try adding some cooked barley to an egg casserole. barley will keep you full for hours on end, even with just a little bit. and it's pretty cheap.

Breakfast burritos - eggs, black beans, cheese, salsa wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla. If you have access to a microwave, oatmeal is filling. Smoothies (especially with peanut butter, bananas, and some type of protein powder) really tide me over and transport nicely in my steel travel coffee mug.

Almond butter and banana on homemade bread (or any kind of bread, but something thick and fiber-filled).

Oatmeal is not filling at all for me - unless I add bananas, walnuts, yogurt, and milk.

Hey Roh, I'm in the same situation (the sarcasm was a little bit snappy from the editor, not all of us have Le Creuset dutch ovens and budgets to buy gourmet cheeses)

Plus eggs for breakfast/lunch until dinner, everyday...eeh i like variety

I'm guessing since you want to lose weight you are open to veggies.

They've had this recipe a while back
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/baked-good/recipe-hearty-healthy-apple-muffins-102107
and since i like apples and portability i made a large batch of them and just kept them in the fridge for a week. They do fill you up, so put more apples and less sugar, and there you go.

Couscous salad with lots of veggies (tomatoes, sugar snap peas in the frozen section are great, you can stick an egg in them) is another thing I like to have on hand.

If you like hummus, you can make a lot to keep it in the fridge for the whole week (put it in the individual smaller than sandwich bags) and then stick it on carrots and stuff.

Asparagus (for sale at Walmart...don't shun me people i live in the middle of nowhere) and Zucchini strata in muffin cups is good. I also added tomatoes to it. Easy to make from leftover bread.

You can also make crepes on sunday, and stick things in them throughout the week (they are less dense then tortillas)...my mom likes to put cooked chicken with carrots and broccoli in them.

If you are looking for something more of a filling snack, Muesli are easy and cheap to make especially if you are in a good proximity to those stores with wholesale bins of produce.

You can also make some pita's (i believe there is a how to on this site) and stuff them with anything healthy your heart desires...just keep on hand, stuff, and go. Chickpeas are great fillers.

I second the breakfast burritos idea. I add enchilada sauce to mine. You can make them in bulk and freeze them, wrapping each one separately in a paper towel.

You can also make frittatas with leftover pasta and vegetables. Lately I've also been making quiche in store bought mini-pie shells.

when i was in grad school, i'd often take a tupperware filled with plain lowfat yogurt, some granola (homemade, if i had the time) sprinkled on top, and then loaded with tons of fruit on top (whatever was cheap...berries are my favorite). i would have a bit in the early morning after i exercised, and then i'd munch on it throughout mid-morning. i would stay full at least until late afternoon, just in time for an early dinner!

Oh I have the link for you:

Bulk breakfast burritos: make them assembly-line-style in advance and freeze them. The writer's cost breakdown has them at $0.75 per burrito

Quesadillas

Keep um simple though, Egg and Cheese, Chicken and Cheese, don't load um up either .. IE one cooked chicken breast, can make about 5-6 Quesadillas, 2 eggs can spread out to 4-5..

On weekends i usually make some, and typically 2 will last me all day.. and I'm typically a big eater..

other ideas..

Leftover hot wings.. throw um in.. (de-bone please)
Sausage patty.. 1 chopped makes 4 Quesadillas
Taco meat..

But yeah for me an easy, filling, portable food is Quesadillas. Mite need someone more qualified as to the nutritional content of um though.

But if you keep um simple you should be able to figure it out.

Just dont go hog wild like ones you can get from your burrito chains.. with sour cream, guacamole, onions, peppers, double strak, chips, fries and a coke.. wait..

Well now im hungry.

Frittata sandwich. It's good at any temperature. Any kind of frittata will do. Protein carbs keeps you feeling satisfied longest. Put lots of veggies in your frittata and throw a piece of fruit in your bag and you've hit most of the food groups.

I'm in a similar boat, although I'm at work so I have access to a few more options than you probably do. The key, I find, is to eat something hearty before I leave and bring tastey, hearty things to eat every few hours.

Breakfast ideas:
Fritatta is delicious, easy and filling (and if you time it right you can bake it quickly while you get ready). I like mushrooms and cheese in mine.

Breakfast burrito/quesadilla with lots of salsa and a carb-balance tortilla (I swear they aren't disgusting. I was shocked).

leftovers from dinner the night before. I happen to like most leftovers still cold but if you have a microwave this is still a quick, easy option.

Snack/mini-meal ideas
A hard boiled egg and an orange
Omusabi (rice-ball) and some lunch meat (Gallo's reduced fat salami is delicious and keeps well) or cheese
Apple-almond cake (I leave out the sugar and use a heaping cup of unsweetened apple sauce in lieu of making my own like she calls for. Almonds can be had in bulk at Costco for a reasonable price)
Cheese and whole grain crackers
Apple slices and peanut butter

I find that I do better restricting my calories if I eat more in the morning and less as the day goes on. The egg-and-orange snack has been my favorite lately; they hold up well in my bag and oranges are a favorite of mine. I hope some of these help you!

I am in the same boat. I have a personal aversion to breakfast and as such I usually eat a granola bar on my way in then hold out for lunch. A few things that have worked for me:
- black bean salad/salsa: black beans, fresh (or canned) tomatoes, peppers, onion, tbsp of olive oil and your fav seasonings. I change the recipe every time I make it. It's perfect in a wrap with some spinach or as a "dip" for pita chips
-noodle salad: Can take some creativity to keep it low cal but using whole wheat pasta and light italian salad dressing and tossing in whatever veggies I have on hand makes a really filling lunch that's fast.
-Pita pizzas: if you have access to a microwave just fill a small baggie with sauce and a little bit of cheese (fresh mozerella? seems pricey but a little goes a LONG way) then dump it on a pita and microwave for 1 min between class.
-veggies and ____ : try hummus, making your own low cal ranch (using the season packets and fat free sour cream and skim milk), or pesto and fat free cream cheese.
-Salads: although they seem boring try buying some seeds/nuts and a new dressing once in a while. The panera bread cookbook has their recipes for salad dressings (amazing).
Generally I try to take one of the more fattening things off my list (IE dip) and combine it with lower calorie (Veggies) stuff so I feel full and not deprived and tempted to hit the vending machine!

i'm also a grad student who is trying to eat healthfully. usually i eat a good breakfast with both carbs and proteins and then pack a snack: almonds mixed with cranberries, carrots and hummus, roasted garbanzo beans.

i actually have a blog about this very subject, called Master of Fine Eats! recipes, tips, ideas-- check it out at masteroffineeats.blogspot.com. good luck!

Hummus and veggies! Casbah makes a dry hummus mix that I lived on in college- you just add water and a little olive oil- maybe $2 a box and makes a good 2cups. Good protein, fiber (filling).

Buy your nuts and grains in the bulk food section- way cheaper. Think multigrain high fiber for your carbs- almonds, brown rice, quinoa.

QUINOA- awesome and cheap. Nutritional powerhouse. Cook it like you do pasta, (not like you do rice) until you see their little 'tails' come out. Favorite add-ins are salsa, parmesan cheese or a little sesame oil.

And I'm sure someone's told you already, (but let me be the nth person) your metabolism will rev faster if you eat small (200 calorie-ish) meals every 3-4 hours than eating 2 big meals at 10am and 8pm.

Befriend the store-brand snack-size ziploc bag. Great portion control, portability and price.

I lost 25lbs this year so far- another 20 or so to go...good luck to you!

Hey Roh,

I haven't figured out a good plan for breakfast yet, but here's a good time-saving economical plan for dinners:

http://thoughtfulanimal.wordpress.com/2010/03/27/how-blogging-will-burn-down-your-kitchen/

Power Wraps:
Whole wheat tortilla
Peanut butter
Honey
Granola
Banana
Wrap up ingredients like you would a burrito and cut in half.

If you search the Food Network website, Ellie Krieger has a delicious recipe for homemade energy bars. They freeze well and thaw quickly. I also make homemade granola bars so I can control the amount of oil and sugar in them. I add lots of good stuff like sunflower seeds, nuts, dried fruit, and whatever else I feel like, and make them a bit bigger than a supermarket granola bar. Pack them in snack-sized bags (which you can reuse) or in an airtight container, and they keep for a long time. My favorite recipe is at http://thekitchensinkrecipes.com/2008/02/09/how-i-decided-to-create-granola-bars/ , though I cut down on the brown sugar and add 1-2 tbsp of unsweetened applesauce to make them softer.

In a pinch, a simple hard-boiled egg, eaten cold, will stave off hunger pangs for quite awhile.

I second the idea of granola bars, Roh--here's the recipe I like:

http://thealchemistblog.wordpress.com/2010/03/29/the-best-granola-bars-or-love-will-make-you-sleepy/

You can just cut them into larger squares and chomp on them all day.

Breakfast burritos - you can eat them with one hand, you can pretty much use anything as filling, and you can make a bunch, freeze them, and then just heat them up when you're ready to go.

we made some egg salad this week with just a little bit of bacon in it, and it's been awesome for 2-second-prep sandwiches for breakfast. the egg and bacon combo makes it seem like breakfast even though it's a sandwich, it's very portable, and you could just put like one strip of bacon in it so it won't be too unhealthy but it still makes it seem like a filling breakfast. also you can make the egg salad with egg whites to make it healthier.
http://theweekendgourmande.wordpress.com/2010/04/06/spicy-egg-salad-with-bacon-and-chives/

we also like these muffins made with whole wheat and oats (with a sweet cinnamon sugar surprise on top) for a grab and go breakfast.
http://theweekendgourmande.wordpress.com/2010/02/17/oatmeal-french-breakfast-muffins/

I like to bake scones with nuts and dried fruit in them to bring to work!

Also, I'll buy those really big tubs of yogurt at the grocery and scoop out an individual serving into tupperware each morning (it's cheaper than the individual yogurts). Bring along an individual serving of granola as well, and when you get to where you are going, mix them together.

I'm attempting to make a recipe for some sort of refrigerated protein Oatmeal bar (steel cut oats, almond butter, some nuts, berries, maybe some other stuff). Maybe something like that would be an idea?

I'm also a grad student and also trying to lose some weight. I do a smoothie of kefir, a banana and some kind of berry in the morning, with a coffee. If I'm really hungry I'll add a slice of multi-grain toast with almond butter.
For lunches I like sardines, greens on either brown rice or multigrain bread. Or tofu with sauteed greens of some kind. Today I did the smoothie for breakfast. Then for lunch I had lentils with a hard boiled egg, 2 WASA crackers and a salad of spinach and cucumber.

I love Kefir! ^_^ Buttermilk is good also. All my friends think i am crazy for drinking it plain

Lots of great ideas here! I find the demands of my job require me to plan my food for the day the way I did in grad school, so I'm still eating like this! My new find is the Blueberry Yogurt Parfait recipe at NY Times. I make it on the weekend, and carry it to work for the next few days. So good:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/health/nutrition/25recipehealth.html?ref=fitnessandnutrition

I'm still a grad student, and this one's been holding me over for a long time.

If you've got a coiled-element stove, cast-iron pans are really the most awesome thing ever. Throw it on high with a dab of oil. Grab an onion, chop off the ends, slice it in half, peel off the skin, then cut the halves into 1/2 rings. By this time the pan should be hot and the oil should slide around easily. Throw the onion in the pan and shake it around to help spread the oil, then move the onions to one side. Then grab an egg and crack it into the pan, turning it down to a medium-low temperature, and toss some bread in the toaster and grab a plate, poor some oj, cut a slice of cheese, etc. Flip the egg when the toast pops up, then put the toast on the plate, grind some fresh black pepper on it, toss in the onions (on or beside), add the cheese. The egg will be nicely over-easy by now. Throw that on and top with the other slice.

The OJ gives a quick sugar rush, the pepper boosts your metabolism, the fat in the egg and cheese gives you lots of fuel for the day, the whole wheat in the toast and the protein in the egg helps it all last a bit longer. Lastly eggs are a great source of selenium, and onions are a great source of chromium, which together are helpful with metabolism. The whole event is over in a matter of minutes.

Since that gets tiresome too many days in a row, I alternate with smoothies on days when I don't have to be up and moving too fast. Orchards and farms are a great source of cheap fruit and berries which (if bought in bulk) can supply smoothies all year. My combo: 1 cup oj for base, yogurt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, hemp seed, chia seed, honey, 1 apple, 1 banana, a handful each of frozen cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, top the rest with frozen mixed fruit (things like mellons, pineapple, grapes, etc), blend until smooth, top with icecubes, and blend again until smooth and frosty. If the OJ is measured right, it should come out like a soft icecream. This makes about 5-6 cups worth. More than enough to stuff yourself and fill a ss bottle for later. (If extra blended with icecream and frozen, it makes a nice sorbet).

Onigiri are a great portable food you can stuff with just about anything you please. Rice is cheap and leftover bits of meat or veg make good fillings.

There's also a low-rent Chinese version that is good for breakfast, the pork floss roll. It's basically some rice formed around some pork floss and then in cling film. Sprinkling some sesame seeds or adding some omelet to it is optional. It's super cheap and tasty. I'm sure it was once wrapped in bamboo or banana leaves like the more traditional zongzi are but the cling film makes it more portable and easier to eat neatly.

Whoops..."and then wrapped in cling film."

If you're trying to lose weight, don't try to get by on two meals a day. That's crazy. At least pack 2 or 3 good snacks.

Put steel cut oats the night before in yogurt & milk (I go for soy yogurt, strawberry flavored & almond milk) and refrigerate overnight in tupperware. You can take that to school in tupperware, add in some chopped nuts & fruit (can do this the night before)... very filling & healthy :)

two pieces of whole wheat toast with avocado spread (can make this the night before with some spices) or some healthy peanut butter spread with bananas put in between (you can cut up the banana at school, take it to go) and some honey?

Breakfast burrito: whole wheat wrap filled with spicy black beans or refried beans, sauteed onions and peppers, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, cheese and some fresh cilantro. Can be made the night before.

Thanks for this question, Roh, I can use the advice too.

I remember reading lately, I think it was in Health magazine, that potatoes and oranges have very high amounts of fiber and are very high on the "satiety list" which apparently is a list of things that keep you full for a long time. Try potatoes/hash browns for breakfast...they can be made in advance and popped in the microwave, maybe put inside corn tortillas.

Oranges are very healthy and very portable - great take-along snacks. (You should definitely eat snacks if you're only going to have two meals - eating less makes your body reserve fat).

I make a frittata and slice it and put it in a pita bread often - it makes a great portable lunch when I go biking.

Minute oats, sugar and a dash of salt (plus frozen or dried fruit) can go in a travel mug -- add boiling water, don't bother to microwave or cook any other way. It'll thicken up nicely, and you can make a big batch of the dry stuff, add flax, etc.

food is tricky... Even if I spend actual time planning and preparing a food to take to school or work or wherever, it also has to remain edible as time passes.

Eggs are great, but they are a high protein and high moisture product that is also high risk for spoiling. Two hours is the longest time you can really keep high risk food at room temperature if you don't want to chance food poisoning, so that doesn't really work for me.
Plus, a lot of tasty foods aren't very tasty when they are no longer hot and/or fresh (peanut butter sandwiches are out. Where does the stuff go? Just disappears....)

Since I hate eggs, unless they're in cakes and cookies and disguised by rum or vanilla or something else....and am also vegetarian...

Rice, definitely cheap and easy, the only problem is once it's been refrigerated gets dried out and tastes like crap. My solution involves some night before prep work. Take whatever left over rice you have, brown or white is fine. Recook it with soy, rice or regular milk, an inch or so above the rice in the pot, with 2 cardamom pods, about a Tb of sugar and cinnamon optional raisins. if you put it on low heat and cook it til the milk is mostly absorbed and then throw it in a tupperware and then the fridge you've got rice pudding. If you use brown rice it keeps you full forever. And it keeps for 3-4 days. Plus since you control the sugar it can be low in sugar. Can add chopped nuts or carry whole nuts or pack some whole fruit and you have a meal. The best thing is it tastes great cold so you never have to heat it and it's like a dessert.