Thread: Dont wanna go back to cafeteria food!

That’s cool that you have a pool. Here, it’s too hot to even go outside unless there’s water around. I was thinking about the same lunch issue, and this is what I came up with. I was on Amazon’s website and saw cookware that collapses and seemed very useful. It’s called a Foldtuk.. figured I would give it a try. So, I baked some dinner in it, put it in the fridge, and then could heat it up in the micro (I know they have one at my school). When I’m finished, I just collapse it into my briefcase like a disappearing lunch box. Maybe this is something that will help you eat more interesting foods from home. I like doing baked pastas and casseroles.

I love mixed green salads so what I plan to do this year (and have been doing it this summer) is cook a pack/bag of chicken breasts or fillets. I then put them in individual bags and freeze them. The salad is made up in a big bowl and covered in the fridge. Transferring salad to a travel bowl is simple, then just grab a chicken, thaw, and chop (or not). Put over the salad with your favorite spritzer.

I also use a device called a hot shot. You pour water in and it boils within a minute. Dispense into a cup of noodles...only if you like the cup of noodle of course.

I love the instant pasta cookers. I bought a generic brand one, but I use it so much. I think it is the most loved kitchen appliance in my kitchen.

Usually for lunch I have cuppa-soup. Or I will bring a can of tuna and some crackers (and a toothbrush...) Most of the time though I'm bad and skip on lunch. I just get too busy doing school stuff. I always make sure that I have a decent breakfast though.

I am jealous of the South African men we have teaching here. Their wives make them the most delicious lunches. I love that they love their husbands that much too.

I love having leftovers or a green salad (I just adore spinach salads!). We have a refrigerator in our staff room along with microwaves, so I tend to take a bottle of dressing to school and leave it in the fridge.

Some of my colleagues buy those frozen meals that you heat in the microwave. I believe they bring a week's work on Monday and leave it in the freezer. Really, there is no reason I couldn't freeze my leftovers and carry them once a week.

I won't eat in the cafeteria ever. I don't believe there is much nutritional value there and it is certainly lacking in the taste department. I'd rather carry the "cumbersome" lunch bag!

A friend takes tuna salad, a multigrain roll split in half, 2 slices of cheese and a tomato. When she's at school, she spreads the tuna on the roll halves, slices the tomato and tops it with the cheese. She puts the whole business in a hot oven for about 10 minutes and has a really nice hot lunch. Luckily, we have an oven in our staff room as well as a microwave.

I make a salad every day except Fridays when 3 of us go out for lunch. I keep clean greens in my fridge at home and add other chopped vegetables like peppers, cauliflower, carrots, etc. I add a piece of chopped cheese or meat. Like someone else suggested, I keep a bottle of salad dressing (Paul Newman's basic vinaigrette because it has no sugar) at school in the fridge. It's a quick, easy and nutritious lunch.

GB, Queen of the Salad.

Wow! 10 minutes is half our lunch time!

We have microwaves in the lunch room, but who's got time with all the kids wanting to use them (we have lunch duty every day) .

I take a salad with a cabbage base most days - whatever goes on top is whatever I can eat and have handy. I try to fix dinners with lunches in mind. Dressing is always some kind of tasty vinegar and olive oil.

Originally Posted by Bitsy Griffin

Wow! 10 minutes is half our lunch time!

20 minutes for lunch???!!! GASP!! That makes me ill. You need way more than 20 minutes to have a break. There must be some law that's being broken here.

You can get a microwave at some "big box" stores for $40.00. With all the package things you can get now, just fix your own.
One that I like is to cut a can of Spam into 1/8'" slices and then cut them in half. Place each one on a cracker and place a small slice of cheese on top. Now season half with Lemon Pepper and half with Season Salt. Micro for about 30 seconds until the cheese melts.
This will feed 2 at my place so you can do half or share with a friend.
There are a lot of packages that you can fix in just a few minutes now.

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Originally Posted by GreenBunny

Originally Posted by Bitsy Griffin

Wow! 10 minutes is half our lunch time!

20 minutes for lunch???!!! GASP!! That makes me ill. You need way more than 20 minutes to have a break. There must be some law that's being broken here.

We actually have 30 minutes, but it's five minutes to get there and five to get back. Please remember I'm in the private sector and in Middle School. We could fiddle with the time, but it's better to keep them on a short time schedule.