Need ideas for packing lunches

I'm hoping some of you fine Gather folks can help me here. I have fallen into the bad habit of eating out way too much when I'm working. I work 10-hour days, and it's a long commute, so I end up eating 2 meals on my working days. Lots of McDonald's, Subway, Chinese, and pizza. Bad for my waistline and bad for my budget!! I do have access to a refrigerator and microwave at work. But I'm kind of picky.

I hate sandwiches (unless they are gourmet with lots of good fixings, and then it's just cheaper to buy one somewhere).

I have never found a frozen dinner that tastes good to me. No TV dinners. Yuck.

I really enjoy cooking, and would like to do more of it on my days off.

What I need is recipes and ideas for things I can cook when I'm not working, that will keep well or freeze well, to be reheated later. All suggestions are welcome! Thanks!!

Comments: 12

The Red Headed Witch of Gather G. Nov 12, 2008, 4:59pm EST

I don't cook, sorry. I usually do sandwhiches, soup or smart ones.

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Monica H. Nov 12, 2008, 5:02pm EST

I have a friend that cooks over the weekend. She cooks big batches of something and then freezes them in little containers. Then you have a frozen meal to take to work that is home cooked.

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Jodie B. Nov 12, 2008, 5:07pm EST

That's the kind of recipes I'm looking for. Stuff that will freeze and reheat easily and still taste good.

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جيرسي جو Nov 12, 2008, 5:28pm EST

Leftovers in the microwave beat the heck out of fast food, every time.

Pasta, Chinese food, Mexican food, chicken and veggies, you name it.

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Jodie B. Nov 12, 2008, 5:34pm EST

I've always been a snob about leftovers though. It seems like they just don't taste that good. Although, yes, I am getting sick of McDonald's!

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Ang, wandering aimlessly, G. Nov 12, 2008, 5:41pm EST

Jodie, I'm a snob too when it comes to leftovers, I rarely eat them either. I need to do better though.
What about stew or roast. Both are freezable and taste decent as leftovers.
I hope someone has some good answers for you.

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Karen M. Nov 12, 2008, 9:22pm EST

I am really bad about packing my lunch ! I need to improve !!

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Karen S. Nov 15, 2008, 1:31pm EST

there are alots of frezzer cooking websites out ther where you cook everything pu on the weekend and freeze it for the week. I really should do this but my I never seem to get to it

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Teresa A. Nov 19, 2008, 6:58pm EST

We have a food saver so I cook big and freeze portions for later. Also, we buy in bulk and package things the way we want them. It works great and I can cook as much as I want to at one time. When my kids were home we would cook on Saturday mornings for the next week and always made extra. That way there was something that could quickly be reheated after school.

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Teresa A. Nov 19, 2008, 7:01pm EST

Pasta, soup, stew, roasted veggies, stir fry and tons more. When we cooked on the weekends, I never cooked it all the way done so when it was reheated it still tasted good and didn't have that leftover feel.

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