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GG's idea of string cheese is also one of my favorites. I do well with portion control that way.
I've also found that I like Balance Bars - and now buy them in bulk so I have some at home, at my office, in my car and in my purse/backpack just about always. I have one or two with me when I hike or ski or just go for a long walk.
I often organize my days in such a way that I don't include time to make a great big salad to bring with me. But, when I do make the time to throw together a salad, it always feels like a real treat by the time lunch time comes 'round.
I buy Balance Bars in bulk and the flavor my store has is called Balance Gold/Caramel Nut Blast. The first one I had reminded me of a Snickers Bar, but much less sweet. If I eat a whole one of these, it's usually in place of a real lunch -- and I don't get hungry for several hours. Except for the fact that it has only negligible fiber, it's not horrible for me.
Here's the nutrition info:
Carbo: 22 gm
Fat: 7gm
Protein: 15g
If I want something sweet "just because," I often take 1/2 a bar and that works out well. The bars that sit in my car, of course, are subject to temperature fluctuations. FOr skiing, I keep the bars in a pocket close to my body, so the bar doesn't become totally frozen and too hard to enjoy! In the summer, well, I've gotten acccustomed to some messy Balance Bars! Good luck with this --
There ARE other things to eat, but you may want to invest in some sort of manly-looking small cooler to carry with you. Don't groan; it WILL make your life better in the long run.
(Check out The Edge Carb Advantage shakes for low carb high protein drinks if you REALLY don't want to refrigerate anything, but if they are warm they are yucky)
Anyway, ideas. You asked. If you get that little cooler to carry with you, here are options:
For easy prep - prewashed lettuce, precut veggies, lunchmeats, Low fat cheese, tuna or salmon or chicken in a can (now they come in pouches, practically all protein and no carb) - all these things make great salads & can create variety. Vanilla or plain LowFat yogurt(sweetened with Splenda and swirl in some natural fruit preserves) in the individual tubs/containers work well. Make a big batch of SF jello & pour into little Ziploc containers (the tupperware kind) for grab & go snacks. Make a quiche (no-its NOT hard! Get a recipe and try!)on the weekend & freeze it cut up in baggies. Take one out the night before & nuke it. Soy sausages go well with these (you can nuke 'em and they are low fat and not greasy at all). LowFat String cheese IS a great snack & count out & prepack peanuts, soynuts, pistacios. Cut up veggies when you get home from the store & package them in snack size baggies. Hardboil a few eggs & those are great snacks or breakfasts.
Let me know if you need more ideas. I got a million of 'em!
Any other tips:)
I am glad to see that others have posted some pretty terrific ideas for you on the forum. I thought about you this morning while I was watching ABC's Good Morning America because they ran a segment on new foods coming out on the market. They showed a small, probably 1 cup size container that contained egg whites that you can microwave and have scrambles eggs anywhere that you can find a microwave! They mentioned it will be on the market in a few months. You should check out ABC's website for more details, but I thought this might be something that may appeal to you.
Take it easy!