I use a neoprene bag (I think the brand is Built) because I can just throw it into the wash when it gets dirty. I often pack salds (either bagged or ones that I made), string cheese, oatmeal in a thermos, soup in a thermos, fruit, etc.

Definitely buy a lunch sack or small cooler bag and some good food storage containers and ice packs. Target carries a line called Fit and Fresh and Igloo is always a good choice.

Some food ideas:
Yogurt with fruit and granola
Dinner Leftovers (make more at night and immediately pack up a lunch portion as you are cleaning up dinner)
Batch cook a protein on the weekend and use in salads throughout the week (Keep bottled salad dressing at work if you have fridge access)
Make your own lunchables (cheese, meats, nuts, crackers,fruit)
Keep some shelf stable stuff like tea bags, protein bars etc at work if you have an appropriate space
Keep a set of utensils at work if you can clean them or bring in plastic ware from carry out places so you always have them.

Anonymous wrote:I keep the containers from takeout - I have a ton over time - and I fill them with leftovers, or make some kind of quick pasta and put several portions in the fridge or freezer. I do bring them home again to reuse, but it’s no big deal if I don’t or they get lost. I also buy yogurts and fruit to bring for breakfast.

I would not microwave them over and over again. They are not designed for reuse.

I have a thermos and a bento box.
- steel cut oats with peanut butter and a few chocolate chips or raisins.
-chili or lentils with sausage — with a bit of rice and an apple.
-Ham sandwiches on bread, rice cakes, or as wraps.
- smoked mozzarella or Gouda and fruit.
- leftovers from dinner in the bento box.

DH uses these lunch containers:
Ello Duraglass Glass Food Storage Meal Prep Containers https://a.co/d/bb6ZhiJ

I usually meal prep for him on the weekends (while he does all the laundry, so we’re even!), and make one big meal to divide into those 5 containers. That way I’m only cooking the one thing, not several. His current favorite is yellow curry chicken & potatoes over rice. He also likes burrito bowls, lentils over rice, and pasta salad.

When I was in the office, I preferred packing a bunch of small, no cooking required foods — salads, hard boiled eggs, cheese, nuts, fruit, crackers, etc.

Buffalo chicken salad (shredded chicken, blue cheese, franks red hot, with died celery and grated carrot)

Any kind of leftovers

Lettuce wraps with meat and cheese of choice

Quiche or egg bites (though maybe not if the microwave is in shared space)….

I pack breakfast and lunch. For breakfast I either take egg white salad (mayo and mustard and maybe chives or something for flavor) or egg whites and spinach. I use a small Rubbermaid container. I also take coffee in a Yeti.

For lunch I do salads. I keep a bowl at work. I put my veges in ziplock bags (lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, cucumbers). I take a protein - chicken or fish - also in a ziplock. I keep some nuts and balsamic vinegar in my desk to add in. Sometimes I take fruit - I’m partial to pineapples, watermelon and cantaloupe. Again, ziplock bags. Kind of boring. My new office will have a Wegman’s across the street and I plan to buy every single day until I retire.

Anonymous wrote:Leftovers in a glass Tupperware, a fruit and a piece of candy or snack (since the days I'm in the office are long).

The challenge for me is coffee refills. I've been bringing tea bags and the office has (but doesn't stock) a Keurig...I may be that jerk who brings in the one cup French press. And maybe oatmilk creamer if it stays good longer than dairy.

DH and I started buying boxes of single serve shelf stable cream for work. Or if we have mini jelly jars (like the single serve size you get at restaurants sometimes). I will bring in a day’s worth of milk at a time. Those are also great for salad dressing - tiny, and the screw-on lid makes it leakproof.

Hard boiled eggs? Yogurt and fruit? Tuna sandwiches or with crackers? Hummus? Egg muffins (sort of like a quiche, but made in muffin tins). Hi see dumplings with broccoli? Any bowls? Salads nicoise? Quesadillas?