What do you eat for lunch when working in an office?

kbonamission
kbonamission Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
It's so easy to grab something fast at lunch (and unhealthy). I could use some ideas on healthy lunches to pack. Any ideas out there?
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Replies

  • annacole94
    annacole94 Posts: 994 Member
    My usuals:
    Leftovers from last night's dinner
    Homemade soup (I freeze portions so I can vary what kind I eat day to day)
    Lean Cuisine or similar frozen meal + fruit
  • ashleywright_0
    ashleywright_0 Posts: 42 Member
    I take dinner leftovers or make a chicken/turkey wrap with veggies if there are no leftovers. Making a little extra dinner seems to have been the easiest for me. I also make yogurt parfaits to take for my afternoon snack as it keeps me full until dinner.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    I prep my lunches for the week each Sunday and my lunch consists of 3oz lean protein (like fish or chicken), a mini bagel with 1/3 fat cream cheese, 100g veggie, 100g fruit.

    I also pack breakfast which is Greek yogurt and Fiber One cereal (I mix it in like granola). I have an orange as an AM snack and an apple as a PM snack.
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    I keep some flavored almonds at my desk for a quick snack. I also stock up the office fridge with pepperoni sticks and cheese strings for myself. Other than that, I bring leftovers! I usually make meals in bulk on Sundays so my fiance and I can both grab a tupperware and bring it for our lunches. Today I'm having ham & swiss quiche, yum.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I pretty much always brown bag my breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Sometimes it's leftovers...often I make a big thing of quinoa or something on Sunday and I will take that along with some tuna or salmon and veg of choice...sometimes I make a sandwich.
  • kenzienal
    kenzienal Posts: 205 Member
    My favorite to make is Tuna salad.
    I just use a packet of tuna fish, caesar dressing, lettuce, and parmesan cheese. Its delicious.

    I also try to meal prep. Lots of chicken type meals. Always some form of chicken, and a veggie.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    Use the search feature to find the "bento box" discussion. Good stuff there.
  • AmyOutOfControl
    AmyOutOfControl Posts: 1,425 Member
    leftovers, sandwich, Buddha bowl (brown rice, canned beans, veggies and some type of salad dressing), salad with grilled precooked chicken strips

    I pack my breakfast, lunch, and snacks the night before. I don't have the time, energy, or willpower to make good food choices early in the morning. If I have everything ready to grab and go my food choices are much better throughout the day.
  • Jshellhorn74
    Jshellhorn74 Posts: 1 Member
    this week i have 1/2 baked potato w/ black bean salsa, kale, and greek yogurt for the "sour cream." i need something more filling than salad if i'm not going to eat all the office cookies. :-) super easy because you just bake the potatoes all in one go then throw it in pyrex containers with all the fixins and have them lined up in the fridge. more time for gym or movies in the evening.
  • Brandi_Allison
    Brandi_Allison Posts: 20 Member
    When I can, I like to prep ingredients for salads for the week. I will bake or boil some boneless, skinless chicken breast to make sure I am getting some good protein and also make hard boiled eggs. With everything already prepped I can make my salad in a matter of minutes in the morning, and I get to put in whatever I'm feeling for that day :smiley: I also buy Progresso reduced sodium/heart healthy soup as a quick lunch. The low sodium is great considering how much is in all processed foods.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    I pre-make some Wicked Thai soup and chili and alternate them. Covers me for 3-4 weeks. I do go for sushi once a week. I'm out so I picked up a couple frozen lunches. I have raw veggies and some fruit as well.
  • Nikki10129
    Nikki10129 Posts: 292 Member
    Either leftovers, or I'll prep some things Sunday like salads, wraps, soups, sandwiches. Or if I'm especially unprepared I'll grab a packet of instant oatmeal and bring some yogurt, or I'll bring some bread and peanut butter to make toast with a banana or something
  • ellefox70
    ellefox70 Posts: 58 Member
    There was a MFP blog article on lunches that I found helpful, u can search within the blog to find it. Might give u some new ideas.
  • HGarcia1527
    HGarcia1527 Posts: 69 Member
    I tend to make crock pot fajitas on Sunday's to take a few days during the work week. (Chicken, onions, peppers) YUM!
    Otherwise I pack a salad or a protein shake.
  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
    I'm lazy, so unless I have a convenient portion of leftovers in my freezer I tend to default to soup and a roll. Does your office have a microwave?
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    I found these great pre-packaged meals called Ready Chef Go at my local grocery store - they are chicken, vegetable (broccoli or asparagus) and a small pat of compressed butter with some kind of flavor (today's is garlic scampi) - cook for 6mins in the microwave and voila
  • elkhunter7x6
    elkhunter7x6 Posts: 88 Member
    I usually take leftovers from super.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    kbonamission wrote: »
    It's so easy to grab something fast at lunch (and unhealthy). I could use some ideas on healthy lunches to pack. Any ideas out there?

    Sometimes leftovers from dinner the night before. Or I'll batch cook a pot of chili or potato soup and freeze them in servings for about 350 calories. Or peanut butter & jelly on light white bread with fruit or raw veggies. Or a frozen meal. Or a salad - either a veggie only salad along with something else, or something with meat to be a meal on its own.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    deannalfisher wrote: »
    I found these great pre-packaged meals called Ready Chef Go at my local grocery store - they are chicken, vegetable (broccoli or asparagus) and a small pat of compressed butter with some kind of flavor (today's is garlic scampi) - cook for 6mins in the microwave and voila

    Wow! Those look good! I just looked at the website and can get some at a small grocery store nearby.

    Are the calories already on the package? What an awesome thing to have around for a quick meal!
  • midlomel1971
    midlomel1971 Posts: 1,283 Member
    Lean turkey or chicken on an Arnolds multi-grain sandwhich thin, loaded with spinach and tomatoes, teaspoon of spicey brown mustard and an ounce of sliced cheese. I eat that with an apple and 1 serving of reduced fat CheeseIts. That's my go-to lunch. Sometimes I'll eat a salad on a bed of spinach with strawberries, some walnuts and a drizzle of balsamic vinegarette (that I make...no store-bought dressing for me.)
  • PrincessMel72
    PrincessMel72 Posts: 1,094 Member
    I either make a sandwich or bring a Lean Cuisine/Smart Ones frozen meal and some fruit
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,128 Member
    I like a mixture of leftover crockpot meals (Thai Curry, Beef Strogonoff, Chilli etc) with some microwave rice or I meal prep a bunch of cold pasta dishes (Tuna & Sweetcorn, Egg & Spinach, Chicken & Bacon, Feta & Artichoke Hearts) on a Sunday.
  • dwntwn5
    dwntwn5 Posts: 69 Member
    I take carrots and celery, turkey breast from the deli, prepackaged popcorn (80 calorie bag), and a banana or other fruit. I also always have 100 calorie snacks of beef jerky and almonds with me at. all. times. because I hate being hungry.
  • SFarris829
    SFarris829 Posts: 19 Member
    Oatmeal with protein powder is my go to.I buy the oatmeal packets and then just put a scoop of my protein powder in a container. Good boost of energy mid-day and by the time I go to the gym after work the protein is in my system!
  • newheavensearth
    newheavensearth Posts: 870 Member
    Meal prep every Sunday: a bag of frozen veggies, fish, chicken or seafood, and a carb on the side divided over 5 days. Or mason jar salads. Fruit and chopped veggies in a ziploc baggies or 100 calorie snack packs for snacks.
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,871 Member
    Leftovers, chicken or turkey wrap with avocado/spinach/tomato, Caesar salad with grilled chicken, Amy's frozen dinners (b/c they taste good - they're a bit light on protein and high in carbs though); if I'm stuck with fast food it's generally going to be a grilled chicken sandwich and side salad.
    deannalfisher wrote: »
    I found these great pre-packaged meals called Ready Chef Go at my local grocery store - they are chicken, vegetable (broccoli or asparagus) and a small pat of compressed butter with some kind of flavor (today's is garlic scampi) - cook for 6mins in the microwave and voila

    Those sound good! I'm jealous.
  • nevadavis1
    nevadavis1 Posts: 331 Member
    I make salads to bring.
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
    I food prep every Sunday and include breakfasts, lunches, snacks and dinner for me and my husband. I went out a while ago and got myself a really nice cooler lunch bag with appropriate sized containers and a little ice pack. Usually breakfast is scrambled egg whites and a chopped up banana with cinnamon. Lunch is always greens (spinach, kale, boc choy, broccoli, brussel sprouts) any green veggie, a lean protein (other than red meat), and a quarter cup of sweet potato or sometimes I skip the protein and potato and just bring a mixed green salad loaded up with veggies and a shake of protein powder mixed with water. Snacks are... piece of fruit, hardboiled eggs, almonds or another kind of nut, cottage cheese, string cheese... not all of that all in one day obviously but one or two of those things daily. There's a beautiful full service cafeteria, a restaurant and a café where I work so it would be super easy to just buy/eat out every day but that will become unhealthy and expensive in a hurry!
  • fitzmonkey13
    fitzmonkey13 Posts: 88 Member
    I usually bring soup, chili or leftovers that I parcel out and freeze. Sometimes I just bring a bunch of hummus and veggies and crackers and cheese to meet my calorie target for lunch.

    For me the trick is my Lunch Crock. The office microwave is old and slow and doesn't heat evenly anymore (plus there is often a line for it if I'm eating at noon).

    Lunch Crocks cost about $20 at Target or Walmart (or on the Crock-Pot website). They don't get hot enough to cook food, but they are perfect for heating food up. I plug mine in when I get to work and when lunch time rolls around my food is at the perfect temperature for eating, even if it came out of the deep freeze that morning.

    I hadn't intended for this to become a sales pitch, but I honestly found it completely turned me around on bringing lunch to work and since I got it I am so much better about bringing lunch from home than I used to be.

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