[GardenStream]

I'm taking a day trip with another family. They are planning on packing a cooler for lunch and eating on the road. They are all planning on taking lunch meat and making sandwiches. I'm not comfortable with that.

: I'll eat lunch meat at my own home, but I know that I have always kept it cold. So, I just told the other mom that I'll pack something special for myself.

Anyway, does anyone have a good suggestion of what I should pack for myself? So far I can only come up with a PB&J sandwich. That would be OK, but not very filling.

 

[VanessaS]

: Hallo!

Well, a high-quality cheese (no Kraft Singles) can stay at room-temperature for a while. How about a real-Swiss cheese sandwich? A good Camembert actually tastes better when it's warmed up a bit. Just make sure you buy some made out of pasteurized milk. Bring some sliced raw veggies like carrots, bell peppers, and cucumbers. Top it off with an apple and plain yogurt (the cultures will keep it safe for a while).

Or, of course, you could bring P&J.

A word on luncheon meats: my butcher told me that while you are pregnant or breastfeeding you should avoid anything raw like salami, metwurst, or smoked ham.

 

[VanessaS]

I just surfed online.
The FDA suggests not eating cheese that has been out longer than 2 hours. That is soooo ridiculous.

The funny thing is that all of the cheese-producer websites suggest leaving cheese at room-temperature for AT LEAST 2 hours in order for the flavor to develop.
I wonder what the FDA would say about letting red wine "breathe".

This is the same kind of mentality that causes people to clean their bathrooms with Chlorox. I use things like lemons, baking powder, distilled vinegar, and dish soap and whenever I say that to an American they are totally shocked. As in: how do you get your bathroom clean without pouring battery acid on it?!

 

[Dreamy]

What about pitas with hummus, lettuce and tomato?

You could also make a cold pasta salad with chopped up vegetables, just don't use a cream base for the dressing.

This one got great reviews and uses Italian dressing: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Garden-...ad/Detail.aspx

 

[pixiepunk]

Quote:

What about pitas with hummus, lettuce and tomato? You could also make a cold pasta salad with chopped up vegetables, just don't use a cream base for the dressing.

ok, get out of my brain

before scrolling down those were the two things i was going to suggest!

hummus is an awesome lunch/snack - one of my favorites, especially when pregnant. if you didn't want to put it in a sandwich/pita, you could also just bring cut up carrots, cucumbers, celery, etc. to dip.

mmmmm... i know what i'm having for lunch tomorrow

 

[ErikaG]

How about a pasta salad, or a three bean/five bean salad, or a wild rice and bean salad?

 

[pumpkin]

This will sound odd, but
Peanut Butter, Cheddar, Shredded Carrots, Dried Cranberries, and Greens on a nice bread whole grain bread.
Its one of my favorite sandwiches and its more filling than the traditional PP&J.

 

[Meksmama]

hummus with cucumbers and lettuce on Whole Wheat bread is one of my favorites.

 

[limabean]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VanessaS This is the same kind of mentality that causes people to clean their bathrooms with Chlorox. I use things like lemons, baking powder, distilled vinegar, and dish soap and whenever I say that to an American they are totally shocked. As in: how do you get your bathroom clean without pouring battery acid on it?!

I think that, particularly on this website, you'll find plenty of other mamas who use natural products to clean ... even American mamas!

As for what to pack for lunch, a nice cheese-and-veggie sandwich (I like muenster and cucumbers the best, along with some lettuce and tomato) would be great, or the hummus/veggie pita that someone mentioned.

 

[blizzard_babe]

If they're packing a cooler, will there be ice and cold packs in it? If so, it'll stay cold for at least the morning, so I wouldn't be TOO worried about it. Things like hummus, beans and rice, although they technically require refrigeration, won't go bad even if NOT in a cooler.

If they're not putting ice/cold packs in the cooler, could you offer to bring some? That would make the whole non-refrigeration thing a non-issue. We go camping with a cooler full of ice and food, and stuff stays good all weekend long.

 

[GardenStream]

The cooler is one that plugs into the accesory port of the car. I don't know how well it will work and I don't really want to take the chance. Last I talked to the other mom she was trying to decide between lunch meat and chicken salad sandwiches. I'm going to pass on either one.

I think this pregnancy took my brain! I'm really feeling like a moron now. I should have been able to come up with hummus or a pasta salad. That's perfect! I will have plenty of time to make up my favorite jalapeno hummus before we go.

 

[milosmomma]

mmmmm, this thread is making me hungry (as does everything else

)