[BeanLady]

Hi people,<br><br><br><br>
Rotten news from my job: the company cafeteria, which always offered a veggie and an omni meal for <span style="text-decoration:underline;">peanut$</span> every day at lunchtime, is about to be discontinued.<br><br><br><br>
I'm going to have to brown-bag it, but I've gotten so used to a nice full meal at lunch (things like veggie burritos, pasta primavera and stuffed eggplant, served with two sides, for less than five bucks!), I'm not looking forward to a cold sandwich and an apple!<br><br><br><br>
Any of you folks brown-bag it? What are your favorite hearty, varied and portable lunches? Strategies for preparing in advance for the week? Containers you find useful? (There is a microwave in my office kitchen, plus a full-size fridge with freezer.)<br><br><br><br>
I'd appreciate your thoughts and suggestions. Thanks!

 

[prairie_girl]

Falafel! I bring the falafel balls and a small contaier of hummus. Then int he other put spinach, sprouts and cucumber. and pack a pita. So good! and doesn't get soggy.

 

[fauxfire]

The cafeteria at my college rarely has any veggie food except salad...I hate salad....they once had a great eggplant lasagnia (sp)...otherwise...I take a banana...peanut butter sandwich....tomatoe soup in a container....veggie burger I can microwave....that I kind of stuff

 

[prairie_girl]

<a href="http://www.veganlunchbox.blogspot.com" target="_blank">www.veganlunchbox.blogspot.com</a>

 

[msbunnicula]

I always make extra for dinner and then bring the leftovers for lunch.

 

[Sky]

Most days I'm in such a rush that I just take a peanutbutter sandwich and carrots. When I have more time I like to make a curried un-chicken salad recipe a friend gave me. Here's what is in it:<br><br><br><br>
Cubed chicken style tofu<br><br>
Nayonnaise<br><br>
Raisins<br><br>
Apple<br><br>
Celery<br><br>
Slivered almonds<br><br>
Curry paste<br><br><br><br>
Cube the veggies. Dissolve the curry paste and soak the raisins in a little hot water and then mix with the nayonnaise. Add the cubed veggies and tofu chicken. Serve plain or on bread.<br><br><br><br>
Other things I take are leftover goulash, pasta salad, frozen veggie burger pattie that I microwave. I almost always take grapes and carrots. Oh, another thing that is good is cauliflower and carrots with Spectrum's Greek Goddess dressing as a dip.

 

[cookingVeg]

> I always make extra for dinner and then bring the leftovers for lunch.<br><br><br><br>
Me, too. Today I have quiche, peas and some eggplant curry.<br><br><br><br>
One tip is to get some good divided containers. I have one of these: <a href="http://order.tupperware.com/pls/htprod_www/tup_show_item.show_item_detail?fv_item_number=10055421000&fv_item_category_code=4000" target="_blank">http://order.tupperware.com/pls/htpr...gory_code=4000</a>.

 

[SallyK]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>Sky</strong> <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
goulash</div>
</div>
<br><br><br>
Now there's a food I haven't considered in a million years! I never cared for goulash much, but I think it's because it had ground up cows in it. Do you have a recipe for vegan goulash?

 

[Kataka]

I make my boyfriend's lunch for him every day for work. Today I packed a bagel and cream cheese with fresh squeezed orange juice for breakfast to eat on the way to work. For lunch I packed homemade brown fried rice with mixed veggies(corn, peas, broccoli, lima beans, green beans)and egg and a romaine salad with broccoli with italian dressing. Some other things(main dishes) I plan to make: gnocci, knish, black bean croquettes, chow mein, onigiri, kappa maki, soups, sandwiches. As for sides, I usually pack a salad, veggies, homemade french fries, etc.<br><br>
Veganlunchbox has a lot of great ideas! It's really inspiring!<br><br><br><br>
As for containers, we found some really cool ones at 99 Ranch Market! They have little clips on the side that keeps the lid on and they are decent sizes! I was looking all over for a cool bento for my boyfriend, but they were all too small for his appetite, and this, while not being a traditional bento is a good size for him! I'm not sure how big they are, I haven't measured and he's at work with them right now, but if there's a 99 Ranch Market near you, you can check it out. The label says they're reusable storage things, and I think it has fish in the container in the picture. I also found these cool tiny plastic square containers that are perfect for holding dressing! I found them at the dollar store. Although, I went to find some more yesterday and there weren't any <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/sad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""><br><br>
Oh, and at our Safeway, we found small round containers that are good for dressing too. They have red lids.<br><br><br><br>
Hope this helps! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="">

 

[Bonoluvr]

black bean croquettes<br><br><br><br>
kataka do you have a recipe for this? sounds good!

 

[rabid_child]

I often eat dinner leftovers.<br><br>
Today I have brown rice, jerk tofu, black bean/corn/avocado/tomato salad, strawberries, blueberries and banana slices sprinkled with coconut, and a few mini pretzels and newman ginger o's. My friend at work also brought me a piece of vegetarian stuffed butternut squash that she made, so today, I've got a massive lunch.<br><br><br><br>
On Friday I had leftover veg fried rice, sugar snap peas and jicama sticks, seedless watermelon and canteloupe, and a piece of tahini cake.<br><br>
Thursday I had a veg-meatloaf sandwich with sauteed red and orange peppers on wheat bread, same fruit and veg and dessert.<br><br>
Wednesday I didn't have lunch<br><br>
Tuesday we were closed for the 4th<br><br>
Monday I had Mexican rice and beans with red and orange peppers and zucchini, same fruit, veg, dessert.<br><br>
I don't remember further back than that! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="">

 

[stellar26]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>prairie_girl</strong> <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br><a href="http://www.veganlunchbox.blogspot.com" target="_blank">www.veganlunchbox.blogspot.com</a></div>
</div>
<br><br><br><br><br>
Yes, yes, yes! I second this site for fabulous ideas for packing a lunch. I think that I've read through the entire site about a hundred times- it just never gets old! There are so many great ideas!<br><br><br><br>
I wish that my mother would have been that creative and health-conscious when I was a child.

 

[Kataka]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>Bonoluvr</strong> <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
black bean croquettes<br><br><br><br>
kataka do you have a recipe for this? sounds good!</div>
</div>
<br><br><br><br><br>
I'll PM you <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="">

 

[msbunnicula]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>Kataka</strong> <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
I'll PM you <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=""></div>
</div>
<br><br><br>
Could you send it to me too? Thanks. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/grin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="">

 

[funwithyourfood]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>prairie_girl</strong> <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br><a href="http://www.veganlunchbox.blogspot.com" target="_blank">www.veganlunchbox.blogspot.com</a></div>
</div>
<br><br><br><br><br>
This is the BEST site. Look thru the archives!!<br><br><br><br>
great suggestion<br><br><br><br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/rockon.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":rockon:">

 

[Kataka]

Oh, I forgot to add wraps!! I want to make little spring roll things wrapped in lettuce instead of rice paper(my bf doesn't like rice paper). Also, spreading cream cheese or peanut butter on a tortilla and loading it up with lettuce and veggies and wrapping it up <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/drool.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":drool:">

 

[krista82]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>Kataka</strong> <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
Oh, I forgot to add wraps!! I want to make little spring roll things wrapped in lettuce instead of rice paper(my bf doesn't like rice paper). Also, spreading cream cheese or peanut butter on a tortilla and loading it up with lettuce and veggies and wrapping it up <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/drool.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":drool:"></div>
</div>
<br><br><br>
I make veggie wraps too and bring them to work. They are yummy. I usually make them with a spinach tortilla, put some Toffuti cream cheese on it, and then lots of veggies. The last time I was eating one a guy at work noticed it and asked if it was all veggies. I said yes and then he asked if I was a vegetarian. I guess if you eat veggies you are automatically thought a vegetarian haha.

 

[Morna]

I really love "press n seal" wrap that Glad makes. If you can't find a lid for your tupperware, that stuff works great. Follow the directions and you can even turn a container filled with salsa upside down and it won't spill (I know, I've tried). If you have access to a microwave, you can pretty much bring whatever you'd eat at home. If not, check the sandwitch recipe section.

 

[Kataka]

Today I sent my bf off with two mini bagels with cream cheese and jam and a donut peach for breakfast. For lunch I packed onigiri, and sushi things with leftover veggie chow mein and two egg salad sandwiches, and a packet of Hello Panda chocolate biscuts <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/lick.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":lick:"><br><br>
I was going to pack a fruit salad...but ran out of room in his bentos! So it will have to wait for tomorrow <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/grin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="">

 

[CherBear]

Today I packed a spring mix salad with tomatoes, croutons and roasted (unsalted) sunflower seeds with House Italian dressing. Garlic hummos with whole wheat mini-pitas and a grapefruit.<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/hungry.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":hungry:">