Hate making lunch- help!

nicole0118

So I absolutely HATE deciding what to have for lunch..sick of sandwiches and wraps and salads!! and I don't like taking a bunch of time to prepare something..anyone have any ideas what I could eat besides cereal? lol!!! thanks!!

Francl27

Make more dinner, have dinner leftovers for lunch.

jackielou867

I take a few veggies, I prep them the night before, but you could just use frozen, warm in microwave and add tuna or salmon.
A tin of soup can be tasty but not so healthy, I add veggies and tofu, you can add chicken if you eat meat. I add mushroom if its not a thick soup, for texture, and cottage cheese for creaminess and protein.
I like plain old cottage cheese, just add flavours, fruit or cocoa and cinnamon if you have a sweet tooth. I like Mexican food, so I add a few beans and some salsa.
Eggs, if you have a microwave, can be poached, omelette, scrambled. Or you can cook them at home and take them with you. I make a thick veg omelette, serve it cold at lunchtime, like a frittata.
If you are bored of salad, make a new one. I was over the old lettuce cucumber and tomato last summer, so I took out the lettuce and I started to add beetroot and low fat fetta, or sundried tomatoes, or mixed beans and salsa, and suddenly salad was interesting again.
I have also been known to make overnight oats and use for lunch instead of breakfast!

terbusha

I always have leftovers from dinner the day or 2 before. Just make more for dinner and presto...instant lunch.

Allan

martyqueen52

So I absolutely HATE deciding what to have for lunch..sick of sandwiches and wraps and salads!! and I don't like taking a bunch of time to prepare something..anyone have any ideas what I could eat besides cereal? lol!!! thanks!!

- Cook the 3-5lb bags of chicken on a Sunday and have them throughout the week (top with mustard, mayo, barbecue sauce, hot sauce, etc.

- Hard boiled eggs with hot sauce or a homemade egg salad with light mayo

- Get takeout from Subway a few days

- scrambled eggs / rice / and soy sauce

JoRocka

left overs.

I cook 2 times a week and just eat that.

And eggs and bacon- I eat a lot of eggs and bacon.

soxobsessed

I make 3 big healthy meals on Sunday night, then eat the leftovers for lunch and dinner

JustSomeEm

I'm a lazy bum regarding lunch. So what I end up doing is keeping about a weeks worth of progresso soups at work, and when I'm hungry I nuke those. Pretty bad for my sodium intake, but handy and keeps me under calories while also contributing to my laziness. LOL!

_lyndseybrooke_

I split my lunch into two mini-meals totaling about 450 calories. Today I'll be having tuna with Greek yogurt instead of mayo and a serving of Special K Multigrain crackers at 12ish. At 3ish, I'll be eating a hard-boiled egg, light string cheese, and a cup of flavored Greek yogurt.

My 3:00 snack usually stays the same from week to week, but here are a couple other non-sandwich non-salad lunches I bring with me to work:
- Homemade McDonalds-style egg white delight - English muffin with canadian bacon, egg whites, and white cheddar with some grapes on the side.
- Chicken tacos - 2 corn tortillas with 3 oz shredded chicken, 1/4 cup fat-free refried beans, and a slice of avocado

Other ideas - chili, soups/stews, leftovers, "healthy" frozen meals, combination of snack foods

AmyRhubarb

Burrito bowl! I always grill or cook extra chicken, beef, pork for dinner so I have leftover meat to toss in a bowl with black or pinto beans, rice if I have it, a little cheese, avocado , plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, and salsa. Sometimes I'll add some lettuce if I have it washed and ready to go. With the left overs, it's quick to put together, heat the beans, meat & rice, then top it with everything else. Easy and delicious and filling. And much cheaper than Chipotle!

MomforNoah

I cook up a lot of chicken Sundays and hard boil eggs. I eat dinner left overs mostly. It's so much easier to do it for a week on Sunday for me. If I fail to bring anything I grab a Subway veggie salad.

purplemurfy

Cook some type of casserole/one pot meal on Sat or Sun and portion out for the week. I do this every week and now I even have several to choose from in my freezer so that I don't get tired of eating the same thing. Depending on what I make, it usually only takes 15-30 mins and then oven time. This is the way I have been succesful! You have to make the time if you want results.

Examples of my lunches: Turkey fricassee, baked beef and brown rice, mexican casserole, beef and cabbage stir fry. All have a bunch of veggies in them and keep me full.

fittoday14

Buy frozen dinners that are low in sodium and high in protein. I love Amy's, Lean Cuisine and Garten of Good Eatin. I also love eating Sushi for lunch.

jlynnm70

I eat sliced deli meat, and cheese - maybe a few crackers - I just keep this in the fridge at work so I don't have to think.

Usually its leftovers from dinner the night before - just a smaller portion.

Soup, salad, etc.

amethyst7986

I say try Pinterest.....I usually find some good simple and healthy recipes on there. I don't know if you have a fridge at work, but I make sure to keep snacks there too incase I forget to bring food or need something simple.

I'm also a huge fan of cooking and preparing one day a week-- this helps me during the school year, when I am in school and still working full time.

Lizzy622

I definitely DITTO the leftover dinner for lunch. Just put it in a microwavable container portioned for lunch when you are clearing dinner.

Confuzzled4ever

left overs.

I cook 2 times a week and just eat that.

This

also I'll make salad and put tuna and feta on it

and greek yogurt mixed wtih fruit.

lisaabenjamin

I'm into couscous right now. I make up enough for 5 portions on a Sunday and divide it between 5 takeaway containers so I can take it to work. It's the easiest thing in the world to cook - you literally pour boiling water over the couscous (I sometimes add a vegetable stock cube to add extra flavour), cover the bowl with a cloth and leave it 10 minutes. What could be easier!!

I then throw whatever I have in the fridge or cupboard into the couscous - things like tomatoes, spring onions, cheese, ham, leftovers, tuna, anything really!

dlionsmane

I cook in bulk on Sunday and eat for lunch all week. Or like others said make more for dinner and have leftovers from that for lunch!

JoRocka

left overs.

I cook 2 times a week and just eat that.

This

also I'll make salad and put tuna and feta on it

and greek yogurt mixed wtih fruit.

yup yup- sounds like my day exactly (today I have with me)
> 1 original Fresca
> 4 hard boiled eggs
> 2 homemade chocolate chip cookies
> 8 oz low fat greek 1/2 teaspoon honey (the following mixed in at work)
>2.5 oz black berries
>2.5 oz raspeberries
>15 grams of Vanilla Whey
> left over 7 up marinade chicken
> roasted cauliflower

not consumed in that order.

CLFrancois

I buy a few of those tuna/cracker deals at the grocery store for those days that I just do NOT want to fix stuff.
I know it isn't the best thing, but they do have a lighter version, at least there is some protein in there.
I also am one that buys the protein bars and will take one when I am lazy.

Otherwise, not a lot to give you except my "there, there, I understand."

seltzermint555

I usually go home for lunch and eat with my husband so we have leftovers or meals that are fairly quick to prepare. However, on occasions that I do bring my lunch to work I actually like to just bring a ton of random foods. Example might be - boiled egg, square of dark chocolate, a bit of hummus, carrots, a pear, and a tiny container of leftover pasta.

Iron_Duchess

Chicken sausage is fast and easy to make the night before. I add it to salads, pasta, or make a quick lunch of quinoa (which I cook Sunday’s for the rest of the week), the sausage, and frozen veggies. All you have to do is heat it up come lunchtime. Today I have Boca burgers (15g of protein for 120 cals) and all I have to do is heat it up and assembly. Turkey burgers work as well, but of course, you have to cook it the night before (it only takes a few minutes to make and it’s about 180cals each / 21g of protein.)

willrun4bagels

I take "snack" type stuff that requires no cooking or reheating. I'll usually have: a Greek yogurt, an apple, 125g of baby carrots and 1 serving of hummus (sometimes 2 servings of hummus and I'll throw in 30g of crackers too). Sometimes a protein shake, an apple, and some carrots and hummus. Some days it's a serving of roasted unsalted almonds, a yogurt, and an apple. My diary is open so you can look through if you want. You can pick several smaller things and just eat them all at once for your lunch - no one says you have to eat a sandwich every day . I find that I'm more full after my lunches now than I used to be before MFP when I was making sandwiches for lunch.

TeaBea

So I absolutely HATE deciding what to have for lunch..sick of sandwiches and wraps and salads!! and I don't like taking a bunch of time to prepare something..anyone have any ideas what I could eat besides cereal? lol!!! thanks!!

- Cook the 3-5lb bags of chicken on a Sunday and have them throughout the week (top with mustard, mayo, barbecue sauce, hot sauce, etc.

- Hard boiled eggs with hot sauce or a homemade egg salad with light mayo

- Get takeout from Subway a few days

- scrambled eggs / rice / and soy sauce

This!^

Batch cooking is the way to go. I grill enough chicken breast for the week. Portion it into ziplock baggies. That way I can have a chicken salad sandwich, or chicken on a salad (so many varieties.....Asian (chow mein noodles, mandarin oranges), SouthWest (grill some peppers & onion), Harvest (apples & craisins). Make wraps fun.

Make a crockpot of soup. Portion it out & freeze for later. Soups & stews freeze really well.

Friday is my "no-pack" day......really it's just an easy to pack day. Typically a WW or Lean Cuisine meal, veggies & fruit.

This is a lifestyle change too. Get into a habit. When you lose the weight, you're still going to have to eat healthier....that won't go away.

TeaBea

Buy frozen dinners that are low in sodium and high in protein. I love Amy's, Lean Cuisine and Garten of Good Eatin. I also love eating Sushi for lunch.

Lean Cuisine's site let's you search by sodium if necessary.

JoRocka

Friday is my "no-pack" day......really it's just an easy to pack day. Typically a WW or Lean Cuisine meal, veggies & fruit.

Friday has become my no pack day as well- mostly because the cafeteria dude gives me crap that I never come visit- and they do make a mean tuna plate. And have tasty pickles. LOL

CaitlinW19

I make different batches of mason jar salads every week. I know you said you are sick of salads, but maybe expanding your variety would help. I especially like making some kind of meat in the crockpot for sandwiches for dinner (like shredded bbq chicken) and then using some to make salads. My favorite varieties are taco salad, BBQ chicken salad, buffalo chicken salad and chicken cesar salad. I try to make a new salad combo at least ever other week and am currently trying to incorporate more vegeterian salads.

I make all my salads on Sunday for the week. As long as you layer the ingredients to keep the dressing and leafy stuff seperated it stays fresh easily for 5 days. Key is dressing on the bottom followed by anything that can sit in dressing without getting icky (meat, beans, cucumbers). Then other softer stuff like tomatoes and cheese and last the lettuce up to the top. Shake and eat.

mtruitt01

This is a great topic for me, because I'm a teacher who eats in her classroom and gets bored thinking of what to take, how to pack it, etc.
I have one more month off, and this is what I had for lunch. The other half of sandwich will be a snack. I have to fill my plate, or this will be just another diet, instead of a way of life.
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It's in my food diary. Anyone is free to look.
I'm trying to stay with food instead of food-shaped objects. I really forgot what food is.

jillian_fan2425

I have leftovers when there is enough for it, like many others here.

I also do simple salads, broccoli and cheese rice, simple pasta and veggies. One of my favorites (and what I had today) is to make a veggie quesadilla and bring a mini Tupperware of salsa to dip the pieces in. I used to do the multiple snack things described by others here, typically a piece of fruit (ex. apple and peanut butter), protein bar, yogurt (or string cheese) and something sweet for dessert. Now, I try to have a small lunch and multiple snacks during the day in order to keep up with my cravings while I'm at work.

KM0692

Amy's frozen meals are pretty good, and a lot healthier than the other stuff you see at the store. Kind of pricey though.