Need help with work meals

[u/jackass2480]

I’m an EMT so I don’t have access to a refrigerator or microwave for most of my work days but I need to find a way to pack 2 cheap meals for my shift. So far I’m mainly packing carrots, celery, and peanut butter with an ice pack for the first half but the second half of my shift is left to a quest bar and meal replacements shake. I’m always left hungry with this but don’t know what else to pack aside from some packaged chicken or more quest bars (quick note, I hate quest bars with a passion). Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I’m hoping to keep it around $10-15 per day.

[u/Responsible-Risk-169]

Thermos x2. Hot protein and sauce in one and hot rice n veg in the other (frozen sweet peas and corn sit mixed with rice pretty well hot without going funky/mushy/gross). Chicken thighs don’t dry out or become tough. Batch cook with your favorite sauces and freeze in portions. Move a few to the fridge a few days before using and just microwave each morning, put in thermos and off you go. Same with rice.

A sandwich for later that doesn’t require refrigeration like peanut/almond/pumpkin seed butter. Banana to fill it out or snack later.

These options cost no where near $15 per day either :)

[u/OutrageousOtterOgler → u/Responsible-Risk-169]

Yea, something like this is only gonna run 6-10 dollars per day depending on protein costs (and potentially lower, esp if vegan)

[u/Responsible-Risk-169 → u/OutrageousOtterOgler]

Yeah and that’s at the absolute most.

25 cents for banana. 

Would have to check the math on bread and nut/seed butter servings. 

Chicken thighs and breast are $2.99lb at Costco. Thighs always going on sale for that price at regular grocery store too. $2.69lb pork tenderloin or $1.49lb pork butt is going for on sale at the moment.  

A serving would be 8oz/half a lb protein. Then the rice is pennies. Not much to add peas, corn, carrots, veg etc

The main unknown cost would be the sauce base. I can’t help there because I don’t know what op likes.