Don't know what to eat at work

localgrr
localgrr Posts: 99 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi there, I'm on a low calorie diet and it's going well.

Sometimes I don't have time to make myself lunch for work and I'm just paralyzed by not knowing whats a good choice to go and eat. There's lots of turkish/lebanese/vietnamese restaurants nearby but without knowing how many calories are in their meals, now I'm just stuck here hungry, not sure what to do... I don't have time to go and make something unless anyone can think of a quick supermarket meal I could get.

I know this might seem silly but it happens to me a lot !

Thanks :)

Replies

  • Abbie918
    Abbie918 Posts: 120 Member
    I'd recommend preparing your lunch the night before (or in the morning before work) so you know exactly what you're eating. You can make a healthy wrap in less than 5 minutes!
  • localgrr
    localgrr Posts: 99 Member
    Thanks Abbie - that's what I mean I do that most of the time but on the odd occasion I forget I have no idea what to eat !! I suppose I'll get something from the supermarket :-/

    Any ideas for a quick filling thing I could get to fill me up and then I'll have a decent dinner ?
  • leahcollett1
    leahcollett1 Posts: 807 Member
    when i forget to plan, i go to subway and have a subway salad.. i bloody love those and for real low cals too
  • localgrr
    localgrr Posts: 99 Member
    Subway it is, thanks !
  • leahcollett1
    leahcollett1 Posts: 807 Member
    no worries enjoy!
  • ispymo
    ispymo Posts: 12 Member
    I always have a mugshot! Just fill it with hot water and it's so filling, so many different flavours - I like chicken and mushroom!
  • localgrr
    localgrr Posts: 99 Member
    edited February 2016
    ispymo wrote: »
    I always have a mugshot! Just fill it with hot water and it's so filling, so many different flavours - I like chicken and mushroom!
    I don't find them very filling ! [edit] ah (I'm british) I thought you meant soup-in-a-cup, these look more filling...

  • runsonrabbitfood
    runsonrabbitfood Posts: 89 Member
    I'd recommend buying some foods to keep in the house or at work for days you can't make a lunch the next day. Like canned foods or frozen foods (my work has a microwave - hope yours does too?). I regularly have cans of beans and frozen rice and veggies in my home. That way, on days I don't make lunch, I can just quickly grab those - plus an avocado. Also, I have a giant tub of quick oatmeal sitting in my cube at work. It's super easy to add hot water to.
    Things like that work for me rather than going out.
  • amgreenwell
    amgreenwell Posts: 1,267 Member
    subway is a great suggestion. any salad without lots of dressing/cheese/croutons is also do-able. I love getting a couple crunchy tacos as well. what about a slice of pizza??
  • Bella0531
    Bella0531 Posts: 309 Member
    Subway is usually my go-to as well. I love their double chicken chopped salad (no dressing). I also like the local sandwich shop for salads - their Greek and Cobb salads are delicious!
  • localgrr
    localgrr Posts: 99 Member
    This is all gold thanks! I really enjoyed my Subway salad but I dislike the amount of trash it produced (especially asking for separate dressing)
    We actually have a stove at work so the other day I tried to make prawns and brown rice, it was so bland though without any spices ! I had to laugh :)
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    If you have any storage space at work: PB&J with raw veggies works well. I use light bread, weigh my PB for about 24-26 grams and use the no added sugar jelly. About 250 cals for the sandwich.

  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    When I pack lunch for my dh I often give him dinner leftovers. I pack it as I am putting the food away after dinner. It is pretty easy and fast to do it then as opposed to the morning.
    If you made a big batch of something one day a week then you could package it up into individual portions that you can pull out of your refrigerator or freezer. It doesn't take much more time to double a recipe and put it in containers.
    What you could get at your supermarket- fruit, cheese, yogurt, instant oatmeal, bread, cooked meat, tuna, pre-cut vegetables or salad, canned soup, frozen meals
    Figure out in advance what you can order from each of the restaurants you would go to in the area and keep a list of choices with you in case you need it.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I prep my lunch most evenings and brown bag it most days...usually lunch is leftovers from the night before, so it's not like I'm doing anything extra. In the event that I don't, I keep peanut butter and apples at the office and just throw a couple of slices of whole grain bread in my bag and eat a peanut butter sandwich for lunch with an apple.
  • farmgirl1677
    farmgirl1677 Posts: 16 Member
    I keep Progresso brand soup at work in the cupboard so if I forget my lunch I have something on hand. They are pretty good. I buy the light varieties, most are 100 calories or less per serving. I then have a granola bar or cottage cheese around 4:00 and that keeps me full till supper time.
  • MarziDeThrall
    MarziDeThrall Posts: 98 Member
    I just discovered that Taco Bell's Fresco tacos range from 140 to 160 calories each. We don't eat out much, but we get take out at least twice a month. They're yummy.
  • chunky_pinup
    chunky_pinup Posts: 758 Member
    Do you have a refrigerator or anywhere at work where you can store food? I always have 1-2 of those Steamer bags of veggies in the freezer at work for those days I have no lunch. Pop them in the microwave for a few minutes and I have some veggies/grains, etc. I also keep a few cans of soup at my desk in one of my drawers to always have on hand. So soup and veggies and that can hold me over until I get home if I don't have a pre-packed lunch (it's my lunch today actually!).
  • ren3liz
    ren3liz Posts: 45 Member
    I didn't read through all the comments so apologies if this has already been said: can you stash food at work? Cans of sardines or tuna, packets of microwaveable rice, almonds, these are the types of non perishable foods I stash in the cabinet at work that save me from take out if I forget my lunch (nothing wrong with occasional take out, but I would prefer to plan going out to lunch than get stuck). -- but typically I try to make it a priority to prep things to make lunch available and easy during the week, or even plan leftovers into dinner. A lot of people at my work bring in sandwich fixings for the whole week, that kind of thing. But I know we are lucky to be able to do that and a) have the space and b) trust it won't get stolen.
  • ren3liz
    ren3liz Posts: 45 Member
    Haha @chunky_pinup - great minds (:
  • AlisonH729
    AlisonH729 Posts: 558 Member
    edited February 2016
    farmgirl1677 wrote: »
    I keep Progresso brand soup at work in the cupboard so if I forget my lunch I have something on hand. They are pretty good. I buy the light varieties, most are 100 calories or less per serving. I then have a granola bar or cottage cheese around 4:00 and that keeps me full till supper time.

    I feel like anytime I'm in the supermarket I swing through the soup aisle to see if Progresso is on sale, and grab a few cans if it is. It's my go to on rushed mornings. I used to get the light varieties too, but it seems like they are mostly broth so they never filled me up. After reading the labels I discovered plenty of other regular varieties that aren't that bad, ~300 calories for the can. Just keep an eye on the sodium.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    AlisonH729 wrote: »
    farmgirl1677 wrote: »
    I keep Progresso brand soup at work in the cupboard so if I forget my lunch I have something on hand. They are pretty good. I buy the light varieties, most are 100 calories or less per serving. I then have a granola bar or cottage cheese around 4:00 and that keeps me full till supper time.

    I feel like anytime I'm in the supermarket I swing through the soup aisle to see if Progresso is on sale, and grab a few cans if it is. It's my go to on rushed mornings. I used to get the light varieties too, but it seems like they are mostly broth so they never filled me up. After reading the labels I discovered plenty of other regular varieties that aren't that bad, ~300 calories for the can. Just keep an eye on the sodium.

    This^

    The light varieties don't fill me up. I like Campbell's Homestyle Healthy Request. Healthy Choice makes some decent soups as well. I typically look for protein content. Sad protein numbers....I won't bother.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    you can stash those tuna salad and cracker kits and fruit cups in your desk for emergency lunches. I always have those bagged salads in my office refrigerator. I also have peanut butter and pretzels for snacks.
  • localgrr
    localgrr Posts: 99 Member
    I just bought a bunch of these flavored Uncle Ben's rice packs (200 a serving) + some tinned tuna and veggies. Mmm looking forwards to lunch for a change :)
  • Helloidentitycrisis
    Helloidentitycrisis Posts: 64 Member
    edited February 2016
    localgrr wrote: »
    I just bought a bunch of these flavored Uncle Ben's rice packs (200 a serving) + some tinned tuna and veggies. Mmm looking forwards to lunch for a change :)

    Tinned tuna has been a lifesaver to me at times! I used to barely eat it in a meal and now I could eat it straight from the tin!

    I also love itsu instant meals -their soup is about 160-170kcal and really filling due to the angel hair noodles! Not sure if you will find it locally, but I'm sure Amazon sells them too! vrmxadje14bo.jpg

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