I have to give up my ATkins Advantage bars for awhile, since I'm not losing anything on Induction and it may be them causing it....

I need quick things I can make and take with me when I'm running....I'm a substitute teacher, and often don't get time to prepare after a phone call from a school....I need something ready to go and portable and easily stored (I never know where the fridge is at whatever school I'm going to!).

Please help. Oh, I love chocolate....so I'd love substitute ideas for that. The bars used to satisfy that urge.....but now, no can do!

I try to pack my day's food in the morning no matter whether it's a workday or not. That way, I avoid the perils of grazing, and it's easy to keep track of my totals for the day. I use an insulated lunchbag with an ice pack, and that way I'm set to go no matter what.

I pack my lunch/snack the night before, and I have one day a week (usually Sunday) that I cook/freeze a bunch of stuff. It stinks, that one day, but it's worth it during the week because I don't cheat. I chop up and bag all of my veggies, I cut cheese (hehehahhaahhohoh), I cook up chicken or fish or steaks or hamburgers and freeze 'em. Like I said, that one day STINKS, but it's worth it if I'm not grazing or looking at my husbands snack stash!!!

Hi! There's several old threads I've been thinking should be brought up, as a refresher for us olbies and good info for so many newbies. Let me find those for you and see if they may help.

I also wouldn't completely toss out the lc bars, perhaps use them a bit sparingly. Also for those chocolate urges, sugar free choco jello or cool whip with some unsweetened chocolate and splenda isn't bad.

If I can't find the threads, I'll start them over.

Hang in there!

J

I work as a sales rep, and am in the car most of the time. I've been out of town alot, so it's hard to pack much food. Any ideas on what I can do for lunch?

for those of us who spend our lives on the road, away from home, or just plain busy busy busy. there. that should cover just about EVERYONE!!!

venus envy mentioned insulated bags with freezer packs. GET ONE. GET TWO. keep freezer packs in the freezer at all times. i've been using those little ice cubes that don't dilute your drinks. you know, they're cute little plastic thingies that are filled with water. i just keep popping them in the freezer at night, and then tuck them around those little containers in my bag.

even a stay-at-home can load her day's food into one and keep it in the refrig to reduce those grab and run raids

as for specific foods, there are many possibilities, but no matter what you choose, we always have to be prepared, so it needs some constant attention to make sure we have stuff on hand. frozen goodies, like precooked chicken, fish, etc. can be helpful if you know you'll have access to a microwave or toaster oven, but if not, then deli meats, cheeses, raw veggies, deviled eggs, whatever, have to be at the ready.

as for being on the road, i feel for you duckduckgoose. i use to commute 100 miles a day, and the traffic is sooo unpredictable.

and food??? HA!!!! such a challenge!!! but no one forces you to eat the bun on any fast food sandwich, so a broiled chicken sandwich from wendy's or burger king or any other fast food place can work. of course, you have to stay away from fries and such, but you can do that.

and many places are starting to serve salads with meat, but it's not usually enough meat to sustain a low carber. unfortunately. but at least it can hold you for awhile.

and i'm a firm believer in wendy's chili. except that they don't seem to cook it long enough, so the veggies are still crunchie.

good luck everyone... if i come up with anything else, i'll let you know. and i can't wait to see what everyone else comes up with. this is such a creative group!!!

Jif -- love your suggestion about the little ice-thingys.... I haven't seen them. What I use serves "double" duty (just the kind of thing I LOVE!! ) When we buy bottled water (rarely, but still!) in the 20 - 24 oz range....... we save the bottles (especially the ones with the sports cap), wash them out, fill half-way and freeze. Then, when frozen, fill the rest of the way with cold water -- put them in my lunch cooler (3 or 4 at a time) and they keep lunch (or whatever) very cold, plus, I have ice water to drink all the time (actually, that's the only way I can drink the water - icey-cold!)... just my handy-dandy tip, for whatever it's worth!

sam and rosie's grandma.. you're so smart!!!! i've been meaning to do that but dear old mom has too much stuff in the freezer. [don't you think i should be able to come up with a better excuse than THAT?????]

but with summer coming, i have to do better with the ice water thing. especially since i HATE warm iced tea. and this from a confirmed tea drinker!!!!!

Okay, one more then I have GOT to get back to real life.

In the recipe section, low carb of course, I posted a recipe a long time ago for making your own protein bars. It is simple, and you can add stuff to make it taste good, like CHOCOLATE, a little peanut butter (or almond butter), some lemon extract, some CHOCOLATE and some coffee extract, or whatever. This way you know what is in it, and can eat just a little of it without too much fear of getting out of ketosis or stirring up those craving witches.

It can be stored in the freezer and eaten cold or left out a while and eaten at room temp. When frozen, they are not hard like ice, but firm.

There are probably lots of other interesting recipes there. We should check them out often. Variety makes this wol more tolerable.

CHOCOLATE????? the magic word!!!

i'm there... i'll let ya'll know how my first cooking experience in more than a year turns out!!!!