Work Lunch Suggestions when you're fussy

Ne0Indigo

Hello everyone, I am not new to the dieting scene however after a year of hard work I went on holiday to America and got really slack after coming back and basically slipped back into old ways. Since then (A year ago) I've been yoyoing on and off trying to get better. The start is always the hardest!

Basically the meal I struggle with most is lunch at work. I cannot stand salads, I'm afraid of being in the overcrowded kitchen to reheat food due to childhood trauma (I have tried and I can do it but the anxiety is always there), I dont like nuts either and I'm sick of bread as it goes stale so fast.

At this stage I think my only option is those frozen lean cuisine meals which would mean tackling my fear of the kitchen again, but before I do that I thought I would ask the forums for any suggestions they may have? Thanks in advance

janejellyroll

If you don't like bread, have you tried putting your sandwich fillings in lettuce wraps?

Other options would be a soup thermos that would keep your soup/stew/other meal warm all day so you wouldn't have to heat it up. You could make a batch of meals on the weekend so you wouldn't have to cook each day.

AmyC2288

Could you take "cold" items that don't need to be heated and just keep them in an insulated bag at your desk? Boiled eggs, pickles, deli meat (could roll these with sliced cheese to make "roll-ups"), low fat pepperoni, chicken salad, egg salad, baby carrots, celery sticks, wraps, etc...

amy19355

I give you permission to eat any food you want at any time of the day. THere is no rule anywhere that says salad is for lunch. I'd argue just the opposite, and urge you to eat a good balanced lunch to maintain energy for the rest of the workday.

Me, I eat my salads for dinner time now, because, I do the least amount of physical or mental work in the evening, and i don't want a pile of food in my belly while i'm lolling about in my footies watching tv.

callmecarina

Is the kitchen an enemy at any time of day at your work, or is it strictly around the busy food rush time? If you're okay with eating a later lunch then I might recommend eating snacks that'll hold you over until you can eat a bit later. Like maybe a greek yogurt around 11am to hold you over until say 2pm. This also assumes you work where you can maybe eat at your desk.

I will sometimes eat a hearty breakfast and then have overnight oats or chia seed pudding with fruit and a string cheese at lunch.

Crackers and flatbread type foods don't go quite as stale so quickly, so maybe also bringing a deli plate could work. An adult Lunchable, if you will.

melissafeagins

Today I ate Greek yogurt and granola.
Peanut butter with fruit (apple or banana) is another go to for me. (Jif to Go cups for portion control)
I also keep protein or Rx Bars at my desk.

Cbean08

Take other stuff that doesn't require being heated then. I don't typically eat salads for lunch either, but any of these might work for you?

crackers, cold diced chicken, baby carrots and hummus
2 corn tortillas, 1/2 avocado, cold shredded chicken, cabbage
cooked macaroni noodles, a little arugula, red pepper and onion, tossed with chicken and Italian dressing
chopped hardboiled eggs and bacon, with crackers and dip

Lounmoun

Maybe look up bento boxes for ideas as those are mostly meant to be eaten at room temperature.

SarahBelle43

Look into getting a "hot logic mini." I have one and can cook my lean cuisine at my desk! just plug it in a couple hours before you want lunch.

lemurcat2

Many leftovers I don't reheat at all -- maybe that's too icky for you? But I might take cold roasted chicken and a potato salad (made German style without mayo, but with mustard). Plus some cold roasted veg like cauliflower than work fine (IMO) cold. Cold pasta salad (in the US that's quite different from salad) with chicken.

Turkey breast, avocado, and cold vegetables plus some berries?

rldeclercq4

This isnt exactly a meal per se, but some good low cal snacks that I like to take with me to work are strong cheese (80cal and packs a punch), slices of salami (100cal per Oz), air popped popcorn (I like SmartPop White cheddar and a full serving is a lot and 130cal), salted pretzel sticks (role gold is 100cal per serving, which is about 55 sticks), Greek yogurt (100-120 cal depending on brand and flavor). Find things you like that can be filling and remain low cal. I love peanut butter filled pretzels but try to limit them because I could eat like 50 at a time, but a 140 calorie serving is like 10 pieces, so it’s not a great snack to have often if you’re trying to keep calorie intake low.

wilson10102018

I shoot for a 300 calorie lunch. Egg salad, tuna salad, 3 oz of deli sliced ham, 4 oz deli sliced turkey. Shrimp salad, Takeout chicken noodle soup re-heated, etc.

kshama2001

Re bread getting stale - I buy sprouted bread and keep most of it in the freezer, and a few pieces in the frig. Stays fresh that way.