Need simple dinner items that can be frozen or made in advance.

Go to Library get yourself 2 books. The Joy of Cooking and The Fanny Farmer Cookbook, both have anything you could want.

Do you have a refrigerator at work?  If so go and buy yourself a large container with a lid.  Fill it with things like lunch meats, condiments, cheeses, hummus and veggies, enough stuff to last you a week.  Make sandwiches and salads fresh at work. 

"cracking down" on lunch breaks eh?  What is this country coming to?

Simplest thing would be to make some soups, stews, and casseroles. Portion them out into individual sized containers after cooking and freeze them.  You can do this with any of your standard dinner meals, they work well this way as left-overs too.

Lasagna, baked ziti, rueben casserole, turkey soup after thanksgiving (or anytime really as turkey is pretty affordable) turkey tetrazini, pot roast with vegetables.

Crock pot dinners portion out just as easily too.

Buy some premade pie shells in the freezer section{ small size }.  the make a mix of half well beaten egg and half cream plus salt and white pepper to taste.in the defrosted pie shell add ie... diced ham and shredded swiss cheese. add the egg/cream mix to come up over the ham and cheese, about 80% full and bake in a 300F oven until almost firm, a little jiggle in the center. set on the counter to cool to room temp. now you have a basic quich. It will refridgerate for days and freezes reasonable well. mico or toaster oven to reheat and take a small salad or cut fruit to the side.

Microwaving quiche makes it like rubber., Ok for home but in a class operation should not be done,

If you can invest in a Food-Saver or other vacuum-sealer, you can re-heat frozen (or defrosted) meals in those easily. 

I've often prepared frozen meals for my mother-in-law (low fat mac and cheese, pot roast, turkey piccata, meatball stew, chicken pot pies, etc. with a potato or other veggie side), and frozen them in microwave-safe disposable dishes with lids I bought at a restaurant supply house in town. True, I had to buy hundreds of them! But no harm in that if you must have disposable, microwaveable dishes. 

I've noticed a lot of fast-food places serving "bowl" meals lately (for instance Boston Market). Those meals are loaded with fat and salt, but if you make and freeze your own versions, you can have your faves on hand. Defrost them in the fridge so they take only a minute or two to heat, and you've got a nice meal in no time- a nice change from a sandwich or salad.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chefedb 

Microwaving quiche makes it like rubber., Ok for home but in a class operation should not be done,

Yes it does, but he's looking for things quick and different at work, not serving it for 12.95 a slice. Myself when I had quich on the menu many years ago we made it in a springform and servered it the next day warmed in a radient heat bakers oven. I hope he opts for the toaster oven.

Add chile verde and tortillas to the list of possibilities.  A chunk of pork shoulder overnight in a crock pot with canned tomatillos and a jar of salsa verde isn't the best example of the dish, but can still be tasty.

mjb.

tRUE IT IS ONLY FOR HIS CONSUMPTION AND NOT PAYING CUSTOMERS.