I hereby dedicate this post to everyone who has de-lurked lately. I LOVE hearing from you all, and it makes me so happy to know that you get ideas from my blog. That said, several peeps have been asking for tips on packing lunches.
Well, I aim to please, so here’s a post packed with some of my latest eats that I have brought to work. Lord knows, it’s hard to prep for 12 hour shifts, especially when you have no clue when (or IF) you will get breaks to eat. So, I do rely on bars far more than I’d like to.
My Luna bar defied all Laws of Physics today as it was neither a solid nor a liquid (and definitely not a gas). I’m not sure if Newton was aware of the mushy situation that occurs after several pounds of crap (book, lunch, iPod, etc.) have crushed a bar…surely there’s another unreported phase of being that needs to be accounted for. I don’t have photo evidence because it wasn’t pretty (mental image: me making love to a wrapper…seriously, my tongue was clinging to the thing like it was the last life boat on the Titanic). Sadly, a mere 12% of the bar’s ingredients actually made it to my mouth due to it’s congealed state. Note to self: don’t conduct soft porn with food in public, people stare.
This is prob one of the reasons Lunas aren’t on my A team. In fact, with Odwallas, Laras, and Clifs, I think Luna bars are barely hanging on to 3rd string status. See?
Some of my recent work eats:
Odwalla bar? Check. Clif bar? Check. Cough drops? Uhhh…check.
I think an assortment of dried fruit and nuts or crackers is best because I always like to have the illusion of options when I’m at work. Plus, when you pack it yourself, it’s automatic portion control. Remember to reuse your baggies though!!!
Larabar? Check. Clif bar? Check.
Sure, to the UNTRAINED eye, these lunches appear pretty much the same. However, there were pistachios in the first lunch mixed snack baggy, and the second salad was VERY heavy on the cucumber.
Crunch factor was high with the raw corn, cukes, and al dente chickpeas. Yes, I am now making beans from their dried form on a consistent basis, and I have to say, I think they are best when left a little al dente. Anyone else?
Another way to save time and energy is to make a little extra of whatever you are having for dinner. Example:
Red quinoa with raw corn, black beans, and diced cukes.
With some falafel balls on the side…and roasted red pepper hummus to round out the meal. Oh happy day 
Leftovers were tuperware-ized for work lunch the next day. I’m crafty like that.
Pretty sure I’m in a Mediterranean rut groove for life.
More proof below.
Quinoa (regular, NOT red), cukes, carrots, spinach, raw corn, roasted red pepper hummus, and chickpeas.
I feel like if you have these 10ish ingredients in the fridge, any combination will taste good together. Or you could just haphazardly toss them ALL together like I do and call it a day.
Seitan, OG hummus, and shredded carrots, with Stacy’s Pita chips (these are seriously THE perfect accompaniment to ANY and EVERY thing hummus).
Another simple thing I’ve made for lunches is tortilla wraps. Instead of putting salad ingreds in a tuperware, they are perfect in a wrap! The above wrap features LightLife smart deli “turkey,” spinach, and avocado. Leftovers are also good wrap-stuffers. I often make Kyle’s lunches and wraps are one of his faves. Avocado is my must-have ingredient in wraps.
Anyone ever tried Good Neighbors’ Falafel Veggie Burgers? They’re ok. Pretty good for a quickie meal on the run. I toss the Tzatziki dairy-i-fied sauce and dip them in hummus instead (duh).
That’s how this hippie rolls!! Enjoy
PS I’m sure I’m not the only Gossip Girl fan, so for the rest of you out there, my fave NY mag bloggers have once again returned with their clever post-episode analysis. I’m so glad the Upper East Side is back in action…
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Um, so badass! You pack lunches like a mom, but way better, more varied, and probs healthier!
Esp a Mediterranean groove…yyeeaahh!
Being in a groove is pretty awesome, right?
I’m all about the Mediterranean groove. And as long as my kids like hummus, I’ll consider my parenting a success…
Your lunches are awesome. Your Mediterranean style foods are yum. I’m a GG fan right here. Thanks for the link. I was pretty disappointed about the season premier tho. I was hoping for more GG juicy bits.
I agree, it was a kinda blah opening. I don’t think I’d mind if Serena never returned from her summer abroad.
I;m pretty sure STacy’s were made for hummus. Made.
I would HAVE to agree
If I was doing a 12 hour shift in a hospital, my lunch would look like this: Red Bull x 6, hummus tubes x 4, coffee IV on stand-by, bottle of wine for the ride home. Like? I am a fan of Clif bars too though…and felefal/tzatziki (I have a huge tub in my fridge right now- am giving it 48 hours).
I got this cool littloe ‘box’ thing to stop bars getting squashed- check Gristedes. It’s says “Nutrigrain” on it, but is perfect for most bars (not Odwalla/Clif though).
Have you tried the Betty Lou balls yet?.. They are soooooo good
RE crackers/hummus carriers- your help will be required for some taste testing/reviews soon!
Mr. Clif makes some darn good bars, I don’t know why he thinks we ladies deserve our own (far inferior) Luna bar. Whatevs.
Never heard of Betty Lou balls, but I’m turning to google to fix that right now.
I will gladly assist in hummus vehicle testing
Elise, I have a bajillion extra baggies from Costco. Do you want some? I will never be able to use them all because I, too, must reuse bags until they’re dead. I swear I will send some to you if you want them
Haha, seriously? lord knows I’ll use them!
lol that happened to my kids Clif bar last week!! I was in my car and I’m sure other drivers thought I was crazy for licking the wrapper while driving.
yeah, I definitely got some stares, but what can I say, I don’t like things to go to waste!!
WAy to show us how lunch packin’ is done, Hippy Style! I pack my man’s lunch every day and I swear I eat the same types of things every day, always fruits and vegs, but I change up the flavors, i.e. always greenery for dinner, but the individual veggies are diff or the dressing’s diff, but there’s always greens goin on. So yeah, to the untrained eye it looks the same but it’s not!
I feel ya…as long as WE can detect the differences and our taste buds are happy, it’s all good.
LOVE the ny mag recap! Thanks for reminding me!
isn’t it the best? almost more entertaining than the actual show, haha!
When you mentioned lurkers you inspired me to post, because alas, I have been one for about 4 months haha…anyway, I just love your blog, and your attitude towards food and that you love hummus and falafel as much as I do!!
hooray for commenting! thanks for the kind words, and for reading
The falafel burgers are not available around here – I’ve only seen them at that little health food store where you and Gena live, haha
seriously, I feel so lucky to have randomly ended up living right next to Gary Null’s. sometimes things were just meant to be…
Great meal tips! I love your description of the 4th state of existence that was your luna bar! Hahaha, very funny.
But I have to disagree…I like my beans really soft! Well, actually, not my chickpeas! Those need to be al dente, you are right!
i think chickpeas are the only ones I like al dente…black beans and white beans are best when fully cooked, and lentils are best when they are almost mushy
stacy’s are the scoopers go-to scooping tool. love it. especially when you can buy them in bulk..
I’m lovin the PB&J L-Bar incorporation up top. work it girl
You are totally my “bring lunch from home” inspiration, but you know that already
I WOULD like chickpeas better if I made them myself — not a fan of mushy chickpeas!! — but alas, I am far too lazy. And too busy roasting everything else I can get my hands on! ;p
<3 <3
yeah, save your time for pumpkin and squash roasting…i go through WAYYY too many chickpeas to constantly be buying cans. it would make grocery shopping a decent arm workout though.
Yay for cooking your own garbanzo beans/chickpeas! Save money AND cook them to your own personal perfection…smart stuff
And reusing baggies?! A total must! Confession: I still have the SAME box of baggies I bought when I FIRST started undergrad like 9 years ago and it is practically FULL because I just keep re-using the same ones over and over…and I have moved like 6 times since then too, and I keep carting all of them with me. One year for Christmas, my mom gave me a baggie dryer stand thingy, and I was SO excited! Hahaha…I am lame!
Courtney
seriously courtney. are you for real? baggie dryer?
who invented such a device? and how are there possibly enough hippies in the world to support such a thing. you crack me up.
Mmm, Stacey’s Pita Chips… those things are deadly! Gotta love the opaque reused ziploc bag…. Courtney, they seriously make bag drying racks? Can I join you in lame-land? That is so awesome – my bags are forever getting in the way and blowing off of windowsills and stuff! -Eve
i agree, courtney isn’t lame, she’s a rock star for her hippie-esque ways
i am queen of the sideways looks on the subway for my opaque baggies!!
thank you! was so stoked on mon night, but always need a little extra GG in my week.
xoxo
sometimes the nymag blog is better than the episode! love it.
I have only made beans from their dried form once, so I am just learning the tricks
Thank you for passing on your wisdom with bean making.
I love you and your copious amounts of produce and hummus.
if i didn’t make buy chickpeas in their dried form, i’d easily spend $50 a week on hummus alone. its a problem.
Have you seen them filming around the city? GG is everywhere!!!
Yeah, Lunas can get pretty icky.
I’m seriously digging on your quinoa/corn salads. I think there is one (or many) in my future.
Have a great day, my dear! You’ve been a busy girl.
really?! oddly enough i havent seen them recently. they filmed on my street for a week last year, but i never even managed to identify which episode it was in.
I love your foods! I’m with you on the whole Mediterranean thing…I’m addicted! Also, al dente chickpeas are awesome!
I don’t know what it is about Lunas, I just don’t like them. I’ve pretty much narrowed it down to Clif, Lara, Odwalla, and the occasional balance bar (sketchy ingredientsand all).
i agree, those are the trifecta! i’ve never tried balance bars, but they seem to be much like kashi’s chewy bars, which do make the occasional cameo in my lunches, too. sometimes sketchy ingreds just taste so good :-/
I hate it when you have to make out with your bars – totes been there! It’s not pleasant but you gotta do, what you gotta do!
Stacy knows how to make a pita chip! Girl’s got it down pat! Love your lunchies!
yeah, i mean c’mon, i’m way too much of a hippie (read: cheapskate) to NOT get every last inch of bar off that wrapper
i SO need to get caught up on GG, i havent had time to watch any TV at all the past few weeks ..
i had a dulce de leche luna bar the other day, not a fan .. it was like a bix sticky, sugary, waxy mess. not caramel like at all either. bleh
i agree. lunas just DONT do it for me. unfortunately, i’ve got a bunch of them to use up still.
I just found your blog, so glad I did!
I love GG, love it. I hate when Monday night football conflicts and its a power struggle for the remote, thankfully I have DVR!
I agree about Luna bars, I’m kind of over them myself
morgan!! a girl after my own heart. it’s ridiculous how much i rely on my DVR. what did people DO before such a device existed?
thanks for reading
all of your food looks super good!
mederteranian food is one of my favs!
thanks devan, love me some hummus
I just had hummus for lunch, and realized I needed to catch up with my favorite hippie. Sure enough, you provide me hummus porn galore…as well as a little nasty action with Mr. Luna.
You’re hilarious Elise, and i must agree with you, Stacy’s pita chips + hummus…AMAZING!
loved this tip-filled post! how do you prepare your garbz al dente? i would love to know! i tried the dessert hummus this morning and i gotta say the 3 flavors i sampled were all winners! xo
its a very scientific approach, haha. kidding.
i make them from their dried form, and just taste test them along the way to see how done they are. i like em with a little crunch factor when i eat them as chickpeas, but to make them into hummus, i get them as mushy as i can (easier to whip into fluffy hummus heaven).
i just tried the chocolate mousse last night. winner!
I hate when bars do that. I’m not a huge fan of Lunas either. All the food porn is divine. Saving lives and eating deliciously… you rock!
Odwallas are da shiz. Larabars are also da bomb. Lunas are delish… yet taste like air. I used to LOVE clifs… until Kailey and I would pack them in our purses and eat them drunk at 2am. Now they just kind of remind me being hungover. But I still do enjoy their oatmealy texture
I cannot wait to come to NYC and dine with you. Corn, chickpeas, hummus, falafels, pita chips, chobani, carrots, and then we are going to get those fried chickpea things you once ate with Kyle (oh ya, I am meeting him too).
Looveveveveve!!!!
hahaha. dude, WHO associates Clif bars with boozing. oh, only my fave homegirl evah. i totes voted for yo a$$ all over the foodbuzz blog awards. i wish i were going home for them, but alas, ill be here on the chilly east coast. are you going? if not, we should do our own foodie expo here in the city that never sleeps.
I’ve never seen red quinoa – looks so fun!
Smooshed bars are no fun at all
red quinoa makes for pretty blog photos. otherwise, its pretty much the same as the regular quinoa
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