Do you pack a lunch?

13

Replies

  • tmarie2715
    tmarie2715 Posts: 1,111 Member
    Wraps are a good sandwich swap and easy enough to put together. I pack hummus in a little Tupperware and fill a bag with veggies I want. Tortilla or light flat out, maybe some veggie bacon or lean protein.

    I also like salads, which requires fewer separate bag / containers. A go to-- spring mix, salsa, black beans, 2 oz diced chicken breast, tomatoes, onion, cucumbers, sugar snap peas and carrots.

    I have to pack a lunch-- if I am too hungry when I walk in the door at home, I make bad choices and overeat.

    GL!
  • 75Juniper
    75Juniper Posts: 376
    bump
  • jencurtlong
    jencurtlong Posts: 10
    Hi - just bought a new George Foreman grill (with removable plates - that was key for me). In the morning before work I grill a chicken breast or a piece of tilapia or swai fish on the grill while I'm making breakfast. I take this for lunch along with some steamed veggies and Chobani yogurt. The fish/chicken usually cooks in about 7 minutes from frozen. It's fast and it's real food when lunch time rolls around. Hope this helps - Great ideas from other posts too!
  • Back2Becca
    Back2Becca Posts: 12
    I usually pack a salad with a protien also almonds or a trail mix as a snack or a wrap with tuna or chicken salad.
    I make 3 days worth of salad usually so that I don't have to deal with it every morning/night.
  • djmauck
    djmauck Posts: 18
    I bring a container of lentils and brown rice, and put Cholula hot sauce on it. It's a complete protein and very high in fiber. You could use other beans too. I like lentils because they taste good and they're easy to prepare. I usually add a piece of fruit or some Greek yogurt. I don't really care much if I eat the same thing every day, but that's at least one thing you could add to make for some variety.
  • 10KEyes
    10KEyes Posts: 250 Member
    Hi - just bought a new George Foreman grill (with removable plates - that was key for me). In the morning before work I grill a chicken breast or a piece of tilapia or swai fish on the grill while I'm making breakfast. I take this for lunch along with some steamed veggies and Chobani yogurt. The fish/chicken usually cooks in about 7 minutes from frozen. It's fast and it's real food when lunch time rolls around. Hope this helps - Great ideas from other posts too!

    Those things are great aren't they? I had a hamilton beach grill like that a few years ago I used all the time. I was amazed how fast it would cook from frozen. 7 - 8 minutes, even less for fish.
  • pogojr
    pogojr Posts: 83 Member
    I pack a lunch at least 4 of the 5 days a week for work. I'm not a gourmet chef (if I cook, my husband adds spices to it when I leave the room). I'm a picky eater (not big on veggies but getting better and I'm a big texture eater). I sometimes bring left overs. Other days, I'll pack a half sandwich - turkey or chicken on a grainy bread, along with frozen green beans that I "steam" in the microwave. Most days I bring some form of fruit as a snack or an individual bag of baby carrots with out dip (don't like dips either) and for that 3:00 "I need a munchie" moment a Fiber One Chocolate & Oats bar or 6 honey wheat pretzels (1/2 serving for 55 cal - sweet and salty).

    Not very exciting, but its working for me! It's cheaper and better for me than ordering out with the sales floor.
  • aj_31
    aj_31 Posts: 994 Member
    Bump

    I love a lot of these ideas.

    I also bring lunch 4-5x a week. Once in awhile I'll get Subway for lunch. Otherwise I usually pack a salad 2-3x a week and then maybe a turkey sandwich with veggies.

    I like the idea of quinoa with beans and stuff in it. That sounds really good. I should start bringing hummus and other stuff as well to change things up a little.
  • PearsPeppersandPeanutButter
    PearsPeppersandPeanutButter Posts: 190
    I always pack my staple foods, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, or snap peas, and then usually throw in a salad or a bean burrito, or a leftover, or pb and j, or a deli sandwich.
  • breyn2004
    breyn2004 Posts: 162 Member
    I bring my lunch most days and I was falling into the Lean Cuisine rut. I'm trying to get out of that sodium trap! :)

    Some days, I will make a salad.... spinach, boiled egg whites, craisins, cucumbers & feta cheese and I'll grab a pack (or 2...only 100 cals each) of sandwich-read tuna salad to throw in when I get ready to eat it. Or new this week, because again, tuna is higher sodium too so I don't want to eat that daily, I'll grab a chicken breast. The Tyson grilled and ready chicken breast make a great salad! I use red wine vinegar on the tuna (no cals) and yogurt ranch on the chicken (only 45 cals/tbsp).
  • Flippiefloppies
    Flippiefloppies Posts: 319
    grilled chicken along with rice and broccoli, stirfry, wraps (there are so many you can make) Salads with chicken or steak, talapia.. soo much you can do as log as you have a microwave handy.
  • catramsey2
    catramsey2 Posts: 24 Member
    I bring cooked salmon patties I made at home, cooked ground turkey with low carb tortillas, shredded cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, onion, Avocado, sweet potato to make in microwave at work, split pea soup, homemade chili, chicken breast, steamed carrots.

    I scramble eggs (no fat or butter used) to last four days and bring to work in tupperware/plastic ware, and double fiber english muffins for breakfast. I make a protein shake once or twice a day for a snack. Eat yogurt. Have oatmeal to add to my shake.
  • carriem73
    carriem73 Posts: 333 Member
    When I make dinner the night before I always make enough for the next day lunch. I also occasionally have a sandwich or salad.

    this!
  • jamiesadler
    jamiesadler Posts: 634 Member
    I always make an extra portion at dinner and take it as lunch
  • hiker282
    hiker282 Posts: 983 Member
    Cook a bunch of chicken one night and bring it to work to eat. Cans of tuna also work really well. Whatever you make for dinner, just make plenty of it and then bring some for work the next day. This is what i usually do and it serves me just fine.
  • Babygirl928
    Babygirl928 Posts: 378 Member
    I bring my lunch with me everyday to work, I've noticed I bring quick things that are high in calories and all of that. I'm sick of eating a sandwich everyday, it get's old!

    Does anyone have any ideas on what I could bring for lunch that is easy to make and not high in calories, yet filling?

    I've started to bring veggies with ranch dip, instead of the cookies/chips I was bringing. Now I just need something to put in place of the everyday sandwich. Sometimes I'll bring a salad but that get's old quick as well!

    Thank you for any help :flowerforyou:

    I bring my lunch every day also and was having the same problem. So i did a little shopping for work so i had variety and I started bringing left over dinner. Don't know if that helps, but it helps me :smile:
  • allisonrozsa
    allisonrozsa Posts: 178 Member
    Make recipes that are (habitually) made for dinners as your lunch. I like my sandwiches (for now), but you could do anything in the cookbook.
  • oceanamy2287
    oceanamy2287 Posts: 19 Member
    What about MorningStar Farms black bean burgers? I love them with the little Arnold Sandwich thins and some Newman's Own Light Honey Mustard dressing... That with a side salad keeps me full for a while and very few calories!
  • allysabee
    allysabee Posts: 123
    I also bring a lunch to work everyday. I get bored so I alternate between sandwiches, frozen dinners (healthy ones of course), wraps, salads, etc. I only started bringing salads recently actually and have found that they can be delicious and enjoyable instead of bland and boring! I put sliced apple, pear, strawberries, cheese and a low cal dressing. You can add fish or chicken too if you want some protein!

    I also usually bring about 3 or 4 snacks for the morning and one for the afternoon. I eat things like hard boiled eggs, cheese strings, apples, bananas, green olives, applesauce, etc. My afternoon snack is usually cut up vegetables, sometimes with a dip. Lately I've been loving sliced bell peppers!

    Good luck :) Feel free to add me!
  • PrncessBre
    PrncessBre Posts: 444 Member
    Bump. Great ideas!!!
  • arl29
    arl29 Posts: 55 Member
    I find that I am very happy and very full when I eat small snacks througout the day and not necessairly a "lunch". Lately I've been eating a lot of grapes. Yumm! I eat every couple of hours and sometimes have a frozen meal if I'm hungry.

    On Monday I went to Subway on my way to work and got an english muffin with egg whites and vegies. I heated it up for lunch. Sooooo good and only $2.50! Low in calories and filling.
  • srrosenbalm
    srrosenbalm Posts: 35 Member
    I buy premade salads, frozen lean cuisine/healthy choice meals, and microwavable soups or pasta's made by the previously mentioned brands. Lunches bought for all five of my work days cost less than $15 a week. :) Since those take care of my main lunch meal, I just pack snacks for the day which mainly include veggies, fruits, no sugar pudding, or 100 calorie snacks. When I go grocery shopping, I buy a variety of these and change them up every week so I won't get tired of them. I've also heard of people cooking a large amount of food at once and then just putting them in containers and freezing them for later use or packing leftovers.

    Hope this helps, and good luck!
  • megster84
    megster84 Posts: 4
    I love the lean cuisine steamers. They seem expensive, but its actually less than eating out for lunch. I have a few on hand all the time in case I didnt have time to pack a lunch.
  • Phillyfan428
    Phillyfan428 Posts: 2
    Tyson Whole Grain Chicken Nuggets. They are already cooked, just take a serving out of the freezer and they are room temp by lunch time.
  • Naomirp7
    Naomirp7 Posts: 4
    I bring different things, sometimes a protein bar and fruit. today I brought a small banana for a morning snack then a serving a salad in a bowl with a lid and i keep my salad dressing her at work (I'm not sure if you have that option) and i just bring a couple slices of turkey or chicken breast and cut it up on my break and shake it all up in my bowl. very low calorie and usually i just throw it all in a bag and go. I wake up at 5am so this is convenient for me. I also bring serving size containers of either yogurt, apple sauce and sometimes i just bring a whole container of cottage cheese because it is sooo filling. My boss happens to keep a food scale here so i can measure everything here too. They are pretty cheap and mobile so that way u can have that at work too.



    Things I take to work to eat:
    Fruit
    can of vegetables
    oatmeal
    cereal bars
    almonds
    pickles
    tuna
    boiled eggs- you can cook a lot at a time and be good for a long time, assuming you wouldn't eat them everyday. and good to take for your salad too.
    Lunch meat- sometimes i will eat straight deli meat for my whole lunch. just a larger portion but its filling and great for you. Plus it can curb your hunger for longer.

    A lot of what helps me is that i have a small cabinet where i can keep a couple food items for back ups in case im too lazy to make something or if im in a rush and forget. i keep a bowl, box of oatmeal and a box of cereal bars and that way i only have to worry about bringing the food to work.
  • nill4me
    nill4me Posts: 682 Member
    I travel for work 50% of my time, but when i'm home, I come packing every day. I always try to stay in places that are conducive to packing on the road too (i.e., hotels with kitchenettes). I'm diabetic, so I have to make sure I pack appropriately for both breakfast, lunch and snacks, which can really be a drag sometimes - as well as a challenge with regard to watching calories and fat, etc... I have an insulated rachel ray lunch bag that works great. I usually bring greek yogurt and blueberries for breakfast, and Progresso soup for lunch. I need to eat every two hours, so i have to bring snacks too, and ensure i mix proteins in there so i don't carb-out during the day. Single servings of almonds are great, as well as mini pretzels with some light laughing cow cheese or hummus. String cheese is good, and the little serving cups of the danactive cottage cheese with probiotics. Celery and/or carrots with little Jiff to go cups. Jello cups.
  • thumperis
    thumperis Posts: 7
    When I get bored with lunches I bring daily, I take imitation crab meat and cocktail sauce instead of a sandwich or salad.
  • coliema
    coliema Posts: 7,646 Member
    Thank you all for the great ideas :) I have to come back and read the rest later in the day!

    xoxo
  • juliee274
    juliee274 Posts: 124 Member
    I could not read through all the posts, so I am sure some of this will be redundant, but here goes! :)

    - Homemade soups/chilis--if you don't want to eat all week, freeze half in freezable containers you can eat a few weeks later
    - Wraps are a nice alternative to sandwiches....spread the inside with hummus and stuff with veggies and lean meats; wrap your salads!
    - Tuna salad (doesn't smell great, but high in protein) or tuna in salad/wrap (white meat, no oil)
    - Grill chicken, and put together fillings for tacos/fajitas---tomatoes/salsa, lettuce, avocado, a low-fat/high-fiber tortilla

    Hope this helps!
  • juliee274
    juliee274 Posts: 124 Member
    PS, Pre-packaged foods such as canned soups and frozen dinners are good but hard to control the sodium content which can cause water weight gain!

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