Lunch Ideas for those of us who pack!

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  • cindybowcut
    cindybowcut Posts: 250 Member
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    I almost always bring leftovers from the night before.
  • singlefemalelawyer
    singlefemalelawyer Posts: 382 Member
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    Keeping for reference. Lots of great ideas!
  • sweetpea03b
    sweetpea03b Posts: 1,124 Member
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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.
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
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    I love Greek yogurt. I will put a handful of cereal on top muesli etc and eat that.
    For lunch it is usually salads feta & cherry tomatoes are my favourite.
    Lime and chilli quinoa with quorn fillet is good also.
    I will also make a bit extra in dinners and have them during the week which is great when I'm rushing.
    I always feel so full after I make my own lunches compared to buying them.

    I am right there with you in feeling fuller when I pack. When I have only a few options, I wind up being less satisfied.
  • 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 :)
  • maryrx59
    maryrx59 Posts: 55 Member
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    Bump ...gotta check this out later! Great ideas!!
  • fabulara
    fabulara Posts: 94 Member
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    I save the chutney and raita containers from take-out Indian dinners. I use them to pack small amounts of salad dressing or mustard or whatever, so my container of greens or my sandwich does not get soggy.The raita container is good for nuts, too.
  • Bex2Bslim
    Bex2Bslim Posts: 1,092
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    Bump... for reading later... And adding to if I can
  • crystald911
    crystald911 Posts: 46 Member
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    Love all these ideas! Thank you everyone!
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
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    I bake chicken the night before (or day before) and then shred it/chop it up along with chopped celery, hormel 50% less fat bacon bits, mustard, hot sauce/jalapenos (if you like hot stuff), chopped up hard boiled egg whites and boom....
    healthy chicken salad that leaves you under 225 calories.
    I usually use about 3 to 4 oz of cooked chicken breast for this. you can even bring a wrap of your choice to make a chicken wrap as something different or to add calories/macros.

    Today i brought in a made meal from last night also.
    Its five hard boiled eggs - but only used two yolks plus mustard, hot sauce, Hormel 50% less fat bacon bits, and celery. call me gross if you want but its actually really good and again, very low in calories and macros! It's a healthy egg salad that you can use in a wrap if you want or eat plain. I eat mine plain most of the time.
    I always bring a Greek yogurt with my lunches. If i dont have greek yogurts ill bring an apple or banana to go with my lunch.

    If you dont have cooling options (fridges at work, etc), you can throw in an ice pack in your lunch bag and it stays cold.

    I think it sounds great! And I love hot sauce, so that is always appealing. I hadn't thought of putting it into a chicken salad before but that sounds like a tasty variation. Thank you for sharing! :bigsmile:
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
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    I make a big salad, divide it into portions in plastic containers, and add a mini container of dressing to each. So I end up eating the same thing for lunch daily for a week, but it is nice to have some healthy food ready to go. Lunch is the meal where I find it easiest fail health-wise, because it is too easy to grab some crappy food while I am out.

    I absolutely agree. I think the best way to prevent myself from self-sabotage is to pack enough food for the day!
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
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    Kahr CW 40

    You eat a pistol for lunch? That doesn't sound healthy. Too much lead.
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
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    don't know if anyone else posted this - but they are so good and extremely versatile! fun to play around with and tweak to your tastes and calories needs - I tend to use grilled meat, fruit or veggies (or a combo) and never use dressing.... nom nom nom

    http://www.thekitchn.com/salad-in-a-jar-make-a-week-of-lunches-173014


    pack 'em up in mason jars or in a decent size lock - n - lock... easy do ahead lunches!

    Thank you for sharing the site! I haven't checked that out before, but it sounds great!
  • beccalabgal
    beccalabgal Posts: 49 Member
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    Bump :)
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
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    Bump for all these awesome ideas. It does save a load of money.

    Even when I'm in a rush, I try and either chuck a salad or pitta together - usually some form of lean protein like fish or skinless chicken plus a ton of spinach and mix up the veg.

    Otherwise, I find Fattoush is immensely filling and tasty - North African type salad with raw cauliflower, rocket leaves, pomegranate, cucumber, tomatoes and a citrus spice like sumac, or a squidge of lemon if I don't have any sumac in the cupboard. Or a quinoa salad as you can cook a load of quinoa or giant couscous in advance and mix it with whatever you fancy the night before - if you remember to roast some veg then go for it, otherwise it's perfectly good with just cucumber, tomatoes, mint and coriander and a nice citrus or vinegar dressing.

    Thank you for sharing! I love trying new things and this sounds quite tasty!
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
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    In the summer I love spinach salad with strawberries, goat cheese, pecans, red onions and maple viniagrette.

    Yum, that sounds good, I'm going to try that!

    I usually take a big salad to work most days, bulked out with crunchy, low cal salad leaves, carrots, cucumber, peppers and radishes with a few 'embellishments' like a handful of sultanas, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, capers, pickles, tinned fish, a small amount of cheese etc. I also have a small amount of low cal dressing to moisten things up. My lunch is usually around 250-300 cals which, along with a small snack mid morning and mid afternoon (a piece of fruit and some nuts or seeds) and lots of water, keeps me going until my evening meal.

    I found this recipe recently and it's delicious: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/6339/marinated-courgette-salad-with-pine-nuts-and-parme

    Thank you for all of the salad varietion ideas! They sound delicious!
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
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    I am currently bulking, so may not be for everybody.

    During the day I have something along the lines of this at work:
    Tuna
    Brown Rice(prepared the night before)
    Porridge oats
    Protein bars
    Brown bread
    Nuts/seeds
    Chicken
    Cereals
    Yogurt
    cous cous

    and mix and match a fair bit

    I am not bulking, but you have mentioned a lot of good proteins that are great to incorporate into a healthy lunch. Thank you for sharing!
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
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    One of my fav lunches (quick, easy, and tasty):

    cut up squash
    cut up zuccini
    broken up veggie burger
    half a jar of salsa
    brown rice (already cooked, but i dont always add the rice, depends on what im planning for dinner.... )

    heat it up (assuming you have access to a microwave at lunch) for about 3 mins, and its sssoooo yummy.

    Do you saute the squash and zucchini or do it raw? This sounds yum!
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
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    Bump - i need to re-read some of these GREAT ideas!
    I love a sweet potato in the microwave, with half a can of chili with beans (or homemade), topped with some shredded cheddar cheese. Yummy!

    Yum! I have never been a huge sweet potato fan because I always think of them with marshmallows on top at holidays and I never liked that. But this sounds like a very interesting variation that I am anxious to try!
  • weinbagel
    weinbagel Posts: 337 Member
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    Meat + veg and a bit of nuts or chocolate for dessert!

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