What to bring for lunch

kennethshaw

I have been a member on myfitnesspal since Sept 2009 and have lost about 20 pounds. My eating habits have changed drastically but I'm getting bored with my lunches that I bring to work. I can't seem to break out of the turkey sandwich rut. Any suggestions? Also, any alternatives to going out for lunch as well besides Subway sandwiches?

Thanks and look forward to eating your ideas.

louiseei

Hope these ideas help, make take a littlemore prep, but variety is the spice of life.

Over the winter I take a thermos with homemade soup in, with maybe some oatcakes or pitta bread.
Wholewheat pasta salad with chopped up peppers, spring onions, maybe some tuna, chicken or prawns.
Cous cous with roast veg (have it hot for dinner one day and make extra to have cold for lunch)
Sushi
jacket potatoes with beans/cottage cheese/tuna & sweetcorn if you have a microwave or are eating lunch out

Hope these hele

Louise

abyt42

Most of the time, I eat vegetables with hummus and a couple of ak mak. If I'm super busy, or super hungry, on a given day, I'll add a cup of soup or a bowl of oatmeal or an apple. (Or leftovers from dinner the night before).

I've also thrown a couple of lean cuisine's in the break room freezer.

Philsteadman

I know what you mean....it's chicken, chicken, chicken for me! /

forthefab5

How about buying wraps instead? You can always use other fillers like tuna, smoked salmon, boiled egg (instead of turkey) and fill it up with lots of salad leaves, tomatoes, etc

sophieshaped

How about a tuna and bean salad? Or blitz up some peas with mint, lemon and parmesan (the night before), and have it on toast.

apfeiff

If you like Egg Salad, I've been making a "healthier" version and instead of bread (I'm low-cal) I make Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps.

superwmn

This week I cooked pork tenderloin and roasted massive trays of veggies. I divided them into servings and have been bringing them with me each day.

apfeiff

I also have a recipe called "Chicken Bake Roma" and this stuff is delicious. You can also make it into a burrito if you'd like.

3 lbs chicken breast (skinless, boneless), cut into 8 pieces
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
3 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch chunks (about 4 cups)
2-3 cups halved mushrooms
1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp dried basil
1 bay leaf

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Rub both sides of chicken with salt & pepper. Place in a 13x9" roasting pan. Bake chicken for 10 minutes. Place pan on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350F.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, and bay leaf.
3. Spoon veg mixture evenly over chicken. Cover pan with foil & bake for 35 minutes. Uncover pan and bake until chicken is golden & no longer pink, about 40 minutes longer. Remove bay leaf & serve.

Makes 6 servings
Calories per serving: 176
Carbs: 12 g
Protein: 25g
Sodium: 387mg
Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 72mg

Cristy_AZ

I also have a recipe called "Chicken Bake Roma" and this stuff is delicious. You can also make it into a burrito if you'd like.

3 lbs chicken breast (skinless, boneless), cut into 8 pieces
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
3 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch chunks (about 4 cups)
2-3 cups halved mushrooms
1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp dried basil
1 bay leaf

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Rub both sides of chicken with salt & pepper. Place in a 13x9" roasting pan. Bake chicken for 10 minutes. Place pan on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350F.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, and bay leaf.
3. Spoon veg mixture evenly over chicken. Cover pan with foil & bake for 35 minutes. Uncover pan and bake until chicken is golden & no longer pink, about 40 minutes longer. Remove bay leaf & serve.

Makes 6 servings
Calories per serving: 176
Carbs: 12 g
Protein: 25g
Sodium: 387mg
Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 72mg

This sounds great!! Printing it now!! Thanks for this thread, I am so bored with salads and cut up veggies. Portioned out 2 kinds of homemade soup for this week, very yummy, but a girl can't eat soup everyday!!

lulu_beans

OMG! That sounds delicious!!!

I have been bringing Michelina's Lean Gourmet meals for a couple weeks, and have found a wide selection of them. I haven't had the same thing twice yet. I have also kept a box of Active Lifestyle cereal with strawberries. It's really good, and I can have it for lunch, or even a snack, as the cereal with FF milk is only 155 calories.

I know what you mean about the lack of variety getting boring, I think that's the reason I went off track originally. Back on now!

Good luck!

kristinlough

I want some of these bean salad recipes ... anyone? anyone?

petithamu

I quite enjoy hearty food and being Chinese...I'm just not used to eating sandwiches or salad for lunch...so I made this healthy beef goulash and serve it with brown rice. I make a big pot for the week and it's really filling so maybe this will help?

Healthy beef goulash, serves 6 - 8

What you need:
A big stew pot like a dutch oven or just a big pot that's safe to go into the oven.
Stewing beef x 1 kg (I use shin of beef because it's cheap, it's low fat, and hours of cooking it makes me meat super tender!)
Large onion x 1, chopped in big pieces
2 carrots, chopped to bite pieces
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
2 Tbs of rapeseed oil (or any healthy vegetable oil will do. Olive oil works, too)
2 Tbs of flour
4 Tbs of paprika
1 Tsp of dried mix herbs
1 can of peeled tomatoes
1 cube of beef stock cube (with hot water, about 600ml)
Salt and pepper

What to do:

Preheat your oven to 170C
Cut up the beef into bite chunks. You can cut them bigger, smaller, your shout.
In a big bowl, mix the flour and 1 tbs of paprika. Coat the beef with the flour mixture
On the stove, heat your big pot on med/high. Don't put the oil in yet, you need a hot pot with cold oil so meat doesn't stick to your pot. Once the pot is smoking A LITTLE BIT, put in 1 tbs of oil and sear the beef in batches. Don't need to cook them, just to brown them on the outside, it seals in the flavor. Once done, put it on a plate and set aside.

In the same pot, put 1 tbs of oil and heat it (medium) for about 10 seconds, toss in your chopped onions and stirfry for about 3 minutes, till the onion become translucent. Throw in the garlic, stirfry that with the onion for a minute. Pour in your plate of beef and 3 tbs of paprika and coat the beef nicely. Pour in the can of peeled tomatoes, crushing them in the pot, stir and mix in with the beef. Add in the mixed herbs and lastly, pour in the beef stock. Make sure everything is incorporated. Put the lid on and shove it in the oven.

Check after 1 hr and 15 minutes, your kitchen should smell so good right now...add in the chopped carrots and mix it in. Lid back on, back into the oven for another 1 hr and 15 minutes. If it looks dry, you can add more beef stock but I've never needed to add more liquid...

While you wait, make some brown rice or whole wheat pasta!

Kcal: 272 per serving (not including rice!)
Carb: 10
Fat: 12
Protein: 30

Afraid I don't know the sodium count...

That is it! Big pot of goodness and has lean protein, tomatoes for antioxidant and a good hearty lunch!

Let me know how it goes if you decide to try it!

Tiffany

asltiffm

What about bringing our leftovers? That's what I often do.

kennethshaw

Thanks for the great ideas. I love the strategy of making a lot on Sunday and prewrapping everything. I guess I just need to get off my butt to do the cooking. I figure if I do this, then maybe I can save the turkey sandwich for Friday only. I also like the great recipes too. Thanks so much. Just made my lunches much more interesting.

kennethshaw

If you like Egg Salad, I've been making a "healthier" version and instead of bread (I'm low-cal) I make Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps.

Do tell, what's your "healthier" version? Does it not involve any mayo?

apfeiff

My version of Egg Salad Wraps:

12 hard-boiled eggs (2 egg yolks removed)
1 T Best Foods Light Mayo
3 T French's Yellow Mustard
couple shakes of Curry Powder
6 drops Tabasco Sauce
~1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper, as desired
1 t dried parsley
mix in (if desired): cucumber, celery, green onion, pickle/relish

apfeiff

My version of Egg Salad Wraps:

12 hard-boiled eggs (2 egg yolks removed)
1 T Best Foods Light Mayo
3 T French's Yellow Mustard
couple shakes of Curry Powder
6 drops Tabasco Sauce
~1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper, as desired
1 t dried parsley
mix in (if desired): cucumber, celery, green onion, pickle/relish

You can also use Miracle Whip, but I go VERY light on the mayo. If I need it to be a thinner/less chunky consistency, I add a little water.

kiffypooh

I eat a lot of soup, I LOVE Trader Joe's soups that come in boxes. You could try to change up your turkey sandwich by using different types of mustards or pesto mayo or something like that. Other then that I'm in the same rut. My friend does cheese and lunch meat, hummus and veggies, tuna and crackers.

Thanks for posting this, I'll try back later to see what others have added.

Monkey_23

U will need canned corn, canned black beans, cilantro, red onions, lime and salt.. (no specific portions u make to like n taste)
Put ur beans and corn in a bowl (after draining them) dice a whole red onion throw it in the bowl, chop up some cilantro (all depending how much u like cilatro is how much u'd want to add) throw it in the bowl , cut up some limes and get some lime juice in there add some salt stir it all up and u got yourself a good been salad..
This is a cold salad, goes good along side a blackend season grilled chicken breast or a piece of steak.

karriecook

I make a large portion of brown rice, sautee lean ground turkey with spices, steam veggies with seasoning then mix it all together. I divide these into individual portions and eat for lunch every day.

tamheath

Great ideas here! Here's a recipe from WW. We made last night and I had leftovers for lunch today. Really good and pretty easy! The recipe is for one serving. We made lots more, and used pork tenderloin instead.

Pork Stir Fry

Heat 1 tsp oil in skillet or wok over high heat. Add 1/4 lb pork loin cut in strips for stir fry. Stir fry 2 mins. Add 1.5 cups coleslaw mix (I used broccoli slaw mix), couple tsps each of minced garlic, Asian fish sauce and pepper. Stir fry 2 or 3 mins.

We all loved it. Make extra for lunch next day!

tamheath

This week I cooked pork tenderloin and roasted massive trays of veggies. I divided them into servings and have been bringing them with me each day.

Love the idea of roasting lots of veggies. BTW, amazing stats!

auranda

bump

vcatmb44

I work in an office so i try and change it up it may be a lean cuisine a whole wheat turkey sandwhich or ill buy low carb wraps and make tuna salad. Also I try and make my lunch the nite before so i make a lot of fresh salads with pico de galo, mushrooms fat free feta, turkey bacon with oil and vinegar thats always plentiful low carb , cal and fat

heathersmilez

To answer your ‘going out to eat’ question, try Teriyaki Experience. Optsfor brown rice and if sodium is a problem for you, cut out the Asian cooking sauce and have them just use water (they advertise this so it’s not a burden to ask) and cut out the teriyaki sauce.

kjensen15

I love to eat leftovers. I typically make enough dinner so I have atleast one day's worth of lunch. I made this the other night and it was great! My DH even liked it, which is rare b/c he his PICKY!

Italian Mozzarella Stuffed Turkey Burgers

Ragu Sweet Tomato Basil Light Spaghetti Sauce
1 lb of lean ground turkey
1/4 cup chopped scallions
2 tsps minced garlic
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1tsp grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
2 tbls finely chopped basil
2 tsp EVOO
4 4in square slices of foccacia bread, toasted

To prepare burgers: Place turkey, scallions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, oregano, pepper, and salt in a larger bowl. Gently combine, without overmixing, until evenly incorporated. Form 8 thin patties about 4 in wide and 3/8 in thick.

Combine 1/4 cup of cheese and basil and place an equal amount in the center of 4 patties. Cover with the remaining patties and crimp edges closed.

Heat 2 tsp of EVOO in a large non stick skillet over medium heat. Add burgers and cook, until an instant read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165 degrees, 8-10 minutes.

Warm the spaghetti sauce on the stove. To assemble the burgers, spread 3 tbs of spaghetti sauce on each piece of the foccacia toast, top with burger, add about 3 more tbs of sauce and 1 tbs of the remaining cheese.

Per Serving: 299 calories, 15g of fat, 14g of Carbs, 28g of Protein



I made this recipe for dinner with a salad and the next day I just had of the leftover patties with a 1/2 cup of cottage cheese! It was delicious!

Nicole114

If you like Egg Salad, I've been making a "healthier" version and instead of bread (I'm low-cal) I make Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps.

How do you make your egg salad?

nevermind, I saw your other post lol

kjensen15

Also another favorite of mine was the buffalo chicken salad I made the other day. I took about 4 oz of chicken and sauteed it with some Pete's Wing sauce. Then put it on top of a bed of lettuce and then added some black bean and corn salsa, a little avocado, and just a touch of light ranch! YUMM-O!

tamheath

Also another favorite of mine was the buffalo chicken salad I made the other day. I took about 4 oz of chicken and sauteed it with some Pete's Wing sauce. Then put it on top of a bed of lettuce and then added some black bean and corn salsa, a little avocado, and just a touch of light ranch! YUMM-O!

This looks good! Bumping up, so i can find this again!

rmhand

One of my favorite lunch food is crackers, cream cheese, and turkey.

I like to use wheat thins, or the wheat thins flat bread
spread on some 1/3 reduced fat garden veggie cream cheese, or chive and onion cream cheese.
then add a piece of smoked or mesquite turkey lunch meat.

I always have lots of raw veggies and I have a habit of finishing with something sweet.
sometimes I can convince myself carrots are sweet enough but if not its some sugar free pudding, light yogurt, apple sauce, or hershey's kiss.