What do you eat for lunch when you're at work?

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  • debussyschild
    debussyschild Posts: 804 Member
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    I usually make something and put it tupperware to take with me. If I'm feeling really ambitious, I will make all of my lunches/dinners on Sunday and put them all in their own container to eat throughout the week. Makes sticking to my plan a lot easier.

    Recently, for lunch:

    2 oz (about 3/4c cooked) Ronzoni whole wheat penne pasta
    5 oz (cooked, grilled or broiled) white meat chicken breast, diced
    1/2 c Newman's own Sockarooni pasta sauce
    Side salad (mixed baby greens, a few grape tomatoes, grapes maybe...)
    1 tbsp Newman's Own Light Italian Dressing

    Last week I substituted about 4 oz browned 80% lean ground turkey meat for the chicken. I just try to keep it simple. Fewer ingredients = less calories you have to count, lol.
  • theresa6985
    theresa6985 Posts: 1
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    keeping wraps, lettuce,and chicken on hand makes for easy lunches. I prefer a warm meal so i'll cook a breast of chicken and slice them in strips then have wraps for 2 lunches. i'll add what ever i feel like having that day... maybe salsa, caesar dressing, cucumbers, peppers, or other veggies.
  • truelypinkthing
    truelypinkthing Posts: 164 Member
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    A pot of salad,mixed leaves, cherry toms cucumber, beetroot, grated carrot, and a mini pot of houmus, or some homemade soup, small serving of previous evening meals- frozen and labelled with calories etc.
    Occasional shop bought sandwiches(rarely) , fruit salad, sushi frozen lean cuisine . Hope this helps.....
  • lavendergirll
    lavendergirll Posts: 84 Member
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    I also bring in Progresso soups, whole wheat sandwich/turkey/tomato, salads (I throw everything I got in the fridge in a bowl) and put any dressings I would use in a container alone and take my fork and dip it in while I eat my salad, I keep lots of fruit, almonds, and trisquits near my desk. I also keep tea bags and have a cup of hot tea when I get hungry before my mealtime!
  • Melzabee
    Melzabee Posts: 4
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    During colder weather I will go to the grocery store and get either premade soups or cans of beans. Yes, I know homemade is better, and I do sometimes make homemade soups or beans when time allows, but when there is not much time I will get the store bought stuff. I will then add an entire tomato and cup of spinach to the soup or beans serving. This makes the meal go a lot further and I get my vegetables. During the warmer months I will usually have cottage cheese and then add my tomato and spinach. Whatever it is that you decide to eat try to add vegetables whenever possible. It is a low calorie way to make your food go a lot further.
  • re08scue
    re08scue Posts: 71 Member
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    I make a big pot of soup on the sundays and freeze it in individual sizes. They are great for lunches - if you have a microwave.
    I always plan the day before what to take. I'm too rushed in the morning, and this way it fits in with my meal plan and I know I'm eating balanced all day.
  • emaline614
    emaline614 Posts: 86 Member
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    When I cook dinner... i always cook extra so that I can take stuff to work. Otherwise, i'm a huge fan of fresh and easy's eatwell products (all of their products really) and will get their salads or frozen/prepared meals. In a pinch, i'll just make a pbb&h (peanut butter, banana and honey) sandwich. DE-licious!
  • iysys
    iysys Posts: 524
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    today i had a healthy choice portabella marsala pasta frozen thing, a cup of brussel sprouts and a cup of pineapple.
  • dalgal26
    dalgal26 Posts: 781 Member
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    Today:

    My version of pasta salad:

    1/2 cup dry whole wheat rotini - cooked, drained, and cooled
    1 cup steamed broccoli
    1 medium roma tomato
    2 tablespoons World Table Olive Tapanade

    Mix all together and chill.

    It is sooooooo good! (to me, anyway) And filling,

    Hmmmm, sounds so good, I may just have to fix it for tomorrow, too.
  • dalgal26
    dalgal26 Posts: 781 Member
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    Sorry about the double post. Site is sloooowwww today. :)
  • noiva
    noiva Posts: 94
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    I get thin-sliced chicken breasts (4 oz). They cook super fast, so I'll make 3-4 at a time and bring them for the week in a plastic bag. It's easy to add lettuce and pre-cut veggies for salads on a couple of days. Or I'll also roast a bunch of veggies in foil and just bring the foil pouch with me on Monday and use it for the week, too. Another option is to make a soup and package it in Tupperware and heat portions as you eat it.

    Make sure to bring a few healthy snacks, too...offices seem to accumulate nasty snacks quick!
  • miss_missa07
    miss_missa07 Posts: 170
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    I usually mix and match a small salad in a Tupperware container; a pita with hummus, meat, and veggies; or a Tupperware container of fruit (typically berries or melons). I also pack a 100 calorie treat to eat around 3:30 to tide me over until I get home, in case I get the munchies.

    I always make my lunch the night before since I am horrible at getting up in the morning and know I won't have time to make it then. Likewise, I always eat my breakfast at work for the same reason--a little bit of greek yogurt with some granola. Yum!

    Feel free to look at my diary for ideas! I'm not sure if it's public or not, but if you want to, you can friend me and take a look-see.
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
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    The benefit of bringing your food with you to work is that you control what you have available to eat during the day instead of making choices on the run, which often times lead to unplanned for food choices. I can't recall the amount of times co-workers soliciting to either order take-out or go to someplace and I've gone along with the crowd and ended up making bad choices.

    I went through a solid 8 month period where I was bringing a large cooler to work full of things I'd prepare the night before. I'd purposely make larger dinners so I'd have left-overs the next day. To me this became a PITA, but it worked. Currently, on work-days my first meal isn't until 5pm and then I continue to eat until I go to bed, ensuring I get sufficient fat and protein while staying within my calorie goal.

    I say, do what is convenient for you and that which allows you to follow your diet, whatever it may be.
  • mrsjenfrank
    mrsjenfrank Posts: 1,016 Member
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    If I pack my lunch.... spinach salad (baby spinach, blue cheese, walnuts, kraft balsamic vinaigrette) or some other type of salad... and I always pair that with one of the following:
    Soup (cream mushroom or a vegetable type soup).
    Frozen dinners like Lean Cuisine or Stouffers (I do low carb, so I stay away from the ones with rice or pasta... usually eat stouffers meatloaf and mashed potatoes or stouffers turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes as they seem to be the lowest carb frozen dinners i can find that i actually like)
    Steamed Mixed Veg and a oven baked meat (chicken or pork usually, sometimes salmon)
    shrimp veggie stirfry I make and re-heat at work.

    If I do take-out...
    Edo Japan chicken teriyaki stirfry
    Mcdonalds angus third-pounder and a side caesar salad no croutons and coke zero --- I don't do this often, but maybe once a month or something like that
    6" veggie delight sub from subway on parm oregano bread. mayo, mustard, double cheese (montery jack) Toasted.
    Pita Pit Garden Veggie Salad (i pick all of the veggies i love) with either feta or cheddar, and grilled chicken breast and usually ranch and hot sauce as a dressing
  • bluefrogj
    bluefrogj Posts: 4
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    I'm big on packing my own lunch, and have been for the last four years to control portion size. I use a special method and type of packing to do so. Normally, I just pack leftovers from the night before, but using this system controls portions as well as calorie intake.
  • tsolomon75
    tsolomon75 Posts: 26 Member
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    Usually what I make the night before... leftovers...
  • kenlad64
    kenlad64 Posts: 377 Member
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    Huge salads in the summer, soup in the winter or left-overs. We use the crock pot a lot so I make extra all the time.
  • bhalter
    bhalter Posts: 582 Member
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    I don't mind eating the same thing everyday, so I have a bag in the fridge at work and another in my desk and always keep: bananas, Greek yogurt, low-fat string cheese, a tub of fresh spinach leaves, mustard, turkey, and whole-grain bread. I have a snack at 10 and 2:30, and eat just a sandwich and some string cheese around 12:30.

    I keep that all on hand at all times so that I'm never without food and have to run out for food. About once a week though, I'll bring in dinner leftovers.
  • toasterlisa
    toasterlisa Posts: 100 Member
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    Our dinner leftovers almost always go to school with my husband, and I will eat out just about every day. I am VERY familiar with the nutrition information of the restaurants within walking distance. (another perk ... walk to lunch :-)

    My "go to" favorite is a salad at Subway with turkey and ham, fat-free ranch dressing and croutons. MFP says that's a 230 calorie lunch, and it's only $5. Occasionally I'll toss in a bag of baked Lay's and iced tea or diet coke, when I feel like a splurge.

    There is a sushi place near here, but with white rice, they aren't really low calorie. I don't count carbs, but white rice also isn't nutritious.

    I have a stash of 2 or 3 Lean Cuisine or Smart Ones frozen meals in the breakroom. They are a last-resort, because of the really high sodium in them! You can certainly add a piece of fruit (apple, pear, orange) to them to make a great, filling lunch.

    Best of luck with new job and new lunches!
    Best wishes on your health and wellness journey,
  • pdworkman
    pdworkman Posts: 1,342 Member
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    I also bring leftovers, and a couple of fruits/veggies for snacks.

    I know that at work, the only food that I will have available is the food that I bring. It is the one meal that I cannot take a little bit more of this or that, so I use it as an opportunity to prepare a very healthy lunch and snacks, and be absolutely limited to those foods.

    Pam

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