Lunch Ideas for those of us who pack!

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  • kmartinixx
    kmartinixx Posts: 197
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    Here is what I typically pack:

    Breakfast:
    - Some type of fruit variation depending what I have but usually I have pineapple and watermelon, or grapes, or cherries.
    - Greek Yogurt or cottage cheese

    Snacks:
    - Apple
    - String Cheese
    - Nuts (like raw almonds or cashews)

    Lunch:
    - I mostly pack sandwiches if I decide to bring my lunch. For my sandwiches, sometimes they are peanut butter and jelly, and sometimes I make a turkey, bacon, avocado sandwich, and I always make them on honey wheat bread.
    - My job happens to have a pretty good cafeteria with lots of healthy options downstairs, too, so if I'm too lazy to pack my lunch I usually go for one of the salads or soups they have there!
  • krouse83
    krouse83 Posts: 182 Member
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    I usually make one thing on Sunday that is versatile and use it all week for various dishes. One of my favorite things to do is make a couple pounds of boneless blackened chicken breast. Then I will use the chicken for salads, sandwiches, tacos, or bring side dishes to compliment it such as brown rice and steam veggies. The chicken is nice and spicy which will liven up pretty much anything you bring with it. But that is just one example!
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
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    For breakfast I like to eat a cottage double and a wholegrain Arnold's Sandwhich Thin with Sugar Free Jelly...

    For lunch, I keep it pretty basic with a salad with lots of veggies, fresh fruit (watermelon or strawberries) and I love the yopait 90 calorie dessert yogurts!!! you feel like you are actually having a treat!!! I then usually have whatever fruit I don't eat for my afternoon snack and a cup of green tea, it really helps to curb the hunger in the afternoon before you get home to make dinner or get to the gym. I work two jobs so for me it's basically keeping myself energized enough to work 16 hours a day!!

    If you're feeling like you want something different, I make an asian chicken salad that you eat out of lettuce cups. One recipe is enough for lunches for the whole week!! The recipe is below, enjoy!!!

    One Rotisserie Chicken cooled and pulled apart keeping mostly the white meat pieces (at least 2 cups).
    1 cup shredded carrots
    1 small can of mandarin oranges, drained
    2 green onion, sliced
    1 1/2 cup Asian poppyseed dressing, refrigerated (Marzetti's now makes LIGHT)
    1/2 cup sliced almonds
    1 head Boston lettuce (or romaine if you cannot find Boston)

    Mix everything together and refrigerate!! Use the lettuce for you salad cups!!! So refreshing and different!!

    That sounds like an interesting salad. Thank you for sharing!
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
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    I'll usually alternate between leftovers from the night before and a big ol salad with tuna or some chicken. There's so many ways you can mix up salads that they never get old! And they are so refreshing in the summer! For me to portion control is easy - I enter the recipe I use into MFP and make that many portions out of the meal I make! Lovely for those crock pot inventions. I always snack on some fruit in the morning and afternoon and a veggie bag (carrots, celery, cucumber) in the am. Usually with a laughing cow cheese or some hummus - but I forgot my hummus today! Quite devestating. :)

    Oh no! Hopefully you survive your hummus famine :wink: I recently was told about the recipe feature on here and I am addicted! It is such a great way to figure out portions when you make something.
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
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    I usually bring:

    1 Sandwich
    2 Fruits
    1 bag of almonds (1/4 cup serving)
    1 cup yogurt with berries (& granola to go on top)

    I have the yogurt for breakfast when I get to work, then a fruit halfway to lunch, then my sandwich, then another fruit, then the almonds on my drive home.

    I like your planning with the timing of everything. If I don't have an afternoon snack, I am a huge grouch and then want to eat my whole house when I get home!
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
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    today I packed: 1 smoothie (2 cups spinach + 1 cup berry medley + almond milk + vanilla extract) and 1/2 cup cottage cheese + 1/4 cup chopped sweet peppers + 1 tbsp. spicy hummus + 3 large carrots cut into sticks. Will eat first "lunch" around 11:30 and second around 2:30 and think that should keep me full til dinner :)

    Do you put your smoothie in the freezer until 11:30 or do you keep it in the fridge? May sound silly, but I just wondered because I've thought of bringing smoothies, but haven't worked out logistics!
  • ReDoableMe
    ReDoableMe Posts: 35 Member
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    I love deli meat rolls (turky, ham, roast beef, etc.). I put some hummus on the meat, cheese on top, maybe a tomato slice, then roll it up!

    Plain greek yogurt with sugar free preserves is my favorite snack. I sometimes add a couple drops of chocolate torani syrup and it tastes JUST like an ice cream sundae!

    I'm not a huge fan of nuts, but I do enjoy pistachios. The act of cracking the shells keeps me from shoving them all into my mouth at once lol
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
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    Meat + veg and a bit of nuts or chocolate for dessert!

    What chocolate-y treats do you aim for?
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
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    I usually make one thing on Sunday that is versatile and use it all week for various dishes. One of my favorite things to do is make a couple pounds of boneless blackened chicken breast. Then I will use the chicken for salads, sandwiches, tacos, or bring side dishes to compliment it such as brown rice and steam veggies. The chicken is nice and spicy which will liven up pretty much anything you bring with it. But that is just one example!

    Is there a blackened seasoning brand you like best? And I completely didn't think of doing chicken tacos. Great idea, thank you for sharing!
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
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    I love deli meat rolls (turky, ham, roast beef, etc.). I put some hummus on the meat, cheese on top, maybe a tomato slice, then roll it up!

    Plain greek yogurt with sugar free preserves is my favorite snack. I sometimes add a couple drops of chocolate torani syrup and it tastes JUST like an ice cream sundae!

    I'm not a huge fan of nuts, but I do enjoy pistachios. The act of cracking the shells keeps me from shoving them all into my mouth at once lol

    Yum!! Delicious (:
  • rachface1234
    rachface1234 Posts: 227 Member
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    today I packed: 1 smoothie (2 cups spinach + 1 cup berry medley + almond milk + vanilla extract) and 1/2 cup cottage cheese + 1/4 cup chopped sweet peppers + 1 tbsp. spicy hummus + 3 large carrots cut into sticks. Will eat first "lunch" around 11:30 and second around 2:30 and think that should keep me full til dinner :)

    Do you put your smoothie in the freezer until 11:30 or do you keep it in the fridge? May sound silly, but I just wondered because I've thought of bringing smoothies, but haven't worked out logistics!

    I put my smoothie in fridge if it'll only be 2-3 hours before I drink it (maybe add an ice cube) OR if It will be longer, I keep it in the freezer until about 3 hours before, then place in fridge or on counter, depends on how hot it is :). Last week I brought a large batch of tropical smoothie for an office treat (trying to help healthy eating here) and put it in my large bubba keg container in the freezer, that stayed cold but not frozen all day!
  • krouse83
    krouse83 Posts: 182 Member
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    I usually make one thing on Sunday that is versatile and use it all week for various dishes. One of my favorite things to do is make a couple pounds of boneless blackened chicken breast. Then I will use the chicken for salads, sandwiches, tacos, or bring side dishes to compliment it such as brown rice and steam veggies. The chicken is nice and spicy which will liven up pretty much anything you bring with it. But that is just one example!

    Is there a blackened seasoning brand you like best? And I completely didn't think of doing chicken tacos. Great idea, thank you for sharing!

    I love the Zatarans blackening seasoning. It doesn't take much to get alot of flavor. And to blacken the chicken I don't put any oil in the pan, only spray the pan with Pam Olive Oil spray on a super hot pan right before I make it. Do the tacos with a green pepper, corn, and onion salsa. AMAZING!!!
  • AFilmer
    AFilmer Posts: 22
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    I have 2 slices of whole grain bread.

    then 3 servings of lean turkey meat.

    lettuce

    and water

    10 almonds.

    Do you put any sort of dressing/spread on the sandwich to keep it from being too dry? I love turkey, but sometimes it can be a bit dry. Do you aim for deli lunch meat turkey or a cooked rotisserie type turkey?

    Thank you for the idea!

    I do deli lunch meat turkey and no dressings. their is enough juice in the turkey I buy to prevent it from being dry.

    this is a healthy and somewhat cheap meal. this meal is more for health not taste.
  • stacie915
    stacie915 Posts: 47 Member
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    I eat my grapefruit plain, but if it is more sour than you like, add Splenda or a sugar substitue!
  • sandradavis12914
    sandradavis12914 Posts: 8
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    I like to take 1 cup of 2% cottage cheese and 1/4 cup of Delmonte chunk pineapple in its own juice. I also add spenda for more sweetness. I take these in separate containers and then mix it together when I get ready to eat lunch. It tastes like dessert.
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
    Options
    I usually make one thing on Sunday that is versatile and use it all week for various dishes. One of my favorite things to do is make a couple pounds of boneless blackened chicken breast. Then I will use the chicken for salads, sandwiches, tacos, or bring side dishes to compliment it such as brown rice and steam veggies. The chicken is nice and spicy which will liven up pretty much anything you bring with it. But that is just one example!

    Is there a blackened seasoning brand you like best? And I completely didn't think of doing chicken tacos. Great idea, thank you for sharing!

    I love the Zatarans blackening seasoning. It doesn't take much to get alot of flavor. And to blacken the chicken I don't put any oil in the pan, only spray the pan with Pam Olive Oil spray on a super hot pan right before I make it. Do the tacos with a green pepper, corn, and onion salsa. AMAZING!!!

    Thank you!
  • linalovekitty
    linalovekitty Posts: 187
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    greek yogurt has become my go to snack. tasty and tons of protein. I buy Bakery on Main's cherry granola with extra fiber and add a 1/2 cup to the yogurt. In total its about 360cals and keeps me full for hours
  • rubberbiscuit
    rubberbiscuit Posts: 128
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    Lately, I have been really inspired by the lunches 100daysofrealfood.com packs for her kids. I've been doing adult sized versions for myself and my teens. Today I'm going to have melon, cucumber slices, hummus, caprese salad and a zucchini muffin.
  • dellaquilaa
    dellaquilaa Posts: 230 Member
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    When I have a weekend day completely open, I'll make my lunches for the whole week.

    For example, a few weeks ago, I made turkey & white bean chili, pineapple rice pilaf with pineapple glazed chicken, and rosemary pork chops. I'd cook 2-3 servings of each, portion them into individual containers and put a few in the fridge and the rest in the freezers. I LOVE taking brown rice to work - cook up a batch of 4 servings, divide it up and freeze. It cooks really well in the microwave (I add a tbs of water and keep the top of the tupperware on while cooking).

    I've been really busy the last few weeks though - I've mostly been taking the frozen entrees for lunch and packing fruits, veggies and yogurt with them.
  • MissyPoo2013
    MissyPoo2013 Posts: 190 Member
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    Bump!

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