Gluten Free Lunch: To Go! Ideas for what to pack

A packed lunch from last school year. Photo by Kate Chan

Are you looking for a little inspiration for your lunch box/bag?  Me too.  I put together a little post about my favorite ways to pack up my lunch to make it more exciting and now I thought I’d list a few of my lunch menus/ideas/components as well as some links to where I find inspiration to cute-up or nutrition-up my lunches.

Just a little thought for you neophytes on the hand-packed, homemade lunch route:  I’ve gotten MUCH better at packing a balanced lunch than I used to be.  I don’t think I paid much attention to my food balance… until I started taking pictures of it all!  Now THAT will keep ya on your toes – and it’s much healthier to boot!

The easiest lunch to take:  leftovers.  And this is something I take frequently.  We make extra portions when we cook for exactly this purpose.   While cleaning up the kitchen, I just pack the leftovers for lunch, varying a bit the side dishes (if I pack side dishes at all) and being sure to toss in some fruit/veg.  I know leftovers are not exactly the most romantic or exciting thing…. well, wait.. that depends on what you ate for dinner, I guess.  Sometimes leftovers aren’t an option – maybe we didn’t eat at home or we had friends over, etc.  So that is when the rest of this list kicks in.

I wrote about lunches last year too.  I think the lunch thing always hits me hard when school starts.  I’m no longer at home where easy access to “whip” something up is possible.  Being gluten-free and planning lunch has certainly forced me to become more organized and thorough about my plans for the day.  I no longer just “wing it”, but make sure that I have a plan for myself so I don’t feel deprived or annoyed…. or downright crabby (I was so gonna say something else… but I’m keeping it PG) at work.  Some days last twelve hours or more at school and then another 2 or 3 at home prepping for the next day.  I don’t have time for food meltdowns.

And now with a kidlet on the way?  NO TIME for FOOD meltdowns times two. (And thankfully, no more twelve hours at school crap either!  I shall be joining the ranks of those teachers who are “permitted and allowed” to leave at a reasonable hour because they have kids.  Apparently my dog, Max, never counted as this permission – even though he is quite dependent on us for those walks/potty breaks. Oy vey! I’m whining again! Sorry!)

A Mr. Bento Lunch – My first Mr. Bento Lunch from the 07-08 School Year.
Photo by Kate Chan

(Click on the link for the picture to see what each item is.)

So, what’s my plan?   Here’s the list of goodies that I count on for lunch.  It’s a mix and match list.  (And I’m probably even repeating some here without knowing it.)  What would you add?

These are the  items I pack:

• Green leafy salads – all varieties!
• Quinoa Salads or Quinoa Tabbouleh
• Cheese crackers/Mock Fish crackers
• Fruit:  Grapes, cherries, oranges, blueberries, bananas, oranges, starfruit, jicama, etc.
• Veggie sticks:  carrots, celery, sugar snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce wraps, etc
• Mango-Ginger Chutney with GF lunch meats and/or salad
• Stew/Rice packed on top to keep the stew together and warm
• Nori Wraps – nori wrapped around cucumber, avocado, etc – with or without rice
• Sushi – California rolls, tuna, salmon, cucumber, inari, etc rolls.  (sushi rice recipe)
• GF Pretzels with grain mustard dip
• Celery with GF Cinnamon peanut butter or cinnamon hazelnut or cinnamon almond butter
• Raw nuts/seeds and dried fruit
• Homemade GF granola bars/granola cereal
• Polenta Fries
• Cottage Cheese
• Savory grits
• Yogurt  (with fruit, or fat free Greek yogurt, etc)
• Red pepper strips with tzatziki
• Taco salads/nachos: Chips, guacamole/avocado, salsa, shredded lettuce, shredded chicken
• Chicken/tuna salad (use Greek yogurt instead of mayo to lower the fat)
• Canned salmon/tuna (packed in water)
• Chilaquiles (I love using the Nissan for this.  Keep the broth HOT until I’m ready for the chilaquiles!)
• Onigiri (Seamaiden @ Book of Yum has a great post about Onigiri here)
• Jicama strips
• Beef or salmon jerky
• Hard boiled eggs (shaped, of course)
• String cheese or “Laughing Cow” cheese bites
• Egg Muffins (NOT Egg McMuffins) with cheese/ham or green onion/garlic or mushrooms (See Kaylyn’s Kitchen for the recipe.)
• Teriyaki Chicken salad
• Steamed veggies
• Risotto with seasonal veg and/or seafood
• Parmesan crisps
• Lettuce wrap sandwiches
• Spring rolls
• Dates with cream cheese and walnuts (definitely a dessert!)
• Nori strips for snacking
• Garbanzo beans:  on salads, fried or baked/crispy for snacking or salads
• Baked Falafel
• Fruit kebabs
• Hummus with veg sticks or pita or baked wrap “chips”
• Fruit leather (Here’s how Carrie @ Ginger Lemon Girl makes hers.)
• Popcorn
• Smoothies
• Cinnamon nuts
• Cucumber salads or sandwiches
• Little fruit-filled mochi or red bean-filled mochi (I like the small 1 oz size)
• Rice cakes (I prefer the thin ones over the thick ones, if savory)
• Sweet rice cakes (dessert or sweet treat after school at only 20 calories!)
• Baked sweet potato chips (or parsnip chips, etc)
• Rice with nori & sesame seeds
• GF Oatmeal with cherries or cinnamon with a little rice milk
• Sandwiches
  • I know you are wondering about this/what kind of bread. While I make the wrap sandwiches 99% of the time (hey – it only takes 20 minutes!), these are the bread recipes I use:  (in no particular order)
    • Jalapeno & Cheddar Bread
    • Millet & Quinoa Bread (Thank you, Natalie!)
    • Oat & Honey Bread
    • Sorghum-Flax Bread
    • Sun-dried Tomato Bread
• Wrapped Sandwiches
  • First Version – Cindy’s Wraps
  • Second Version – Everyone’s Wraps
  • Third Version – My Whole Grain Wraps (I use this one most frequently)

And of course – desserts when I will allow myself the treat. (Check the desserts recipes on the Recipe page.) I like make cookies to bring to work.  Helps with portion control – and looks “normal”  LOL!  I especially love Aunt Selma’s (GF) Oatmeal Cookies and the Chocolate Threat Cookies.

Another of My Mr. Bento Lunches – a tad starch-heavy, but yummy!
Photo by Kate Chan

(Click on the link for the picture to see what each item is.)

I know this list is not nearly complete.  There are a million things we can eat for lunch.  And here are a few sites where I seek inspiration when I’m feeling in a lunch-rut:

• Mr. Bento Flickr Pool – People take pictures of their Mr. Bento packed lunches.  You don’t have to have a Mr. Bento to be inspired by some of their ideas – Many of which are quick, healthy, and easy on the budget too.
• Laptop Lunch Flickr Pool – Just like the “Mr. Bento” pool – but with a different pack.  Still inspirational – and often kid-friendly too.
• Lunch In A Box – a great site with great ideas for lunches.  While she focuses on “bentos”, really – it’s all just packing a lunch. 🙂
• Lunchbox Recipes Flickr Pool – Similar to the three above, except you are guaranteed a recipe to go along with the tasty eye-candy treats.
• The Lunchbox Gourmet – Written by someone with multiple food allergies (NOT gluten-free, however) and is a rather long list of recipes and ideas for lunches.  Perfect to make your brain kick in to gear and get you motivated!
• Chocolat-Vanille’s Flickr Bento Set – A Japanese woman who shares photos of her Tupperware lunches.
• Kastinkerbento – A live journal blog with photos of great bento meals from breakfast through dinner
• And OF COURSE – ALL of my GF Blogger Buddies, links on the side here.  HUGE Inspiration there!

Another school lunch from last year.
Photo by Kate Chan

(Click on the link for the picture to see what each item is.)

And check out this super cute idea…. oh, yea… I can’t WAIT until there is a kidlet around this house for me to make bentos like this for! Strawberry Mice anyone? (Almond ears, mini-chocolate chip eyes/nose)

Photo by Shiegra.  Found here on Flickr.

So …. what are YOU going to be packing for lunches this <school> year?