Meals On The Go

[mindiloo]

Hey guys,

I'm a junior at the University of Rhode Island and I just found out about my celiac in October. Although it's great to finally know what's been going on, I can no longer survive on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches like I used to. I'm a very busy person and am on campus from 9am - 8pm at least once a week, and have long days without breaks other times as well. I have some gluten free protein bars and I'll bring snacks with me in my bad but I'm running out of ideas on things I can eat that are healthy and filling when I don't have a refrigerator to put it in or a microwave to heat it up in. I've literally been going to school with a jar of peanut butter and a spoon haha.

Any help you can give me would be awesome! thank you!

[Dyan]

YOu could put pb and j on rice cake or corn thins. Or dip some pretzels in the peanut butter. Bananas are easy to carry around. There is a lot of debate on Slim Fast being gluten free, you could try that. Or another drink that you feel safe drinking. Pudding cups would go with the bananas.

[Mother of Jibril]

I find that healthy "snacks" can make a pretty satisfying meal... it doesn't have to be elaborate! Here are some ideas that I use a lot...

Dried fruit (prunes, apricots)

Nuts (avoid the "roasted" ones)

Apples

Oranges

Grapes

Broccoli

Cherry tomatoes

Pea pods

Slices of bell pepper

Celery sticks

Applesauce

Fruit leather

Carrots with hummus

Kiwi fruit (peel at home and stick in a plastic container)

Hard boiled eggs

Pumpkin seeds

Sunflower seeds

Chocolate (not all safe... read the labels)

Cans of fruit without additives (i.e. pineapple it its own juice)

If you're good with corn and dairy, then you have even more options

KIND bars

Lara bars

Terra chips

Yogurt

String cheese

Popcorn

Corn chips and guacamole

Dairy products are fine being out of the fridge for a few hours. The texture might change a bit, but they won't spoil (unless you leave them in a hot car). Invest in some decent plastic containers! Then you can really stick a lot of things in your backpack

[Darn210]

If you ever carry bottled water with you, you can freeze it (might not want to freeze a FULL bottle) and use it as an ice pack to keep something cold (at least until midday) and then you also have cold water to drink.

[ang1e0251]

I would add that Hormel Natural meats are easy to carry around too. I like the ham the best. If you don't have to make roll ups with cheese, just take the whole package with you. As said, fruit cups are good. Cottage cheese comes in small cups, yogurt, trail mix, cereal and even a small can of beans.

Good luck, that junior year is a challenge.

[stolly]

I recommend a Thermos for hot meals. We use one for DD for school and when we're on the go. Fill it with anything...pasta with meat sauce, chili, soup, chicken stir fry, mac and cheese, light hot dog and baken beans, chicken breast and vegetables. We make big batches of everything and freeze extra portions in tupperware (8 oz for DD). We have busy mornings getting out of the house...this is what we do...while brushing my teeth I go to the kitchen and microwave water so it's really hot, then put it in the Thermos which helps to keep the food hot for about 4-5 hours. Then just before we leave I microwave the food, empty out the water and put the food in the hot Thermos. On your really long days, you could do this for lunch and something else non-perishable for dinner.

[GFqueen17]

i live off larabars while im at school. sometimes i also bring trail mix, chips, or fruit.

[efriedm2]

Homemade trail mix in little zip lock baggies:

gluten-free pretzels + Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips + Raisins

[Gfresh404]

I have the same issue. BUT, recently just got an awesome idea from someone else; mix rice, chicken, beans, salsa, corn, peas and carrots. You can carry it around in a tupperware container, I like to eat it cold but you could also heat it up in the microwave before you go. I use Birdseye Steamfresh rice with mixed vegetables, Bush's baked beans, Newman's Own chunky salsa, and Perdue fully cooked chicken. You can eat all of them up in the microwave and then just mix in a big bowl. It is delicious. I tried it today and ate it for lunch, dinner, and desert.

Good luck and let me know if you come up with any other ideas as I am also in school and are always looking for new foods. I was limited to PBJ's for a while too. You could also try almond butter and a different jelly like raspberry or blackberry.

[eeyore]

Sometimes when on the run I throw together canned chicken, corn chips, and cabbage.

[mindiloo]

thank you guys so much! all of this has been a great help! I never thought of putting hot water in a thermos first to keep it extra warm. If i think of any other ideas I'll be sure to let you all know

[AliBell]

I just read your post that you have celiac and go to URI.... I was attending URI when I was diagnosed with Celiac too. I was diagnosed last January and moved home because I didn't know how to cope with it. I now go to Bryant because it is very close to my home and I can commute. I have a really hard time when I am on campus all day too. I am allergic to all nuts which makes it even more difficult. I end up bringing little snacks like bananas, grapes, chips, popcorn, but I am still starving by the end of the day! There is never any food that we can eat on campus! Has it gotten any easier for you?

Thanks everyone for the ideas about the thermos! I am going to have to try that!

[Crayons574]

When I go to class, I usually grab a gluten free protein bar and an apple. They have these really good gluten free bars at Whole Foods...it is called an Organic Food Bar in the "Vegan" flavor. It's organic, gluten free, raw food bar. It's basically almond butter, dates, raisin, and a few other things. Unfortunately, there are not many other options. Unless you cut up your own vegetables and bring it in a lunch box to keep it cool.

[diannalynn0711]

I'm also of junior status, but not at the same college. I am in northwest ohio. I have had 5 years to deal with all of this though. I have found that the bars dont taste the best to me. Ill take a baggie of cereal, or chips. I will eat fruit snacks all the time. I know they are for little kids but they actually have vitamins and taste amazing and help with my sugar also. If there is a Mcd's around you, you can get the apple dippers. The apples and the caramel are gluten free. I have those quite frequently. I also take fresh fruit. Im the person that sits in the back and peels the orange. I also do the hormel meat and I recently have been getting that, its nice to have a change. I make these rice krispe things with fruity pebbles and marshmallows and Ill take them. That works out well. Cookies, brownies, i have made pb and j sandwiches and taken them. Jello cups, fruit cups, pudding cups. Also the salads that are cut fresh at walmart with no croutons, I've had those with no problem. The lunchable nacho snacks... I have taken those to class successfully. I have also taken those beef stick things and munched on those. Thats all that I can think of at this point. It has been such a long time of dealing with all this that I forget things.

I should probably add that I am a criminal justice/psychology double major and I go to a private college. All my professors know me personally and they also know about my disease and they are so great with letting me eat in class. They will actually cook for me sometimes and they will make sure that everything is gluten-free before it is brought in for the whole class.

[mindiloo]

I just read your post that you have celiac and go to URI.... I was attending URI when I was diagnosed with Celiac too. I was diagnosed last January and moved home because I didn't know how to cope with it. I now go to Bryant because it is very close to my home and I can commute. I have a really hard time when I am on campus all day too. I am allergic to all nuts which makes it even more difficult. I end up bringing little snacks like bananas, grapes, chips, popcorn, but I am still starving by the end of the day! There is never any food that we can eat on campus! Has it gotten any easier for you?

Thanks everyone for the ideas about the thermos! I am going to have to try that!

Hi AliBell! I don't have a mealplan but apparently one of the cooks in Butterfield has celiac, so they have kinnikinik bread and stuff there, and he's really nice and willing to tell you everything you can eat. There still aren't very many options on campus. I tend to bring rice crackers or rice cakes and peanut butter, fruit, envirokids bars (I'm pretty sure they're nut free as well so you could have those) or I bring cereal or something in a baggie. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't have peanut butter. I went to Whole Foods last week for the first time since I got diagnosed and it's pretty much heaven on earth, they have SO much stuff we can eat. you should check it out of you haven't already.

Things haven't gotten much better, but i haven't really had much time to try many new ideas. I just eat as big of a breakfast as I can fit inside my tummy and see how longs it lasts me haha.

[AliBell]

Yes I do the exact same thing! I eat a large breakfast right before I leave, usually cereal or a waffle and I have fruit with it too.

Whole Foods is amazing!! I try to get there about once a month. Also, in Warwick there is a trader joe's that I've heard has a ton of gluten free food too. Try that when you feel like taking a trip.. its right near the Warwick mall on Route 2 and probably only 25 mins from URI.