Work Lunches - What do you take?

LemonCitron

Hello,

I was just wondering what you guys are taking to work for a lunch. Right now I'm taking a sandwich made on Dempsters Ancient Grains bread, mustard, turkey or ham and light havarti cheese. This runs me about 450 calories which I'm thinking is a little high.

Just wondering what you guys are taking as your lunch?

Also, I love the Dempsters bread but at 120 a slice it's a little high in calories. Does anyone have any just as delicious alternatives?

ekbwk

If I take a sandwich I use the sandwich rounds. They are 100 calories a piece if you get the whole grain ones and they are so good! I like to use them for paninis and such!

That_Girl

Celery with peanut butter or tuna salad
yogurt
apple
strawberries
almonds
pudding (haha)
carrots

aliceofwonderland

I usually bring either a wrap with hummus or cream cheese, a salad with lots of veggies and either hard boiled egg or tuna, or some yogurt/cottage cheese, popcorn, and vegetables.

MeganMac17

Usually I bring a turkey sandwich with some fruit or raw veggies on the side. In cold weather, I'll bring tomato soup.

Then I switch it up a couple times a week and bring a salad with chicken and a whole grain bagel. Put the right things in the salad, and it's barely any calories!

micklepickle61

lean cuisine

happyhaunt

I usually take chicken sandwiches on low calorie bread with light mayo, a yogurt and a piece of fruit or cereal bar.

angelaclassact

I make a salad, and usually bring left overs of things we had for dinner.

You might be able to substitute the bread for a deli flat, and think about making a side salad (spinach or red leaf lettuce) with FF dressing.

mem50

For me I need quick and easy food. I take a applesauce, and a veggie snac pak. I found the ready snac paks at Meijer. They have different ones. Veggies and either a ranch dip or humus. pitta rounds with pepperoni and cheese. Yogurt and fruit. Sometimes half a sandwich. Raisins and dried apricots are a good energy mix. I like to change it up every few days so I don't get into the same old, same old routine. Triscuits and whole wheat crackers are good with the applesauce too.

Shelty64

Green Salad with some protein on top (tuna, chicken, turkey, cottage cheese).
Rice Pasta with marianara sauce, mushrooms, protein.
Home-made soup, make on th weekend, and freeze in ready to take portions.

Just bring whatever you cooked for dinner the night before. (make sure to make enough for leftovers) And then, pre-measure your lunch the night before, so you know the calorie-count. This cuts down on being rushed in the morning.

K1Teacher

I take a whole can of tuna and mix with 1 tbl light mayo (put in small container - makes 1/2 c)
Put some spinach on each of the halves of an Earthgrain Thin bun and put half of the tuna on each bun and eat the buns/tuna open faced - makes it seem like more

It's actually very filling at only 242 calories

vwgurl2

Usually take lean cuisine or make a spinach salad with strawberries and blueberries and sliced chicken with raspberry walnut dressing... usually runs me about 200 cal. Later I have an apple with PB2.

Oh, and I found a Natures Own wheat bread that is only 50 cal a slice.

crjugrl

I love bread, but it really is high in calories. Now I use light italian bread and it's only 80 calories for 2 slices. I usually make a sandwich with that bread and bring either a light Activia yogurt or a 100 calorie snack pack with a bottle of water. Fruits are pretty filling too.

saldridge

I know it's not for everyone, but I love the Pepperidge Farm Whole Grain Jewish Rye. It is whole grain with plenty of fiber and it is not sweet. I often find breads offensively sweet when I am trying to make a hearty sandwich. All the molasses, honey, HFCS does not belong in hearty bread. It is nice toasted and fresh, and you can get seeded or not.

Now, the best part is that it has only 70 calories, but it isn't a light bread or so. I guess not adding oodles of sweetener is a god thing for taste and waist!

As for alternatives, we make meat balls once a week, lean ground beef/turkey, baked and I take 4 of those to work. I sometimes have a dipping sauce, and I can heat them or eat them cold. Very lean lunch packed with protein - add some crackers and you have a quick fast lunch

SarahofTwins

Usually a sandwich and soup....there are 40 calorie bread slices by Natures Own. So essentially getting 80 calories for 2 slices

SarahofTwins

Usually a sandwich and soup....there are 40 calorie bread slices by Natures Own. So essentially getting 80 calories for 2 slices

gnastro

I like salad works mandarin chicken salad. It is expensive so i make the same thing at home. I get romaine lettuce, raw spinach, red cabbage, shredded carrots, canned sugar free mandarin oranges, craisains, and chicken breast. I top it off with light ranch dressing. I measure everything it out.

mycrazyturtles

100 calorie for the whole grain thin buns.
2 pieces of turkey-50 calories
1 slice this swiss 60 calories
Then mustard, i also put it in the microwave.

Then I mix up the sides
Baked chips
Wheat pretzles
yogurt- low fat
pudding- low fat
granola bar
low fat pb crackers (if i have a long day)
fruit- any fresh
applesauce

thomaslh83

Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers are very healthy. They taste good, too! They usually average between 200-300 calories a meal.

mycrazyturtles

I hate frozen meals, you never get enough.

karenjoy

If I am in the office and can use the microwave I sometimes take a can of soup, my favourite at the moment is Heinz Minestrone at 128 calories a can, I also take either two slices of Hovis best of both at 175 calories for the two, and a Hartleys low calorie jelly (jello) which is 9 calories a pot, a banana (90 calories) and/or Quavers at 88 calories.

If I am out and about I take a sandwhich of the Hovis best of both at 175 calories, filled with some wafer thin roast chicken (10 calories a slice) low calorie mayonaise, some cucumber, plum tomatoes, spring onion, a low calorie jello and some quavers and a piece of fruit. I like to be around 500 calories for my lunch, but I don't sweat it.

mrsshazbat

I'm returning to my age-old routine of fat-free natural cottage cheese, 2 x ryvita (any variety - except fruit crunch, obviously) and a pack or punnet of cherry tomatoes, plus a bag of random crisps. Have to have crisps.

hyper_stitch

I get in work early most days so I tend to eat breakfast there too. I can't just take 'lunch', it simply doesn't work for me I normally eat it all way too early .... ooooops!

I am now in the habit of taking a range of light snacks so that I can effectively graze all day, not all of my choices are healthy but within my cal range so for now I'll keep with it. Usually there's some fruit, maybe a yoghurt, some crackers or weight watchers bread, cottage cheese with tomatoes/red onion, Babybel Light, some Quorn, a salad and recently a Cup a Soup Light to take the edge off

katschi

Lately it's been salad:
tuna or chicken or boiled egg or legumes
baby romaine, green onions, zucchini and 1/4 avocado + dressing
+
Greek yogurt and berries for Snack 1
+
boiled egg + hummus + baby carrots + unsweetened applesauce for Snack 2

Sometimes I'll bring Wasa crispbreads and light laughing cows and tomato as well.

feliciapeters

I make 12 chix breasts once or twice a week (6 breasts cut lenghthwise so each is about 5oz)

i bring 1/2 of then in a tupperware to keep in the office fridge
i also leave at the office, a bag of salad mix & veggies ( this week is streamed asparagus, chopped tomatoes & sliced cucumbers in seperate containers)
I also bring some homemade sauteed mushrooms & onions (or mushrooms onions & spinach)
and a pack of flour tortillas

When I'm hungry at work I make myself a wrap, using whatever i feel like, if i dont want a wrap i just do chix & mushrooms & onions in the microwave.

I also bring some of those 100 calorie sandwich rounds & keep them in the fridge and yogurt as well. I eat evey 2-3 hours so it's quite common to see me doing data entry with one hand and noshing on a chicken breast with the other lol

I prep it all on Sunday tupperware it and put it in a bag in the fridge. On my way to work I grab the bag & go.

I also leave some lean cuisine, smart ones or healthy choices (whatevers on sale) in the freezer, for change & I can always add some salad to it. The smart ones mini pepperonni pizzas are tasty with a salad. I usually replenish on Wed or Thursday.

I have the exact same thing in the fridge at home, so I dont eat everything in the house while Im cooking dinner.

My kids have starting eating better that way, "Hey Mom, can I have some of your chicken & tomatoes?" LOL

cartern1

Turkey with Chili Mayo(light mayo) Sandwich - 172 Calories
Salad Box with Green Leaf Lettuce, Pepper, Cucumber, Celery, Cherry Tomatoes and Beetroot - 120 Calories

This week, since I've started cycling to work regularly again (hurray for better weather) I'm changing the bread I use for the sandwich so that Sandwich will be around 270 Calories just to give me that little extra.

TBirdGirl

I bring lots of leftovers from our dinners. I know what the calorie count is going to be and can easily adjust my portions. Or I bring a lean cuisine. Or sometimes I just grab a combo of 'snacks' (ie yogurt, hummus, pretzels, veggies, fruit, crackers, string cheese, etc) and eat whatever sounds good and adds up to appropriate amount of calories for lunch that day. I love the variety. Even though it's leftovers I don't eat the same thing everyday. For me that works.

quishajuice

I hate frozen meals, you never get enough.

I totally agree. And they really aren't worth the ridiculous sodium intake. some sort of turkey sandwich with veggies or fresh fruit is always a nice meal and you can usually come in around 300 cal for that depending on what bread you use.

Alanismans0n

I have two 15 minute breaks so I generally bring an apple, carrots, yogurt, string cheese, welch's yogurt covered fruit snacks, fruit leather, that kind of thing. Lots of little low calorie things that I can eat quickly but still feel I've eaten.

joeylu

I bring a lowfat frozen meal, soup, or sandwich. Also buy lower calorie bread like ww bread or now they make 100 calorie pitas

realme56

I work on a busy psych ward so I do my own sandwiches, lean pockets, trail mix, Extend or Luna bars....some time I barely have time to get water!