Domesblissity

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Man-sized packed lunch ideas

I was asked by a great friend of mine if I had any ideas on man sized packed lunch ideas. By the time ‘smoko’ rolls around, most men are looking for something substantial to eat. Here’s a couple ideas.

Man-sized packed lunch ideas www.domesblissity.com

Meat and salad wraps/sandwiches/bread rolls

The above is a picture of the Greek lamb and salad wrap I made. I used a wholemeal Lebanese bread so two of these in the lunch box would certainly fill your man up. Alternatively, using a smaller tortilla as the wrap, you could probably make up 3 or 4. You could also use sliced bread or rolls but go for the multigrain or wholemeal type.

Meat:  Ham, chicken, pork, lamb, beef, tuna, salmon, sardines, pâté, salami OR boiled eggs

Salad:  Lettuce of any sort, tomato, cucumber, celery, capsicum, alfalfa sprouts, bean sprouts, radishes, onion, beetroot, dill pickle, gherkins

Cheese:  cheddar, cottage, cream, spread, Gruyere, Edam, Swiss, Camembert, Brie, mozzarella

Spreads:  mayonnaise, mustard pickles, corn relish, gherkin relish, chutney, dips, sour cream, hummous, tahini, mustard, thick salad dressings, tomato sauce (ketchup), BBQ sauce, chilli sauce

Baked chicken legs (or wings)

These may be a little messy to eat so throw in a couple of paper serviettes. Cold chicken legs or wings (or any piece of chicken) is great to have in a lunch box. Throw in a small tub of Ranch dressing for dipping. The above is Miz Helen’s BBQ Rub and Marinade chicken legs.

 

Savoury fritters

Savory Fritters www.domesblissity.com

Make up fritters with any leftover meat, corn kernels, grated vegies and/or cheese and serve with a small tub of tomato sauce (ketchup) for dipping.

 

Savoury pies

Ned Kelly Pie www.domesblissity.com

I love my pie maker. I can eat pies hot or cold and the above ‘Ned Kelly’ pie, that is bacon, egg and cheese is a great one. Frozen puff pastry with leftovers like stew, chilli or curry, beef mince, chicken and grated vegies all make great pie fillings.

Alternatively, the Cornish Pasty is a great big pastry pocket full of beef and cubed potato and other vegetables which are great eaten cold.  Make your own pastry or pre-made short or puff pastry will work just as well.

Hot food in a thermos

You can get these great little insulated thermoses ideal for keeping food hot, great for the winter months. How about these ideas to fill it?

  • Pasta, noodle and rice dishes
  • Soups
  • Stews, chilli
  • Cheerios (or baby weiners) with tomato sauce (ketchup) for dipping
  • 2 minute noodles

Frittata or Mini Quiches 

A cold slice of frittata made with leftover meats and roast vegetables makes a great lunch box filler for a big appetite. Something else easy to do is make up an omelette mix of 3-4 eggs and a little water or milk and add in cooked meat, tinned fish, cheese, grated vegies and top with cheese in a Texas size muffin pan for mini quiches (with or without pastry). These freeze really well, as does a frittata, ready to just pop straight into the lunch box from the freezer.

Ploughman’s Lunch

Ploughmans Lunch www.domesblissity.com

A Ploughman’s Lunch, originating in the UK, is a great way to serve a man-sized cold meat and salad. A selection of sliced cold meat like ham or corned silverside, chunks of cheese, pickled onions, boiled eggs, a small salad of lettuce, cherry tomatoes, radishes and onion rings, and a couple of thick slices of buttered bread will give your man something to pick at in between ‘smoko’ and lunch.

Baked goods

Nothing beats a man-sized lunch than a man-sized muffin and the above Breakfast muffins are ideal. You can add any nuts, dried fruit, leftover breakfast cereal, fresh fruit pureed or mashed and baked in a Texas sized muffin pan.  Check out my recipes for other baking goods where you’ll find different flavour combinations for muffins or bar cakes. A bar cake can be made in a jiffy while you’re getting the evening meal ready and while the oven is on. Once cooled, cut into thick slices, sandwich with butter and jam, wrap in cling film and pop in the freezer. Muffins freeze really well too as do plain or fruit scones.
Some fresh fruit like bananas, apples or oranges, a thermos full of hot coffee or tea and/or a 2 litre bottle full of cordial or fruit juice with a few or all of the above will certainly keep your hungry man full at work. Thanks Neva for the prompt.
Do you have any other recipes to share that are more substantial than the average packed lunch?
 Man-sized packed lunch ideas www.domesblissity.com

Comments

  1. Linda Woodrow says

    I did a whole series a while ago – the Muesli Bar Challenge – about lunch box baking – a year's worth of weekly recipes that were healthy, easy, cheap to make, low GI lunch box baking. I was thinking of kid's lunch boxes, but had a lot of active workers commenting that a cake or slice or biscuits for smoko, with enough complex carbs to fuel a few hours work, set them up well. And without too much heart unfriendly fat.

  2. Jane says

    These are GREAT ideas that I'll definitely keep in mind for my constantly hungry other half. He's a landscaper and is lifting, moving, shovelling etc for 8 hours a day, so he always comes home hungrier than ever.

    Usually he just takes leftovers from dinner or buys a pie (or 3) from the servo, but if I ever have some extra time on my hands, I might put my domestic goddess hat on and prepare him one of these recipes. Thanks, Anne 🙂 xx

  3. Tonia L says

    Great ideas! My husband works a desk job too and tries not to eat to big of a lunch! I checked out your fritters recipe and I've never tried them…but they looks so good!!!

  6. Mary F says

    Hubby has a desk job and comes home for lunch each day but since he rarely eats a morning meal, he's pretty hungry by the time he gets home. These are perfect ideas for me to make ahead for lunch or for an easy supper for the two of us.

    Newly following from Foodie Friday. Thanks for the great tips!

  8. Anonymous says

    I'm a shearer with no other half, but I work super hard all day and need to keep my energy up! These ideas look delicious and I can't wait to try them! Especially that wrap! 🙂

  10. Elizabeth C says

    Hi! I am definitely following this! I am constantly trying to find new and diverse lunches for my children and husband, they all have different preferences and its so frustrating! I'm really interested in the pir maker, can you tell me where I can find one? I think my favorite here is either the little pies or that wrap! It looks delish!!!
    I am new to blogging and I hope you can come by sometime to mine at http://mybutterflyhaus.blogspot.com

  12. Jess says

    These are wonderful ideas! I have got to try the Greek Lamb & Salad Wrap – I may even share some with my husband… lol! Thank you for sharing at Tasty Tuesdays, have a great week. 🙂

  15. Major_Hutch says

    Those are some awesome Ideas, I'm going to be packing my lunch most days as a college guy. So I'm looking for some beefed up lunches.