Everyday Systems

I have been in transition-mode for a while now, changing to a new job. The job is good, but the one bad thing about it is that I now have an hour-long commute each way that I didn't used to have. (Yes, I know to people who live in big cities that it's not much. But I'm used to being 10 minutes from work at most, and find that it's a major adjustment.)

The place where it's the biggest adjustment is breakfast. I can bring my usual lunch - no problems there - but I'm in the car at 7:00, when I normally eat my breakfast. (Lunch is noon, dinner around 6:30. I'd rather not mess with the timing on the later two meals if possible. If I need to, lunch is easier to move than dinner.)

For this week (first week), I'm eating a banana in the car, along with drinking my usual cafe au lait, and then eating yogurt when I get to work. I tried a bagel in the car, but worried about dropping it on me, plus I would actually prefer not to eat in the car if I can avoid it. The fruit is barely acceptable to me.

This amount feels like a normal breakfast, but it's kind of broken in two... I think it's okay for me in terms of No-S, though the split is something to watch.

A good thing that complicates matters more... I've figured out that I can exercise MWF in an early class near work. If I've packed stuff to dress in, I can roll out of bed, throw on gym clothes, drive, work out, and still be at my desk at a reasonable time. That means I'm walking into class at 7:00, my former breakfast time. (I'm pleased at this exercise solution, though - that was another routine that needed re-shaping.) So, I do need a little something to eat prior to working out, but not too much.

Right now, the early-fruit-later-yogurt is working... except I think I'll get bored with it pretty fast. So...

1) Other ideas for portable breakfast, or reasonable "split breakfasts"? (Need to watch that they add up to ONE breakfast.)
2) Other ideas for "car food" that's not messy? (I guess I can get over my reluctance about that.)
3) Other ideas in general to make this adjustment a positive one?

It's interesting to suddenly have my "systems" disrupted, and have to find good ways to re-configure them. I truly am pleased that exercise worked out so well - the availability of those classes almost creates time for me, because the lower traffic earlier in the morning gives me most of the time for the class!

My on the go breakfast are, fruit and yogurt (and sometimes protein powder) smoothies, and big au-lait with baked oatmeal squares. These are like portable bowls of oatmeal, not overly crumbly and seem to keep me full for a few hours.

here is a recipe

Baked Oatmeal W/banana (6 Servings) 
2 cups uncooked oatmeal 
1 1/2 tsp baking powder  
1/2 tsp salt  
3/4 cup fat-free evaporated milk 
3 very ripe mashed bananas
2 eggs  
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce  
1/2 cup Splenda 
1 tsp vanilla extract 
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp cinnamon 

I use Splenda but any sweetener would do.

I'd either eat before I left home or at a morning break.

Hey there,

Congrats on the new job! It's always such a big risk to change jobs so it's nice to hear it's working out well for you

Like you, I've done both situations - I used to have a 1.5 hour commute, and now I have a 12 minute one (yay!). Because your morning is so long now, it does sound like you'll have to split your breakfast into two mini-meals. Something "neat" to eat in the car and then something else after you get to work.

Does your work have a fridge, toaster, and microwave available to you? You could keep a container of butter/peanut butter/cream cheese etc at work, and bring a couple slices of bread, a bagel, or some English muffins.

Also, eggs are super easy to make in the microwave. If you beat an egg and microwave it in a small flat-bottomed bowl, it turns out the perfect size and shape for a breakfast sandwich (think McD’s Egg McMuffin). If that’s too much cooking/assembly for you, boiled eggs are a good option. I've also heard about people making and freezing breakfast burritos, and then heating them up in the microwave. Never tried that, but you could.

Here are some more suggestions, in addition to yogurt and fruit...

- homemade muffins (I'm sure you could make some that are not considered a sweet) - I like to make bran, banana, or corn muffins
- glass of milk (a 12 oz glass fills me up really well)
- slice of leftover pizza
- slice of quiche
- instant oatmeal
- piece of cheese, with crackers, bread, fruit etc
- cottage cheese
- peanut butter tortilla (make at home the night before): spread peanut butter on a whole-wheat tortilla, add a banana and roll up. I make this with half PB, half Nutella…YUM! Though I’m not sure if it then becomes a sweet

Hope that helps. Good luck!

Thanks for the ideas.

I do have access to a teensy fridge and a microwave - no toaster, and the only sink for clean up is the bathroom.

For now, I think I'll keep the fruit-and-coffee on the trip, but look for more alternatives to yogurt once I arrive. The breakfast burrito is a great idea, and I could do muffins or "oatmeal cakes" or some kind of homemade cereal bar on the weekend. (I just want something sturdy, not sweet.) Cheese and crackers or boiled eggs are also good choices that I hadn't thought of - thanks!

I used to work at a place where I ate both breakfast and lunch while at work. While we were allowed a morning and afternoon break, the nature of our work made it next to impossible to take an afternoon break before it was time to leave. So, we combined morning and afternoon breaks and nearly everyone ate breakfast at the morning break.

Anyway....I took everything in glass or plastic containers, heated it up in the microwave (if need be) and took the containers home to wash. I did this for a number of years and it worked well for me.

Hi KCCC,

I think a split breakfast is fine, given the circumstances, but I think I'd split it differently.

First off, I'd try not to eat in the car. Seems like a dangerous precedent (and not particularly enjoyable). It also limits your options considerably.

Since work is the tricky part, preparation wise, why not move the perfectly portably and zero prep fruit half of breakfast there? Then you can use the full resources of your kitchen for a "real" half breakfast at home.

Reinhard

The biggest problem with breakfast-at-home is timing. I'd have to get up earlier to eat at home AND it's already so early that I have NO desire to eat before I'm en route. Trading sleep (at a premium right now) for a breakfast-I'm-not-ready-for isn't at all attractive.

I am used to eating at 7-7:30, and I'm now in the car by 7 at the latest. If I exercise, I'm in the car by 6:15. (In both cases, I get up at 6:00... I just have the car all packed on the early mornings and shower/dress at the gym.)

But I think the split will work as long as I am careful to make sure it adds up to ONE breakfast. Fruit (banana or apple) is pretty safe to eat... maybe over time I can give that up and just eat when I arrive, packing everything just as Wosnes suggests.