Lunch Ideas (Low Cal & Low Sodium)

mrsewert

I need some suggestions all this time I've been doing frozen WW's or Lean Cuisine meals and never realized that the sodium in these meals are actually hurting me.

I only have a 30 minute lunch so I need some ideas as to what I can make ahead to reheat or other quick fix suggestions.

Thanks!

bbombard

I like to do beans and rice. I do up a few cups of rice on Sundays and then use it all week. I use Bush's black beans and grillin beans for flavor. Occasionally I will also cook up some chicken breast and add it for those extra hungry days :-)

Healthyby30

I love salads for lunch. There are so many different options/tastes. My fav is baby spinach, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, green onion, boneless/skinless chicken breast, avacado and a babybel light cheese with the ranch dressing i make with greek yogurt and skim milk..sooo yummy!!!!

Also, freeze leftovers! Casseroles, chili, etc. Most things reheat nicely, especially if you get it out the night before and refrigerate it!

Could also cook some meat up on the weekends, freeze it in 4 oz portions (or whatever you like) and then just throw a bag in the fridge the day before..eat with a salad or some veggies

skinnygirlfreed

Very easy, quick lunch/snack. I don't know how low you need your lunch to be. You could play with this recipe if it's too low in calories.

Pizza Roll-Up:

1 high fiber tortilla (like La Tortilla brand)
2 T pizza sauce (or less)
1 wedge Laughing Cow cheese (garlic & herb flavor)
Turkey Pepperoni (I usually use 1/2 serving)

Spread sauce and cheese on tortilla, top with pepperoni, roll it up & microwave about 30 seconds and you have a quick little pizza roll! I'm guessing - but, with the ingredients I use - it runs about 160 calories. Pair it with some veggies....or baked chips. The extra fiber in the tortilla will fill you up more than you think!

Let me know if you try it!

mszSHOGAN

Whole wheat wraps are good with hummus and some veggies, or with a low fat chicken/tuna salad

Salads are always good, I like to add some chicken to mine

I also do the rice/beans thing

Cottage cheese w/fruit, veggies (fills you up more than you'd think it would)

I've found that eating out while at work is usually NEVER a good choice. If I must eat out I walk to Sub Way and get a roasted chicken sub!

bluiz13

bumping for later...some really great ideas...

morganadk2_deleted

My favorite home made Ratatouille with a baked potato!

Or Chickpea and Spinach Curry


My family loves it when I cook this! There are 3 servings because I eat it on its own as a meal, but if you have it with rice, or pilau bulgur as I occasionally do, you can half the portion size. This is so incredibly low calorie for a huge portion and one of the meals I tend to make in bulk and keep in the freezer for a while. It really is delicious! Don't be daunted by all the herbs and spices, they are all great for using with other things.

http://heavling.blogspot.com/search/label/Chickpea
The young lady who does this blog is my daughter and i know the recipes work and are really tasty! oh also on there ......

Aubergine Hummus

This is an awesome combination of Baba Ganoush and Regular Hummus. It is fantastic as a dip, or spread on some brown bread or a wholemeal pitta with spinach and sundried tomatoes.
It makes 8 large (100g) portions, but you could stretch it out further.
123 calories per serving, 3.4g F, 0.4g SF, 19.1 C, 4.1g S, 6.4g Fb, 5.6g P


Enjoy!

ka_42

I often have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on sara lee's 45 calorie bread with 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce. It totals about 280 calories

jenna_watsonator

Peanut butter is a personal fave, boiled rapini is also really yummy and super nutritious. Or sliced eggplant with marinara, nutritional yeast, and a sprinkling of parmesan and bread crumbs....low cal eggplant parmesan! Nomnomnom!

KendalBeee

bumping for later

mrsewert

Oh awesome suggestions ladies! Keep them coming!

emmyvera

I adore the Flat Out Wraps. They are delicious, in three flavors, and have a good source of fiber.
I put ham, lettuce, tomato, some vinaigrette. YUM!

Have with some veggies, carrots/tomatoes and enjoy some laughing cow cheese. Instead of putting cheese on the wrap

In fact, I'm having this right now

Enjoy the day!

pitbulllover

I like egg salad. I try to always have hard boiled eggs in my fridge, so it's easy to make a sandwich in the morning before work. I use 3 eggs, but I take the yolks out of 2 them. So it's basically 2 hard boiled egg whites, 1 whole hard boiled egg, and add some light mayo and pepper, and scallions for a little crunch. I put on one of those 100 calorie sandwich thins (Arnold's), and it ends up being pretty satisfying and low calorie.

rw4004

Veggieburgers are very low calorie,no cholesterol,low sodium,high protein,high fiber.My favorites are Morningstar garden veggie (sold at burger king too),or Quorn naked chik cutlets.

chicabean420

I'm a leftovers person. So I typically plug in whatever I made for dinner into the Recipe part of MFP and portion out 2-4 meals. Then I have leftovers I tend to cycle a couple meals though, so it's not the same thing every day. I also enjoy veggies and light dip, and a small yogurt cup

I hate salad for lunch because it doesn't keep me full. No matter what

Sweet13_Princess

If you have a fridge/microwave nearby you can create a really good wrap that I enjoy:

Nuke 1 container of the 90 second, flavored instant rice - I use about 1/4-1/2 of the container
1 whole wheat tortilla
Stuff it with the rice and any veggies you have easy access too.
Quicky and tastey!!!!

Also, keep a few apples, pears, or peaches in your fridges for a sweet, but good for you munch!

Shannon

Sweet13_Princess

If you have a fridge/microwave nearby you can create a really good wrap that I enjoy:

Nuke 1 container of the 90 second, flavored instant rice - I use about 1/4-1/2 of the container
1 whole wheat tortilla
Stuff it with the rice and any veggies you have easy access too.
Quicky and tastey!!!!
No dressing needed!

Also, keep a few apples, pears, or peaches in your fridges for a sweet, but good for you munch!

Shannon

mrsewert

Very easy, quick lunch/snack. I don't know how low you need your lunch to be. You could play with this recipe if it's too low in calories.

Pizza Roll-Up:

1 high fiber tortilla (like La Tortilla brand)
2 T pizza sauce (or less)
1 wedge Laughing Cow cheese (garlic & herb flavor)
Turkey Pepperoni (I usually use 1/2 serving)

Spread sauce and cheese on tortilla, top with pepperoni, roll it up & microwave about 30 seconds and you have a quick little pizza roll! I'm guessing - but, with the ingredients I use - it runs about 160 calories. Pair it with some veggies....or baked chips. The extra fiber in the tortilla will fill you up more than you think!

Let me know if you try it!

I just bought the stuff for this and I'm plugging it into my food diary...will let you know what I think!

ETA: OMG this is amazing!

mrsewert

ranch dressing i make with greek yogurt and skim milk..sooo yummy!!!!

Do you put the ranch powder into the greek yogurt? I bought some plain greek yogurt today???? I LOVE ranch and will only eat ranch. :laugh:

mrsewert

I like to do beans and rice. I do up a few cups of rice on Sundays and then use it all week. I use Bush's black beans and grillin beans for flavor. Occasionally I will also cook up some chicken breast and add it for those extra hungry days :-)

Do you rinse and drain the black beans?

skinnygirlfreed

Very easy, quick lunch/snack. I don't know how low you need your lunch to be. You could play with this recipe if it's too low in calories.

Pizza Roll-Up:

1 high fiber tortilla (like La Tortilla brand)
2 T pizza sauce (or less)
1 wedge Laughing Cow cheese (garlic & herb flavor)
Turkey Pepperoni (I usually use 1/2 serving)

Spread sauce and cheese on tortilla, top with pepperoni, roll it up & microwave about 30 seconds and you have a quick little pizza roll! I'm guessing - but, with the ingredients I use - it runs about 160 calories. Pair it with some veggies....or baked chips. The extra fiber in the tortilla will fill you up more than you think!

Let me know if you try it!

I just bought the stuff for this and I'm plugging it into my food diary...will let you know what I think!

ETA: OMG this is amazing!

jbqueen

I make stuffed green peppers on Sunday and have 6 peppers for the week. It takes just two minutes to reheat them and they're delicious and low calorie. Found it on sparkpeople (http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=728023):

6 large green peppers
1 lb ground turkey
2 tbsp chopped onion
1 cup cooked rice
1/8 tsp garlic salt
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce [I use Prego Traditional instead]
1 tsp. salt [I omit this]


*Preheat oven to 350 F

*Cut thin slice from stem of each pepper; remove guts and rinse

*Cook peppers 5 minutes in enough boiling water to cover, drain [I don't do this; makes the peppers too soft, IMO]

*Cook and stir onion and turkey in skillet until turkey is light brown; drain

*Stir in rice, salt, garlic salt, and 1 cup tomato sauce; heat though

*Stuff each pepper with turkey mixture; stand upright in greased 8x8x12 baking dish

*Pour remaining sauce over peppers

*Cover and bake 45 minutes

*Uncover, bake 15 minutes longer

mrsewert

Those sound yummy too! Unfortunately me and green peppers don't agree!

kianaik

bump

jb_sweet_99

I often eat the Knorr soups that come in the carton, really easy to bring that and a bowl to work and they are super filling! They are a bit high in sodium, but I don't eat much else with sodium so it doesn't add up for me so it will depend on how you eat the rest of the day. Other than that it's leftovers or a Tuna sandwich with carrots and egg whites (cooked) mixed in, helps keep you fuller and adds more protein

mrsbuzz

Bump

BughaBear

Bump for later some really good ideas

mybutterflower

Bumping for later

daniraebug

bump for later

Mesmereyes

bump

tracyts

bumping