Prepping the weeks packed lunches on a Sunday
Prepping the weeks packed lunches on a Sunday
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MLH

Original Poster:

406 posts

152 months

Sunday 28th December 2014
quotequote all
Pretty much as the title suggests.

A week tomorrow i start a new contract on days and only 10 miles away after working nightshifts away from home for the last 5 years.

My food has always been bought there and then depending on location and time. Which resulted in quite an expensive and unhealthy diet.

I struggle getting up in the mornings at the best of times so i havent got a hope in hell of getting up each morning to make a packed lunch nor the evening before as i know i wont be bothered.

So the plan is to prep everything on a sunday evening but the question is what?! Im looking for ideas that i wont get bored of quickly, things that will last in the fridge all week and be relatively healthy.

Each day i'll be looking at a total of 3 meals for the packed lunch but apart from sandwiches im struggling for inspiration.


Matt172

12,415 posts

273 months

Sunday 28th December 2014
quotequote all
Might be an idea, we have a guy at work who always brings in a pack up. He makes too much dinner the night before and brings in the left overs for lunch the next day
Guess it depends on what sort of facilities you have at work for heating things up

Shaw Tarse

31,885 posts

232 months

Sunday 28th December 2014
quotequote all
Have you got a reheating device?

MLH

Original Poster:

406 posts

152 months

Sunday 28th December 2014
quotequote all
Yeah, microwave on site.

Im liking the over cooking of the previous evenings meal idea. It seems so obvious now thinking about it!

JungleJim

2,425 posts

241 months

Sunday 28th December 2014
quotequote all
when my mum used to make us packed lunches for school she would make a batch of sandwiches/rolls and freeze them, pulling them out the freezer in the morning each day.

You could try that maybe? I ditched a lot of sandwiches due to them being a bit soggy.....but I was a fking fussy bugger back then.

CoolHands

23,345 posts

224 months

Sunday 28th December 2014
quotequote all
pasta keeps quite well cooked and you can eat cold.

TSCfree

1,681 posts

260 months

Sunday 28th December 2014
quotequote all
Lentil soups. Very quick and easy to make for the week, keep well in the fridge and healthy too.

Mr Pointy

13,319 posts

188 months

Sunday 28th December 2014
quotequote all
What about soup a couple of days a week. I tip a can into a sealable mug & lob it into the microwave for a couple of minutes. I like this range as they are pretty filling, especially the Spanish Rice & Red bean one:

http://amyskitchen.co.uk/products/product-categori...

Of course if you can cook your own, so much the better.

Mobile Chicane

21,979 posts

241 months

Monday 29th December 2014
quotequote all
I make a huge pot of spag bog/chilli which does lunch (and dinner) for OH and myself over several days. One day it will be spaghetti, another fusilli, another lasagne.

trashbat

6,298 posts

182 months

Monday 29th December 2014
quotequote all
One pot cooking, in batches, is the answer.

You could go for Le Creuset stuff, but I would get myself a cheaper (£30) but IME just as good cast iron casserole pot from Sainsburys or the like.

Then you can do casseroles, chilli, curries, even spag bol etc, in volumes for up to 8 portions, freeze it, and once you've done this over a few weeks, you're not eating the same thing every day. Generally cheap & healthy too.

Particularly a French or Indian-oriented cookbook is worth its weight in gold in terms of ideas for this.

Sowler

223 posts

178 months

Monday 29th December 2014
quotequote all
Yeah I always over cook on purpose. Then have enough leftovers for a couple of lunches and/or dinner. Stir frys and curries are always good. I've never had any issues with reheating rice either.

Kev T360

366 posts

180 months

Monday 29th December 2014
quotequote all
trashbat said:
One pot cooking, in batches, is the answer.

You could go for Le Creuset stuff, but I would get myself a cheaper (£30) but IME just as good cast iron casserole pot from Sainsburys or the like.

Then you can do casseroles, chilli, curries, even spag bol etc, in volumes for up to 8 portions, freeze it, and once you've done this over a few weeks, you're not eating the same thing every day. Generally cheap & healthy too.

Particularly a French or Indian-oriented cookbook is worth its weight in gold in terms of ideas for this.
This would be my addvice, invest in some plastic take away containers, and freeze batches of wet meals ( soup, curry, chilli, stroganof, fish pie, lasagna etc...) just remove from the freezer the night befor so thst when you come to it at lunchtime its defrosted enough to go straight into the microwave.

Shaw Tarse

31,885 posts

232 months

Monday 29th December 2014
quotequote all
trashbat said:
One pot cooking, in batches, is the answer.

You could go for Le Creuset stuff, but I would get myself a cheaper (£30) but IME just as good cast iron casserole pot from Sainsburys or the like.

Then you can do casseroles, chilli, curries, even spag bol etc, in volumes for up to 8 portions, freeze it, and once you've done this over a few weeks, you're not eating the same thing every day. Generally cheap & healthy too.

Particularly a French or Indian-oriented cookbook is worth its weight in gold in terms of ideas for this.
Sainsburys stuff is half price at the moment.
(I paid even less a few months ago)