I need lunch ideas under 300 calories please!
janine2355
Posts: 628 Member
Hi everyone. I am in desperate need of lunch ideas! I'm sick of everything! But please, I would like it under 300 calories. I work Monday through Friday, so I need things I can bring to work. I do have acess to a refigerator, microwave, and toaster.
Thank you all.
Thank you all.
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Replies
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Why under 300 calories?
That sounds very snack like and not meal-like.0 -
look into soup and stew ideas with lentils, beans, chickpeas etc. High in fiber and protein and very satisfying.
Having said that, that doesn't seem high enough for a meal. I'd still be hungry on less than 300 calories0 -
300 calories is not a lunch0
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Chicken breast (80g), bbq sauce (37g) and yellow cherry tomatoes (213g) = 232 calories
Quest bar and a banana = about 280 calories
ETA: I usually don't feel very hungry around lunch time. my mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks are usually around 250 calories.... Unless it's the weekend. Then I have a huge breakfast, small lunch and a modest to huge dinner depending on whether or not I ran that day.0 -
Mon-Fri my lunches are under 300 calories, I eat 6X a day though and all my meals are pretty even calorie wise. My diary is open but I eat pretty much the same things all the time. for example lunch for a week can be 4 oz chicken with a cup or two of veggies with some saucy thing, like my own orange juice and apple cider vinegar or oyster sauce. Sometimes I will add 1/2 C of Mashed sweet potato or brown rice.0
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Why under 300 calories?
That sounds very snack like and not meal-like.
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it can be up to 300 calories. But I like more of my calories at dinner and I like a few snacks throughout the day. Because I am on 1200 calorie diet, ( I do get more when I exercise) I don't have a whole lot of flexibility.0 -
That sounds good.look into soup and stew ideas with lentils, beans, chickpeas etc. High in fiber and protein and very satisfying.
Having said that, that doesn't seem high enough for a meal. I'd still be hungry on less than 300 calories
thanks0 -
You can bring as many calories to work as you want, right? It's not like 400 calories takes up too much work in your bag. I batch cook in the weekends and store individual servings of recipes. I eat one thing for lunch another for dinner. Right now I have turkey chili, chicken pesto pasta with walnuts, coconut curry chicken, spaghetti and meat sauce, sirloin steak stir fry and tuna noodle casserole all lined up in the freezer. Add a side of steamed veggies and it's a nice meal. . . around 350-400 calories.0
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you'd be suprised. I can have a decent lunch for 300 calories.300 calories is not a lunch0 -
I love chicken and I love barbecue sauce! Sounds good. thank you!Chicken breast (80g), bbq sauce (37g) and yellow cherry tomatoes (213g) = 232 calories
Quest bar and a banana = about 280 calories
ETA: I usually don't feel very hungry around lunch time. my mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks are usually around 250 calories.... Unless it's the weekend. Then I have a huge breakfast, small lunch and a modest to huge dinner depending on whether or not I ran that day.0 -
That sounds good. Thank you!Mon-Fri my lunches are under 300 calories, I eat 6X a day though and all my meals are pretty even calorie wise. My diary is open but I eat pretty much the same things all the time. for example lunch for a week can be 4 oz chicken with a cup or two of veggies with some saucy thing, like my own orange juice and apple cider vinegar or oyster sauce. Sometimes I will add 1/2 C of Mashed sweet potato or brown rice.0 -
I love your idea of batch cooking. I really need to do that. coconut curry chicken sounds divine. so does the sirloin stiry fry. yummyYou can bring as many calories to work as you want, right? It's not like 400 calories takes up too much work in your bag. I batch cook in the weekends and store individual servings of recipes. I eat one thing for lunch another for dinner. Right now I have turkey chili, chicken pesto pasta with walnuts, coconut curry chicken, spaghetti and meat sauce, sirloin steak stir fry and tuna noodle casserole all lined up in the freezer. Add a side of steamed veggies and it's a nice meal. . . around 350-400 calories.0 -
it can be up to 300 calories. But I like more of my calories at dinner and I like a few snacks throughout the day. Because I am on 1200 calorie diet, ( I do get more when I exercise) I don't have a whole lot of flexibility.Why under 300 calories?
That sounds very snack like and not meal-like.
I am can say with a high degree of certainty that you have selected to lose 2 pounds a week and likely have less than say, 50 pounds to lose. If that is the case, adjust your goal to 1 pound per week and use those extra calories to give yourself the flexibility. In the long run, it will be more sustainable than trying to survive on 88 grams of chicken.0 -
I like lighter lunches as well. I'll do like chickpea pitas (mash up a can of garbanzo beans with some lemon, pickle, spices), or a big salad. Smaller portions of dinner left overs (chicken and broccoli, beans and ham, etc). Sometimes I'll just take a Greek Yogurt with a boiled egg and some raw fruits or veggies. In a pinch, I keep some microwave soup cups on hand and I'll grab one of those with a piece of fruit.0
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I often do a single serving of hummus with veggies and a babybel and mini peperoni and that comes in around 300. I keep an assortment of things at work and combine as need be but I eat lightly through the day to enjoy dinner in the evening with my family and have room for a treat. Greek yogurt and rice thins are always available as well. I bring in a bag of food at the beginning of the week and make my way through it.
And I just made a delish carrot and dill soup that is 110 cal a serving from Canadian living. I printed a ton of low cal yummy looking recipes but that was the first one I made.0 -
I do the same lunch most days...just making small changes for flavor changes.
Turkey sandwich on a sandwich thin...change flavors with mustard, honey mustard, type of turkey, different cheeses, etc. When I get tired of turkey, then london broil or chicken for awhile
Salad - currently with almonds, sesame seeds, wonton strips with light asian sesame dressing
Fruit (sometimes with cheesecake yogurt - 16 oz. plain yogurt mixed with a box of fat free, sugar free Jello cheesecake pudding mix)
String cheese (if I don't put it on my sandwich)0 -
no It is not 2 pounds. I copied/pasted for you. I do exercise though which bumps it up to usually 1400 calories. I'm at a sedentary level because I have a desk job. see below.
it can be up to 300 calories. But I like more of my calories at dinner and I like a few snacks throughout the day. Because I am on 1200 calorie diet, ( I do get more when I exercise) I don't have a whole lot of flexibility.Why under 300 calories?
That sounds very snack like and not meal-like.
I am can say with a high degree of certainty that you have selected to lose 2 pounds a week and likely have less than say, 50 pounds to lose. If that is the case, adjust your goal to 1 pound per week and use those extra calories to give yourself the flexibility. In the long run, it will be more sustainable than trying to survive on 88 grams of chicken.
Calories Burned
From Normal Daily Activity 1,640 cal/day
Net Calories Consumed*
Your Daily Goal 1,200 cal/day
Daily Calorie Deficit 440 calories
Projected Weight Loss 0.9 lbs/week0 -
Im definitely going to do this. I love chich peas, it sounds like you made your own hummus.I like lighter lunches as well. I'll do like chickpea pitas (mash up a can of garbanzo beans with some lemon, pickle, spices), or a big salad. Smaller portions of dinner left overs (chicken and broccoli, beans and ham, etc). Sometimes I'll just take a Greek Yogurt with a boiled egg and some raw fruits or veggies. In a pinch, I keep some microwave soup cups on hand and I'll grab one of those with a piece of fruit.0 -
Make a giant green salad with a low calorie dressing on the side and you'd still have at least 200 calories to play with.
300 calories is a lot. I was making turkey sandwiches on lettuce instead of bread and they came in at less than 90 calories.
Then add an apple. STILL under 300 calories and to be honest, WAY too much food for me. XD0 -
sounds really good. thank youI often do a single serving of hummus with veggies and a babybel and mini peperoni and that comes in around 300. I keep an assortment of things at work and combine as need be but I eat lightly through the day to enjoy dinner in the evening with my family and have room for a treat. Greek yogurt and rice thins are always available as well. I bring in a bag of food at the beginning of the week and make my way through it.
And I just made a delish carrot and dill soup that is 110 cal a serving from Canadian living. I printed a ton of low cal yummy looking recipes but that was the first one I made.0 -
great ideas. love them all thanks.I do the same lunch most days...just making small changes for flavor changes.
Turkey sandwich on a sandwich thin...change flavors with mustard, honey mustard, type of turkey, different cheeses, etc. When I get tired of turkey, then london broil or chicken for awhile
Salad - currently with almonds, sesame seeds, wonton strips with light asian sesame dressing
Fruit (sometimes with cheesecake yogurt - 16 oz. plain yogurt mixed with a box of fat free, sugar free Jello cheesecake pudding mix)
String cheese (if I don't put it on my sandwich)0 -
How about instead of telling her how many calories her lunch should be, you either give an example or don't? Sheesh, people.
A sandwich made with two scrambled eggs (cooked with non-stick spray) and some lower-calorie bread with a piece of fruit/fruit slices/a low-cal yogurt? I have that and it's usually under 300 cals.0 -
not exactly 300, but here is what I do and it's around 350-400 but very filling:
0.5 bag of frozen vegetables ,steamed -> this is 150 cal
1 steamed chicken breast -> this is around 190 cal
so it ends up being around 340, but I assure you it is filing
Hope this helps!0 -
Progresso Light soup.
Lean Cuisine and Smart Ones offer some good microwaveable lunch choices.
I've recently been eating a lot of Dr. McDougall's Asian Entree noodles for lunch too, around 200-220 calories per cup.0 -
Meal replacement shakes are perfect for lunch ideas under 300 calories. Two of those per day, along with vitamins and supplements, will help anyone lose weight (or just inches).0
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A Large salad of lettuce, tomato, bell pepper, red onion, cucumber and 2 tablespoons of coleslaw and a small grilled chicken breast.
Red pepper and tomato soup (a whole bell peper, 1 stick of celery, a carrot, an onion and a tin of chopped tomatoes and a stock cube top up with water, boil until the veg is soft and whizz in a food processor about 90 kcal a bowl) with a slice of wholemeal bread.
butternut squash soup, vegetable soup, hummus with vegetable cruditees and a pitta bread.
there is loads of ideas really but the above is generally what i eat for my lunches.0 -
How about instead of telling her how many calories her lunch should be, you either give an example or don't? Sheesh, people.
No, see when somebody says they need meal ideas for under 300 calories -- because that's what they regularly consume for a meal, that is usually a warning that are possibly being too restrictive.
Op, if those are your numbers, those are your numbers. 1,640 seems a bit low for somebody's TDEE -- even for a sedentary job. Most people's BMRs are usually right at 1,400. I would ask you one question about the 1,640: Are you losing .9 pounds a week or are you losing more? If more, then I would suggest to you, that the calculator you are using is too conservative.
I would also suggest, if you have less than 20-25 pounds to lose, you have the goal of .5 pounds per week.0 -
There's nothing wrong with lunches under 300 calories. Mine are generally around that much because, like you, I want to eat the bulk of my calories for dinner. I don't particularly feel like I need loads of calories through the day, but I do like a big dinner! I owe a lot of my success to doing it this way.
I eat: salads; soup; crackerbread or tortillas with light cream cheese, cucumber, and tomato; light hummus with veggies, hard boiled eggs; yogurt; smoothies; and oatmeal. I usually add a piece of fruit and call it good! 0 -
My average lunch is under 300 calories, and it fills me up until my (small) mid afternoon snack! It consists of a quesadilla (1 corn tortilla, 1/2 cup fat free refried beans, 2 tbs cheese, 2 tbs salsa), 1 cup of green beans, and half an apple. It's 294 calories, and I eat it pretty much every day.0
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Soups
Microwave/lean cuisine meals
Tuna/Salmon/Turkey salads with loads of raw veggies (lettuce, spinach, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, celery)
Wraps0
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