I just got a new job, which is 9 miles from my house. Three times my normal commute. Being a vegetarian, I'm concerned about nutrition. Even more so since my new job requires lifting boxes and parcels constantly for four hours straight. So what kind of drinks/powder/bar can you guys recomend for when I get there to recharge? I don't want to spend too much and defeat the whole prpose of a part time job, so price is an issue.
Also, I'm mostly vegan, so if I start with whey or other milk based products, how could I go about negating or lessening the um... side effects of the lactose?

Eat whatever you enjoy. When I was commuting (14+ miles one way) I wanted something to recharge when I got to work so ate a PowerBar, fruit, or whatever I was hungry for.
Being a vegetarian doesn't mean your nutrition needs are different than a non-veg. Just eat sensibly and eat enough to replace the carbs you've used so you'll have energy to work.
Also be sure to drink plenty of water.

If you have a large breakfast you wont need any during a 9 mile ride. The whole liquid nutrition thing is really for racing athletes. You can have a bite of sandwich when you get to work. You may eat all your sandwiches by mid morning and you can be creative with the fillings. Normal food is better and cheaper than power bars, it just doesnt store as well.

Also, I'm mostly vegan, so if I start with whey or other milk based products, how could I go about negating or lessening the um... side effects of the lactose?
I am allergic to milk and goats milk. but I have no problems with whey protien or cheese.

i'm vegan as well, commuted 15mi round trip for 2yrs & i'm about to tour from NC to OR, as far as work goes, just bring lotsa food, peanut butter & jelly etc, if you cook breakfast for yourself, cook extra & bring it to work in tupperware, more often i would cook extra dinner the night before & bring that, or what ever leftovers from takeout i might've had, i agree that the "mid morning" meal right after you get to work/before lunch is the most crucial, read up about restoring gylcogen reserves, after exercise there's a window where your body would really like it if you gave it some carbs, i drink yerba mate' as well which is chock full of vitamins & minerals, my favorite brand is guayaki (google it) usually available at whole foods, i get it loose & make it in a french press-but mostly just get used to eating a little more in general, i'd say skip the whey protien etc, Peanut butter is less expensive-flax seed oil is good for vegans to supplement with as well-i find a brand w/ a taste you like & put it on your cereal/grains/salads, it's good for your joints/brain/eyes/digestion & for an extra kick (although it can be pricey, shop around) supplement w/ creatine-that's an energy source the meat eaters definitely have up on us

I actually think energy bars are quite economical. I'm on the go a lot, and I probably end up throwing out 25% of the perishable food (breads, fruits, veggies) I buy, because they go bad before I can get at them. I personally like my clif bars (any of the flavors w/o chocolate). I head to REI, and buy them a couple boxes at a time, and that comes out to be about $1.00 a bar. Throw in some water or fruit drink, a bagel or yogurt. A lot of the time I do the same for lunch. So that's like $4-$5 max for breakfast and lunch. I'm no vegan, so I can't tell if some of this stuff is off-limits for you.

This depends a little on your current fitness level, but a 9 mile ride probably won't be that draining on the body where an apple or PB&J on a bagel won't do the job. Go less intense on your way to work, enough so you're not burnt out during your job, and then really push yourself on the way home. Of course, this if you're like me and your commute doubles as your workout.

I just found the best deal on Clif Bars. Go to http://www.PerformanceBike.com and look at their energy bar section. You can get Clif bars for about $1 a piece if you order from the online store. That's pretty darn good. They're organic (and vegan as far as I can tell, at least the Almond Fudge ones are) and easy to pack a couple in your bag for extra food needs. And they taste good.

Banana's, and mushrooms. Beans are cheap, and excellant protein.

Boulder Bars taste good and are vegan!