Stews and casseroles are a good option. Make ahead and freeze in small containers that will fit in the fridge. Also put a salad mix in a ziploc, if a bottle of dressing won't fit, then maybe you can put it in baggies as well.

My hubby drives also, and I have been trying for years to get him to bring along his meals. He is given $$ from work to purchase his meals. If we added that to our grocery budget, we'd all be eating better! LOL

Laurean in Iowa

The small refrigerators that I have experience with all had minimal freezer space. I'm assuming your dh's does too. Since freezer space would be at a premium, I would stock it with already cooked meat like ground beef and chicken. I would send Rice-A-Roni or Hamburger Helper type meals that can be made in the microwave and mixed with meat. Tuna or chicken casseroles could be made in the microwave also.

Those are good ideas as well! I was thinking that the meals would thaw in the fridge during the week.

WOW what a great opportunity for creative ideas....try posting your request over on the cooking forum . Bet you'll get more ideas than you want! In the meantime I'm thinking!

Hi,

I often cook up food in batchs for my lunch. Lots of good stuff comes prepackaged and is better then fast food or vending machines. I love tunafish in the foil pouchs as it stores at room temp and does not need draining (eat out of the bag). A couple rolls of "Ritz" style crackers helps to make that a meal. Tins of sardines and kippered herring are compact and shelfworthy. Dried fruit in a ziplock bag can double as desert or snack. A little jar of peanut butter (refilled from a big jar). Some spray can cheese, some hard cheese. Okay, you have probably already discovered most of that stuff.

I almost can't eat without salt & pepper. Even Mc Fries taste better with a little black pepper. Condiments go a long way for making a lunch taste better. A fellow I knew always took a whole jar of pickles in his lunch... made him happy. Perhaps your guy has some "comfort food" like those pickles that other people might not think important. My comfort food is to make my sandwichs on homemade bread. Wrap them in wax paper and then in plastic, discard plastic wrap before nuking and you have a warm sandwich with something to eat it on.

Food to cook that packs well. I like to boil a whole pot of potatos at the start of the week. They reheat well and you can put all sorts of things on them from butter to vinegar. I'll cook ground beef and baked beans together with enough sweetener to make it taste "good"... very heavy and filling. Spagetti reheats fairly well. Cook up a bottom round roast with all the veggies, slice up the roast and he can make a sandwich or heat it up with some veggies. Put some gravy in a jar for "almost home" affect. Tortillas and "taco stuff" reheats well. Don't be afraid to slap a nice steak on the grill then cut it up and pack it... not as good as fresh done but better then any "window" food. Grilled chicken and cheese is one of my favorite sandwich fillers. Well wrapped sandwichs can last 3-4 days in good shape if you don't put stuff on that makes the bread soggy.

Enough home cooking, I imagine your guy will want to sit still for his meal at least once a day. Don't forget to pack vitamins & mineral suppliments, a small bottle of asprin, antacid tables, and maybe some tylenol... hehe! just part of what I call "lunch". Yes, most guys like those little notes you hide in with the lunch.

good luck,
michael

This is a challenge, but if you think more along the lines of filling the tiny fridge with solid items you might be able to pack more meals. For instance, grill extra steak or chicken on the weekend, slice it, wrap well and let hubby get a salad on the road (Wendy's are quite good) with dressing, top with the grilled meat. A potato can be carefully cooked in the microwave to go with some homemade meatloaf. You can make mini meatloaves using mini loaf pans.
Fresh carrots, peppers, celery, and cherry tomatoes provide more nutrition than a fluffy bag of lettuce. Muffins would provide a change from cereal for breakfast. If you put some frozen foods in the fridge, they would be thawed after the first day or two on the road. For fall and winter, soups, stews, and chili will be great on the road. Does he have room for a small cooler? Frozen containers might stay cool for several days - have him check it out.

You just need to do some creative thinking here and find out from him what he likes to eat on the road and what works well. At least he will be eating healthier and cheaper and that is saying a lot! ...T.