The Perfect Packed Lunch for Any Work Schedule

Often the amount of time I expect to have for lunch determines what I choose to pack. Below are some of the lunches that I enjoy week after week. Most of them are quick to prepare and some can be made in advance.

Leisurely Lunch with Co-Workers

My favorite lunch soup is corn chowder and can easily be made the night before. I use canned chicken broth, 1 can of creamed corn, three tablespoons of half and half, ¼ of an onion, and ½ cup of cubed leftover chicken. You will also need 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of oil, and chili powder to taste.

Sauté the onion until it is translucent over low flame in a medium pot. Add chicken broth and mix in cornstarch. When hot, add the cream of corn and leftover chicken. Mix thoroughly and cook over low flame for fifteen minutes. Turn off heat and mix in three tablespoons of half and half. Sprinkle chili powder to taste and serve. This can be made a day or two ahead of time.

Accompany this with crackers and an apple or fruit of your choice. The soup can be placed in the refrigerator overnight to thicken and microwaves beautifully the next day or can be transported in a thermos. Enjoy sparkling or bottled water to drink.

Lunch on the Run

Lettuce Wraps are easy and convenient. They are also perfect for days when I am trying to limit my carbohydrates. I prefer wraps that have some type of spread so that the leaves stay securely closed as I am eating. Turkey, sundried pesto, and brie wraps are one of my favorites.

Use thickly deli sliced turkey, spreadable brie cheese, and jarred sun dried tomato pesto. You will also need four or five large iceberg lettuce leaves and some toothpicks. Take a large leaf and spread tomato pesto on it. Follow with a layer of turkey and then coat the turkey with brie taking care to coat the inner ends of the lettuce as well. Roll up in a jelly roll fashion and secure with a toothpick. Accompany the wraps with crunchy carrot sticks and a pear, which are both easy to hold with one hand. Flavored water is perfect if I am eating on the run.

A grilled vegetable sandwich gives me the opportunity to use up leftover veggies. You will need assorted pepper strips, onion strips, and zucchini. Peel and slice the zucchini. Use about a ½ to ¾ of a cup of vegetables per sandwich. Sprinkle a tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Toss the vegetables in a tin pan and place them in an oven on broil for about ten minutes or until they are slightly charred. Stuff the veggies into a pita bread or place on other bread of your choice. If desired, pack a slice of cheese and melt it in the sandwich with a microwave before eating. Fruit and a power bar round out this meal nicely.

Phone Lunch

There are those days when I know my lunch time is going to be spent talking on the phone so I need a meal that is nutritious yet quiet to eat. Yogurt fits the bill perfectly and is delicious with a fruit salad. I usually mix sliced apples, sliced pears, mandarin orange sections, and some lemon wedges. Even though I do not eat the lemon, it helps preserve the fruit's color so that it looks appealing. I often pack sliced almonds, which I add to the fruit right before eating. Iced tea complements this meal nicely and I can add a lemon slice to it.

Chicken salad is another favorite phone lunch since it is not noisy to eat. I mix 1 cup and a half of cubed white meat chicken with three tablespoons of low fat mayonnaise dressing with a 1/3 cup of halved dark seedless grapes. A soft pretzel or roll goes nicely with the meal.