Packed Lunch Ideas?

[Redrewmac]

I'm a fairly new diagnosed T2 (October 2019) and was starting to get on top of what I can/can't eat when lock down started.

I'm not overweight but I've been following a low carb diet after using these forums and finding what I can tolerate from thorough testing and it's been great while I've been at home as I can prepare exactly what I need to for lunch and know how it will affect my sugar levels. However I'm back into the office for two days a week I'm finding it a struggle to come up with packed lunch ideas that are quick and easy to prepare, with any variation that doesn't send my levels shooting up.

Everything I've tried beyond variations on salad (which gets a bit boring after a while) takes me over 10, even, humous and vegetable sticks which I thought would be okay. I had a dietician appointment recently and they recommended I add more carbs to my diet which I have done grudgingly (and in very small quantities generally) but it has made a nice addition after so long without and preparing meals a little easier in some respects. I didn't have time to make anything last night or this morning (don't ask) and made the mistake of grabbing a salmon and cream cheese (wholemeal) sandwich from Morrisons en-route and have gone from 6.4 to 12.0 two hours later so I won't be doing that again.

Grateful for any advice/recommendations

 

[bulkbiker]

Grateful for any advice/recommendations

Cold meats. cheese, pork scratchings.

I had a dietician appointment recently and they recommended I add more carbs to my diet which I have done grudgingly

Did they say why?

 

[Goonergal]

Cold meats are good; smoked salmon and cream cheese without the bread would be perfect! If you have access to a microwave at work, how about making a bit extra each evening and taking leftovers to heat up?

To be honest, anything that would go into a sandwich or on top of pasta etc. can be used - just increase the amount to compensate for the lack of bread/pasta etc.

 

[sno0opy]

If you have a microwave i take a box of eggs in and do scrambled eggs. I take a couple of eggs then a little pot with say cheese and ham in. The eggs take a min or two most to cook them mix it all in if you want toppings.

Scotch eggs are also a favorite of mine - boiled eggs, coated in seasoned pork mince baked in the oven.

Depending how low you go on carbs i do plenty of soups. Plenty of good quality tinned soups - though again depends on the carb requirements.

 

[Redrewmac]

Cold meats. cheese, pork scratchings.



Did they say why?

I'd commented I was finding the choice of foods a bit restrictive so they added Gliclazide to my medication and told me carbs were an essential part of any diet

 

[bulkbiker]

carbs were an essential part of any diet

Well that's complete rubbish for a start.. but you also say you want to get off the meds.. the best way to do that is to reduce carbs to an absolute minimum.
You just have to be careful when on Glic because you could hypo.
That's why getting off Glic rather than eating carbs to take the meds would be a far better course of action for you.

 

[bulkbiker]

I'd commented I was finding the choice of foods a bit restrictive so they added Gliclazide to my medication and told me carbs were an essential part of any diet

 

[sleepster]

Crustless quiche/frittata is good for lunchboxes, you can put whatever meat/cheese/veggies you like in it, make a big one and it'll do lunch for a few days with some salad or by itself, you can heat it up or just have it cold

 

[copilost]

I'm not overweight

a salmon and cream cheese (wholemeal) sandwich

have gone from 6.4 to 12.0 two hours later

That seems a bit harsh, have you contemplated that you might not be T2? I know pretty much nothing about this but having followed the boards for a while I'd definitely have this question in my mind, you may well be T2 but it doesn't hurt to know there are other possibilities.

 

[MrsA2]

Hard boiled eggs, cook 6 or more at a weekend keeps well
Or egg muffins, basically eggs with meat and other stuff and cheese baked in muffin cases. Cook ahead, keeps well
Cauliflower cheese bread savoury, or seed crackers and pate, either meat or fish
One egg omelette cooked thin and used as a wrap

If you need to grab a sandwich in future, grab 2 but only eat the filling. Or just buy a pot of ready made filling.
Buy ready cooked bacon in a pack

 

[Hotpepper20000]

Pepperoni sticks
Olives
cheese
Nuts
Hard boiled eggs
Any leftover meat.

 

[Redrewmac]

Thanks all, definitely some ideas there I'm going to use and definitely no more sandwiches for me, my levels were still well up from normal this morning :-(

That seems a bit harsh, have you contemplated that you might not be T2? I know pretty much nothing about this but having followed the boards for a while I'd definitely have this question in my mind, you may well be T2 but it doesn't hurt to know there are other possibilities.

I worry about it all the time, the diabetic clinic at the hospital seemed convinced I was LADA but the antibody test came back negative, apparently I'm at risk of hyperthyroidism as well but I have no idea what (if any) effect that has on sugar levels.​

 

[copilost]

the diabetic clinic at the hospital seemed convinced I was LADA but the antibody test came back negative

This is not something I know about so I'm tagging @Antje77 who does know stuff

 

[Antje77]

This is not something I know about so I'm tagging @Antje77 who does know stuff

Thanks, @copilost
I do know a lot of stuff, but one of the things I do not know for sure is what type I am.

I worry about it all the time, the diabetic clinic at the hospital seemed convinced I was LADA but the antibody test came back negative

In my case the GP thought T2 (I'm fat and was 39 at the time) but gliclazide plus lowish carbs definitely didn't do the trick. I never saw a number below 10 on this. Which is different from you, as you see numbers well below.
I started insulin pretty quick, which works well for me in a typical T1 regime of a basal and bolus insulin. Two years later I asked for a referral to an endocrinologist to get my antibodies and C-peptide tested. They only tested the GAD antibodies, which came back negative but I haven't been tested for the other antibodies.

Still, my endo decided we would go with T1, based on my low (but not extremely low) C-peptide and the fact the tablets and diet didn't work.

Have you had your C-peptide tested to see how much insulin you produce yourself? This may give a clue to what type you have (but it can also be inconclusive).
Do you know why the hospital clinic were convinced you were T1 and why they changed their mind? Being positive for antibodies confirms T1 but being negative doesn't mean you're definitely not T1.

As for your rise from 6.4 to 12 after a sandwich, I don't think this is uncommon in T2. Assuming 2 slices of bread, this is something like 30 grams of carbs and also eaten earlier in the day, when many people find themselves more insulin resistant.

apparently I'm at risk of hyperthyroidism as well but I have no idea what (if any) effect that has on sugar levels.

Do you know what made them say you're at risk of hyperthyroidism? I don't know anything about this but if you have questions on it, just ask, we have some members who know a lot about thyroid levels!

On your original question, I like to add 2 of my favourite meals on the go to all the ideas above: I make a big omelet with lots of cheese, mushrooms, bacon, vegetables and take a slice of it with me to eat cold.
I also love oven baked celeriac slices with cheese and bacon or chorizo, very easy to make: Thick slices of celeriac and a drizzle of oil, bake in oven until almost done, add cheese and meat to the slices (and paprika, chilli powder, curry powder or such) and let melt.
They keep well for a couple of days and are easy to eat with your hands, like a sandwich.

 

[DCUKMod]

I'm a fairly new diagnosed T2 (October 2019) and was starting to get on top of what I can/can't eat when lock down started.

I'm not overweight but I've been following a low carb diet after using these forums and finding what I can tolerate from thorough testing and it's been great while I've been at home as I can prepare exactly what I need to for lunch and know how it will affect my sugar levels. However I'm back into the office for two days a week I'm finding it a struggle to come up with packed lunch ideas that are quick and easy to prepare, with any variation that doesn't send my levels shooting up.

Everything I've tried beyond variations on salad (which gets a bit boring after a while) takes me over 10, even, humous and vegetable sticks which I thought would be okay. I had a dietician appointment recently and they recommended I add more carbs to my diet which I have done grudgingly (and in very small quantities generally) but it has made a nice addition after so long without and preparing meals a little easier in some respects. I didn't have time to make anything last night or this morning (don't ask) and made the mistake of grabbing a salmon and cream cheese (wholemeal) sandwich from Morrisons en-route and have gone from 6.4 to 12.0 two hours later so I won't be doing that again.

Grateful for any advice/recommendations

Redrewmac - Some folks find lunches challenging. I'm fortunate to really enjoy salad, so having plenty of that floats my boat.

However, just a bunch of green leaves wouldn't keep me going. I'm quite slight, but do need to eat.

I'f I know I have a busy week ahead, or if I need to plan for food on the move, I have a few things I do. How about buying a pack of chicken drummers, thighs, or whatever cut you favour, and cook them all at once. You can then wrap each drummer/thigh or whatever, in foil and freeze them. Doing that means you have portion control, rather than dealing with a big frozen block. Additionally, if I take them out of the freezer in the morning, or the evening before and put them in the fridge, they're generally defrosted by lunchtime. Canned fish (tuna, salmon, mackerel, pilchards) work well, but can be considered antisocial by workmates.

The same idea applies to sausages/chipolatas, strips of bacon, or any cold meats. Cooking a small gammon joint, slicing it and freezing whatever you deem to be a portion size works. Hard boiled eggs keep for about a week, kept in a fridge, once cooked.

Pork scratchings, individual posts of Greek yoghurt.

Some take leftovers from an earlier evening meal to reheat in a microwave at work.

Much depends on your environment, and what facilities you have available, in terms of refrigeration, crockery, cutlery and so on. Funnily enough, I was recently having a discussion about quality picnic cutlery. A decent Thermos (other brands are available), for drinks, soups or a wide mouthed variant for taking stews, or a curry with you.

I won't say the options are endless, but there are lots and lots of options available to you.

Enjoy!

 

[candymint109]

Redrewmac - Some folks find lunches challenging. I'm fortunate to really enjoy salad, so having plenty of that floats my boat.

However, just a bunch of green leaves wouldn't keep me going. I'm quite slight, but do need to eat.

I'f I know I have a busy week ahead, or if I need to plan for food on the move, I have a few things I do. How about buying a pack of chicken drummers, thighs, or whatever cut you favour, and cook them all at once. You can then wrap each drummer/thigh or whatever, in foil and freeze them. Doing that means you have portion control, rather than dealing with a big frozen block. Additionally, if I take them out of the freezer in the morning, or the evening before and put them in the fridge, they're generally defrosted by lunchtime. Canned fish (tuna, salmon, mackerel, pilchards) work well, but can be considered antisocial by workmates.

The same idea applies to sausages/chipolatas, strips of bacon, or any cold meats. Cooking a small gammon joint, slicing it and freezing whatever you deem to be a portion size works. Hard boiled eggs keep for about a week, kept in a fridge, once cooked.

Pork scratchings, individual posts of Greek yoghurt.

Some take leftovers from an earlier evening meal to reheat in a microwave at work.

Much depends on your environment, and what facilities you have available, in terms of refrigeration, crockery, cutlery and so on. Funnily enough, I was recently having a discussion about quality picnic cutlery. A decent Thermos (other brands are available), for drinks, soups or a wide mouthed variant for taking stews, or a curry with you.

I won't say the options are endless, but there are lots and lots of options available to you.

Enjoy!

 

[5Terry]

I sometimes by "Panini rolls" which are freshly cooked in the local Lidl supermarket and put hame cheese and tomtatoes in as there is no microwave on site to heat food where I volunteer at, and the restraunts prices are not cheap.

But I do make sure I have a diabetic frenidly meal when I get home that prepare the night before to put in the slow cooker.

Terry.

 

[Dr Snoddy]

Cheese, olives, nuts, radishes, cucumber, smoked salmon and cream cheese in gem lettuce leaves, Higgidy cheese and egg muffins, if you just fancy buying something. If you have time go to a major supermarket and check out the carbohydrate content of a range of options. In the future you may be able to grab something useful without thinking about it too much.

 

[MrsA2]

New I sometimes by "Panini rolls" which are freshly cooked in the local Lidl supermarket and put hame cheese and tomtatoes

Lidl do good sliced cheese so if you need to lower carbs more just try wrapping the ham in the cheese, or vice versa, they roll up like Swiss rolls and are surprisingly filling. Add soem salad leaves in the middle and even looks high class! No bread needed.