Quick Lunch Meal....Not bad at all

[Angela Macy]

My work has taken advantage of "Flex Time" - the other processor and myself now work 10 hour shifts, four days a week. One of us takes Monday off, the other takes Friday. Then the next week we alternate days - it ends up every other week I have a four day weekend with both Friday and Monday off. Its working really awesome so far - I come in a half hour earlier, only take a half hour lunch, and stay an hour later. My husband and I were already car pooling together to our shop, where I leave my truck - I used to go to the shop with him, then drive my truck 3 miles up the road to work. At lunch I'd go back down there. Since I'm only taking 30 minute lunches now, he's dropping me off directly in the morning and I stay here for lunch. I figure that will probably save me $20 a week in gas I was using.

Anyhoo, I have to buy grocerys a little different now since I have to provide lunch at two different places. Last week was the first week of this and I had brought some Grape Chicken Salad to munch on and I had some frozen dinners for me. I wasn't much impressed with the frozen dinners...yuck.

This week I found in the sandwich meat section these "Deli Creations" by Oscar Myer. I'd seen the before and figured they'd be nasty - I actually saw a woman walk by with 5-10 of them in her cart, which is what made me go look at them, figured they must be good if she was buying so many. So today I just tried my first one - it's Chicken Bacon Ranch Flatbread Sandwich. Cost $2.50 and has 320 calories. It has this little microwavable tray in the box, one piece of flatbread, a small package of cheese, bacon ranch dressing, and cooked chicken. Assemble the sandwich, cook 50 seconds - and there you go. I wasn't expecting much, but I was actually very pleasantly suprised - very yummy, flavorful and it filled me up, not to mention I actually feel happy now. Last week I was kind of tiffed after one of those frozen meals - who wants to be tiffed after eating? I had felt cheated, I don't feel cheated today.

These little boxes come in all kinds of flavors too - they have Sub Sandwiches and Flatbread sandwiches - ten different kinds it looks like according to the package. I brought two more, different flavors, so I'm looking forward to trying them tomorrow and seeing what I think of the other ones.

So I thought I'd share a nice quick and inexpensive lunch idea. I'm sure I'm not the only one on here who is only taking 30 minute lunches now and doesnt' have time to run out for something - anyone else looking for quick lunch ideas? Old fashioned ham and cheese gets old quick. I'm looking for other ideas if anyone wants to share - thanks

[scarlettdouble]

I would probably enjoy the flatbread sandwich. I don't really go for the cold sandwiches on regular bread, but like the idea of a hot sandwich on flavorful bread. And since it is already portioned out, I would be able to not cheat and pile on extra and ruin the calorie content! :rolleyes: I always see coupons in the paper for Deli Creations. I'll cut one next time and try it. Thanks for the tip!

[grits]

I work an 8 hour day straight through with no lunch hour. I can fix something and eat at my desk. I like the Amy's frozen entrees. Low cal and vegetarian.

[Snapdragon]

Angela, I've been wondering about those Oscar Meyer Sandwiches. I usually make a nice pita sand with hummus and veggies, but I like to keep something with a little bit of shelf life to keep in the fridge for those days when I just don't have the time to put somthing together. I'll have to give those a try.

[maryc]

Thank you for that tip. I'll have to give this a try.

Snapdragon, how is you eye? Hope it is doing OK.

[Angela Macy]

Today's flatbread sandwich was very similiars to yesterdays - it was Buffalo Ranch chicken. Same as yesterdays, except it had Monteray Jack Cheese and Ranch Buffalo dressing. It was equally as tasty as yesterdays. Tomorrow I move on to the sub sandwich, I'm curious if I will like it as well.

Snap, other flavors in this flat bread are: Sun Dried Tomato Chicken, Fajita Beef and Salsa and Steakhouse Beef with Garlic Parmesan Sauce. I'm not a big sun dried tomato fan but I'm going to try it anyways next week. They do have a decent shelf life so they are good to have on hand like you said.

[Snapdragon]

Thank you for that tip. I'll have to give this a try.

Snapdragon, how is you eye? Hope it is doing OK.

Much better, Mary. Thank you. I'm waiting for my new glasses (should get hree today) and then it won't take me forever to read and write posts.

Angela, those all sound so yummy.

[MindaAnn]

Today's flatbread sandwich was very similiars to yesterdays - it was Buffalo Ranch chicken. Same as yesterdays, except it had Monteray Jack Cheese and Ranch Buffalo dressing. It was equally as tasty as yesterdays. Tomorrow I move on to the sub sandwich, I'm curious if I will like it as well.

Snap, other flavors in this flat bread are: Sun Dried Tomato Chicken, Fajita Beef and Salsa and Steakhouse Beef with Garlic Parmesan Sauce. I'm not a big sun dried tomato fan but I'm going to try it anyways next week. They do have a decent shelf life so they are good to have on hand like you said.

They all sound good, Angela. I love sun dried tomatoes so I think I'll look for that one first. Thanks for letting us know about these.

Snapdragon!! Glad you're getting those glasses! Take care....

[Angela Macy]

Todays was Steakhouse Cheddar @ 460 calories. It included a sub roll, a generous helping of shaved Roast Beef, Cheddar Cheese, light mayo and steak sauce. Same concept, assemble and cook for 60 seconds. It was equally as good as the other two flatbread sandwiches.

These would also be good to take to the track I've decided, I end up wasting a lot of food I buy because it goes bad before we can eat it all - for example, I always end up throwing away about a 1/4 of a loaf of bread. Never eat all of the sandwich meat either. I will admit I'm a bit on the paranoid side, when it doubt, throw it out is my motto. I wouldn't be wasting anything with these prepacked meals.

I'm going to email Oscar Meyer though and tell them I like the product - I've done that before and they send you coupons :)

[happytobehere]

Thank you for that tip. I'll have to give this a try.

Snapdragon, how is you eye? Hope it is doing OK.

Snap, I'm glad to hear your eye is better and hope the glasses will help you. Take care of yourself! :):)