A sandwich bag full of grapes and walnuts and cheese chunks

So, this is the dorkiest idea ever, but I think I would sew a carabiner onto a reusable sandwich bag so that he can clip the bag to his belt loop while eating with his hands. That way you can do sandwiches or things with multiple pieces and not have the additional aspect of how to hold the bag while eating the food.

Non-messy wraps. Tortilla + hummus + cheese + meat or a few thin non-messy veggies should be quite easy to eat standing up.

Also, a second for the pies. I'm spoiled as we have an incredible middle eastern deli up the way, but they have awesome spinach and cheese; feta, olive, and herb; and other pies made with an olive oil dough. They don't even need to be eaten hot or stored warm--they're awesome at room temp.

Any sandwhich will do, just dont make it too full. Anything in tupperware can be eaten with a fork or spoon, a cold grain or veggie salad.

Congrats to him on the new job, but sounds like he needs a new timetable more than anything. That's too long a time to go without a break! Is that even contractually legal?

Granola bars? I also like alicelost's idea!

I have a teacher friend who was in a similar situation, and she found there really was no way to eat properly. She relied on snacks. She would have things like a handful of nuts, an apple, carrot sticks, a granola bar, etc. Maybe she could eat a thin sandwich like PB&J, plain turkey and cheese, etc., but some days even that was too hard to manage. Basically though, it was just snacks. Good luck to your husband!

truenorth,
I'm a teacher, so is my brother, & my father was, too. Teachers' often have hellish schedules--sometimes they have this kind of schedule all school-year. This is just one reason why teaching is one of the most stressful jobs. Sorry to preach. Yogurt parfaits of some kind would also be pretty easy to eat. Cold leftover pizza (one of my favorite meals of all time) would also be good.

oops! ignore the unnecessary apostrophe!

Teachers are usually excluded from traditional labor laws by the state as well as their collective bargaining agreements.

I'd go with high protein snacks to tide him over to his actually lunch. It isn't just a matter of standing there and eating lunch. He'll have to be engaged with the students as well.

How about soups or smoothies? They can stay warm or cold in a thermos and he could drink them straight from the thermos.

Learn to make tamales. Make a huge batch, and freeze them a few to a bag. They freeze really well. I pretty much live off them during ski season because they are durable, cheap, and gluten-free.

smoothies, sandwiches, drinkable soups in a thermos (nothing too chunky), trail mix with jerky tossed in for fun, hand pies.

also, can he scarf something quickly before lunch duty? does he have passing periods?

Hooray thanks for taking my question!! Unfortunately teachers here in VA are not unionized, so yes he really does have to work this schedule :( His planning period is 2:15 and all other times are spent teaching (90 minute classes)! Crazy I know.

AWESOME suggestions, I completely forgot about calzones, and I never would have thought of sippable soups or tamales. Looks like I'll be stretching the boundaries of what one can accomplish with pizza dough and toss-ins this year! Today I sent him off with salami and mustard in a flour tortilla...arguably the worst thing I've ever made, so it's all uphill from here. Thanks again!!

i work 10 hour shifts in a hospital. i have no choice but to eat quickly between admissions. Bento boxes have been a life saver. i pack a full meal of snack type foods (carrots, grapes, cheese cubes, etc). this allows me to eat a well balanced meal, only over the course of a few hours. i used to do the same things in school, sneaking a few bites between classes or during quiet times.

This makes me so glad that I'm a teacher-librarian in PA where we are unionized.

Non-chunky soup in an insulated thermos is easy to drink while standing, same goes for smoothies (add protein powder to make it extra filling). Alton Brown did an episode on energy bars with some great recipes. I love this granola bar recipe.

Hopefully this isn't dumb sounding but why not see what the other teachers do/have done.

We require ridiculous things of our teachers, don't we?
Make sure he's getting enough water. Chances are he isn't allowed to drink -let alone eat!-anything in or between classes (in front of students) and will be perpetually dehydrated. With this in mind, I heartily suggest soups, yogurts, and crisp cut veggies/fruit.
Best of luck. More than a few of my friends are in this very situation.

My husband is in mental health field in the Army and has the same problem. Rather than taking a lunch he usually ends up taking care of soldiers (which he does well) in addition to all his other duties (too many to count). I usually pack him bagel sandwiches which I know he is probably sick to tears of! I'm so glad you posted this.
Also, I know this is silly, but I love how mature the participants in this blog are. Rather than argue completely over Union and Teacher rights, which would be easy to do, you all just make a quick point, but stay on topic. Well done, all of you!

I keep a 1/2 gallon of water on me at all times. most places (schools that I have worked in) have no problem with a teacher drinking water (or coffee or tea) as long as it is not disrupting. I get a 15 min lunch (if I am lucky) but tend to eat 3 small snacks over the course of a day. yougurt and berries, soup, and carrots and hummus.

When I had lunch duty in the HS, I really liked thermos meals--rice and beans, cold sesame noodles, bite sized veggie dumplings, mac and cheese, etc. I could eat with a soon whilst roaming the cafeteria.

Made these http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/indian-hand-pies-with-lamb-975899/comment-21486/ last week and I've been telling everyone about them ... super good and perfect for the standing lunch. ;)

The Bierock and Piroshki are the northern European answer to calzones. Or try a search for pasty recipe. It's meat and root vegetables in a pastry shell, a northern Michigan specialty.

Soups in a cup that can be microwaved! They provide both fluids and good nutrition.

I am a teacher too. I love all the suggestions about staying hydrated...water is so good for the brain. However, then you have to factor in the fact that most teachers hardly have time to go to the bathroom.

I have to eat on the go a lot too. Just something yummy in a container with a fork works too. Tabbouli with garbanzos and whole cherry tomatoes is a personal favorite and has great nutrition. Foods with tyrosine (like yogurt and turkey) and Omega 3 Fatty Acids (like walnuts or hardboiled eggs) are supposed to promote brain health and focus, which teachers need themselves to keep students on task for 90 minutes.

Honestly, being upbeat and keeping things going in class can require so much energy that I actually end up snacking in class before lunch. Granola bars, cheese and crackers, try something with a mix of complex carbs and protein that will take longer to burn.

And if you are me, a (middle school) teacher's best friend is caffeine. Lots and Lots of caffeine.

I was so glad this question got posted and answered. I'm a pharmacist and in the same way other "on your feet all day" jobs go, you're begging for a lunch or potty break. I learned a long time ago that if I ever attempt to bring hot food, something is going to happen and I'll end up eating it cold anyway. I've never thought that heating pies when I pack them would keep the warm until eating time. And thermos meals would allow me to eat with one hand and continue working with the other. As the winter is approaching and I'll be craving warm meals at work, I'm excited to try the things I've read here!