I would be miserable with nothing but shakes too- and I love the shakes I'm using! I have read that 1 whole egg + 2 egg whites is equivalent to an omlette packet. I've been having that for breakfast pretty much every day with no problems. Egg whites are free now, so use them! Have an egg white omlette with some chopped veggies or a bit of salsa for breakfast.
Are you not using any bars? Can you not find any that work? Shoppers and Walmart should have some sort of bar that fits the bill. I use Detour bars- many others use Pure Protein. If you eat egg whites at breakfast, a shake at lunch, normal meal at dinner and a bar as evening snack, you're set.
I eat pickles with abandon. I spread my veggies out through the day (4 Cups) and have a salad at lunch and dinner. If I'm hungry (rare) I will eat a salad. It takes some time, but once you get used to it, it's as satisfying as anything you would have snacked on before. I never would have thought I'd love me some salad as much as I do now