly grease and line a 35x25cm(14x10 inch) tin.
Put the oats,coconut,almonds,wheatgerm,sesame seeds,sunflower seeds and apricots in a bowl.
Put the honey,sugar and oil in a small pan and stir over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.Pour this over the dry ingredients in the bowl and stir until everything well combined,mixing with your hands if neccessary.
Press the mixture into the tin and bake for 50 mins,or until golden brown.
Cut into bars while still warm”

Just to update - I made these this afternoon (except that I left out the wheatgerm because I didn't have any, and the almonds, because I forgot them) and they are delicious! They're a bit like flapjack, only nuttier and chewier. I used cranberries for the fruit. I'll upload a photo in a bit, after I've made my lunch.

macca@90

21-01-2008

Hi Elanor
How do you stop your chopped apple going brown? I sprinked lemon juice on mine but it was another 12 hours before lunchtime and it had gone brown

Do you put your box in the fridge when you get to work? I didn't and my lunch was a bit warm but there are a lot of thieving barstewards who have access to our fridge as the kitchen is in a communal area

Elanor

21-01-2008

I have tried the lemon juice thing, and to be honest, it didn't do much other than make my apple taste lemony. To be honest, I just chop it the night before, leave it in the fridge in its box overnight, and then take it to work. I don't even put it in the fridge (on warm days I stick an ice pack on top of the box, but mostly I just keep it in a cool part of my office) and somehow, my apple has never gone brown at all. Maybe the box is airtight or something... I'm not sure why it hasn't gone brown to be honest.

kibblerok

23-01-2008

my laptop lunchbox arrived today

mocha-latte

25-01-2008

Originally Posted by kibblerok:
“my laptop lunchbox arrived today ”

Kewl

what colour did you get ?

ML x

BrideXIII

25-01-2008

Originally Posted by macca@90:
“Hi Elanor
How do you stop your chopped apple going brown? I sprinked lemon juice on mine but it was another 12 hours before lunchtime and it had gone brown
Do you put your box in the fridge when you get to work? I didn't and my lunch was a bit warm but there are a lot of thieving barstewards who have access to our fridge as the kitchen is in a communal area ”

I admit I am not a lunchbox person, so I didn't go look at them, but as someone pointed out they have little removable compartments could you not put some water in a small freezer bag to fit one, then freeze it and use it as a sort of internal 'cool' block?

(well I know what i mean

)

Elanor

25-01-2008

Originally Posted by BrideXIII:
“I admit I am not a lunchbox person, so I didn't go look at them, but as someone pointed out they have little removable compartments could you not put some water in a small freezer bag to fit one, then freeze it and use it as a sort of internal 'cool' block?

(well I know what i mean )”

Yes, you could, and I sometimes take a frozen something in the larger lidded compartment, and it keeps the rest cold all morning and has defrosted by lunchtime to that I can eat it. Watermelon works well like that, or frozen raspberries (which I add to yoghurt) and so on.

kibblerok

25-01-2008

Originally Posted by mocha-latte:
“Kewl what colour did you get ?

ML x”

primary with an extra set of whimsical pots

Elanor

10-02-2008

Are we going to see any photos of your new lunches?

Loobs72

09-05-2008

Originally Posted by Elanor:
“I'm sorry - I'm going to post my lunchbox link again.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ginger_...7601368797142/

I always used to have a sandwich from our work canteen. I found it so dull and boring, and I felt really lethargic in the afternoons. I bought this lunchbox in August, and I've used it nearly every day since then, and mostly I've had very healthy stuff (not always) and I've saved loads of money, and been far more interested in lunch, and had loads more energy in the afternoons, and lost quite a lot of weight.

I usually have at least three portions of fruit and veg in my lunch, often more. I've almost stopped eating bread, although I have it sometimes, and have switched to things like wraps, rice salads, quinoa (I love it!) and lots of salad and fruit.”

where did you get that lunch box with compartments like that?

jemima69

10-05-2008

A selection of fruit to nibble on, then some ryvita and a tub of either cottage cheese, houmous or mushroom pate.
Or just a good old sandwich on wholemeal bread with lots of salad in it. If you have a microwave at work take a pre baked potato, heat it up and bung on some tuna, cottage cheese e.t.c.

Elanor

10-05-2008

Originally Posted by Loobs72:
“where did you get that lunch box with compartments like that?”

http://www.laptoplunches.co.uk/index1.html < in the UK
or
http://www.laptoplunches.com/ < in the US. Sadly the US ones have more colours available than we do here.

spanglebum

12-05-2008

Originally Posted by Elanor:
“http://www.beckyandlolo.co.uk/depart...aptop_lunches/

I'm going to get some more inner boxes, I think, so I can make spares of things to have in the freezer.”

thanks for that link, im gonna get myself one for work too, i feel really inspired now after looking at all them great lunches

THE FOOD GURU

12-05-2008

Hi, Check out this, I designed it with children in mind, but the principles of healthy eating are the same throughout Healthy Packed Lunches
Last edited by THE FOOD GURU : 12-05-2008 at 15:38

sistine

13-05-2008

what I do for my kids packed lunches is make a tuna and salad warp (variations in chicken, cheese and egg) ... make a small salad in a tub (either green salad, rice salad or something similar) ... make a fruit salad in a tub, and then sticks of carrots finely sliced and roasted in the oven until they've dried out (they love them and don't miss crisps at all).

Dippy_Egg

15-06-2012

4 years later on i stumble across this thread. I've recently stopped smoking....yahooooo......and inspired with my success suddenly wanted to make healthy changes in other departments too. I searched for healthy lunches to take to work and this is what I found. Wow! Those lunches look to die for. Sadly Becky and lo lo no longer stock these lunch boxes.......and I was all in despair at the thought of having to order from the u.s when.....whoop whoop....up pops one on ebay. Absolutely cannot wait for it to arrive. Many thanks Elanor for the inspiration......if you're still hanging around these forums.

Elanor

15-06-2012

Originally Posted by Dippy_Egg:
“4 years later on i stumble across this thread. I've recently stopped smoking....yahooooo......and inspired with my success suddenly wanted to make healthy changes in other departments too. I searched for healthy lunches to take to work and this is what I found. Wow! Those lunches look to die for. Sadly Becky and lo lo no longer stock these lunch boxes.......and I was all in despair at the thought of having to order from the u.s when.....whoop whoop....up pops one on ebay. Absolutely cannot wait for it to arrive. Many thanks Elanor for the inspiration......if you're still hanging around these forums.”

Don't worry, I can smell when someone replies to a lunchbox thread!

I don't often take photos of my lunch these days (too busy with my nail varnish, haha!) but funnily enough just this week I've been emailing LLB in the States because they're wanting to use one of my photos in their next newsletter.

Dippy_Egg

15-06-2012

Haaa haaaaaaaa. Fantastic. A mere 6 minutes later and I have a reply from the lady herself.

Love it. No need to ask whether you're still a laptop lunch box fan then. Not surprised they want to use one of your photos. I'd use all of them. Utterly inspiring and I'm firmly determined to copy them like mad for my lunch time pleasure. Thank you Elanor. Lunches at work have been a real problem for me. An expense and an uninspiring problem. I can see now, thanks to you, how that is all about to change. Hurry up postman. x

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