What to bring to work for lunches

Options
2

Replies

  • crzyone
    crzyone Posts: 872 Member
    Options
    I make rice on Sunday, with tomatoes, onions, pepers, garlic, etc, cooked in. I divided it into bowls. I take a salad and a bowl of rice. The rice is good to have when I need something and dont' feel like cooking or to grab and take to work. I always feel like I need a carb to make me fell full and the rice does the trick. OH, it's brown rice, by the way.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    Options
    One of the above posters stated: "Sodium is not that big of a deal" and went on to say they get 5,000 mg/day.

    Sodium is a "big deal" and itoo much s bad for your health, especially 5,000mg/day.

    You should try to stick to 2,500mg or less for good health and for weight loss.

    You achieve this by eating as few processed foods as possible and minimizing table salt.

    I don't have high blood pressure or any negative effects from the sodium boogie man, not even retaining water. Now, if I do decide to eat a lot more sodium then normal without balancing it out with anything I do see bloat the next day. That's just your body trying to level out the electrolyte inbalance, typically by retaining water. Which it easily works out within a day or two.

    You shouldn't let the food nazi's scare you. High sodium diets are easily put in balance by consuming equal amounts of other components of the electrolyte balance.

    Ease up on the broscience.
  • BethS74
    BethS74 Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    The Fiber One Bars really aren't all that great for you. I've been researching them, because even though they may taste good, all they do is cause gas. The first ingredient is Chicory Root and it is not the "right" type of fiber. The protein & energy bars are better.
  • lowpro1983
    lowpro1983 Posts: 305 Member
    Options
    I either do leftovers (that way I won't overeat the night before either!) or I make my own salad and top with grilled chicken.

    For instance, I cooked 3 chicken breasts and some noodles in alfredo sauce lastnight. I ate - my bf ate - I packed a lunch for me - I packed a lunch for him AND we still had one serving left.
  • sabusby
    sabusby Posts: 78 Member
    Options
    I take a salad every day.

    The Dr said you should eat one salad a day and that's mine.

    I can eat at my desk and not worry about overeating/mindless eating. I take whatever protein is left over from the previous night's dinner, chop it and put it on my salad.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Options
    Leftovers. I also like leftovers like rice or greens and add greek yoghurt, bean sprouts, and raisins to them (with a bit of curry) just for a change.

    Egg salad is a favorite - we have chickens so lots of eggs and it's all protein. You can take a hint from the raw foot people and use kale or kohlrabi leaves instead of tortillas to make rollups.

    And always fruit and raw nuts and something crunchy (carrots/celery/radisihes) so I have something to munch on when my body has finished eating but my mind keeps wanting to stick things in my mouth.
  • tlblood
    tlblood Posts: 473 Member
    Options
    I just take my leftovers from last nights supper, most of the frozen meals are super high in sodium

    ^^This^^ It's just my husband and I in the house, and most recipes make at least 4 servings (or at least I'll cut them down to only 4 or so servings), then I take the leftovers for lunches (not necessarily the next day, but later in the week).
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    Options
    I like to have chicken and a payday bar :tongue:
  • arenkel
    arenkel Posts: 77
    Options
    A bunch of people have said leftovers, and I concur! I'm a college-aged kid on an internship (and thus an intern's budget), so I try to make my food stretch.

    I cook pretty much every day, but one day a week I'll make something big (chili, stir-fry, beans & rice, etc) and eat on that until it's gone. I find that adding rice/beans tends to be a cheap way to make food stretch farther. Homemade soup is another good option, and glass mason jars are the perfect single-serving soup containers!

    I also bring several snacks to work, usually an orange or cheese & crackers for the morning and carrots or mixed nuts in the afternoon.

    For mornings when I don't have time for breakfast, I'll eat it at work-- 1/2 c rolled oats, 1/8 c raisins, dash of cinnamon in a glass to-go container (add hot water from the coffee maker and pop it in the microwave).


    Good luck with your movement away from processed/high sodium foods! :)
  • m16shane
    m16shane Posts: 393 Member
    Options
    My average lunch:

    -Tomato sandwich:
    (Nature's own 40 cal bread, tomato, miracle whip lite and black pepper)

    -Special K chips

    -Yo Crunch Oreo

    Nutrition. Calories 398, Fat 8, Sodium 645
  • nwilliams36
    nwilliams36 Posts: 3 Member
    Options
    Yes I usually take what I had from the night before and plenty of snacks like greek yogurt, fruit, peanut butter on thin whole grain sandwich rounds.

    Or I will take the meat and put it on top of a salad or in a low carb multi grain wrap (about 60 calories).
  • sabusby
    sabusby Posts: 78 Member
    Options
    We also will make doubles of things like veggie lasagna or casserole and freeze individual portions for work lunches.
  • sobriquet84
    sobriquet84 Posts: 607 Member
    Options
    call me old fashioned, i'm a big fan of sandwiches.

    sara lee 45 calorie per slice multi grain sandwich bread, piled high with turkey or chicken or whatever meat i've got in the fridge at home, a slice of cheese, tomato, veg, avocado, whatever i'm feeling up to that day.

    i'll usually pair it with almonds or a protein bar, which i will eat a couple hours later for an afternoon snack.

    or, i'll bring some leftovers from dinner the night before.
  • Donnaakamagmid
    Donnaakamagmid Posts: 198 Member
    Options
    I'm a big fan of homemade soups.

    I do a big pot on the weekend, portion it out for 5 days and then freeze the rest.

    I've eat this almost everyday since January and haven't gotten bored yet. There are countless low, cal, low sodium recipes out there. You can get creative.
  • nashvillern
    nashvillern Posts: 12 Member
    Options
    I have been batch making my version of like a dirty quinoa.

    I use a mix of tri colored quinoa and ground turkey that has been sauteed with kale, a bunch of those little sweet peppers (red, yellow and orange), green beans (fresh!), onion, garlic and zucchini. I divided it into containers for the week. I used a little sea salt when cooking and it is ultimately pretty low sodium.

    I add to that a small gala apple for my terrible sweet tooth!

    A lot of people like to add a sriracha or other hot sauce to it. Not me, but others...lol

    Been looking for some recipes to change up lunch...getting board. All these ideas were excellent. Can't wait to try the above recipe from one of the other posts as well as some others.
  • ndblades
    ndblades Posts: 233 Member
    Options
    I stay away from any prepackaged and processed foods if I can -- including deli meat! I have a large family - so there are never leftovers. I go in streaks - depends what is growing in my garden this time of year!

    * mixed greens with walnuts,apples, blue cheese and a light raspberry vinniagrette and chicken breast if I happen to sneak one from the dinner table the night before!
    * tuna or egg salad
    * Peanut butter sandwhich and an apple
    * 1/2 bagel with melted cheedse, and apple
    * cilantro lime rice and black beans on a tortilla
  • Enigmatica
    Enigmatica Posts: 879 Member
    Options
    My food log is open if you want to cruise through for ideas. Usually I heat frozen veggies (no sauce and minimal sodium) in a glass bowl I keep at work, and add some sort of home prepared meat or fish. I do some "cooking ahead" on the weekends - for example buy chicken breast on sale, bake it up with assorted Mrs Dash (no salt) spices, slice and weigh out 3 oz portions which go into snack size ziplock bags and into the freezer. Can do with any meat. Sometimes I buy packaged tuna or salmon servings to have if I don't feel like cooking fish. And sometimes I bring a salad or change things up one way or another. But I'm not a fan of eating out and want nothing to do with most commercially prepared frozen meals because they're usually very unhealthy. And heating food in plastic is a great way to get all kinds of plastic toxins into your body. I used to think it didn't matter until I developed nasty endocrine system problems. Now I know. =\
  • m16shane
    m16shane Posts: 393 Member
    Options
    I'm a big fan of homemade soups.

    I do a big pot on the weekend, portion it out for 5 days and then freeze the rest.

    I've eat this almost everyday since January and haven't gotten bored yet. There are countless low, cal, low sodium recipes out there. You can get creative.

    What's your favorite? I would like to try some healthy soups!
  • msudaisy28
    msudaisy28 Posts: 267 Member
    Options
    I also bring my lunch almost every day. Most weeks I bring salads 3 days of the week - I have 3 containers that I use for them and I make all 3 salads at the same time to save on prep time/work.

    The off days, or weeks like this where i just didn't feel like buying salad stuff, I do things like sandwiches (this week it's been PB&J on 100% whole wheat sandwich thins), egg salad with crackers (I make egg salad with greek yogurt instead of mayo), leftovers from dinner, or soup or a freezer meal (probably wouldn't solve the sodium issue). I aim for 350-500 cals in my lunch so if I'm not getting there with just a main dish, I add greek yogurt, fruit, crackers or something else to get me to a lunch that I think will keep me full long enough!
  • sobriquet84
    sobriquet84 Posts: 607 Member
    Options
    I'm a big fan of homemade soups.

    I do a big pot on the weekend, portion it out for 5 days and then freeze the rest.

    I've eat this almost everyday since January and haven't gotten bored yet. There are countless low, cal, low sodium recipes out there. You can get creative.

    What's your favorite? I would like to try some healthy soups!

    i do a super easy and quick chili--

    1 packet reduced sodium McCormick chili seasoning
    1 pound lean ground beef or turkey-- browned
    1 medium sized chopped onion
    1 can diced tomatoes, no salt added
    1 can kidney beans

    sprinkle with some reduced fat mild cheddar cheese if you like.

    super easy and delicious.

    i realize its in the middle of summer and all, but i actually have this on the menu for tomorrow night.

Categories