From: jfrawley@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Judy Frawley)
Newsgroups: alt.support.diet
Subject: Re: Packing Lunches
Date: 18 Aug 92 16:00:31 GMT
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY

In article <1992Aug15.072428.23124@leland.Stanford.EDU> shedevil@gw.home.vix.com (Anne P. Mitchell, J.D.) writes:
>I've recently started working full-time, and packing lunches has always
>seemed a boring and time-consuming job to me, but pack I must.
>
>Any and all hints as to how to make brown-bagging it more pleasant,
>while keeping it low-fat, greatly appreciated!
>
>
>Annie
>
>
Hi, Annie.
I am new to this group, but I feel comfortable answering this question.
Packing lunches is tough to do in the morning for me.  So, I cook a 
bit extra of whatever I am having for dinner and make sure to put
it in serving-size containers and pop it in the freezer (if I'm not
going to take it the next day) or in the fridge (if I am going to
take it the next day).  You might want to mark the stuff in the
freezer.  I like leftovers so this is not a problem for me.  Buy
alternating freezer/fridge, I have a selection to choose from, so
I don't necessarily have to eat last night's leftovers.

Favorite leftovers

Couscous and baked beans (Heinz or Campbell's vegetarian, which I have 
"doctored")
Bean soup and whole grain bread
Brown rice and ratatouille (I make a large batch and freeze)

If this doesn't work for you, here are some sandwich suggestions.

W/W bread or Pita or Father Sam's Pocket Bread are my favorite
sandwich packages.

I fill the Pita or Father Sam's with the following choices

leftover chili
non-fat cottage cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, zucchini, etc., etc., and a
little oil and vinegar
refried beans (I make my own), lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, hot sauce
peanut butter and bananas (I smear the pb, I don't glop it on, but it
is high in fat, so this is an occasional treat)
cooked brown rice mixed with beans and thinned a bit w/tomato sauce
in a pita is really good; you can also sub a w/w flour tortilla for
the pita and roll it up the night before and pop it in the microwave
if you have one at work

I keep a selection of prepared frozen dinners in the freezer just
in case.  For example.

Amy's non-dairy burritos
Yves Burger burgers (vegetarian; not so great m-waved, so you might
                     want to pan fry 'em and then freeze)
Health Valley Fat Free FAST MENU (these are canned, not frozen)
  - they claim three servings on some of these, which because they
    are so filling and I usually bring along some other goodies to
    eat with them, you might actually be able to stretch out over three
    servings
Stonyfield Farms NONFAT Yogurt (right now, I'm eating cappucino yogurt with
   red/green grapes!)
TofuPups or SmartDogs (tofupups are higher in fat than smartdogs)

Side Dishes/Drinks
Grapes (pack in bunches or remove from the stems and put in rubbermaid
        containers)
Any kind of fruit - either fresh or packed in fruit juice
non-fat cottage cheese (I like Light'n'Lively)
Pretzels (I like thin'n'light from Bachman or Honey Wheat from Wege)
Any cooked veggies in a thermos or microwaved make a nice addition
Good, thick slice of homemade bread or whole grain roll is excellent
with soup
Fruit salad
Veggie salad (or marinated veggies)
Skim Milk
Fruit Juices
Seltzer
(I HATE diet soda and don't really care for regular soda -blecch)
Knudsen or After the Fall Spritzers (come in six packs)

If you don't have a microwave at work, buy yourself a few good thermos
bottles in various sizes (for soup, drinks, main-dish).  I use an insulated
bag made for carrying six-packs of soda; fill it and cover with one 
of those blue ice things for coolers...can get that stuff at any 
grocery store usually.

Hope this helps.

I'm glad I found this group

Judy "Blondie"
Newsgroups: alt.support.diet