Packed Lunch for work

consultant31

10past6 wrote: »

Hi consultant

I'm not to sure where to post thi as I'm unable to locate the SW thread.

I cooked this recipe on Friday and although I followed the instructions it turned out a disaster, the marmite taste was to strong and the " loaf" wouldn't set, it turned out all slodgy, I left it in the oven much longer than suggested hoping it would set, but it never did, any idea's where I went wrong please?

Baked bean loaf

Serves 4
SW plan: 2 syns per serving on green plan


400g can baked beans
1 small onion, finely chopped
57g wholemeal bread (6 syns or 1xHEB)
2 tbsp tomato ketchup (2 sins)
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp yeast extract (Marmite)
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
Seasoning

Make the bread into breadcrumbs. Then wet a 1lb loaf tin, and line with non-stick baking parchment. Mix together all the ingredients and turn into the prepared tin. Level the surface and bake in a preheated oven at 180*c for about 35 minutes until firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out, remove the paper and serve warm or cold.

Oh dear, I'm sorry about that as I suspect it was a recipe I posted originally (not having tried it out myself first). I can't remember where I got it from so will have to take the blame myself :rolleyes:

I imagine there may not be enough egg (with only one) to bind it all together and encourage it to set. As to the taste of Marmite, I guess it depends on how you feel about it - I use about a level teaspoon on a slice of toast, I love it!

If you feel confident enough to try again, I'd use 2 large eggs (and cross my fingers tightly, lol).

You may find some recipes here to your taste too:-
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=1948340&postcount=3

Incidentally, there are at least 3 slimming threads on the boards:-
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=784161
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=866093
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=884319
...........you're bound to find something on there

10past6

consultant31 wrote: »

If you feel confident enough to try again, I'd use 2 large eggs (and cross my fingers tightly, lol).

Hello consultant

If I'm brave enough to try it again, I'll take on board what you say, and use 2 large eggs.

Thanks for the added links :A

Hawthorn

For pack ups, I tend to do a sandwich (either ham, cheese, egg or tuna) an apple, a packet of crisps and a chocolate biscuit.

Now, there are a couple of reasons this is a problem. The crisps tend to get eaten way too soon (guilty here, as are the kids) as do the chocolate biscuits. Plus, they aren't exactly nutritious, are they.

What options do I have for alternatives. I must confess to being a bit unimaginitive where lunches are concerned. Dinner is my grand finale LOL.

My husband suggested making a batch of cheese straws every couple of days, and maybe baking buns or a cake? Only problem is, these aren't exactly nutritious, either.
I could do salads, but the kids don't really enjoy salad very much......again, I'm unimaginative with salads. It tends to be lettuce, cucumber and tomato. I'm certain there must be other options? I'm not sure salad would be cost effective either?
Pasta salads perhaps? Pasta is still cheap? Tuna and sweetcorn mixed in?
Potato salads?
anyone got any fabby cheap pack up ideas to furnish me with LOL.
I know the kids must be sick of sandwiches, crisps and a choccy biccy. My husband won't even eat it and ends up either waiting till he gets home, or getting a fresh sandwich from a shop (he doesn't like warm sandwiches)

Winter I know I could get some flasks and make soups and stews etc?

Pink.

Hi Hawthorn,

There was a recent thread on packed lunches with lots of ideas that should help so I've added your thread to it.

This thread might help too with suggestions for something different for the children:

back to school packed lunch os ideas?

Pink

floss2

Hawthorn wrote: »

....... My husband won't even eat it and ends up either waiting till he gets home, or getting a fresh sandwich from a shop (he doesn't like warm sandwiches)

Winter I know I could get some flasks and make soups and stews etc?

Why not pick up some small freezer blocks & a small cold-bag for his lunch? Then it will keep cool & fresh......and he's got no excuse for buying another sandwich! (unless he would prefer a bit of variety?;))

Then he can have cous-cous or pasta salad too.....and quiche or pastie with salad, fresh fruit salad, yogurt, a chunk of cake, Twink's super-dooper hobnobs (instead of choccy biccies but they probably won't last very long as they are scrummy!)

Do you have a breadmaker? As that may help with the pack-ups - different breads for different fillings.

Also, I have a curried tuna mayo filling:

1 tin tuna, drained
2 big tablespoonfuls of mayo (normal/light/extra light)
1 teaspoonful curry powder
1 apple, cored & chopped
1 stick celery, sliced finely

Mix together, spread onto fresh granary or crusty bread, eat!

BigMummaF

OK....I've read thru from beginning to end & actually remembered to make some notes this time:p

• To prevent soggy sarnies, put sliced toms, cue, etc into a seperate sarnie bag/ small container & add to the sarnie/wrap just before noshing down. I tend to make plain sandwiches--chees, tuna, meat--when we hav a picnic especially, then take little parcels of sliced tom, cue, onion & lettuce so folks can make up their own combos when it comes to it.
• Freeze little bottles of squash/ water the night before & use those as your ice pack thus saving space & particularly this time of year, ensures a cool drink for lunch...unfortunately it doesn't work with fizz, but then it makes a healthier option.
• One of the offspring likes soft cheese [think philli in a tub but S/O ]mixed with drained pineapple & used to spread on the bread. Top with ham.
• Plain cheese sarnies can be toasted, & take a little pot of pickle if that's what you fancy.
• Ploughman's Lunch with a chunk of cheese, HM bread, pickles & little box of salad.
• Use variations of bread to make a change--those little bagettes from instore bakeries are ideal, or the infamous MrsMc over on the Grocery Challenge thread has simple recipes for all manner of breads from naan to tortilla to a yummy sounding courgette:D
• Use those plastic cups you can buy for parties to make up individual jellies, trifles, blancmange etc...I'm going to have a go at a cheesecake too, & I'll let you know how it works out. Start gathering those little plastic tea spoons you get in cafes etc, then you don't have to worry too much about leaving the family silver at work;)

shewhoguards

Foooood!

Quick note first - I am Miss Freaky High Metabolism. I have to, for instance, pack more food than I think I'll need because if I'm hungry at the end of the day, there'll either be a chocolate machine trip or I'll be miserable. It also means very little of my food planning goes into worrying about my weight. So, if you end up gaping a bit at the sheer amount - there is a reason!


Now, I have a nifty little coolbag. It cost £1.50 at Asda, slings over my shoulder so it's easy to carry and looks a bit more adult than a packed lunch box. It can also, just about squeeze everything in for a day's food. When I say "a day" this lot usually carries me from 7 in the morning until 6 at night when I have tea.


BREAKFAST

This depends how bad I'm expecting traffic to be and if I've got chance to bake on the Sunday. If I'm expecting good traffic - school holidays for example - I pack one of the little Kelloggs multiboxes of cereal and fill a little bottle with milk. I try to grab them when they come on offer, but even when they're not, compared to £1.50 for a bacon sandwich it's a bargain.

If I'm expecting bad traffic, it'll be something I can eat in the car. If I have time to bake on Sundays, I usually do a week's worth of hot cross buns (without crosses) or cinnamon rolls. The ingredients cost pennies, and it keeps me going. If I've been lazy, Lidl's does a five pack of chocolate croissants - all in individual packets - for 79p. Not particularly healthy, but it gets me to work.

This week I got lucky and snagged 4 of Tesco's Extra Special teacakes for 20p on Sunday. Lovely toasted with butter on.

FRUIT

There's always fruit. If I'm starving, it'll be part of breakfast, if not, it'll be part of lunch or snacks. Usually it'll be a banana and a couple of satsumas, although occasionally there are apples. I love cherries, but they are expensive and get squashed.

I also include a packet of raisins or two. Asda do 5 for 35p, they are yummy and count in your five a day.

DRINKS

My big expense comes in here. I am addicted to Dr Pepper, I know it is expensive, but it is yummy and it is only one can a day. (However if Coca Cola is on a two for 1, this is an acceptable substitute). This is easily the most expensive part of my entire lunch. I try to cut it by filling my shed with six packs every time they're on offer, however, even at full price I'm STILL paying less per can than I would if I said I was giving up but bought it at work when the craving came.

I also always have orange juice. It goes with breakfast. I don't mind remade from concentrate, but I do like a carton that won't spill in the car if I'm in a traffic jam. Tropiana Go is nice, but expensive, so usually it's something cheaper. Goes towards my five a day!

My second can is a bit of an insurance policy. It's always an own brand drink - usually ginger beer, or cream soda - something I can get on 6 for £1.08. It never has caffeine in it. I would say I rarely drink it more than twice a week, but again, I would rather tote it to work and back undrunk than REALLY crave it and end up paying at the office.

MAIN SAVOURY

This is most often sandwiches. Bread is the one thing I don't stint on, because lousy bread makes me hate my sandwiches and want to stop taking a packed lunch. Better bread is still cheaper than buying lunch.

As I live alone, I try to make a large meat meal on Sundays I can make sandwiches off for the next week. A chicken does well for this, so does a cheap joint of pork if you can find one. Next week I'm going to boil a small ham. It's much cheaper than using the deli counter. If I'm opening a packet of bacon, I've also found that cold bacon sandwiches taste fine and are far better than wasting it.

If I haven't got any meat, and I'm feeling poor, it's tuna. A value can from Tesco is 37p and if made into tuna mayonnaise can last the week in the fridge. That stuff STRETCHES, especially if you add cucumber.

Other sandwich options (used less often) are cheese or egg mayonnaise.

This option really isn't limited to sandwiches though. If I've dropped into Tesco as they're making stuff down, I can often grab a couple of scotch eggs. Or, if I have eggs nearly out of date, I'll boil them and take hard boiled eggs. Or, if I've made something that makes good leftovers - gammon or toad in the hole are both good options - I'll take those.

I only have two hard and fast rules. It mst be quick to pull together in the morning - I have to be out too early to muck about - and it must contain protein. Not enough protein in my diet makes me cranky and miserable.

ADDITIONAL SAVOURY

Not compulsary, but sometimes I'll throw one in. BabyBel cheeses are nice, or Lidl do a bruschetta bread mix for 99p and they taste great cold. Or I can make a little salad out of left over bits - this week it was radishes out of my aunt's allotment, cress and chopped chives from the garden, and a bit of left over chopped cheese.

CRISPS

Yes, fattening, yes, I'll die of salt overload but a little of what you fancy does you good. I'm currently trying to eat my way through a massive crisp sack as I was struck down by "am I running low? Better buy more" issues. However, were I running low I'd say Lidls usually does special offers on two 12 packs for - I think - £1.80 or £2 - somewhere around that figure.

YOGHURT

I don't particularly like taking yoghurt. I fear it bursting, and sometimes I think it makes my bag smell funny. However, I need the protein so Asda do value yoghurts for 9p each or you can get a 4 pack for 29p.

DESSERT

I must have dessert, or I will kill my coworker and take hers. Again, Sunday preparation helps out here. A big pie or crumble will last the week, and now we're in summer, if you know someone who gardens you can often beg free fruit for them.

Fruit salad is also an option, but remember to use a spill proof container. Believe me, if it leaks, it's NASTY. Home made rice pudding also tastes good cold.

CHOCOLATE

Again, count this on the insurance policy list. The chocolate is MAYBE eaten twice a week, when I need it. The thing is, if I DO need it, it's there. I pay £1 for a 5 pack of KitKat peanut butter, or Snickers and that's five times I won't spend 50p in a vending machine.

COSTINGS

On a day when I eat ALL of my packed lunch, including my insurance policies, at most it should most me around £2.20 - definitely £2.50 or under. For breakfast and lunch which fills me up, includes reasonable amounts of fruit and keeps me going until I get tea on, I think that's rather reasonable!

zarazara

cornish pasties are nice, especiaqlly HM ones. I even like them cold, with HP sauce. or HM sausage rolls.

DianaMattos

Hello All,

I am due to start my maternity leave in a couple of weeks, and I am really stuck for lunch ideas. I don't want to get bored with sandwiches!

Are there any threads hiding (I've looked but nothing is immediately obvious), or can people give me some ideas? I have a fully functioning kitchen again - yay!:j

Thank you

Love Di x

gunsandbanjos

Hope this is of help to you.