"You're eating what?!?!" (Advice on Food)

Skeebee

Hi, all! Looking at my diary entry for today (Tuesday, July 24th), this is my typical food day for workout days. I'm looking for some ideas on how to change up my lunch routine, stop eating sandwiches and bread, and still be low in cost (and within all values I'm tracking). Would love to hear your suggestions! Thanks for reading!! :bigsmile:

twinmomtwice4

You eat wonderfully....and great job on your macros!!!

I've been trying to get away from bread as well. Feel free to take a peek at at my diary to see some of my lunches.

For the most part, to get in my carbs without eating bread, I'll eat a sweet potato, beans, whole grains (think quinoa, barley, etc).

Sometimes I will eat a whole grain lavash wrap or a whole wheat sandwich thin if I'm wanting a sandwich or a wrap.

meshashesha2012

what about taking dinner leftovers for lunch?

if you have access to a microwave, turkey chili with a little cheese on top is good.

as for replacing bread, pita is a little better. 1 of the sara lee pocket pita is 80 calories and you can feel a good amount of stuff in there. have that with some soup and that could still be 400 calories.

Skeebee

Thanks a bunch, guys!! :-) The turkey chili sounds delish!!! Hadn't thought about pita bread. My husband and I thought about doing the leftovers thing. only problem is that my dinners are usually more carb based and then my values kinda get off during the day if I eat too much of that at lunch. balancing is so hard! >_< I could always cut it down or maybe thing of something to add to it to balance it out. Really appreciate the comments so far!

chubby_checkers

My favorite thing right now is to bake several chicken breasts and make some quinoa in advance and then eat that for lunch during the week. I add the chicken, quinoa, and some veggies (it varies what I use) and add some olive oil, lemon juice, or balsamic vinegar to it. I usually put it together the night before and it's good the next day.

Skeebee

My favorite thing right now is to bake several chicken breasts and make some quinoa in advance and then eat that for lunch during the week. I add the chicken, quinoa, and some veggies (it varies what I use) and add some olive oil, lemon juice, or balsamic vinegar to it. I usually put it together the night before and it's good the next day.

OMG....DROOOLING right now. haha! Does the quinoa keep overnight? I know with rice it sometimes dries out overnight. Wasn't sure if quinoa is the same way.

shaynak112

Seems like a good day to me .

Ideas:
rice! (instead of sandwiches) - soy sauce, veggies, some beans if you'd like, scrambled eggs. very filling.
beans (chickpeas are my personal favourite)
switch up your veggies. I eat veggies sooo much. favourites are broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini. you can make so many different things with zucchini!!!
oats!!! (with fresh fruit or sweetener)

Skeebee

Seems like a good day to me .

Ideas:
rice! (instead of sandwiches) - soy sauce, veggies, some beans if you'd like, scrambled eggs. very filling.
beans (chickpeas are my personal favourite)
switch up your veggies. I eat veggies sooo much. favourites are broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini. you can make so many different things with zucchini!!!
oats!!! (with fresh fruit or sweetener)

Thanks!! I'm starting to do more veggies at dinner. I'm sooo not a veggie person unless it's mixed in something or, as I always say (which my husband finds hilarious...), "I don't like veggies that taste like veggies."

karmah2771

Substitute big leaf lettuce (romaine, etc.) for your "bread slices". You can still have a "sandwich" that way.

MichelleLydia

^ this! Lettuce wraps with all of your usual sandwich fillings. They are nice and refreshing.

pattyproulx

If you're looking for headless ideas, feel free to have a look through my diary. Meat and salad is always easy.

I generally double up on dinner the nit before and eat that the next day. Find it so much easier!

Jessicaruby

BUMP

JosieRawr

I haven't had near as many problems with quinoa drying up or getting soggy(I cook it in my steamer/rice cooker with a little olive oil) n I batch cook it so I've had it keep for 2 days with no issues. G'luck. (I'm not good with food advice just saw ur question about quinoa )

jofjltncb6

My food diary is open to the public and has no bread in it if you want to look.

Lizajane42

There are also some decent carb balance tortillas out there that you can use to make wraps. These are also usually high in fiber (think 12 grams of fiber!), which is a nice way to get a little extra of that in. La Tortilla Factory even makes one with whole wheat so you can avoid the enriched flour in some of the other ones.

mom2mozart

I eat veggies often for lunch

Sauteed zucchini sprinkled with Mrs. Dash Chicken Grill seasoning with a slice of low sodium swiss on a wrap or light english muffin is delicious.

You can also steam cauliflower and throw it in a food processor with some skim milk, a little butter, garlic powder, salt and pepper and make "cauliflower mash" - so yummy - looks liike potatoes and less calories. Perfect with leftover meat from an earlier dinner. (I cook large packages of chicken or pork and save the leftovers for lunches)

Eggplant sliced thin, fried w/non-stick spray and stuffed with herbed cottage cheese, topped with tomato sauce (I use diced tomatoes and season w/fresh garlic, onion, mushrooms), top with a little mozzarella and parmesan cheese - almost as good as stuffed manicotti.

Eggplant sliced thin, fried w/non-stick spray, and topped with salsa and some low-fat cheddar cheese - also yummy.

Baked potatoes topped with salsa, black or kidney beans, and plain greek yogurt.

Baked sweet potatoes topped with some cinnamon - eaten with a greek yogurt or a leftover piece of meat.

KittyMarie13

My sister and I have been loving Mama Lupe Low Carb Tortillas. They taste good and toast up nicely; we've been using them for wraps or veggie heavy tacos. We can find them at a couple different grocery stores. I like doing lettuce wraps when I can, but when I really need a little more (or don't have big enough lettuce leaves) those tortillas do the trick. I think they're only 7 carbs each and they're a little larger than taco tortillas, but smaller than a burrito.

clrrrr

lentil soup!! my obsession
also salad with grilled chicken and non-creamy caesar (newman's has a good one) or a vinaigrette.
foods that are typically for breakfast could also work, like omelets or Greek yogurt or oatmeal.

alissadough84

You eat wonderfully....and great job on your macros!!!

I've been trying to get away from bread as well. Feel free to take a peek at at my diary to see some of my lunches.

For the most part, to get in my carbs without eating bread, I'll eat a sweet potato, beans, whole grains (think quinoa, barley, etc).

Sometimes I will eat a whole grain lavash wrap or a whole wheat sandwich thin if I'm wanting a sandwich or a wrap.

^^^ I checked out your food diary noticed homemade dark chocolate and peanut butter protien bites, they sound amazing. Will you share the recipie?

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

Did I miss the reason why you're wanting to rid yourself of bread?

salgalruns

There are also some decent carb balance tortillas out there that you can use to make wraps. These are also usually high in fiber (think 12 grams of fiber!), which is a nice way to get a little extra of that in. La Tortilla Factory even makes one with whole wheat so you can avoid the enriched flour in some of the other ones.

Love the La Tortilla ones, and they're 80 calories each. I generally do one of those and any "excess" stuff that would have normally gone into it creates a little mini side salad. I also do the whole wheat pitas on occasion.

3foldchord

If you're looking for headless ideas, feel free to have a look through my diary. Meat and salad is always easy.

headless food? we zombies have no interest if the head is missing = no brains.

tfunkwurzer

Totally low carb tortillas are great.

I also do (and can even do at the office. Or at home the night before) Yukon Gold Potato cooked in the microwave with the lowfat turkey chili. Sometimes steamed broccoli and a little bit of shredded cheese on top and the fat free sour cream. So filling and so satisfying.

Egg salad (1 egg and 1 or 2 egg whites) with 1 tbs of low fat mayo and mustard, salt and pepper. With 1 piece of the High Fiber Whole Wheat Bread. More of as a scoop than a sandwich.

Salad in a Jar. You can make up a weeks worth. I usually put leftover meat and some shredded cheese in mine. Just google it. But basically dressing in bottom. All other ingredients layered with your greens on the very top. Shake and pour on your plate. As long as your dressing doesn't touch your lettuce or whatever greens you are using it doesn't get soggy and it helps soften your onions bell peppers if you are using them.

Tuna the same way as egg salad with just one piece of toasted bread as apposed to two in a sandwich.

Taco Soup (I have our recipe on my website Finances With Funk. com) is so filling and healthy.

healthyshelleym

If you have access to a microwave at work an excellent food is homemade soup. It is quick to make up a big batch and, if it won't be consumed within 3 days, freeze it in single serve portions. I have a box of organic delivered weekly and soup anything left over near the end of the week. My recipe is: 1 large onion (diced and fried in 1 tbl spoon oil), add 2kg veggies (pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot, swede, turnip etc), add 1.5 litres of stock and lightly boil for 40 minutes. Blend. That's it.

Last week I didn't have enough pumpkin to make a big batch so I added carrot and sweet potato and added ginger and garlic to onion at saute stage. Soup is a great way to get creative and use up good veggies that may otherwise go to waste.

If you're going to reheat frozen soup it's a bit of a process. Microwave, stir, microwave, stir, microwave, stir. The water separates from the soup so you need to stir it between zaps for it to come back together.

Brown rice and veggies is another great one. Saute onion, 1-2 fresh long chillies, clove of garlic, ginger and then add other veg from hardest to softest. Add plain omelette at the end. This is a very comforting meal. Just make sure you take you're lunch portion out before serving as there may not be leftovers as someone will want seconds. Experience talking

And, don't forget OATS. Personally Iove them cooked plain (with water not milk) and of a gluggy consistency - no excess water. I have also been known to add sliced apple or dried fruit. People either love oats or hate them. Often I find those who hate oats have had bad childhood experiences with them and think there is only one way they are meant to be eaten. Remember how they were cooked then and don't cook them that way. I also find that the instant oats and flavoured oats aren't very nice however other people love them and they are very convenient as a healthier lunch option. I know a girl who loves the flavoured oats. She has found a particular one that she likes and wouldn't eat them any other way.

My favourite cold options are salad with a couple of eggs and a small amount of low fat (Honey Mustard) dressing, salad with a small amount of danish fetta (which becomes the dressing!) and curried egg sandwiches on multigrain bread.

I hope there is something there that you find useful

islandmonkey

That sounds really yummy!

Re: quinoa keeping - I make it a few days ahead of time! (I have it as a breakfast oatmeal type thing)

My favorite thing right now is to bake several chicken breasts and make some quinoa in advance and then eat that for lunch during the week. I add the chicken, quinoa, and some veggies (it varies what I use) and add some olive oil, lemon juice, or balsamic vinegar to it. I usually put it together the night before and it's good the next day.

OMG....DROOOLING right now. haha! Does the quinoa keep overnight? I know with rice it sometimes dries out overnight. Wasn't sure if quinoa is the same way.

Skeebee

Did I miss the reason why you're wanting to rid yourself of bread?

Good question. My husband and I are both noticing how sleepy and lethargic we both get after eating bread and sandwiches (even after switching to whole wheat). Plus, I'm getting bored of sandwiches. :-P

KerenCutNShoot

I need the same help, ideas on change. I am getting bored with the same ol food. However I have tried to cut out carbs, or breads mostly and I watched a video on what foods not to eat that was on the sideline of this page (mfp) and it stated whole wheat breads are not good to eat as one of the top five foods not to eat. I am confused about that. I tried to cut out breads and eat tuna and boiled eggs over lettuce instead of on bread. Thanks for all the great post, good ideas!

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

Try chopping your deli meats and cheese and melting then over a potato--like hot grilled ham and cheese potato

Or have whole wheat crackers and use Tuna or egg salad as a dip

Have oatmeal as a midday meal--you can eat overnight oats cold and make them ahead of time

Mashed Sweet potatoes are a good side dish to get healthy carbs in as well --light on the butter and any added sweeteners

Skeebee

Thanks all!!! Recent thing we are trying this next week; rice, chicken breast, and random veggies. The cost is the same as a sandwich (which the cost was another big factor).

Definitely coming back to this thread often! Thank you all again!!!!