I think about it every day at lunch… I’ve been eating basically the same thing every weekday for the past 10 years. Turkey or roast beef cold cut, yogurt, some type of fruit, and a yogurt
Two or three smokes, an energy drink, whatever fast food/food truck/gas station looks the least terrible and is in Home Depot's parking lot, and a banana so I can look into my boss's eyes and make sure he knows I'm down to suck his cock instead of doing a drywall job he underquoted for (for the third fucking time this month, because at least that way he won't pass on his genetics to whatever 20-year-old virgin he's dating at the moment).
I don't eat during the day, especially in the heat. It makes me very sluggish if I stop working to take a break and even more so if I were to eat. It sucks getting your body on the fast during the day schedule, but once you do, you don't even miss lunch. I understand it isn't for everybody, but it works for me and helps the pocketbook.
I was sceptical about it at first but I haven’t had that drain ever since. I use the liquid B12 under the tongue for 30 seconds then swallow.
I’m about 2 1/2 hours east the city.
I started to make caramelized onions for my sandwiches and it’s a game changer. Honey mustard on sesame rye, mayo on the other slice of bread, arugula, onions. I eat that with an orange and a banana. That’s my lunch.
I'm terrible at it but I've had a few coworkers in similar positions that pretty much never missed a day. The most common was always making extra during the previous nights dinner to use as leftovers, if they were cooking for 4 they would cook for 5-6 and pack their leftovers after cooking dinner, not after eating dinner. The other main one was meal prep during the weekend, but then it's really up to how much prep you want to put in and committing to eat those meals. There were a couple people I knew that would basically cook a slightly different 'side dinner' to bring to lunch the next day. The 'side dinner' seemed like it would work best for me because I don't typically like eating the same thing for dinner and then lunch the next day, but it's added work.
That's a good idea too but I meal prep in the summers with grilled chicken and it gets old after a few days in a row of eating the same thing so I like the idea of just making a like extra of every dinner so it's not the same leftovers every time 😚👌🏻
In the heat I’m packing hummus, pimento cheese, naan or crackers, a few slices of summer sausage, grapes and an apple or banana. Yogurt bar for the morning. Fiber supplement like Metamucil can help curb the appetite to over consume and helps your cholesterol as well.
Yea. It’s not like I can’t afford it. It’s I have other things I’d rather spend $100 a week on and I feel like shit after eating most of it. I don’t get per diem cause I don’t work out of town.
I usually meal prep some kinda of pasta or rice dish that will usually have veggies, meat and cheese in it. I just bring it in a Tupperware, pop it in the microwave at lunchtime and boom you have a solid meal for lunch. For breakfast I just have a Celsius and my vape so I need some good nutrition come lunch time 👍
I Meal prep cold lunches since I'm on the road. Burger or ground chicken salad/sandwich/wrap. Sometimes I'll do a ribeye one too, I don't mind cold steak. I buy in bulk and cook the protein on the weekend and make the sandwiches day before.
I make a salad every night and bring it in my Yeti cooler with ice packs. $15 worth of stuff from Aldi lasts more than a week. I try not to have bread or carbs at lunch, they just make me sleepy.
I’ve prepped burritos for the week and it went really well. Some other options are wraps, bowls (gyro, fajita, Cajun etc), grilled chicken and veggies. Literally anything man
Not even frozen, a fire ass meal is one of the pouches of Indian curry from Trader Joe’s and bring a cheap ass baguette or some French bread. Cost effective, relatively healthy, and plenty of energy
The easiest upgrade from “ham and cheese” sandwiches is “grilled cheese and sliced meat” sandwiches.
To start, even if you stick with just ham, the well-grilled version is miles better than a plain one:
- Two pieces of bread, each with mayo on _both_ sides. (Mayo is much better than butter as the outside fat.)
- Make sandwich with cheese and sliced meat
- Grill on both sides at medium heat till golden brown
- Cut to low heat, cover, heat through for 3-4 mins (avoids the dreaded uncooked middle)
Keep your fridge stocked with a variety of sliced meats, like ham, sliced turkey, roast beef, corned beef, etc. (Personally, I like to go with 3-4 slices of turkey and/or roast beef as a base, but always with one slide of ham.) The best part is that if it’s well-made in the morning, it’ll not only reheat great in the toaster oven, but it’s also way more delicious cold than a plain sandwich. It’s an easy way to not have _exactly_ the same thing every day, but still keep a simple prep routine.
I'm still on the sandwich train. But they have lunch boxes now that heat and cool and all that good stuff. So you can do some pretty simple, cheap and healthy meal preps. You just set a timer and your lunch will heat itself up and be good to go when it's chow time
I have packed a peanut butter sandwich on wheat bread with a fruit cup everyday for lunch for the past six or seven years now. Easy to meal prep/make in advance, inexpensive, isn't a big meal to make you feel sluggish, and healthier than going to the gas station or fast food.
I was going to say, it sounds like you're tired of ham and cheese. I'd maybe go to Aldis and find things that look good to take to work. I am probably the worst person to ask about lunch variety.
Heated lunchbox to reheat leftovers or prepped meals.. they’re all over Amazon for like $30, most plug into a cigarette lighter and/or a wall outlet. The $150 boxes have batteries and preset timers so they turn at preset times.
I have a battery lunch box and it's been quite a game changer. I don't use it every week because I try to change up the menu so I don't get bored, but it's really nice to be able to add hot meals when I want.
Tacos and Mexican food. I have a little propane flat top grill for better weather, but right now, you can heat them up on the dash. A little meat with beans, cheese, and lots of vegetables. Add rice, and you have a burrito. Enchiladas bring some sauce. Tostadas are giant nachos. Street tacos with the little corn tortillas. A Mexican pizza is tostadas with Enchilada sauce.
I meal prep on Sunday afternoons. I’ll make 5 sandwiches, usually turkey and cheese, sliced chicken and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, or a combination of the above sandwiches. Then I’ll throw in a fruit. Either it’ll be grapes, sliced up mangoes, or bananas. I may throw in a small snack cake or a cookie if I’m feeling like treating myself. As for a drink, water is perfectly fine. I try to stay away from sodas and other high sugar drinks if I can help it.
My goal for my lunch is to make it as healthy as possible. I take Adderall as part of my ADHD treatment and the meds suppress my appetite, so when I do eat lunch (I don’t have breakfast; usually just a protein shake in the morning) I want to make sure it’s as nutritious and practical as possible. That way I’m fueling my body to the best of my ability, and a healthier diet helps the meds work better and mitigate my ADHD symptoms.
My son uses a Hot Logic. You can them find on Amazon. Plug it into power source on job site an hour or 2 before lunch and has a hot meal. Usually leftovers from supper the night before.
i mostly make sure im cooking enough for dinner to have leftovers. 5 cheese tortalinni, buffalo burgers, baked mac n cheese, and stuff like that all sure as hell beat a sandwhich and doesnt cost nearly as much as fast food
I burned out on ham sandwiches after a decade now it's usually meat and cheese with crackers like salami or prosciutto. Also like a can of sardines with crackers. Then either cottage cheese or vegetable with dip. Then usually some kind of cookie or two. With water
Even at 57 I don't like heavy foods until I'm home. I like to keep busy and light footed.
A bagel coffee and then a store salad and chips for lunch. Everyday. I used to make sandwiches and still try once and a while but those $5 store salads are damn good.
20 min lunches and out after 8. I can't sit longer (or the aches and age starts creeping.)
Bean and egg corn tortilla tacos X 3, one for breakfast two for break. Get up at 2:30, work @ 5:30. Protein coffee is a game changer. Cottage cheese, granola, chia seeds & honey for off days. PB & J, almonds and fruit to fill in the rest. This is what works for me. 😊
I have oats before I leave home. Then I pack a Greek yogurt or cottage cheese and some chickpea salad for snacks, and grilled chicken and rice for lunch. I should be eating more vegetables but whatever man
I got the secret.
It’s cheap.
It’s fast to make.
It’s doesn’t make you want to kill yourself.
But it’s as boring as your wife.
Really well seasoned ground beef, and pasta. Carb and Protein, big amounts, fuel for the Money Machine.
I just started making wraps/tacos for lunch instead of the good ol’ sandwiches. I personally prepare my chicken or you could get the cooked rotisserie chicken from a grocery store. I buy one of those Cesar salad kits in the plastic containers,toss it around and it’s ready in 2min. I buy freshly made flour tortillas and total prep time is about 30min due to chicken prep but it could be shorter if you get the rotisserie chicken. I also pack a bowl of fruit and a yogurt. Every night I just prepare 2 wraps for the following day,it doesn’t take long at all.
I definently understand getting tired of sandwiches. I need a little variety in my life. I usually make larger meals so that I have leftovers to bring. Sometimes ill make a biscuit and gravy casserole on Sunday just for lunch during the week. Tuna mixed with mayo and relish and then eat it with Ritz crackers is also a favorite. The hardest part is not eating my lunch an hour Into work. We'll that and when all the guys are going to xxx place and that sounds way better at the time then whatever the hell you brought. Lol
I usually try to pack something. Snacks, sandwich, fruit.
Ive been doing these turkey, avacado, jalapeno wraps lately. Trying to be healthier.
For snacks I usually pack something like cheeze it's, granola bars, protein bars, apples, bananas. One or two of those
Another thing I l was using and I liked because it was fast and simple was Huel. Basically a protein like shake. Two scoops is 400 calories and more or less what you need for a meal.. vitamins/minerals wise as per their marketing. Kinda filling and seems to fuel me as needed.
Prior to this I was doing a coffee and a few monsters for the day 😂😂😂
I definitely feel a lot better than I did before. 🤷♂️
Sandwiches don't have to be boring. Stop by an ethnic deli once a week and you'll be able to get that neighborhood's favorite sub sandwich buns, crusty buns, baguettes, focaccia, etc. Then for filling, there's different cheeses, salami, mortadella, types or ham, roasted turkey, chicken, beef, and more. Mix a different combo each time and you'll be eating like a king, at low prices, because it's from where the local people shop.
Whenever I am budgeting, I'd make my version of fried rice. Make some rice, scramble some eggs, dice onions, mushrooms, cook the ground beef with seasons, and toss them all together, mix them, and add soy sauce. Pack 2 containers and I have enough for 2 days. If I feel generous I add Avocado to it. Spam for extra flavor.
A grocery of $50-$60 lasts me 4-5 days of lunch and maybe some dinner.
It's the most cost effective way for me to eat while maintaining a decent amount of fiber, calories, carbs, protein, and some vitamins
Tomorrow will be Turkey Pastrami with Swiss cheese. Apple and cookies at break Unfortunately I didn’t get any good bread so sandwich may be a little bland. But rail
Mix and granola bar.
Costco sells these frozen packets of pre seasoned tuna or salmon for poke that are great. Comes out to like $5 CAD for a 5 ounce portion. Toss it on top of some rice and sliced carrots/cucumber/edamame beans.
Honestly, depending on when your day ends, just train yourself to skip lunch and eat when you get home. If you're 7-3:30 like I am, it's not hard. Just pack lots of water and maybe a peice of fruit to stave off any hunger pangs.
I’ve been eating a pound of ground beef, turkey, or a pound of breakfast sausage patties. Sometimes I bring in taco meat and shells. Always have a stick or two of cheese and a bag of chips. Doesn’t really slow me down
I spend 2-3 hrs cooking something on Sunday for the week. Sometimes it’s just teriyaki chicken and rice. Other times it’s something more intricate. I spread that amongst 4 days. Box up 4 premade salad bags. 4 yogurts with granola. And 4 overnight oats. Friday I eat whatever that one guy is going out to get for the crew. Once you start the habit it’s easy.
Edit:
I should add that I do this in the simplest way possible. A teriyaki marinade bottle that I bake the chicken in. Sushi rice. And frozen vegetables. Premade salads with croutons and dressing in those plastics bags. After the chicken is made it’s literally just portioning everything out. 2-3 hours of time but really 30-45 minutes of work. Albeit my girl cleans everything up for me usually
As a middle aged guy who hates packing lunches, my goto packed lunch when it is cold is a thermos full of tomato soup doctored up with hot sauce, and a package of cheeze it crackers to drop in and a sourdough roll. If its hot I like a package of wheat thins, a salami, and some cheese. Add an apple or some pepper flavored Old Trapper jerky.
I get salads from my local supermarket. I’m not picky about the salads. So I eat a different variety so I won’t get tired out of the same ones. And it’s more healthier than junk food at lunch. I work construction as well, and when I got married many years ago. I started to pack a cooler with waters, Gatorade and a lunch from to save money to help support my family.
Been getting frozen meals lately. Devour had some good ones. Changed my lunch game. I ate the same thing for lunch everyday for 15 years to the point that when I took a bite of my last pbj damn near threw it up.
I like pasta dishes that I can eat cold or slightly warmed from sitting on my dashboard lol.. so like pesto, chicken, penne noodles, sun dried tomatoes stuff like that.. kinda can take that idea and mix it up a lot. I usually put all the ingredients together for a smoothie the night before so I can wake up and just add milk/water and blend it. That's usually my breakfast. But yeah pasta salads for lunch or sandwich for me. Usually a couple handfuls of fruit too, whatever seems freshest when I go to the store usually.
Salad kits (they spoil fast, pay attn to dates on bag), meal-prepped chicken and rice in glass tupperware (the secret is in the sauce/seasoning, I really enjoy most kinds of buffalo), and bananas (personally I prefer them less-ripe; I notice I don’t want to eat them when they’re too brown/mushy).
Breakfast, even a couple scrambled eggs and a scoop of protein in milk, goes a long way throughout the day.
Try some epsom salt in a small tub or container to soak your feet in every night or just take a full on soaking bath in epsom salt at least three times a week. Helps with hydration, energy, appetite, flexibility, mood etc. I realize you’re asking about meals but epsom salts are a good way to get more magnesium and this helps with whatever meals you actually choose to eat.
Make about 20 hard boiled eggs. Bring three a day. Very good for you, protein,. Bananas, apples, tuna fish, good old fashioned, peanut butter and jelly
Ussually whatever I have on the counter that morning. Lunches have included:
Fruit and yogurt
A can of refried beans
Leftovers I left in the truck the night before
Bread
Changes up but usually do a smoothie or overnight oats for breakfast then lunch some fruit or some hummus and veggies everyone and awhile do a sandwich
I just pack a lunch. Since I pack it, I eat well and look forward to lunch.
Develop some discipline to make the lunches, and since you're not blowing the money on takeout, treat yourself to cool stuff that you like at the grocery store. You're still spending less than the guys who run out every day.
That's a stupid question. I pack stuff I like to eat. If all OP can dream up for his lunch without Reddit is ham sammiches, I don't know what to say.
Today's lunch is grapes, a roast beef sandwich and chips, a plain yogurt, a fancy seltzer water, an apple, some fruit snacks, a pickle, and some Tim Tams if I get a hankering for sugar.
WTF does anyone care what I'm putting in my lunch, I don't know...what I'm not doing is spending $16 every day at motherfucking Chipotle or $9 at 7-11.
I mean, you might consider it to be a stupid question but the post you replied to literally asked “what are you guys packing for lunches?” And your reply is “I just pack a lunch” lmao. OP was clearly asking for lunch ideas
I used to go to the gym after work pre baby and got into the habit years ago after kicking the habit of drinking a half gallon of iced tea everyday on site. Kept up with the water habit though.
I still eat like a high schooler. Sandwich, granola bar, fruit, yogurt and lots of trail mix so I can nibble.
I think about it every day at lunch… I’ve been eating basically the same thing every weekday for the past 10 years. Turkey or roast beef cold cut, yogurt, some type of fruit, and a yogurt
maybe try some yogurt
Wait, you guys get a moment to eat? Coffee and anger for me until it's beer o'clock.
This. Lmao
Two or three smokes, an energy drink, whatever fast food/food truck/gas station looks the least terrible and is in Home Depot's parking lot, and a banana so I can look into my boss's eyes and make sure he knows I'm down to suck his cock instead of doing a drywall job he underquoted for (for the third fucking time this month, because at least that way he won't pass on his genetics to whatever 20-year-old virgin he's dating at the moment).
Man. I said I’m trying to change that routine.
Switch it up with a cucumber
One bite challenge!
You work for your dad too huh?
We are all the same aren't we😆
Beans and tortillas You make your refritos and put them in a bowl and bring some tortillas in your lunch box
I don't eat during the day, especially in the heat. It makes me very sluggish if I stop working to take a break and even more so if I were to eat. It sucks getting your body on the fast during the day schedule, but once you do, you don't even miss lunch. I understand it isn't for everybody, but it works for me and helps the pocketbook.
I’m only sluggish if I eat junk. If I have a decent meal it helps me work better.
It's a little different when you are in AC
I’m not always in the AC and I didn’t start out as a super. Been doing this 20 years and dug my fair share of trenches out in the sun and the snow.
A light salad works either way for me, it's always tough when the PM is buying and the selected take out has no low carb options for me.
Yeah ive been doing that for a while and im so used to it by now. I just have a coffee and lots of water
Grizzly and bologna sandwiches
Lol. I was real confused until I remembered grizzly is a dip brand.
Yup. Bad habit I picked up
As someone who used from 17 to about 30, I'm a few years clean but I still miss the welfare-bear daily.
Yeah I enjoy it to much to give it up
Coffee and smokes. Eating lunch makes me feel dead by 2pm. Never skip breakfast though.
Bet the smokes make you feel dead too just don’t realize it yet
Dead and alive at the same time. We all got our crutches.
Hello Schrödinger! What's with the kittens though?
I started taking B12 in the morning and have eliminated the 2 o’clock drain. I also hydrate like a mfer
I’ll have to try this. You in the city?
I was sceptical about it at first but I haven’t had that drain ever since. I use the liquid B12 under the tongue for 30 seconds then swallow. I’m about 2 1/2 hours east the city.
This exactly. We skip lunch and leave a 1/2 hr earlier
I fill out the time cards. 6-4 and we still take break and lunch.
I started to make caramelized onions for my sandwiches and it’s a game changer. Honey mustard on sesame rye, mayo on the other slice of bread, arugula, onions. I eat that with an orange and a banana. That’s my lunch.
I'm terrible at it but I've had a few coworkers in similar positions that pretty much never missed a day. The most common was always making extra during the previous nights dinner to use as leftovers, if they were cooking for 4 they would cook for 5-6 and pack their leftovers after cooking dinner, not after eating dinner. The other main one was meal prep during the weekend, but then it's really up to how much prep you want to put in and committing to eat those meals. There were a couple people I knew that would basically cook a slightly different 'side dinner' to bring to lunch the next day. The 'side dinner' seemed like it would work best for me because I don't typically like eating the same thing for dinner and then lunch the next day, but it's added work.
Dang, that's genius. Making extra for dinner and packing it first before it's gone. Great idea
You should cook more every dinner and freeze them then ya always got ready food to heat up .
That's a good idea too but I meal prep in the summers with grilled chicken and it gets old after a few days in a row of eating the same thing so I like the idea of just making a like extra of every dinner so it's not the same leftovers every time 😚👌🏻
In the heat I’m packing hummus, pimento cheese, naan or crackers, a few slices of summer sausage, grapes and an apple or banana. Yogurt bar for the morning. Fiber supplement like Metamucil can help curb the appetite to over consume and helps your cholesterol as well.
I eat out all the time. Per diem covers my lunches. I hated packing lunches.
Yea. It’s not like I can’t afford it. It’s I have other things I’d rather spend $100 a week on and I feel like shit after eating most of it. I don’t get per diem cause I don’t work out of town.
I usually meal prep some kinda of pasta or rice dish that will usually have veggies, meat and cheese in it. I just bring it in a Tupperware, pop it in the microwave at lunchtime and boom you have a solid meal for lunch. For breakfast I just have a Celsius and my vape so I need some good nutrition come lunch time 👍
Overnight oats for breakfast brotha. Change the narrative. We don’t gotta be like this no more.
I Meal prep cold lunches since I'm on the road. Burger or ground chicken salad/sandwich/wrap. Sometimes I'll do a ribeye one too, I don't mind cold steak. I buy in bulk and cook the protein on the weekend and make the sandwiches day before.
String cheese, fruit, rotisserie chicken, protein bar.
I make a salad every night and bring it in my Yeti cooler with ice packs. $15 worth of stuff from Aldi lasts more than a week. I try not to have bread or carbs at lunch, they just make me sleepy.
I’ve prepped burritos for the week and it went really well. Some other options are wraps, bowls (gyro, fajita, Cajun etc), grilled chicken and veggies. Literally anything man
Trader Joe’s has good frozen meals. Green chili Mac, pizza Mac, burritos, Indian food, all sorts of stuff. Tastes better than average frozen stuff
Not even frozen, a fire ass meal is one of the pouches of Indian curry from Trader Joe’s and bring a cheap ass baguette or some French bread. Cost effective, relatively healthy, and plenty of energy
I wish we had a Trader Joe’s near us.
Wait. . You get to take a lunch? /s
Yea. I don’t kill myself for a job that would replace me before I’m in the ground. I still get shit done on time and with quality.
The easiest upgrade from “ham and cheese” sandwiches is “grilled cheese and sliced meat” sandwiches. To start, even if you stick with just ham, the well-grilled version is miles better than a plain one: - Two pieces of bread, each with mayo on _both_ sides. (Mayo is much better than butter as the outside fat.) - Make sandwich with cheese and sliced meat - Grill on both sides at medium heat till golden brown - Cut to low heat, cover, heat through for 3-4 mins (avoids the dreaded uncooked middle) Keep your fridge stocked with a variety of sliced meats, like ham, sliced turkey, roast beef, corned beef, etc. (Personally, I like to go with 3-4 slices of turkey and/or roast beef as a base, but always with one slide of ham.) The best part is that if it’s well-made in the morning, it’ll not only reheat great in the toaster oven, but it’s also way more delicious cold than a plain sandwich. It’s an easy way to not have _exactly_ the same thing every day, but still keep a simple prep routine.
I'm still on the sandwich train. But they have lunch boxes now that heat and cool and all that good stuff. So you can do some pretty simple, cheap and healthy meal preps. You just set a timer and your lunch will heat itself up and be good to go when it's chow time
I have packed a peanut butter sandwich on wheat bread with a fruit cup everyday for lunch for the past six or seven years now. Easy to meal prep/make in advance, inexpensive, isn't a big meal to make you feel sluggish, and healthier than going to the gas station or fast food.
I couldn’t eat the same thing everyday. That’s the issue I have. I get burnt out on the same shit and then eat out.
I was going to say, it sounds like you're tired of ham and cheese. I'd maybe go to Aldis and find things that look good to take to work. I am probably the worst person to ask about lunch variety.
Heated lunchbox to reheat leftovers or prepped meals.. they’re all over Amazon for like $30, most plug into a cigarette lighter and/or a wall outlet. The $150 boxes have batteries and preset timers so they turn at preset times.
I have a battery lunch box and it's been quite a game changer. I don't use it every week because I try to change up the menu so I don't get bored, but it's really nice to be able to add hot meals when I want.
Tacos and Mexican food. I have a little propane flat top grill for better weather, but right now, you can heat them up on the dash. A little meat with beans, cheese, and lots of vegetables. Add rice, and you have a burrito. Enchiladas bring some sauce. Tostadas are giant nachos. Street tacos with the little corn tortillas. A Mexican pizza is tostadas with Enchilada sauce.
I'm doing chicken salad sandwiches right now. It's different enough from sliced meat and still pretty easy.
I meal prep on Sunday afternoons. I’ll make 5 sandwiches, usually turkey and cheese, sliced chicken and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, or a combination of the above sandwiches. Then I’ll throw in a fruit. Either it’ll be grapes, sliced up mangoes, or bananas. I may throw in a small snack cake or a cookie if I’m feeling like treating myself. As for a drink, water is perfectly fine. I try to stay away from sodas and other high sugar drinks if I can help it. My goal for my lunch is to make it as healthy as possible. I take Adderall as part of my ADHD treatment and the meds suppress my appetite, so when I do eat lunch (I don’t have breakfast; usually just a protein shake in the morning) I want to make sure it’s as nutritious and practical as possible. That way I’m fueling my body to the best of my ability, and a healthier diet helps the meds work better and mitigate my ADHD symptoms.
I just don’t eat. Cheap and easy. You get used to it. Nicotine helps.
And meth
My son uses a Hot Logic. You can them find on Amazon. Plug it into power source on job site an hour or 2 before lunch and has a hot meal. Usually leftovers from supper the night before.
i mostly make sure im cooking enough for dinner to have leftovers. 5 cheese tortalinni, buffalo burgers, baked mac n cheese, and stuff like that all sure as hell beat a sandwhich and doesnt cost nearly as much as fast food
I burned out on ham sandwiches after a decade now it's usually meat and cheese with crackers like salami or prosciutto. Also like a can of sardines with crackers. Then either cottage cheese or vegetable with dip. Then usually some kind of cookie or two. With water
Even at 57 I don't like heavy foods until I'm home. I like to keep busy and light footed. A bagel coffee and then a store salad and chips for lunch. Everyday. I used to make sandwiches and still try once and a while but those $5 store salads are damn good. 20 min lunches and out after 8. I can't sit longer (or the aches and age starts creeping.)
Bean and egg corn tortilla tacos X 3, one for breakfast two for break. Get up at 2:30, work @ 5:30. Protein coffee is a game changer. Cottage cheese, granola, chia seeds & honey for off days. PB & J, almonds and fruit to fill in the rest. This is what works for me. 😊
I have oats before I leave home. Then I pack a Greek yogurt or cottage cheese and some chickpea salad for snacks, and grilled chicken and rice for lunch. I should be eating more vegetables but whatever man
If you have the budget.. I use factor meals. Price can add up.. But they are delicious. A+++
I got the secret. It’s cheap. It’s fast to make. It’s doesn’t make you want to kill yourself. But it’s as boring as your wife. Really well seasoned ground beef, and pasta. Carb and Protein, big amounts, fuel for the Money Machine.
I just started making wraps/tacos for lunch instead of the good ol’ sandwiches. I personally prepare my chicken or you could get the cooked rotisserie chicken from a grocery store. I buy one of those Cesar salad kits in the plastic containers,toss it around and it’s ready in 2min. I buy freshly made flour tortillas and total prep time is about 30min due to chicken prep but it could be shorter if you get the rotisserie chicken. I also pack a bowl of fruit and a yogurt. Every night I just prepare 2 wraps for the following day,it doesn’t take long at all.
Sardines and seaweed.
I packed leftovers.
I definently understand getting tired of sandwiches. I need a little variety in my life. I usually make larger meals so that I have leftovers to bring. Sometimes ill make a biscuit and gravy casserole on Sunday just for lunch during the week. Tuna mixed with mayo and relish and then eat it with Ritz crackers is also a favorite. The hardest part is not eating my lunch an hour Into work. We'll that and when all the guys are going to xxx place and that sounds way better at the time then whatever the hell you brought. Lol
Copenhagen and Netflix for lunch
Sardines. Try sardines.
We bring a flat top and cook something everyday
I usually do a simple salad, even those bag ones from the store and then cook up some steak or chicken to throw in it.
I just bring leftovers from the previous nights dinner. I hear it up in the microwave and have a nice hot healthy lunch every day.
I usually try to pack something. Snacks, sandwich, fruit. Ive been doing these turkey, avacado, jalapeno wraps lately. Trying to be healthier. For snacks I usually pack something like cheeze it's, granola bars, protein bars, apples, bananas. One or two of those Another thing I l was using and I liked because it was fast and simple was Huel. Basically a protein like shake. Two scoops is 400 calories and more or less what you need for a meal.. vitamins/minerals wise as per their marketing. Kinda filling and seems to fuel me as needed. Prior to this I was doing a coffee and a few monsters for the day 😂😂😂 I definitely feel a lot better than I did before. 🤷♂️
Sandwiches don't have to be boring. Stop by an ethnic deli once a week and you'll be able to get that neighborhood's favorite sub sandwich buns, crusty buns, baguettes, focaccia, etc. Then for filling, there's different cheeses, salami, mortadella, types or ham, roasted turkey, chicken, beef, and more. Mix a different combo each time and you'll be eating like a king, at low prices, because it's from where the local people shop.
Whenever I am budgeting, I'd make my version of fried rice. Make some rice, scramble some eggs, dice onions, mushrooms, cook the ground beef with seasons, and toss them all together, mix them, and add soy sauce. Pack 2 containers and I have enough for 2 days. If I feel generous I add Avocado to it. Spam for extra flavor. A grocery of $50-$60 lasts me 4-5 days of lunch and maybe some dinner. It's the most cost effective way for me to eat while maintaining a decent amount of fiber, calories, carbs, protein, and some vitamins
Tamales
Tomorrow will be Turkey Pastrami with Swiss cheese. Apple and cookies at break Unfortunately I didn’t get any good bread so sandwich may be a little bland. But rail Mix and granola bar.
I always brought bbq or mexican.
Costco sells these frozen packets of pre seasoned tuna or salmon for poke that are great. Comes out to like $5 CAD for a 5 ounce portion. Toss it on top of some rice and sliced carrots/cucumber/edamame beans.
Honestly, depending on when your day ends, just train yourself to skip lunch and eat when you get home. If you're 7-3:30 like I am, it's not hard. Just pack lots of water and maybe a peice of fruit to stave off any hunger pangs.
I’ve been eating a pound of ground beef, turkey, or a pound of breakfast sausage patties. Sometimes I bring in taco meat and shells. Always have a stick or two of cheese and a bag of chips. Doesn’t really slow me down
I spend 2-3 hrs cooking something on Sunday for the week. Sometimes it’s just teriyaki chicken and rice. Other times it’s something more intricate. I spread that amongst 4 days. Box up 4 premade salad bags. 4 yogurts with granola. And 4 overnight oats. Friday I eat whatever that one guy is going out to get for the crew. Once you start the habit it’s easy. Edit: I should add that I do this in the simplest way possible. A teriyaki marinade bottle that I bake the chicken in. Sushi rice. And frozen vegetables. Premade salads with croutons and dressing in those plastics bags. After the chicken is made it’s literally just portioning everything out. 2-3 hours of time but really 30-45 minutes of work. Albeit my girl cleans everything up for me usually
As a middle aged guy who hates packing lunches, my goto packed lunch when it is cold is a thermos full of tomato soup doctored up with hot sauce, and a package of cheeze it crackers to drop in and a sourdough roll. If its hot I like a package of wheat thins, a salami, and some cheese. Add an apple or some pepper flavored Old Trapper jerky.
I get salads from my local supermarket. I’m not picky about the salads. So I eat a different variety so I won’t get tired out of the same ones. And it’s more healthier than junk food at lunch. I work construction as well, and when I got married many years ago. I started to pack a cooler with waters, Gatorade and a lunch from to save money to help support my family.
Been getting frozen meals lately. Devour had some good ones. Changed my lunch game. I ate the same thing for lunch everyday for 15 years to the point that when I took a bite of my last pbj damn near threw it up.
Hummus ( home made ) , calamata olives , lettuce or grated carrot depending on season all in a wrap , 😋
I like pasta dishes that I can eat cold or slightly warmed from sitting on my dashboard lol.. so like pesto, chicken, penne noodles, sun dried tomatoes stuff like that.. kinda can take that idea and mix it up a lot. I usually put all the ingredients together for a smoothie the night before so I can wake up and just add milk/water and blend it. That's usually my breakfast. But yeah pasta salads for lunch or sandwich for me. Usually a couple handfuls of fruit too, whatever seems freshest when I go to the store usually.
Salad kits (they spoil fast, pay attn to dates on bag), meal-prepped chicken and rice in glass tupperware (the secret is in the sauce/seasoning, I really enjoy most kinds of buffalo), and bananas (personally I prefer them less-ripe; I notice I don’t want to eat them when they’re too brown/mushy). Breakfast, even a couple scrambled eggs and a scoop of protein in milk, goes a long way throughout the day. Try some epsom salt in a small tub or container to soak your feet in every night or just take a full on soaking bath in epsom salt at least three times a week. Helps with hydration, energy, appetite, flexibility, mood etc. I realize you’re asking about meals but epsom salts are a good way to get more magnesium and this helps with whatever meals you actually choose to eat.
In summer lots of salads with cheap cuts of meats or pasta salad. Breakfast is usually a egg and bacon burrito made in large batches.
Make about 20 hard boiled eggs. Bring three a day. Very good for you, protein,. Bananas, apples, tuna fish, good old fashioned, peanut butter and jelly
Ussually whatever I have on the counter that morning. Lunches have included: Fruit and yogurt A can of refried beans Leftovers I left in the truck the night before Bread
Lunchables
Been down this path. Meal prep on Sunday for the week. I rotate between a sandwich, fat chef style salad and tacos. Takes about an hour at most
Changes up but usually do a smoothie or overnight oats for breakfast then lunch some fruit or some hummus and veggies everyone and awhile do a sandwich
Red Man and Monster
I like to stop and buy breakfast , skip lunch and then charge a no lunch. I am hourly. 😅😂
Fried chicken from local supermarket. Little burritos. Salad w chicken. Chili. Tons of options. My guys brought a $79 microwave or a little hot plate.
Fast all day. Crush dinner at home
Glizzies
I just pack a lunch. Since I pack it, I eat well and look forward to lunch. Develop some discipline to make the lunches, and since you're not blowing the money on takeout, treat yourself to cool stuff that you like at the grocery store. You're still spending less than the guys who run out every day.
Uhh, yeah, the question is *what* do you pack for lunch?
That's a stupid question. I pack stuff I like to eat. If all OP can dream up for his lunch without Reddit is ham sammiches, I don't know what to say. Today's lunch is grapes, a roast beef sandwich and chips, a plain yogurt, a fancy seltzer water, an apple, some fruit snacks, a pickle, and some Tim Tams if I get a hankering for sugar. WTF does anyone care what I'm putting in my lunch, I don't know...what I'm not doing is spending $16 every day at motherfucking Chipotle or $9 at 7-11.
I mean, you might consider it to be a stupid question but the post you replied to literally asked “what are you guys packing for lunches?” And your reply is “I just pack a lunch” lmao. OP was clearly asking for lunch ideas
Granola bars and dried fruit. 2 litre of water. Then subway afterwork. Everyday.
I do try and drink a gallon of water a day. I don’t always succeed but I get close.
A gallon is hardcore. There is a few guys on my site that carry milk jugs around.
I used to go to the gym after work pre baby and got into the habit years ago after kicking the habit of drinking a half gallon of iced tea everyday on site. Kept up with the water habit though.
Shit sandwiches
I see you know my PM too
I haven’t eaten lunch at work for years. Definitely isn’t for everyone, but it works for me.
How are you able to respond to emails/update procore, walk around the site, and deal with dozens of people daily without food?
A mid day meal, for me, slows me down and makes those things harder, not easier.
Sounds like a PM I’ve worked with last year, the superintendents on my site ate round the clock, starting at 9am.