Any ideas for adult brownbag lunches?

[buffalogirl]

I'm a student and I'd like to pack some lunches for myself that if I keep them in my little lunchbag, won't spoil.  I don't have a place to store it as I am not driving (one car household) and our school is not w/in walking distance (45 mins) from home and there are not any vegetarian restaurants in town (town is also about 15 mins from the school).  We are in a very small town of meat eaters and the grocery stores/restaurants also cater to them so anything out of the ordinary is harder to find.  Sooo, with all that being said, I'm trying to juggle around some simple ideas that will be flavorful w/out being boring.  Peanut butter and Jelly/Honey is out..lol TY guys...

[krisjo]

Hmmm. I usually have access to a fridge once I get to work/school, but I'll try to think of things I bring that can be left out a while.

chopped up veggies (carrots and broccoli are my favorites) with a tupperware of hummus and some crackers (or hummus sandwiches are great--especially on bagels)
if you have access to a microwave, there are some really good vegan noodle/soup cups these days
clif bars
pieces of fruit
nuts

If I think of anything else I'll post again--I'm on a craftster break from writing a paper and should probably get back to that now.

[Tree27]

I'm a student too (and a vegan) and I usually pack my lunch as there are only a couple veg friendly place to eat on my campus and I'm on a budget. I use an small insulated lunch box that fits in my backpack, and a couple of ice packs to keep stuff cold, which is a lifesaver when you don't have access to a fridge. Don't be discouraged because you can't find specialty stuff in a store- making your own staples and enhancing them is better. Beware of eating a lot of pre-packaged foods and unhealthy snacks like chips just b/c they are convenient (which I'm sure you know!) Here are some of my favorites:

-veggie sandwiches- chopped up cabbage/slaw and then whatever other veggies you want, with dressing and put it on pita bread or roll up in flatbread. I like this one because I can make it really varied with what ingredients I use. Also try this with hummus or even pizza sauce (minus the cabbage).
-I second the veggies and hummus- again you can get a lot of variety with different flavors of hummus. I recommend making your own- it's super easy and cheap.
-i know you said no pb&j, but have you tried other nut butters like almond or hazelnut?- soooo yummy, with a few crackers or pretzels, and will keep you full. Again, you can easily make your own in a food processor if you can't find it in a store.
-cereal! pack it in a small container and use milks like coconut or soy- I buy the juice boxed sized ones that don't need refrigerated until opened.
-Seeds and nuts
-uncut fruit or dehydrated fruit
-applesauce (don't forget a spoon!)
-Coconut milk or soy yogurt
-Salsa

I'm sure there are tofu and veggie dishes you could eat cold as well, but I eat mainly soy-free so I don't know. I hope this helped, and good luck!

[babymates]

I've made corn, black bean and rice burritos packed with an ice pack.  They are fairly easy to make the night before and wrap for lunch tomorrow. google turned up a bunch of recipes. 

[willowmoon]

I don't use a lunch bag, but I have a kind of plastic lunch box that I always use. I'd suggest finding one of those, or one of those big sets of various sizes of containers so that you don't need to throw out baggies all the time. Anyway, here's what I eat.

carbs:
-brown rice
-tortilla/s, cut into pieces and eaten with a mix of beans, cheese, and salsa
-whole wheat pasta

protein:
-beans (rinse them off before you put them in to avoid the goop from the can)
-tofu, fried until crisp, usually eaten with rice and/or cheese so that it doesn't taste so sad unheated
-tofu scramble (see below)
-fruit and cheese (see below)

fruit/veggies:
-carrots (baby or cut up from whole)
-tofu scramble with bell pepper, onion, garlic, grated carrots, and mushrooms; you can really just throw in whatever vegetables you have, and it will probably taste good.
-grapes
-apple slices, or a whole apple with a napkin on-hand
-fruit and cheese (if you have access to a fridge, or if you just don't mind that the cheese will be warm. I suggest green grapes and apples with sharp cheddar)
-melon, cut up into bite sized pieces
-mixed veggies, usually from a frozen bag--cooked the night before and drained slightly

I always make my lunch the night before, with some time for hot things to cool before putting them in plastic. You can always throw in dinner leftovers, too. You should make sure that containers are watertight, or just be careful to keep your lunch upright throughout the day.

[badapple]

I can relate; I hate the daily lunch dilemma. I usually will just take a bagel and a bag of grapes. I used to do case management so I was always in my car. Cut up raw broccoli and cauliflower are good to eat while driving or wandering around town, as well. If you go the ice pack route, see if your local store carries the coconut milk yogurt. I hated soy yogurt but maaan this stuff is good! Mix it up with a quarter cup of granola and it's really filling.

[CraftyChef]

Sounds like you need a decent thermos so you can enjoy a hot meal once in a while.

[buffalogirl]

Thanks everyone!  I really appreciate all these wonderful ideas and tips.  This semester has been hot and heavy so I apologize for not checking in sooner.  I can't believe how blocked my brain has been that I didn't think of some of these things b4, lol.  When you rush it doesn't make for creative thinking.  Thanks again everyone!

[ironcityalchemy]

I know this is old, but veggie sushi is one of my favorite easy-to-store lunches.
And don't underestimate the power of dinner leftovers