Husband's Lunch

My husband takes left overs - he very rarely takes a sandwich.
If he does, he changes up the bread - rye, pumpernickel... or puts a different condiment like dijon mustard or spicy brown mustard.
My kids prefer to take hot leftovers in their thermoses, too.

That said, I don't pack my husband's lunch - he packs his own. He often takes a salad, some almonds, a half sandwich on rye or pumpernickel, some fruit, a thermos of coffee and whatever other yummy thing he can find in the fridge. My husband is diabetic and controls his diabetes with diet and exercise. He knows what he can eat and what he can't.

YMMV
LBC

for my husband, I will make extra for dinner, and then he will pack the left overs for lunch. It's different every day and it's healthy since I make healthy dinners!

M.,
Someone just asked the same question for her son and a lot of the ideas in the responses were excellent and useful for hubby as well as kids- I suggest looking up 'childs lunches' in the search or look at the recent q&a's. It was posted on Feb 22nd.

Just a silly question. Why does your husband not pack his own lunch? I guess if you really LIKE to pack his lunch, but I would never dream of packing my husband's lunch!!! He's a big boy. He does it himself.

I do box up leftovers and stick them in the fridge. If he wants them, he can have them. I also try to keep the fridge stocked with fresh veggies and fruits so he has lots to choose from.

Just a word of warning. If you pack your husband's lunch now, you may be packing his lunch for the rest of your natural life, even when you are super busy. Once you train a husband, they are hard to re-train! Really, you are letting him be reliant upon you to do something that he can do himself. You are not his mommy.

Moms have enough to do. Let your husband pack his own lunch.
http://keystosimpleliving.com/kids.php

Don't listen to the feminist women who wonder why you pack his lunch! Good for you for being thoughtful and loving! They don't know what he does for you or what kind of relationship you guys have. And we wonder why half if Americans are divorced. More couples need to 'do more' for each other. I know that wasn't your question but I just had to add that. Keep on loving your man! A loved man will do anything for his wife! I am sure you already know that.

Ugh. I can't believe how many wives say, "I would never make his lunch" or, "He's on his own", or "He's a big boy. He can do it himself". I feel really very sorry for those husbands. Why the hostility? I wouldn't think this attitude would generate a feeling from him that he would do anything for you, which most wives would love coming from their husbands (husbands actually like this too). I completely second what Gee R said. Sorry, I just had to express my disappointment in wives who feel threatened by caring for their husbands. Good on you M. for treating your man well.

I'm willing to bet those "wives" that said "pack your own lunches" are being cheated on. If you can't make your husband a lunch I'm willing to bet they don't do ANYTHING else to keep their men happy. Lazy, ignorant women give the good ones a bad name. Enjoy that future divorce ladies!

Go to amazon.com and look at the Mr. Bento lunch box. It is pretty cool. You pack the different containers up in the morning and they stay warm till lunch. It would be a nice change to have a hot lunch I'm sure. Kudos to you for packing a lunch for your husband! You are not working full-time so you are helping out in other areas---TEAMWORK. Some of the posters here are so rude! If you were working full-time and he was part time or a stay-at-home you would expect his help too. People should help their spouses more and be kind.

how about instead of just sandwiches, you try different pastas, lasagne, risotto and leftovers (make extras) like say pork chops or Buy a burrito the night before and have that the next day... I know some will say.. a burrito.. but hey, they are in fact tasty.... even the next day and even if not heated.. Additionally, if it has to be a sandwich.. what about a steak sandwich or grilled chicken sandwich.. If he likes polish dogs or brockwurst... you can make those in the am , toast the bun and put them in aluminum foil and they keep pretty well... also, nowadays, you can buy ones without additives and nitrates... Have you considered chili? a nice big bowl on a cold day is great too!! also, meatloaf , roastbeef and even fresh roasted turkey make a great sandwich.. you needed buy an entire turkey either.. just the breast, roast it up and bam.............. makes a good sandwich..

best of luck

My hubs works the night shift. I so I have dinner packed for him and snacks. I have a lot of tupperware type containers, so it's easy and work has a fridge and micro. I mix a salad as well dressing in a smaller cup. Apples, nuts craisins. A thermos of coffee and bottle of water. We both work but I like doing this simple gesture and I sometimes throw in a love note. My hubs does sweet things for me every now and then and when you are 2 ships that pass in the night, me days, him nights it's the little things that mean so much.

I send him to work with leftovers from dinner a couple days out of the week (especially if its a meal really likes, I always make extra). If your man takes care of you, there is nothing wrong with taking care of him in return!

Just about anything you make for dinner can be taken to lunch the next day. My husband loves tuna sandwiches and egg salad sandwiches.
Make his meat and cheese sandwiches on a wheat tortilla and roll it up as a wrap...
Buy an already made sandwich at the deli section in your super market once a week...
Always throw in lots of snacks like nuts, grapes and the occasional chocolate bar.

I never pack my hubbys lunch, he is on his own for that! He takes tv dinners, frozen lasagna, mac n cheese, subs, sandwiches (various kinds), beans, chili etc. He works 12 hour shifts so he needs a lot of food. He includes a fruit or two, granola bar or something similar, cheese n crackers, juice. He likes vegies but not raw and we rarely have leftovers unless I make something to have for 2 meals, andhe isn't allowed to take that, as that is for a second family meal.

Edit.... I have to add, that because my husband makes his own lunch, it doesn't mean I love him any less. Good grief, he works 12 hours and takes 2 meals and 2 snacks, how would I know what he wants to eat for that long a stretch. Just to be clear, I have offered, but I would give him healthier things and likely not enough to fill him up for the day. I also wouldn't wanthim to make my lunch if I worked outside the home. I will plan our plans around his schedule, and sometimes plan on leftovers especially stew and chili that he can heat up.

I try and do "theme" weeks...like pastrami, provolone, fixings w/italian dressing on pumpernickel...then roast turkey, cheddar, bacon, avocado w/ ranch or honey mustard on big rolls...he likes "wraps" last week I made fish cakes for dinner one night with extras...then using a large wrap filled it with coleslaw and crumbled fish cakes topped it with cholula (a brand of hot sauce). He raved about those. I may do a "taco salad" style wrap this week...taco meat, shredded cheese, guacamole, lettuce, etc.

I pack high protein snacks to go with the sandwich and he spreads them out through the day for other shacks...cashews, walnuts, cubes of cheese, hard boiled eggs (or have egg salad sandwiches), peanut butter spread in celery (he really likes it when I stick on raisins like you do for kids).

Look at a sandwich shops menu online and copy some of their ideas. good luck!!

I have a funny story. My hubby was sitting at the break table at work, his co-workers were talking about what their wives made for lunch. One was happy his wife bought his favorite cookies, the other that his wife made his fav. sandwich. Mine said "First she milks the cow and makes homemade yogurt and butter, then she grinds the wheat to make the bread, and makes my jelly sandwich from the berries we grew last summer (or a turkey sandwich from the turkeys we raised for meat and butchered), makes my cookies from scratch using our chicken's eggs and more home-ground flour, and my juice was from the cider we canned last fall." I'm more than happy to provide nourishment for my family and we ARE a team!

As far as recommendations, we bought a plug-in cooler to keep his yogurt, drinks and deli items cool. Some days he takes bagels and cream cheese, others he takes soup or stews in a thermos. Veggies and ranch to dip them in. He tries to mix it up so he's not bored.

Why not mix it up and make him a pita or flatbread sandwhich. Actually it's the same ingredients, except trading pita or flatbread for regular, but sometimes the packaging makes the difference. Make a chicken salad sandwhich and add a few raisens or nuts to mix it up a bit. How about a grilled cheese sandwhich...they're always good cold too. Or, have you tried making him a wrap...this could be regular lunch meat and cheese, or mexican with leftover taco meat, or oriental with leftover sweet and sour chicken or pork? The larger wraps come in different flavors which always adds a change from the usual. My husband has access to a microwave at work so I always put dinner leftovers in plastic containers that he takes and reheats for lunch. He says there's always watering mouths around him when he warms it. lol
Good luck and have fun experimenting. You might just hit upon a winner or find out he'd prefer the regular meat and cheese.
Blessings,
W.

My husband doesn't take a lunch to work, but you better believe that I would TOTALLY fix one for him. All he has to do is ask. He takes very good care of me and our children. I think it would be the very least I could do for him. Some of these posts make me feel sad/sorry for men...

Having said that, can you make a home-made pizza with his favorite toppings and send it cold? If he has a microwave, I think that soup always tastes better the next day, how about a big pot of chili and send the leftovers? (Don't forget to include a small container of toppings like cheese and chopped onions to add!)

two thoughts...first, left-overs from dinner (does he have access to a microwave?)...second, can't he make his own lunch?

Try the east coast favorite turkey with cranberry sauce, lettuce, mayo, onion. No cheese.

How about some wraps? Like Chicken Cesar which is really easy because you can get pre-cooked, sliced chicken breast from the grocery store. What about left over meat loaf sandwiches? If you slice left over meatloaf really thin and add some mayo then your set. Consider purchasing a thermos too, then you could send heated left overs and he will be able to eat a wider variety of food for lunch. Plus, then you won't throw out food from the night before :o)

WOW just read through the responses below and I can't believe this one
"Just a word of warning. If you pack your husband's lunch now, you may be packing his lunch for the rest of your natural life, even when you are super busy. Once you train a husband, they are hard to re-train! Really, you are letting him be reliant upon you to do something that he can do himself. You are not his mommy."

Please people, husbands are not dogs who are meant to be trained and a small gesture of packing a lunch is a great way to show you love your man and you appreciate all the work he does for your family. I have been married almost 9 years and TO THIS DAY my husband STILL makes me two cups of coffee every morning and I snuggle with him on the sofa and watch the news JUST SO WE CAN SPEND QUIET TIME TOGETHER. I GET UP AN hour before I need to so that we get that coffee time.

Part of being romantic in a relationship is showing that you care about someone with the little day to day things you do! I show my appreciation for him by doing his laundry, cleaning the house and preparing dinner. I made him lunch everyday too when he had a job where it wasn't provided. GOOD FOR YOU taking care of your husband, HE DESERVES IT!!

Use different breads or fresh baked roll, here in CA they're $1 each, called bolios in spanish, cant think of the english name for them...anyway, all you can do it change up the meats/cheese if hes that simple. Im sure it tough.

Just about anything can be made into a sandwich:
meatloaf
meatball
chicken - fried/grilled/baked
chicken or tuna salad
fish - salmon, fried catfish
pork tenderloin - thinly sliced
pepperoni/salami
roast beef
OR leftovers from dinner instead of a sandwich

I think it's great you take the time to make his lunch. My husband makes all of our lunches b/c he likes too and I greatly appreciate that he does this for us!

I don't have any ideas for lunches but I just wanted to say I think it is great u make your hubby lunch. I work full-time & my hubby stays home & he refuses to make my lunch and it honestly makes me mad & hurts my feelings. By the time I get home from work I have just 2hrs with my son before his bedtime & then an hour after that before I go to bed. I do all baths, laundry, bedtime & meal planning. In the morning I make breakfast & eat with my son. I don't want sacrifice family time to make my lunch so I buy lunch everyday. I would much rather save money & bring lunch. Plus, about 1/2 time I don't have time to run out & get lunch so I just snack & come home starving. Anyway, I'm sure your hubby appreciates your lunches & will LOVE the new ideas.

I have a soup canister he take once in a while and it stays nice and hot. Other than that he makes his own lunch. My husband is picky and that where I draw the line. Now do it yourself.

Hi M. ~
My hubby won't eat sandwiches so I am always looking for new things for him!! You received some great ideas :)
It's funny b/c there are some days where I just don't have time to do it and he ends up taking frozed burritos or something and one of the guys in the lunchroom always points out "oh, man, your wife not have time to make your lunch? oh, that's too bad" etc. etc.
I do wraps, salads, leftovers, soups. But I see your fairly limited with him being on a jobsite. Sometimes I just cut up meat (like ham) and cheese and crackers and he eats that. What about chicken legs? My hubby loves cold chicken legs. Cold pizza.
I don't pack his lunch b/c he needs a "mommy". I pack it b/c I love him and I want to make him happy. And I don't do it every day so I know he can do it himself and he never expects it and always appreciates it!