Construction worker ISO healthy lunches.

[Slkylo]

Hello everyone! I'm a 24 year old 235lbs construction worker and I need healthy lunch help! At my job I am a lining technician, and we repair, clean, and televise sanitary sewer systems. Already you can see I don't have an easy-clean job. I need ideas for healthy, fast, meals I can pack for my 14-18 hour work days that doesn't need a lot of fuss to eat. Nutrition in mind for weight loss, but enough energy to make the day.

Any, and all tips are welcome. Thanks!

 

[PolishedTopaz]

Hello and Welcome to DC!!!

Could you give us some ideas about your likes and dislikes in foods or allergies? Inquiring minds wanna know

P Top

 

[Aunt Bea]

How about salads?

Make up some lunch bags with strips of lean meat and low fat cheese at the beginning of the week. A large tossed salad or even a "bag" salad from the store. A few small containers of salad dressing. Each morning fill a plastic bowl with salad, toss a bag of meat and cheese, a container of dressing and a couple pieces of fruit in a "six pack" cooler with a frozen bottle of water and go.

Don't forget your fork!

 

[Timothy]

There are about a thousand ways to make a healthy salad. You could have a great big salad in a Tupperware bowl, with a side bowl of dressing.

The combinations of salad ingredients and types of dressings are almost endless.

It's very good for you, great tasting and easy to make the evening before work.

 

[vitauta]

welcome to dc slklyo! my favorite lunch combination would be soup and a sandwich--filling and satisfying without high costing calories if you choose carefully. maybe start with a pea, bean or lentil soup with a tomato/lettuce sandwich sprinkled with bacon bits....

 

[Dawgluver]

A thermos of soup or stew to keep it warm, crackers and reduced fat cheese, some fruit, maybe with low fat caramel dip. Sandwich with wet stuff in a separate baggie (lettuce, low fat mayo, tomatoes, etc.). Salads with grains and/or beans like quinoa and chickpeas. Cut up veggies with low fat ranch dip. Skim milk, low sodium V8. A handful of nuts or trailmix to nibble for a snack.

BTW, welcome to DC!

 

[Slkylo]

Wow, thanks for the warm welcome. Glad to be here with all you great people. As far as food goes, I'll try anything and I like most anything. I don't have any food allergies, so that's a plus, and I have a large lunch box for work. I like the salad idea, just wonder if I can make it filling enough and still healthy.

 

[Dawgluver]

To a salad, try the beans, grains, big scoop of low fat cottage cheese, some frozen baby peas, some sunflower seeds or other nuts like walnuts and cashews, raisins, grapes, pineapple or apple slices, maybe some low fat ham or pastrami, carrots, radishes, along with some snack items. Separate scoop of dressing. Maybe some blue cheese crumbles.

 

[Claire]

Taboule and couscous are simple to make beforehand, add what you like (olives, a little chopped meat, low-fat feta, etc) and dole out before you go to work.

A big, and I do mean BIG, cut out of calories and fat can be .... can you actually taste the slice or two of cheese you put on the meat in your meat sandwich (or for that matter on a fast-food burger)? Most of the time you cannot. Most people slap on a slice or two of American cheese and, if that's the case, give yourself a sit down and do a before and after taste test. Most of the time you can taste it on a simple cheese and bread sandwich, but not on a salami or burger. Save the cheese (and trust me, I love cheese!) for more flavorful cheeses and meals where they "star"!

I'm not sure of your financial situation, but if you can go for heartier breads that are chewier. The bread will be more filling and it will make you feel like you've had a heartier meal if you actually have to chew your bread.

If you like subs, buy a low-calorie Italian dressing to dress them, along with lots of veggies.

Good luck and welcome!

 

[Claire]

And, as usual, I agree with Dawg. Beans and lentils and such are very filling. Again, something you can make in advance and dole out and eat cold (or nuke and eat from a thermos). Slivered nuts are sources of healthy fats and also are filling on such dishes.

Chili, believe it or not, is something that is very easy to make low-fat, very filling, and again, you can make a big batch, freeze (or not, lasts long in a fridge), nuke, and eat from a thermos (I swear, my husband would eat it cold).

 

[Dawgluver]

And, as usual, I agree with Dawg. Beans and lentils and such are very filling. Again, something you can make in advance and dole out and eat cold (or nuke and eat from a thermos). Slivered nuts are sources of healthy fats and also are filling on such dishes.

Chili, believe it or not, is something that is very easy to make low-fat, very filling, and again, you can make a big batch, freeze (or not, lasts long in a fridge), nuke, and eat from a thermos (I swear, my husband would eat it cold).

Thanks, Claire! My husband DOES eat chili cold! (I don't). Crazy man...

Great ideas!

We've also gotten longevity from beans and rice (black, red, whatever) with whatever meat, usually smoked kielbasa, ham, chicken, you can cook ahead, heat, and again put in your thermos. Probably need a widemouth one for these.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Perfect Lunch Jar: http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-Classic-Bento-Vacuum-Lunch/dp/B0016S11VC/ref=pd_sim_k_2

 

[salt and pepper]

I think some of us are missing the point! This guy is a construction worker , is over 200 lbs ,and pretty young! He wants food!
Beef steak sandwich's, calzones, pasties. Fruit and salads are for dessert! Cheesecake will keep him going. when I worked with heavy equipment , I'd heat things in the engine compartment of a michine. Canned soup , pizza etc. Just don't forget about it or you will have a mess!!

 

[PrincessFiona60]

He did ask for healthy...

 

[Dawgluver]

He wants to get his weight down.

 

[chopper]

Welcome. Glad you are here. I like to use wraps or tortillas to take my meat, cheese and veggies for lunch. If you just can't get those hands clean at lunch time, you can eat it from the little plastic zip lock bag.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Tomato juice is a filling and low calorie drink, it now comes in most any size can. Small baggies of peanuts along with an apple make a decent snack or a hard boiled FRESH egg peeled and ready to go in a plastic bag. Think about eating small things throughout the day instead of one big feeding at lunch. Take a few minutes to eat breakfast even if it is only peanut butter on whole grain toast.

 

[SherryDAmore]

Tomato juice is a filling and low calorie drink, it now comes in most any size can. Small baggies of peanuts along with an apple make a decent snack or a hard boiled FRESH egg peeled and ready to go in a plastic bag. Think about eating small things throughout the day instead of one big feeding at lunch. Take a few minutes to eat breakfast even if it is only peanut butter on whole grain toast.

I also send boiled eggs, or an english muffin with p/b or a bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon. For lunch, I send "sandwiches" in wraps, or pita pockets. I have also taken bread sticks, covered with cream cheese, and wrapped meat and cheese around them - sort of an inside out sandwich. I send snack bags with cherry tomatoes, olives, sugar snaps, or baby-cut carrots and nuts. Almonds are filling and high protien, or mixed nuts. Sometimes, I send broiled chicken quarters, or a thermos of chili w/o beans, or homemade hearty soup. I try to rotate fish (tuna or smoked salmon) chicken or meat. Sometimes, I can find small steaks, that I can broil or grill ahead of time, and send them separate from a mayo'ed bun, lettuce and tomato. He can assemble his sandwich himself. Because I'm packing his lunch, I usually throw in some hershey kisses, or some small sweet thing, and always some fruit, whatever's in season. I try to send lots of little things, and send a variety. I try to keep in mind, calorie, carbs and sugar.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

 

[Slkylo]

I think some of us are missing the point! This guy is a construction worker , is over 200 lbs ,and pretty young! He wants food!
Beef steak sandwich's, calzones, pasties. Fruit and salads are for dessert! Cheesecake will keep him going. when I worked with heavy equipment , I'd heat things in the engine compartment of a michine. Canned soup , pizza etc. Just don't forget about it or you will have a mess!!

I'm no stranger to cab warmed food. I just need a balance in the food to try and get rid of the belly.

Over all, money isn't an issue. I work a nice dangerous job and I'm compensated for it.

Just thank you all for the info and support!

 

[joesfolk]

I see you have gotten lots of help but may I offer this? I think that you will find that unprocessed foods will stick with you longer than processed things. Fresh fruits and veggies are often portion controlled by nature. A tomatoe eaten like an apple with a small amount of salt can be a real treat in the late summer. A big cucumber can give you a satisfying crunch, and there are apples for wvery kind of taste preference. The biggest thing is remembering that you need food to live and not the other way around. Maybe for just one meal a day eat what is good for you. I find it easiest to do that at lunch especially when I am busy. Then at the other meals when I have time to enjoy them I allow myself to be a little more free with my eating. Hope this helps.