Shop bought lunch...

kbcara

Hi all (especially those in UK) - I'd welcome some ideas of good low cal <400, ideally <300 SHOP BOUGHT lunches...

I say -400 as I usually have some fruit and popcorn alongside, and maybe some edamame beans (Waitrose, or Sushi bars), so overall aiming <5-600 depending on my evening plans.

I do NOT want to make my own lunch!

Currently I like the M&S or Pret Nicoise Salad which are <300.

Waitrose did a gorgeous lettuce wrapped greek salad and also these delish rice paper duck wraps - both 100kcal (so I would have both!!) but both discontinued - boo Waitrose!!

Obviously lots of c.400 microwave meals but usually I have hot meals at night and prefer not to stink office out! These are not ruled out but I don't need help with these.

SO... all recommendations welcomed pls. need some variety to my nicoise salad!! I have almost ever supermarket and high street chain within walking distance lunchtime... ignore Boot's Shapers as besides their crisps and chocolate the rest isn't low cal at all!!

Thanks all

x

TavistockToad

boots shapers 'snacks' include loads of low cal stuff other than chocolate or crisps... carrot & hummus, edamame, popcorn, fruit salad, yoghurts, fudge....

other than that all supermarkets tend to have a low cal sandwich/salad range these days. get a ready made salad bowl and buy some ham or cottage cheese to go with it?

Sarahlascelles

Do you have access to plates/bowls? If so - bagged salad stuff, maybe with some houmous or coleslaw or whatever tickles your fancy as a flavouring. Salad vegetables are pretty low in calories leaving you scope for additions. Some supermarkets sell little snack single packs of houmous which would avoid the problem of leftover stuff in the pot.

Or, many places sell loose bread rolls, one plus a slice of deli ham or similar? I can't see that a deli would refuse to serve you just one slice...

kbcara

Thanks for ideas - y'up might try buying salad bowl and adding meat or buying roll and sliced meat/boiled egg - snack pot houmous also good thank you.

Just gutted Waitrose stopped their 100kcal ideas as they were inventive, tasty, filling... (I like variety!) obviously every 'diet' can be fulfilled by salad and crudites but am not 'dieting' rather changing my lifestyle so still want some shop bought options that I look forward to...

TavistockToad

m&s do loads of good lunch things, some low cal, some not so much, they do a really nice indian flavour rice salad, with chicken and cucumber and a minty dip that is around 350 cals i think if you have a Marks near by?

angiewf

I like Pret wild crayfish & rocket sandwich, 370 calories. Tesco do their 'Light Choices' range sandwiches, or you could try Weight Watchers sandwiches or wraps.

Katy8967

What about those John West Tuna salads? I guess you could also use "picnic" style foods e.g. mini scotch eggs, cocktail sausages, seafood sticks, as long as you counted the calories in them carefully. I know you said no to hot foods but the Uncle Bens Rice pots are nice too. xx

JessHealthKick

have a stock of salad stuffs at home and some lean ham - filling salad for 300ish cals and takes about 5minutes to make in the morning. Saves you some cash too so you can use it on more fun stuff

p.s. the reason I suggest this is that it'd be quicker than queuing and buying at peak lunch time every day!

Stacebob85

If you want a change from salad every now and then; Tesco do a range of really yummy cartons of soup which tend to come in at around 100-200kcal per portion. There's 2 portions per carton so you can seperate and have with some snacks, or just have both portions as it'll still only be around 400kcal! I really like their lentil, bean and barley one as it's super-filling.

I also recommend anything from the Boots Shapers line, as it's all yummers, and also stuff like falafels (great in a wrap with some salad and sweet chilli sauce) or wholemeal toast with hummus. Nom.

Now I'm hungry...

kbcara

Thanks all... y'up must admit getting me hungry too haha.

Just to say I don't make lunch at home as I shop daily (for lunch and dinner) so I don't have tons of food in the house that I'll scoff and also it is the only thing to make me leave my desk.

FeebRyan

I've this same problem so i have started having a meal replacement shake for lunch and just dealing with breafast and dinner at home.

Its good because most supermarkets will sell the slim fast ones and i can branch out and get some better ones to make up before i leave.

kbcara

Whilst I wish you luck, I definitely don't want to go down the shake route.. I'm making changes for life, and I don't see me drinking shakes for lunch for life... I love food, and variety (buffets are dangerous for me! ha)

I know lots of people it's worked for short term though so all the best.

naterciarodrigues58

I'm not sure how many calories it has, but had Tesco sushy the other day and it was delicious

lauren3101

I often buy lunch out - London is handy for places to eat!

I like my salads, so here's a few of the salads I have:

Ham slices with hard boiled eggs - yes you would have to do the eggs at home, but it's minimal effort.
Tesco do a pack of ready to eat chilli and coriander king prawns, I mix them with seafood sticks.
Tesco, co-operative and M&S all do a pack of 'hot' smoked salmon flakes - I like that with feta cheese.
Tesco again do ready to eat sliced cooked chicken breast (they and the prawns are normally on a 2 for £5 offer), I have that with hard boiled eggs also.

The co-operative do some ok noodle salads, I especially like their mackerel and cous cous one.

Tesco do some packs of sushi as well, the big ones are around 400 cals and you get quite a lot.

Pod do some lovely, filling and low calorie meals, but they are absolutely ram packed with salt, so be careful. I only have them once in a while.

By the way, M&S do those little duck wraps you mentioned now, they come with a dipping sauce and carrots for a little over 100 cals. I bought one the other day.

MyJourney1960

when i visited london (and other countries) i got a lot of good meals at Pret. IIRC they list the calories for each item. I loved their soups - hearty and delicious (they had a few vegetarians ones that were great). and i think their wraps are in the 3-400 cal range and they were really tasty.

kbcara

Thanks to Lauren3101 I went back to M&S in search of the duck wraps - didn't find them but did find beef/pork/tuna (thank you Lauren!) - so today's low cal but yummy mission was M&S. Tomorrow will do this mission in another store...

For lunch I usually do one main (salad/SW) a side (edamame/sushi), a snack (popcorn/low cal crisps) a dessert (fruit or yoghurt etc.) - I'm hungriest lunchtime - but today in the aid of research I would say I got pretty much all sides (well for some they'd be mains but that would leave me hungry)... and there were definitely some I haven't spotted before... you couldn't do this on a budget...

M&S:
Sushi snack pack (always easy/nice) 140
British ham & cream cheese pinwheel wraps (summer range only I think - small but really very yummy) 190
Teriyaki Beef Salad Bites in Mooli ribbons (OMG perfect!! and also in pork or tuna, though these seem to have run out or are not stocked - not as good as old Waitrose duck in rice paper wraps but very close!) 185
[obviously usually I'd have just one of these but I gave up my 'main'!!]

Pls post your own lunchtime winners!

FeebRyan

Whilst I wish you luck, I definitely don't want to go down the shake route.. I'm making changes for life, and I don't see me drinking shakes for lunch for life... I love food, and variety (buffets are dangerous for me! ha)

I know lots of people it's worked for short term though so all the best.

I'm making changes for life too

I wont always have the job i have and might even be afforded a lunch break at a reasonable time in future

but while i am on the go constantly through that part of the day, and while i am absolutely skint and studying, its shakes for me

Just making the best of the situation I am in really!

kbcara

Sure, all the best.

So... this is fast becoming my go to shopping list for future reference so excuse me talking to myself but I'd still love continued ideas from others.

Think logging food just makes you really take a look at what you're having and I seem to be switching away from a main and a side for lunch to a mini-buffet! This 'challenge' is helping me find things that are def not a diet/restriction, actual yummy options. So today:

Waitrose:
Edmame (always easy/nice - feels like 'clean' food if you know what I mean?) 96
Flame-grilled chicken pieces (whole pack!) 165 - quite pleased with this discovery (and thinking I must be the last to twig!) though could get bored of these
Zao Prawn Dumplings (1 min in microwave) 144 ... for 6!!!!!!! OMG best discovery ever - even better than the M&S Mooli discovery of yesterday and this will work in winter too ... several flavours/fillings ...proper chuffed!
Propercorn sour cream & chive (big pack!) 89 - good for afternoon grazing and nice to get range of popcorn flavours to stave of crisp addiction!)
Mixed berries (small but flavoursome pot thankfully not filled with melon like other fruit pots) 65

Also interested in 'naughty' snacks to help with chocolate, sweet cravings (I'm more of a savoury girl but from time to time...) - for me these are my go to pre-cinema to prevent a pic'n'mix blowout - Chocolate Freddo (79) or Caramel Freddo (95), Curly Wurly (115), Jelly Tots (98), Jaffa Cake (138 for pack of 3 so don't eat them all) - what about you?

Sjenny5891

I found some nice Steamer meals in the frozen section, but i have found they tend to be higher in Sodium than home cooked meals.

nickbrown68

When at work I usually buy a Tesco Salad bowl which I add some grilled chicken breast (brought from home) topped off with a little balsamic dressing. All very low in calories too and very tasty!

nickbrown68

When at work I usually buy a Tesco Salad bowl which I add some grilled chicken breast (brought from home) topped off with a little balsamic dressing. All very low in calories too and very tasty!

Also worth mentioning that the salad bowls are currently 2 for £1.50 (usually £1 each) and the balsamic dressing £1.50 per bottle so very low price too.

JollySnidge

I have exactly the same problem finding low cal stuff that keeps me full. I have a desk job, so it's tempting to snack out of boredom. I have either a Danio yogurt with an apple, which is surprisingly filling, or ready to eat chicken skewers and an apple - that or a little sushi box.

Watch out for salt in premade sandwiches and salads though, some of the regulars are quite high in salt. At least with sushi you can leave off the soy sauce.

Kayden1986

Holland and barrett PROTOPURE DIET BAR is the best, 182 calories, low sugar, full nutrient spectrum and has fibre in it too. 20g of protein. cant go wrong with that, a sugar free drink or a well women drink, and a bit of fruit Currently on sale too

epie2098

It's been a while since I lived in the UK, but I remember M&S had great sandwiches, and the Boots shapers line had a pretty good range. I'm sure either one of those would have calorie counts on their 'diet' items, as they did back in the mid-90's. I'm sure any prepackaged sushi is going to come in at a very low calorie count, too.

Maree_

Great topic, i work part time have 2 kids etc i don't always get time to do my lunch. Tesco do a hoisin or sweet chilli noodle salad that is delish. I also like their sushi and the prepped fruits.

SRH7

My go-to lunches at work are:

* John West lunches (in the tinned fish aisle) - tuna or salmon varieties with things like pasta, bulgar wheat etc. Look a bit soggy but they are long life at and around 300 calories a tin so you can stock up and keep in your desk at work without refridgerating.
* Oatso porridge pots (or supermarket own brand versions). Around 200 calories a pot - just add hot water and you're good to go.
* Bag of salad and a pack of ready-cooked meat (from chicken tikka to good old-fashioned ham) - quick and easy.
* Ryvita with a pot of cottage cheese - again, quick and easy.
* Innocent Veg Pots - expensive but a good way to get in some veg. Keep an eye out for when they are on offer.
* Covent Garden fresh soup (or supermarket own brand) - when on offer I stack up in the fridge at work. Five mins in the microwave and you are good to go. My faves are the summer pea with creme fraiche, minestrone, haddock chowder and leek and potato. Check the cals though as some are more than others (most 200-300 cals for an entire carton).

For snacks, again, long life ones are good for keeping at work. Lots mentioned above already, but I also have:

* Bag of Twiglets (99 calories)
* Bags of nuts, seeds and dried fruit (weigh into 100 cal portions at home and put in little freezer bags)
* Meringue nests (Sainsburys are 56 cals each) - eat like a biscuit or top with strawberries.

kbcara

Mmm, Twiglets is a good one - yummy - don't often see mini packs though? Will keep my eyes peeled!

Well worth pointing out whilst 'judging' supermarkets that I am in mini/local versions and I tend to hit 'lunch area' and nearby aisles before escaping, so when I say Boot's Shapers is limited, mine is a small store and only has two fridges!

So today Morrisons failed (and this is a main spmkt) ...Tesco's failed in that maybe has same Sushi but I think salad's look unappetising [soggy] and no real inspiration like at M&S and Waitrose ..... I also try to avoid sandwiches - find pre-packed SW soggy/bland.

Still discovered a Fro-Yo so had low fat frozen yoghurt with fresh fruit ... will try to move onto non-supermarket options this week...

But when in doubt M&S and Waitrose all the way [budget allowing].

SRH7

You can buy multi-packs of Twiglets from all the major supermarkets. I always find crisp multi-pack packets a bit disappointingly small, but it's a good thing for watching those calories!

Also worth noting that a lot of the 'diet' ranges of snacks are not actually lower in calories but just smaller packets. I'd rather have a small packet of Walkers than a pack of the cardboard-like diet crisps