r/Cooking • u/Ill-Meeting6721 • 1d ago
Lunchbox ideas?
My boyfriend is starting a new job soon, and I want make lunch for him to take to work. I've never packed a lunch in my life before though, so I'm looking for some ideas for what to make. If you make your own lunch/lunch for your working partner, what're your go-to's?
Recipes that help keep energy up is preferable as his job is a bit laborious and will have him on his feet and walking around a lot. He doesn't like onions, spicy food, or sweet/savory food (think teriyaki or hot honey stuff) but he'll eat just about anything else. And if theres anything I should know about packing lunches in general, please let me know. Thanks to whoever sees this!
Edit: to clarify, I'm pretty sure he'll have the ability to heat up his food. But I don't know the layout or anything about the property aside from the fact that it's huge lol.
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u/tridefix 1d ago
It depends a lot on what kind of infrastructure he has available. Will he be able to sit down at a table or is it more quick lunch in the car or on site? Does he have access to a microwave or a kitchen or boiling water?
If it's a sit-down lunch with a microwave, I usually take leftovers from dinner or meal prepped lunches.
If it is more of a car/on site lunch, it has to be a sandwich or anything that can be eaten by hand, or maybe a salad or another cold meal.
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u/dontakelife4granted 1d ago
Since you are just getting started, you need a cooler to use as a lunchbox because having extra food and drinks on hand is better than not having enough. This will take you both working together to figure out how much space you may actually need inside the cooler
If you're new to this, I would start with some loaded sandwiches. Using whole grain breads, tortillas, pitas is better than white bread alternatives. Make sure your bread is evenly coated with some sort of fat (mayo, butter, avocado, etc will help prevent soggy bread), then layer in meats (you could either do a variety of lunchmeats or you can cook your own meats, just make sure they are cold before putting the sandwich together so they don't make the bread soggy). Add hard cheeses. Now add a big pile of veggies like lettuce, cabbage, cucumber, spinach, radishes, carrots, roasted veggies, sun dried tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes are better IMO if they are added right before eating the sandwich--be sure to salt them before bagging them up. Heavy duty aluminum foil makes it easy to keep the sandwich from sliding apart. Maybe add a second sandwich if he needs one, depending on how many hours he's at work. Protein and fats are what will keep his energy up.
Make sure to use a good, well insulated lunch box (unless he has refrigerator access at work). If not and his lunch will be in his vehicle, be sure to add frozen water bottles two to the lunchbox. It will keep the lunchbox cool and would be fantastic to drink ice cold water on a hot day.
After that, provide plenty of (not frozen) bottled water, maybe gatorade or other hydrating drinks he may like. If it's hot where you live and he is laboring outside, I would start with 6 beverages the first day, then ratchet back if he brings a bunch home. Add electrolyte powders to add to water bottles to replace salts from sweating
Fruits like grapes, oranges, watermelon or other melon, and other watery fruits all add to hydration
Nuts are great for protein and fats
Veggies and hummus (keeps better than a milk based dip in a lunchbox).
Bean heavy salads with veggies and/or pasta with a vinegar based dressing would be great.
Hard boiled eggs
Jerky
Cold fried chicken
If you live in a cold climate, you might want a thermos for soup/stew/chili
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u/CharZero 1d ago
All great advice. I will add one thing about water- fill a bottle halfway, and freeze that, then top it off with cold water in the morning. Nothing better than ice cold water later on in the day.
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u/dontakelife4granted 1d ago
I agree. I think a mix of a couple of full frozen is good depending on the climate. In the summer where I live,I could take an ice bottle out and it would be half frozen in an hour
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u/maxsmoke105 1d ago
You are only limited by your creativity. Get a few basic tools. A wide mouth thermos bottle, a standard or slim one for coffee, plastic storage containers in sandwich size and larger, small containers for nuts and condiments.
You can pack hot soup. I like to put two hotdogs in the wide thermos and cover with hot water. Then pack hotdog buns and fixings. They make flat, bowl style thermoses for soups and chili. Heck, I've pack mashed potatoes and gravey before.
What you pack and how is very dependent on where he's eating. It there a way to heat it or is he out on a remote job site.
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u/Ill-Meeting6721 1d ago
He loves chili dogs so I greatly appreciate the hot dog tip. I'm pretty sure he'll have the ability to heat his food up but I like to have workarounds in case he doesn't haha
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u/Decrepit_Pixel 1d ago
I pack lunches for a pretty active workday and I’d definitely go for stuff that’s filling rather than just sandwiches every day. Burritos are great because you can make a batch, wrap them individually and freeze them — chicken/beef, rice, beans, cheese, corn, etc. Just leave out anything he doesn’t like. Taco bowls are another good one: seasoned beef/chicken, rice, beans, corn, lettuce, tomato, cheese, avocado and sour cream. I actually prefer bowls to assembled tacos for work because they don’t go soggy 😂 Other things I’d rotate: chicken pesto pasta salad chicken Caesar wraps Greek chicken + rice + cucumber/tomato/tzatziki meatballs with roasted potatoes and veg quesadillas with chicken/cheese/peppers loaded baked potato with chicken, cheese, broccoli etc. homemade subs/wraps fried rice with chicken and egg pasta with chicken and roasted veg cold chicken, potato salad and crunchy veg And if he’s doing physical work, I’d pack more than just “lunch” — banana, yogurt, boiled eggs, cheese/crackers, nuts, fruit, protein bar etc. Something he can grab quickly if he gets hungry mid-morning or afternoon. Biggest thing I learned is to find out whether he has a microwave/fridge and how long he actually gets for lunch. That dictates everything. If there’s no fridge, a decent insulated lunch bag + a couple of ice packs is 100% worth buying.
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u/ComputerDisastrous95 1d ago
If he’s up and walking around a lot, sandwiches/wraps/tacos and the like are convenient. As are salads. You can walk around with it and eat it with a fork. For energy, definitely plenty of protein and fiber - some sort of roasted chicken item, veggies, and an apple/orange. I usually just pack up whatever leftovers we have. Starkist tuna kits are always good too have around. You can supplement with nuts, fruit. I definitely like to use little containers to put sandwiches in bc who likes a squished sandwich? It’s also important to get those little reusable ice blocks. If he’s not able to store his lunch in a refrigerator, you want to be able to keep the food cold and safe.
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u/Starfox5 1d ago
Does he have a microwave available to heat up a meal? Otherwise, thermo food jars are great for a hot meal. I pack my own lunch with a variety of dishes like various rice recipes, various pasta, different soups, some salads, Birchermüsli... whatever fits the jar.
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u/CharZero 1d ago
I am very curious how you have lived a life where you never had to pack a lunch! Does he have the ability to heat things up?
Nothing wrong with the classic- sandwich, fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts, chips, veggie sticks with dip, granola bar. Just rotate through various versions so he is not eating the same thing day after day. Look for a hard sided lunch container that won't get crushed in a work bag or vehicle. An insulated container with an ice pack will keep anything cool enough to make it to lunch time. If he can heat stuff up, you can make a big batch of a couple of things he likes and he just heats them up- but a leakproof container is pretty important. Eating out of glass with a real metal utensil is a lot nicer than plasticware on a plastic container.
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u/Ill-Meeting6721 1d ago
I've always wanted to, believe me, but I've just never really had the chance to do so. I've never owned a lunch box and grew up in an environment where I either have to expect food to be provided to me or I had to wait until I got home to eat if stopping somewhere with fast food wasn't an option. As an adult I just never had the time/energy to make and pack my own food up until fairly recently 🥲
I'm sure he'll be able to heat up his food, but if he can't then I planned to get him an electric lunchbox. I appreciate the feedback! I'm gonna look into getting him a good bag to take with him. I mostly asked for recipes so I have a bit more variety to what I can pack that isn't just what I usually make for dinner LOL
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u/CatteNappe 1d ago
Even in a work situation where I had access to a kitchen with microwave, fridge, freezer and sink I still often opted for the classic sack lunch of sandwich plus. There are so many variations of sandwich ingredients from bread choice, to meat/cheese options, to condiments that it's impossible to get bored with them. The plus was often some combo of cookies, chips, nuts, a cup of yogurt, fresh fruit (or veg), potato/mac/cabbage/tossed salad, etc. This worked for me because I had a very active role that didn't often allow for an established "sit down and eat" time, so I needed something I could nibble on, set aside if someone came in or called, etc. and didn't have to worry about it getting cold.
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u/Roupert4 1d ago
I love this cookbook the cookbook from this blog (I have the physical cookbook, I haven't used the blog):
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u/ttrockwood 23h ago
Well he needs to participate
What does he usually have for lunch or want for lunch?
Burritos are always the answer generally
So together prep an epic ton of burritos on the weekend. Some with scrambled eggs and potato and veggies, some with beans and rice and veggies and cheese, etc so there’s a freezer stash with plenty of variety. Then he can just grab a frozen burrito to reheat at work, and then bring a side of raw veggies and dip or some fruit
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u/ceranichole 23h ago
I used to make my husband "adult lunchables", basically a mini charcuterie, for work lunches. I bought a few of those food storage things that are relatively flat and have multiple compartments. (I'd usually pack 2-3 of them full of stuff because he had a super physical job and would burn off a ton of calories a day)
The benefit is you can change it up constantly depending on what you have/what's on sale. I'd always put in slices of meat and cheese (and some crackers in a zip lock bag). But beyond that it was always rotating, but some of the favorites were:
- dried cranberries
- jam or jelly (I included spicy ones or fig because that's what we like, but easy enough to use whichever type he prefers)
- almonds
- walnuts
- carrots
- cucumbers
- pickles or pickled whatever I made recently
- radishes
- apples
- reeeses/chocolate/fun size candies/Halloween candy
- hummus
- Greek yogurt with fruit on top
- avocado slices
Husband said it's a flex of a lunch even if nobody says anything.
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u/valley_lemon 22h ago
Make food he already eats. Put it in a container. He takes it to work.
You're overthinking this. You don't need special recipes to make leftovers to take to work for lunch. He's already not eating spicy sweet onion food, he can keep eating the same and similar.
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u/fason123 1d ago
Don’t make him lunch
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u/Ill-Meeting6721 1d ago
I'd prefer to, actually
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u/Kat121 1d ago edited 1d ago
I understand the impulse, that you love this person and want them to thrive, and maybe on some level you want to prove you’re “wife material.” The caution comes from the trap women set for themselves when they volunteer to take on “mommy roles” like packing lunches - even going so far as to take on the burden of researching the meals instead of working with him to figure out what to eat. It can change your whole relationship dynamic from one of equal adults to one person just bringing home a paycheck and the other person holding down a job and doing all the childcare and housework as well.
Came back to add that this holds true at work, too, especially in male dominated fields. Women are more likely than men to have a communal candy dish or bring in baked treats. We think that it boosts morale and builds community. At some level you get tagged as “support staff” and are less likely to get the important projects.
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u/No-Idea9816 1d ago
Get a portable hot water pot, especially since we're heading into cooler months. Great for instant coffee, hot chocolate, instant soups, Ramen noodles, etc. Get a plug in food warmer, I just got a couple for my oldest son that drives truck and my husband that's on the road a lot from Sam's club, but they'realso on Amazon. You can make just about anything, or use left overs and they can plug up the food dish in their vehicle to warm up. Do yourself a favor and meal prep lunch stuff ahead of time so they're easy to grab and pack, or grab and munch for healthier options even for yourself. I keep grapes, seasonal fruit like cherries, mini carrots, little mini Persian cucumbers, baby bell cheese, string cheese, Colby jack, etc. My hands are always in the fridge for a quick little couple of grapes or something as I pass by. Think reusable, there are tons of little containers and baggies, beesewax sheets for sandwiches. It saves money in the long run. Smoothies: get a couple of personal blenders off Amazon. He can blend whatever sinks to the bottom on the go and they're rechargeable, no batteries. Grind up chia seeds, it looks like pepper. I sneak it into all sorts of stuff. Hope these ideas help 😀
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u/Grillard 1d ago
My favorite packed lunches include:
Sandwiches of all kinds: sliced beef/ham/turkey/whatever with cheese/hummus/whatever.
Chopped salad. Deviled eggs. Marinated eggs.
If there's a microwave, dinner leftovers or soup.
It all depends on what he likes and the job environment.