When my classes start again on the 6th, I will be in school for 14 hours a day. From 7:30a to 9:00p. I need to get some ideas of food that I can take for lunch and dinner that will keep without a refrigerator. I am still on induction, and have no idea what will work. When I was in school before, I would just take a bag of chips, and maybe a soda..but now, that isnt an option. You all are so helpful, I know you have some ideas up your sleeves!

mandapanda... you ask such HARD questions!!! here are some off the top of my head ideas...

some of them are pricy, because they don't need refrigeration,

like the sealed bags of tuna. single serving, no refrig

soy nuts [but not if you're on induction!]

jerky in any form [beef, turkey, whatever you can find]

cheddar cheese, if you plan to eat it around midday. doesn't need refrig all the time, but i'd hate to eat it after 14 hours at room temp!

welll, that about shoots my ideas!!! hope someone else comes up with something more interesting.

oh. actually individual cans of tuna or chicken would work too

Pork rinds, the perfect food.

Lots of protien, no carbs, and little fat.

Can you get a small cooler? DH takes one to work, and it keeps food very cool.

I have a little insulated lunch box that fits into my backpack. I could probably get a small ice pack thing..

Is beef jerky relatively low in carbs? If so, that would be great. Some of that and a piece of string cheese, and I would be set!

Some beef jerky is, and some isn't. (What an answer, huh?) The trouble is that some of the little packets don't have food labels, which ticks me off, but that's another thread. Anyway, what I do is look at the ingredient list. If the list contains brown sugar as an ingredient, I keep looking. Of course I'm talking about the type of jerkey you buy in a gas station, a grocery store might have better selections.

Also I looove sunflower kernels for on the go snacking. Possibly not legal on induction, but I modify it (Atkins) to suit my tastes, and as long as I lose, I'll keep eating them.

And you can always freeze chicken or other meat. It'll thaw just fine by lunchtime. Sausages, beef, tuna salad etc but don't freeze egg salad - the whites turn into rubber.

ruth.,. i KNEW you'd have a great answer.

as for the jerky, i've found a pepper flavor with no brown sugar [pemmican brand], and there are a couple hot and spicy ones with no sugar as well.

and i LOVE my little insulated bag with an ice pack or two. trouble is, the cold won't last 14 hours, but at least it'll get you through lunch and maybe midafternoon snack. [snacks are important!]

once you get the cooler, you can add deli meat roll ups and stuff like that.

oh. and then you can always add a low carb protein shake if you're desperate. unfortunately, most of them can't be frozen without altering the protein, but if you can find some ice and a cup, you can pour the shake over the ice. these things just taste so gross when they're warm

One must not forget condiments in that little lunch pack! I especially love salsa and pork rinds, one of my favourite snackies. And you can freeze cream cheese and have it for an afternoon snack with some cucumbers. Oh! And bring a can opener and a can of ham/turkey/tuna and mix it in with the cream cheese and use as a little dip--or if you have time do it at home and freeze. Hmmm...running out of ideas--next?

Thank you all for the great ideas! I went to walmart today to find some of the freezable ice packs. I got two, so I can use one, and have one freezing. I am going shopping this weekend, so I will get some of the foods you all have mentioned. I dont know how long I will have for lunch. Hopefully in my 8 hour nursing class we will get about a 1/2 hour. Thanks again!!

I'm not sure if your plan allows it but....

I used to put individual yougurts in the freezer overnight and just pop one in my lunch box-by the time it hits 12-2pm it is mostly thawed. It does change the texture a bit but it's not bad

I find that the Laughing cow cheese in the individual tinfoil wrappers tend to stay cool longer than regular cheese when you are using an insulated bag or icepack.

Motts makes individual applesauce containers (they come in 6packs) I think some have no sugar added in the plain ones.