Lunch ideas for work

rapscalli

Hi. I have been taking a tin of beans and sausages to work (along with some fruit) as a quick and easy lunch. But looking at the the calories and nutrients it's not as good a lunch as I thought!

What ideas so you have for 'storecupboard' type meals I can have at work. I have access to a microwave and boiling water.
Some days I have the time to prep lunch, but looking for ideas for the days I don't!

PS trying to lose weight and put on some muscle. Running and dumbbells two or three times a week to achieve this.

Panini911

my work lunches (keeping in mind my daily goal is around 1400 and i leave room for snacks so my meals are not HUGE). all meal prep is easy and pretty quick.
- boiled eggs, two laughing cow cheese, raw vegetables, home made protein bar "dessert"
- tuna and crackers, raw vegetables, jello pudding cup
- home made soup, 2 laughing cow cheese, raw vegetables, home made protein bar "dessert"
- quinoa salad, raw vegetables, home made protein bar "dessert"

wannabeskinnycat

I've been making egg muffins - not sure of their real name but that works for me.

1 egg per muffin
Any ingredients you like with egg. I have tomato, onion, cheese etc. My surprise faves are grated courgette & carrott (I know!)

Mix together and pour in a greased (1 spray of oil/drip of coconut oil - whatever you prefer) muffin tray, to about 3/4 of the muffin and bake for 20 mins on gas mark 5

I batch make them and they freeze perfectly. Can be defrosted in microwave, or put into lunch pack frozen, then heated for a few minutes in the microwave.

garystrickland357

I keep canned soup and a couple of microwave frozen lunches at work. Usually the calories are reasonable and the nutrition won't derail anything you're doing. My daily go-to lunch is a simple sandwich ~ about 300 calories and I like them.

erickirb

I tend to bring the previous night's leftover supper. easy and no prep, just heat it and eat it

tinkerbellang83

Today I have some Thai Green Chicken Curry I made in the slow cooker yesterday and reheated it with a bag of steam rice.

For Tomorrow & Thursday I've Pasta with some greek style salad (feta cheese/olives/tomato/cucumber) and for Wednesday & Friday I'll be making Tuna & Mozzarella Pasta Salad.

Soups homemade or shop bought are handy for a quick and easy lunch. I often have half a tub with 2 mini naan breads.

Aldi (if you have one near you) have some nice things you can throw in the microwave too - falafel, etc that can be put in a pitta bread.

Shop bought salads, sandwiches, ready meals etc.

Calories & nutrients matter as part of your whole diet, so if you like what you're eating already just make sure it works factored into the rest of your day/week. There's nothing really wrong with sausages & beans/fruit. Just make sure you're making up for any difference in nutrition with your evening meal/breakfast.

apullum

It depends on what the problem is with your current lunch. What calorie and/or macro goals do you have for your lunches?

In addition, you're not likely to both lose weight and build substantial muscle at the same time. Weight (fat) loss requires a calorie deficit, and it's hard to build very much muscle in a deficit. You can/should strength train in a deficit to help maintain the muscle you have, or you can follow a recomp plan to maintain your weight while cutting fat and building muscle.

Carlos_421

Over the weekend, I'll fire up the grill and throw 5 big chicken breasts on there. Marinated in Dale's sauce and cooked over charcoal with some hickory chips, they come out delicious and juicy with a great smokey flavor.
Toss them in separate ziploc sandwich bags and voila. I have a week's worth of lunches.

May sound boring to you with no sides but it suits me. Sometimes I'll stir fry some bell peppers while I grill the chicken and divide them into gladware containers to take as well. Or I may take green beans.

funjen1972

Some of my regular quick options with rough calorie estimates:

50 calorie wraps or tortillas
Fresh, Frozen or canned veggies - big bowl for 100 cals
Oatmeal 150 cals per serving
Canned soups (140-180 cals per whole can)
Turkey sticks or pepperoni (about 80 cals per serving)
Turkey lunch meat
Laughing cow light (25 cals) spread on the wrap and top with veggies and/or meat etc...
Banana or other fruit - 100 cals
Tuna packet - 75 cals
Plain fat free Greek yogurt with sweetener of choice 120 cals per cup
Hard boiled egg 75 cals

etherealanwar

I usually either have a frozen lunch option or make a grilled chicken salad.

Dreamwa1ker

When I'm feeling super lazy - a frozen Healthy choice meal and one of a fiber one bar/side salad/instant oatmeal/fruit since the frozen meal is not going to keep you full on its own and is too low cal anyway.

Usually I do better than that and meal prep something on the weekend to eat for most of the week - pasta with arrabiata sauce and chicken sausage, salads, burrito bowls, etc. A lot of times I'll make a big batch of chicken, pork, etc for these meals on a sheet pan in the oven or on the grill so it all cooks at once to save time.

MarisaMSimon

I always eat leftovers from dinner the night before. Super easy because it's cheaper for me to do that

Commander_Keen

Tuna fish + Mayo+ any and all veggies ( Celery, onion, tomatoes, etc)

rapscalli

Thanks all for the ideas. Are there any more suggestions for healthy 'storecupboard' ideas such as specific tins or packets that are nutritious and I could keep in my drawer in work for days when I haven't made lunch?

ejbronte

I food prep on Sundays, usually both chicken breast and some kind of beef dish. Portion and freeze. Through the week, I choose what I want, and do a quick sandwich or salad, and toss it in a tupperware. Done. I've been making my own bread too, and recently pleased myself with no-knead dough kept in the fridge for a week: rip off 3 ounces, form into a roll, or sort of pizza, or an empanada sort of thing, toss in the oven, and it's fresh bread almost on demand!

Panini911

rapscalli wrote: »

Thanks all for the ideas. Are there any more suggestions for healthy 'storecupboard' ideas such as specific tins or packets that are nutritious and I could keep in my drawer in work for days when I haven't made lunch?

tuna and crackers. actually you can get all kinds of healthy shelf stable meats in a can or pouch now (chicken, salmon, ect.)

if you have a freezer and microwave frozen meals.

nooboots

rapscalli wrote: »

Hi. I have been taking a tin of beans and sausages to work (along with some fruit) as a quick and easy lunch. But looking at the the calories and nutrients it's not as good a lunch as I thought!

What ideas so you have for 'storecupboard' type meals I can have at work. I have access to a microwave and boiling water.
Some days I have the time to prep lunch, but looking for ideas for the days I don't!

PS trying to lose weight and put on some muscle. Running and dumbbells two or three times a week to achieve this.

Is it a hot meal you want? I started doing this a while back and it really helped me. Get a thermos food flask and either make up some meals on a sunday night (presuming you work Monday to Friday) and put them in portion sized tubs. Then each morning take the tubs, microwave them, put the food in the food flask and you have a lovely hot lunch.

I used to do this with tinned curry or beef stew, lamb stew. The reason I found it easier not to make my own is because I would make far too much and add in things which I shouldnt like more calories! Using a tin or ready meal was better for controlling what I ate but obviously home cooked is better. I dont eat bread, pasta, pots or rice so I couldnt use the rice pots or noodle pots that others eat.

I didnt like having to queue up for the microwave and take out hot steaming plastic tubs and carry them back to my desk, too messy and prone to spill (clumsy). The thermos ones come with a spoon in the top. I love them.

nooboots

wannabeskinnycat wrote: »

I've been making egg muffins - not sure of their real name but that works for me.

1 egg per muffin
Any ingredients you like with egg. I have tomato, onion, cheese etc. My surprise faves are grated courgette & carrott (I know!)

Mix together and pour in a greased (1 spray of oil/drip of coconut oil - whatever you prefer) muffin tray, to about 3/4 of the muffin and bake for 20 mins on gas mark 5

I batch make them and they freeze perfectly. Can be defrosted in microwave, or put into lunch pack frozen, then heated for a few minutes in the microwave.

I used to make those too, good for breakfasts, also a little thin sliver of peperami in them is nice

TayaCurragh

For cupboard food I'd recommend microwave rice or cous cous with a tin of fish e.g tuna or salmon

Commander_Keen

rapscalli wrote: »

Thanks all for the ideas. Are there any more suggestions for healthy 'storecupboard' ideas such as specific tins or packets that are nutritious and I could keep in my drawer in work for days when I haven't made lunch?

In Walmart there is tuna in a bag. But its not plain tuna.

mimimunchery

I’ve been making a pretty tasty sandwich: nice whole grain bread, turkey, ultra thin sliced cheddar, lettuce, red cabbage and red peppers. Plus some Amy’s honey mustard and yellow mustard. About 350 or 400 cals, really tasty and keeps me full for hour. Keeps well in a U konserve tin.

aasthadoeslife

Half a can of black beans with salsa, topped with cilantro and maybe avocado on the side. Depending on how many calories you are doing, could add a tortilla and some cheese on top as well. I find it to be a delish meal!

150poundsofme

Hi, Sometime if I run out of time to make a salad with a protein, I will grab an apple or banana and 21 almonds. A hard boiled egg would be good to eat at the same time too. Grab baby carrots and a serving or two of hummus. That's all I got.

cheyeneinthesprings

I prep a salad the night before...super easy. I buy the bagged lettuce, cherry tomatoes, slice some cucumber, maybe add some nuts...then I use those little 2 oz disposable containers for dressing. You can even use raw cabbage instead of lettuce for a crunchy salad. Then add some protein like those tuna packets or some boiled eggs. 😀

KcRavassa

I've been super lazy lately but still determined to get in some veggies so I pack cherry tomatoes, cucumber, cheese, deli meat and sometimes avocado if they're on sale. Works out to about 400-600 calories depending on the amount of cheese and/or I eat my half an avocado. It's been working so far and keeps me so stuffed from the bulk of food that I don't get snacky at work! Otherwise, I eat leftovers.

lilithsrose

I usually try to bring leftovers, but some days there simply isn't anything made and I don't have time to make anything. So grab-and-go meals are nice.

Tuna Pouches and whole-grain crackers are a quick grab-and-go lunch that don't require refrigeration or a microwave.

One of my recent go-to lunches is a miso soup pouch (you just add hot water) with some instant rice added in to make it more filling. If I have any leftover meat from the night before, that gets thrown in too.

If you ever make broth-based soups or pasta dishes, freeze a couple of portions. They reheat well in the microwave.

littlegreenparrot1

A few oatcakes, single portion tub of hummous, as many cherry tomatoes as I have available.

Tins of soup are useful in the cupboard for when you don't have the time/inclination to make it. I prefer the veg based or broth ones with no cream.

CyclingDoofus

Ideas I have used regularly, as a non-meat eater:-

* Deluxe homemade salads, plenty of undressed tuna pickled onions etc
* Microwavable rice, undressed tuna and dry herb mixes (these contain very little calories, ie: Thai Chilli mix, BBQ mix etc)
* Omlettes in my omelette maker
* Huel ready to drink meals
* Protein bars
* Fruit
* Marmite rice-cakes and laughing cow light triangles
* Choc-chip rice cakes
* Low calorie soup
* Sandwich thins and quorn sliced meat
* Lean Quorn home cooked meal, leftovers

alondrakar

Salads and sandwiches are my go to. I rarely have enough leftovers but when I do it's a nice break from the usual.

rapscalli

Thanks all. So far i have added to my online shopping that i can add to my work 'store cupboard' for some no prep (or prep in work) lunches.
- Microwave brown rice (frozen spinach, lemon, chickpeas and harissa)
- Tuna pots
- Tuna
- Almonds
- Seed mix
- Wholegrain crackers
- Tins of soups.

sammidelvecchio

You could also buy a lunch-box ice pack if you are worried about not having access to a refrigerator at work. That way you could prep stuff in your bag that usually stays in the fridge.

I usually get tuna packs and have them with mayo and crackers, with a piece of fruit for a snack. This week i'm branching out. Last night I grilled a bunch of chicken breasts and cut them up. I bought some broccoli slaw mix bags at the store, and plan on adding the chicken to the salad mix for lunches all week. Pretty simple and easy

Check out Pinterest too if you have that, there are tons of great work-lunch ideas on there.