Shelf-Stable Lunch Ideas

I’ve been going to a dietician for the past 6 months because I was having health issues. Even though my weight is stable, I’m losing fat percentage which is good. Yeah for progress!

When I met with her yesterday, she asked me what I needed help with and I told her shelf-stable lunch ideas so that I can keep those in my classroom. My life changed once again where I’m leaving for work 15 minutes earlier than normal. On days I’m running behind, I won’t have to worry about packing a lunch because I know I’ll have something already at work.

Here’s the formula for lunch:

Protein/ Healthy Fat + Carb/ Fruit + Veggies

Protein Sources:

• Beef / Turkey Meat Sticks (EPIC, chomps, Thrive Market has a good turkey one.)
• Peanut butter / Nut butter – Get squeezy packets if you don’t a whole entire jar in your workspace.
• Trail Mix – Make your own, so you don’t have chocolate or other sweets in your mix.
• Tuna / Salmon packets
• Almonds
• Roasted chickpeas
• Jerky
• Protein bars
• Pumpkin Seeds

Healthy Fats

• Peanut butter / Nut butter – Get squeezy packets if you don’t a whole entire jar in your workspace.
• Trail Mix – Make your own, so you don’t have chocolate or other sweets in your mix.
• Almonds or other nuts

Carbs

• That’s It Bars – I tried the apple/cherry one yesterday. It’s not bad.
• Fruit leather
• Larabars
• Kind bars
• Squeezy applesauce / unsweetened applesauce cups – Keep a container of cinnamon in your workspace.
• Crackers
• Popcorn – I love the Safe & Fair chocolate drizzled kettle corn.
• Rice rollers
• Rice cakes
• Fruit cups (juice – not heavy syrup)
• Granola – Be careful that it’s not full of sugary goodness. Make your own.
• Freeze dried fruit
• 90 second rice packets

She also suggested I keep shelf-stable fruit and veggies in my classroom. Ideas are apples, oranges, mini peppers, and carrots.

If I have the basics in my room, I can just grab supplemental items in the morning. It makes it easier for me to get going in the morning.

Here are some of the basics I can grab in the morning.

• Pb3 packets
• Hard boiled eggs
• Hummus
• Cheese Sticks
• Yogurt

Here is a previous post about lunch ideas.

Happy eating,
Traci