Lunch Help- Possible Replacement?

arogers0541

Hello All. I need your help/input. My current calorie intake is 1,960 per day.

My daily routine is very repetitive. I usually eat the same things for breakfast and lunch daily. My current lunch calorie intake is 630. I would love to get that down a little If I could.

I have already tried to replace with a protein shake, and I am going to be honest, I don't think the shake thing is for me. I prefer actual food I can chew

Yesterday, I tried eating smaller snacks throughout the day like banana, apple, etc. However, I don't think this will give me enough balance in everything I need (nutrients)

Are there any type of bars out there that would help get calories down, but provide more protein, fiber, etc that I could use as part of my lunch?

What do you all do for lunch? Any/All help is appreciated.

cathipa

Quest, Fitcrunch, Oatmega and optibars are pretty tasty. Great macros!

__TMac__

What are you eating now, and what are the nutrition goals that you'd like to meet (other than calorie count) with this meal?

I usually split my breakfast and lunch calories into 3 meals of about 200-250 cals each. Typical options:

2 eggs on whole-grain toast

High-fiber English muffin with 1 egg, .5 oz cheese, 1 slice Canadian bacon

Apple and 1 oz cheese

Yogurt, fruit, nuts

Celery or carrots and hummus or guacamole

1 Wasa cracker with cheese and/or PB

Whatever it is, I always combine a fiber-rich carb and a protein and/or fat for satiety.

tinkerbellang83

I do Sunday meal prep and will often take leftover portions in for lunch:

Thai Red Curry with some ind. portion microwave rice (around 450 calories)
Falafel wraps (around 450 calories)
Devilled Egg Pasta (around 550 calories)
Tuna and Sweetcorn Pasta (around 350 calories)
Spicy Chicken salad (around 350 calories)
Bagel Slims with various fillings (around 300-400 calories)

I normally have some sort of cheese snack and sugar free jelly with my lunch too. I use snacks to increase my protein intake, I like Bounce Protein Bombs and I make my own Protein Muffins too.

arogers0541

TmacMMM wrote: »

What are you eating now, and what are the nutrition goals that you'd like to meet (other than calorie count) with this meal?

I usually split my breakfast and lunch calories into 3 meals of about 200-250 cals each. Typical options:

2 eggs on whole-grain toast

High-fiber English muffin with 1 egg, .5 oz cheese, 1 slice Canadian bacon

Apple and 1 oz cheese

Yogurt, fruit, nuts

Celery or carrots and hummus or guacamole

1 Wasa cracker with cheese and/or PB

Whatever it is, I always combine a fiber-rich carb and a protein and/or fat for satiety.

As of now, I am trying to lose a little more weight, but will begin with some light weight/strength training soon.
I usually eat a PB sandwich and chips for lunch every day. I always assumed this is better than eating out every day like most my co workers (and I guess it is). However, now that I am actually being careful of calories and what I am eating, I am looking for a new and healthier routine.

amtyrell

Ok trade the chips for an apple bannana or orange. Trade your bread for whole wheat or low calorie bread.

PinkNinjaLaura

I was going to say to swap the chips for veggies (carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, etc.). I like to have some crunch with my sandwich, and the veggies give me more nutritional benefit, are more filling, and have fewer calories than chips.

arogers0541

amtyrell wrote: »

Ok trade the chips for an apple bannana or orange. Trade your bread for whole wheat or low calorie bread.

I do eat the sandwich on whole wheat currently.

VioletRojo

arogers0541 wrote: »

TmacMMM wrote: »

What are you eating now, and what are the nutrition goals that you'd like to meet (other than calorie count) with this meal?

I usually split my breakfast and lunch calories into 3 meals of about 200-250 cals each. Typical options:

2 eggs on whole-grain toast

High-fiber English muffin with 1 egg, .5 oz cheese, 1 slice Canadian bacon

Apple and 1 oz cheese

Yogurt, fruit, nuts

Celery or carrots and hummus or guacamole

1 Wasa cracker with cheese and/or PB

Whatever it is, I always combine a fiber-rich carb and a protein and/or fat for satiety.

As of now, I am trying to lose a little more weight, but will begin with some light weight/strength training soon.
I usually eat a PB sandwich and chips for lunch every day. I always assumed this is better than eating out every day like most my co workers (and I guess it is). However, now that I am actually being careful of calories and what I am eating, I am looking for a new and healthier routine.

If you like your sandwich, I would trade the chips for veggies and maybe use a peanut butter with no added sugar to cut some calories.

__TMac__

Well, that was an easy fix.

arogers0541

I am looking to get rid of the sandwich also. The chips are only 150 calories. The sandwich is 480. I am hoping to substitute them both for something healthier and less calories.

kgirlhart

I get the starkist tuna pouches. They are about 70 calories and 18 g protien (it depends on the flavor). I usually eat them with a serving of Wheat Thins, but on a sandwich would be good too. I also eat laughing cow cheese wedge and maybe some guacamole. It usually comes in at under 400 calories for me. I will also cook skinless boneless chicken thighs in my crockpot and use those during the week. I like to have some with a bag of birdseye steamed mixed vegetables or with a little bbq sauce as a pulled chicken sandwich. Or on a tortilla as a wrap. I usually use the pepper jack laughing cow on the tortilla wraps. During the cold weather I eat a lot of Progresso Light soups with a few saltine crackers. Most of the time my lunches are around 300-500 calories.

Cat3141

arogers0541 wrote: »

I am looking to get rid of the sandwich also. The chips are only 150 calories. The sandwich is 480. I am hoping to substitute them both for something healthier and less calories.

A peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread is reasonably healthy. If you're trying to cut calories, cut jelly/jam (if you're using any), and buy bread that comes in a smaller loaf, you'll cut calories on the bread, and possibly use less peanut butter. My peanut butter sandwiches typically come in about 360 calories.

And as others have said, if you have veggies instead of chips, you'll get a lot more nutrition, for a small number of calories.

kittybenn

I eat salads for lunch most days. Lots of interesting greens, cherry tomatoes, onions, carrots, low-sugar craisins and some type of protein - usually chicken or cheese. I'm pretty addicted to a homemade honey mustard dressing as well. It takes up a pretty big wooden salad bowl and seems to keep me going for hours. Usually ends up right around 300 cals.

bobtater1

Try making chickpea sandwhich filling. Look on google for a recipe. Runs about 200 to 250 calories per sandwich. Nice for a change and quick to make. Drop the chips and eat 10 baby carrots. More filling and less salt.

TeaBea

arogers0541 wrote: »

I am looking to get rid of the sandwich also. The chips are only 150 calories. The sandwich is 480. I am hoping to substitute them both for something healthier and less calories.

Peanut butter (good for you) but highly caloric. Egg salad, tuna salad, lunch meat and 2% cheese.....any of these would give you higher protein numbers than PB. I like Sara Lee 100% Whole Wheat bread - 60 calories a slice. Not too wimpy for sandwich toppings.

Cottage cheese & fruit with a side of Wheat thins. Nice protein numbers.

Potato chips subs - I like carrot "chips"......celery and cucumber slices have a nice crunch too.
Quaker Popped Crisps (rice cakes) would be crunchy and lower calorie because they are low fat (Sweet Chili flavor yum!).
Pack a small bag of light popcorn if you crave the salt: Angies, SmartFood, Skinny Pop, even Aldi's has one....these are generally 35 calories a cup.

ZephieC

I love a chef's salad. I chop up deli ham or turkey, an apple, cheese, cooked egg whites and some veggies, serve the lot over greens with a berry balsamic dressing. It is insanely tasty and comes in under 350 cals, depending on your choices/quantities of course. This gives me a dinner plate size salad I can barely finish but the crunch, protein and sweetness from the apple just does it for me.

cmtigger

I often take yogurt with veggies or a salad for lunch. Right now I've been throwing in the smart pop delite snack packs too.

H_Ock12

Do you like lunch meat? Lunch meat and cheese with condiments of your choice are tasty wrapped in a leaf (or two) of lettuce and eaten with some carrots and a deviled egg. Deviled egg and tuna with a few wheat thins is a tasty option, also.

agbmom556

sandwich-lunch meat with laughing cow cheese. (no mayo)
fill it with veggies. (lettuce, tomato etc.)

JeromeBarry1

Caution about granola bars. The macros of Nature Valley granola bars strikingly resemble the macros of Snickers.
This could be a good thing, or a very bad thing.