I am going to have to be downtown tomorrow for 10 hours with only a 30 minute lunch at a convention and that doesn't really even give me time to leave the convention center... soooo, They are not providing any lunch just chips and snacks, well, we all know I can't have that!!!! so, I need some great ideas for things that will last that don't need to be refrigerated or take much time to prepare- what I have thought of is maybe triscuits with cheese, celery with pb or hummus, maybe a salad but that may go bad, its getting warmer here ya know... I can't believe I am coming to a blank... I don't care to eat soup cold so I may just take a can of lentil soup and a spoon.... but if you wonderful ladies have any ideas let me know! I can stop at the grocery and pick some stuff up if need be!

BTW, for those of you who don't know me I am a vegetarian

An apple or an orange Quaker makes mini rice cakes in a low calorie version, or an energy bar , lo cal of course.WASA crackers are lower calorie than triscuit and are good with cheese especially Laughing Cow Lite.

I forgot to mention I am trying to do p1- so no fruit or I will be hungry! For some reason I can't eat fruit early in the day its a big trigger for me! but not strictly tomorrow just beacuse of the situation!I am not necissarily worried about the calories, just the wholesomeness of the food- I try to avoid fankenfoods when possible! but if in a crunch I may take a soyjoy! The laughing cow cheeses are great, I could take them with the triscuits!

lunchbag thats thermos like. or/to have an ice pack to keep your food cold/.?

I don't have that option at the moment- and this is like a once a year occurance that I end up without a fridge

Not trying to be difficult- these are great ideas, but I am just needing things that don't have to stay very cold, and that are South beach p 1-1.5 compliant and no fruit- cause I will eat all day!

Tofu is OK in Phase 1, right? It's one of my favorite things that can be eaten cold. I'd marinate it in sesame oil, some spicy stuff, perhaps a little soy sauce if it's allowed (I'm working off a quick look at food lists). Marinate overnight so it soaks up the flavor, and grill in the morning before you go if you want (you don't have to cook it, but I like the flavor better).

I'd put that in one container with some more marinade (to serve as dressing), then put together a salad in another container with tons of veggies...lettuce, snow peas, bean sprouts, sliced bell pepper, broccoli. When you're ready to eat, toss your tofu on top of your salad, shake, and enjoy. You could even sliver some almonds on top of that and it'd be delish.

When I'm in a hurry to pack a lunch, I pack sliced green pepper and cucumbers in little ziplock sandwich baggies - they fit in the purse/totebag and are no muss/no fuss to clean up after. No empty container to haul around with you all day.

I guess my advice is the sandwich baggy type stuff that makes it all so easy to carry and clean up.

Probably too late for your problem, but I'm kind of in that same situation every day. I teach and we can't leave campus, so I have to bring a 'bag of food" every day. There is also no room in the little fridge there for everyone's stuff....so I bought a lunch box that I can put a little "freezer pak" in to keep it cold.

I fix my breakfast and lunch for the next day the night before so all I have to do is grab and go. I go to the gym for 5 every morning (well, i did before I busted my leg but will start again on monday...so I don't eat at home before I go) I always keep a lot of fresh stuff in the fridge to make a huge salad for lunch (if I don't bring leftovers to be reheated which I don't have too often) For breakfast, I usually make a big "sandwich" out of as many veggies as I can stuff into a piece of flat out bread. Spinach, peppers, sundried tomatoes and turkey etc. (obviously you can leave out the turkey!) I also bring a bannana for "breakfast dessert!"

For lunch I usually bring a salad...as much as I can stuff into an empty "cool whip" container. Spinach, green onions, tomatoes, squash or zuchini, grilled eggplant, peppers, cucumbers, turkey or chicken and a no sugar added yogurt and maybe another piece of fruit for a snack later if I have time for one. Sometimes I also bring nuts, but I usually like to save the nuts for an evening snack.

If you have one a small ice pack will still provide cold for a few hours in a regular bag. Anything in the freezer that will be good just thawed?

Thanks for the ideas guys- I made out ok I think! I found an ice pack in the freezer and took hummus, triscuits, celery, red peppers, peanut butter, and some cheese, only had a 30 minute lunch break so I ate the celery and triscuits with hummus then had celery with pb a bit later as a snack. I totally forgot about the cheese and red pepper! Oh well, I will have that tomorrow!

That's a good idea rdw1. Have a good day tomorrow!