I was just reading the breakfast thread and two members noted that they were skipping breakfast as they had forgotten their breakfast food. It made me curious how many people keep an emergency food stash at work and what they may have in it. I did a search and didn't find anything on this topic.
I have access to both a microwave and a refrigerator at work, so my options are almost as good as at home. I've learned what damage I can do by getting really hungry before eating, so I try to have enough on hand so if I forget to bring anything, I could still make it through the day.
I usually have Old fashioned Oatmeal (can be microwaved in a large bowl following the instructions on the box). Sometimes premeasured into baggies, sometimes the whole box. I have a 1/2 cup measure. I have artificial brown sugar, but I've learned to eat oatmeal plain and like it.
I keep a can of soup and a can of tuna.
Sometimes I'll have a box of SB ok crackers - wasa or low-fat triscuits. I do better with these if they're pre-portioned as these can lead to munching on more than I really need. Sometimes I'll have a small portion of nuts, but I have to be careful with them also.
I keep a wheel of laughing cow and a few babybels in the refrigerator. I try to keep a couple extra servings of raw veggies on hand also. I have a bottle of salad dressing in the fridge also. Often there's an apple there too. Sometimes there'll be an extra yogurt.
Do you have an emergency stash? If so, please share what's in it.
(This was posted in the South Beach Forum, but if you're on a different plan, please feel free to post. Just please include what your plan is.)
I keep a huge stash in my locker. I keep like 5 pouches of the sunkist tuna, a box of light wasa crackers, unsweetened applesauce, sometimes I keep those cans of peaches (no sugar added), I have choc covered soynuts, 100 cal popcorn---or other 100 cal snacks. I also keep hot cocoa and tea packets.
This way ...even if I bring something and I don't really want to eat it, I'm never tempted to go to the cafeteria. I have too many options that are good for me. We also have a giant snack cupboard full of stuff...so if I do want something totally crappy....I have that option too.
I have one of those jobs that can get crazy busy so I keep dry roasted edamames, a couple of cans of Eden beans & rice, soy jerky (that's what happens when you ask the veggie), puffed rice crackers, apples, miso soup packets, cashew cookie larabars,& almonds in my drawer, and salsa & string cheese in the fridge. The edamames are my go to snack though.
Even though I don't work, I still have emergency stashes of food everywhere. DH has food in his office for me - ww crackers and babybel cheeses. I have food in the car - crackers, dried apricots, dry roasted edamames (great minds, Cyndi) and some water. Before I leave the house, I always try to throw in a bag filled with perishable snacks - cut veggies, cut apple and peanut butter, cheese sticks.
I don't operate well if I don't have food...and neither does DS...
wow- you guys are good! I have a hard time keeping snacks stashed around at work. we have one tiny fridge for about 12 of us and you know everyone puts drinks and lunches in there and most of the time the door is hard to shut! I wish they would provide us with a bigger fridge- especially since the cafeteria is nasty and most of us choose not to eat there anymore- especially the veg heads~! But, everyday I do bring my lunch and one or two string cheeses. Many times I keep some roasted chic peas on hand- Where do you gals get the roast edamames? they sound good! occasionally I will have triscuits but love them too much so try to not keep them in sight!
I'm so glad my snafu helped inspired such a great thread. I don't work, so it's usually not a problem for me to forget like that, but I had an appointment an hour away I had to get to. Luckily I did find time to throw together a salad, which I was thankfully able to eat in my meeting.
A simple salad can be really easy to throw together, and - in my experience - if you use the right veggies will stay fresh in a fridge for a day or so if need be. I find spinach leaves stay fresh far longer than many lettuces. This may be true of other dark leafy greens like collard or mustard, I don't know... I just find it lasts much longer than, for example, romaine or iceberg. I had about five minutes to grab food before I left, and was able to fill a Tupperware with spinach leaves, sliced cucumber, and chunks of red pepper. A simple salad, but good.
One thing I used to do (back when I was doing the counting calories thing) and keep meaning to get back to doing is set aside 15-20 minutes soon after doing groceries to cut up/prep all or most of my veggies and keep them really easy to grab and go. Most veggies last pretty well out of the fridge, especially in chilly-but-not-freezing weather like Autumn.
The main do-to quick snacks in our house are low fat cheese stick and peanuts - very basic, straight out of the book, I know. It works for us; we just had to learn to be careful about brand of peanuts. The first time we realized after we got them home that the second ingredient was maltodextrin. Ew. Now we buy CVS store brand.
I'm currently putting a stash together. My friend also told me to pack in some Atkins shakes as well. I have on my list, salmon and tuna packs. I keep nuts and peanut butter readily available in my desk.
I always keep almonds, soy crisps, tea bags(green and black), and NSA fruit leather in my desk. Some sort of SBD compliant salad dressing, natural PB, and milk in the fridge. I also keep sugar free gum on hand at all times. Some times when I think I want to munch on something it is just out of habit/boredom and gum usually does the trick. If that doesn't work a glass of water or tea usually does the trick.
Lots of great ideas here. I'm going to have to look for the roasted edamame.
rdw1 can you put an ice pack in your lunch box? You might be able to stash it in your company freezer overnight so you don't have to carry it back and forth. That'd be one less lunchbox in the fridge and maybe the door would close.
its a mini fridge and the freezer doesn't really freeze- keeps the frozen stuff just frosty...lol its not really too big an issue for me, I just pull out other peoples stuff that doesnt need to be in there like the 4 cans of fruit??? or the bottles of stuff that doesn't even belong to anyone who is working that day! all in all I always manage to find a little room to squeeze in! They have a nice new cooler for our champagne and orange juice we serve to guests that is never full... so if worse comes to worse we can hide stuff behind the bottles! lol
Emergency Food Stash at Work
