What do you guys do for lunch?

priyaFitnessFreak

The cafe at my office really sucks... They have a salad counter , but it doesnt have a lot of options and I really can't have salad every day. The other options are lke pizza, pasta and fried chinese food.
I had an egg salad sandwich with veggies on the side the other day and really liked it. But I'm not sure how healthy it is since there's no nutrition info available for it. I chose whole wheat bread and took no cheese or dressing, coz the egg salad was probably rich enough. The veggies were green and red pepper, sliced cucumber and shredded lettuce.
Do you guys think its a reasonable option for lunch?

wolfchild59

Possibly, but it's probably also mixed with a ton of mayo, which isn't bad for you on it's own, but just may be more calories and fat than you want to be getting.

If your work cafe doesn't have viable options, just bring food from home. We don't have a full cafe at my work but there are tons of places to eat around the area - none of them healthy unless you feel like paying $9 for Sweet Tomatoes every day (an AYCE salad bar) or fast food salads loaded with sodium. And we often get lunch catered by vendors that we work with, but that's always stuff like (extremely delicious but also very high calorie) chinese food, greek food, hawaiian food, pizza, and the like.

So I just make my lunch at home and bring it with me. Even when food is catered for the whole company, or even it's just a special lunch for our team, I always have my lunch with me so I know what I'm eating for that day. And I also keep a back-up supply of Healthy Choice or Lean Cuisine lunches in the freezer, just in case I don't have time to cook the night before or I'm just feeling lazy.

priyaFitnessFreak

U're right, but taking lunch everyday is just so much extra work. Right now my target is to cook enough to have dinner at home everyday. Lean cuisine as a backup sometimes is a good idea though. Thanks!

iAMsmiling

Working at home is a great advantage here.

On the other hand, a snack of any type is just downstairs calling my name all day long.

fit4lifeUcan2

I try to pack whenever I'm going to be out all day so I don't have to deal with this problem. It can be hard but its doable and probably easier if you have a place to put your food...which I do not. I have to lug it around with me all day in my back pack with my school books and then my books will smell funky and my food ends up getting squashed.

I like to pack celery sticks, cucumber slices, hard boiled eggs for protein, string cheese and a half frozen bottled water. That way it keeps my food cool plus the water is cold when I drink it. Oh those fiber one brownies are great to keep on hand for snacking as well. Just be aware that they cause gas problems.

thebowhunter

I take a lunch to work every day. Lunch is whatever leftovers from supper was the night before.

Mr_Bad_Example

The cafe at my office really sucks... They have a salad counter , but it doesnt have a lot of options and I really can't have salad every day. The other options are lke pizza, pasta and fried chinese food.
I had an egg salad sandwich with veggies on the side the other day and really liked it. But I'm not sure how healthy it is since there's no nutrition info available for it. I chose whole wheat bread and took no cheese or dressing, coz the egg salad was probably rich enough. The veggies were green and red pepper, sliced cucumber and shredded lettuce.
Do you guys think its a reasonable option for lunch?

I constantly go to Sheetz when I'm out working (I also work at home, which has advantages too); I pretty much live off of the Tuscan beef wraps and Greek blueberry yogurts. Always a delicious lunch and not a calorie killer.

jamimari777

I used to find making my lunch overwhelming, but with practice, it gets pretty easy. Making a four portion meal, putting into four small containers and freezing it is the way to go. I pack snacks and such the night before. Believe me, it sucks sometimes, but it takes more time to think about how I don't want to do it, than it does to actually do it.

Just start out with two days a week and go from there. I feel so much better when I take my own food that I now regret it when I don't.

jamimari777

It sounds like a reasonable option based on your choices. I bet you're going to get bored eating it though. There's a Subway at my office. I ate it so much that I can't stomach it. The quality isn't great and I got tired of eating the same thing that I now find I eat terribly if I rely on what work has to offer. (I thought I was replying to someone - but typed a whole new entry! Sorry. I'm new here)

priyaFitnessFreak

I used to find making my lunch overwhelming, but with practice, it gets pretty easy. Making a four portion meal, putting into four small containers and freezing it is the way to go. I pack snacks and such the night before. Believe me, it sucks sometimes, but it takes more time to think about how I don't want to do it, than it does to actually do it.

Just start out with two days a week and go from there. I feel so much better when I take my own food that I now regret it when I don't.

Hey, that's a great suggestion.I think I'll start with taking lunch twice a week and see how that goes... That'll be much easier for me since I can prepare something on the weekend.

fit4lifeUcan2

Reminds me: I forgot cucumbers when I went food shopping today. I always nibble on sliced cucumbers when running around campus or driving in the car.

jamimari777

And give yourself a break if you aren't perfect about it starting out! I had to learn that habits take a long time to form. Also, if you don't have tupperware or some sort of storage, invest in some. Costco has it for cheap. I found that having too much is perfect. I can store stuff in the freezer, fridge, and have plenty to pack food for the next day. It eliminates excuses when I can't find a storage container. Now one small cabinet is designated for food containers. Good luck to you!

priyaFitnessFreak

Reminds me: I forgot cucumbers when I went food shopping today. I always nibble on sliced cucumbers when running around campus or driving in the car.

Yes! That are pretty convenient. They aren't very filling though.

SanteMulberry

I eat about 2 oz. of organic cheese, accompanied by a handful of organic cherry tomatoes and a piece of organic fruit. Keeps me going till I have a handful of nuts about 3p.m. That would be my typical lunch--but sometimes I go out to lunch with friends to a healthy choices place near us.

SanteMulberry

Reminds me: I forgot cucumbers when I went food shopping today. I always nibble on sliced cucumbers when running around campus or driving in the car.

Yes! That are pretty convenient. They aren't very filling though.

They are if you spread them with a bit of almond butter to make a little "sandwich" out of them.

Awkward30

I bring my lunch unless I'm getting a free lunch from work, in which case I eat whatever unhealthy food they offer because I'm a poor grad student!

Just make enough dinner to also cover lunch. I'd venture to say there isn't a single option that I could buy that would be healthier than what I can make. I make salads sometimes, but my favorite is to make a fritatta with at least 4 servings and then I've got lunch for most of the week.

martintanz

Turkey, chicken, tuna or roast beef on whole grain bread. Apple or half cup of fruit salad, lowfat yogurt, pure protein bar. Not that difficult.

R_Bedard

If you think about packing your lunch the night before it is a lot easier. I grocery shop on Sunday's. I decide before I go what I am going to eat for lunch/snacks.

Typically my lunches/snacks for the day/week M-F look like this.

Snack -> apple
Lunch -> extra lean turkey on multigrain bread with mustard, baby carrots, grapes

Snack -> nectarine
Lunch -> tomato slices on multigrain bread with fat free mayo, celery and/or broccoli, apple

Snack -> low cal granola bar (usually compliments flax and fiber granola bar)
Lunch -> weight watchers cream cheese with 8 saltine crackers, 1 fruit and 1 veggie

priyaFitnessFreak

Reminds me: I forgot cucumbers when I went food shopping today. I always nibble on sliced cucumbers when running around campus or driving in the car.

Yes! That are pretty convenient. They aren't very filling though.

They are if you spread them with a bit of almond butter to make a little "sandwich" out of them.

Oh wow! I have to try that.

priyaFitnessFreak

Thanks everyone for your suggestion. Here's the plan. I'll do some major grocery shopping and prep this weekend and will take lunch atleast thrice in the next week. I'll update here about how it went.

DaniKenmir

I always pack my lunch, today was a vegemite sanwich, museli bar and an apple, tomorrow is vitawheats chicken and cheese sandwich and an apple. (and a giant coffee, starting early)

johloz

Like you, I have a hard time actually preparing and packing a lunch every day. I have recently found Amy's frozen entree's, which are all vegetarian, all organic, and all non-GMO. They are usually between 300-400 calories each, and much healthier and more filling than a Lean Cuisine. I heat one of those up in the microwave at work almost every day, and except for the sodium being a little high, I have a healthy, easy lunch. The only issue is that they cost between $3 - $4 each, but I figure that's no more than I would spend if I bought my lunch at the cafe every day.

Sick_Beard

Brown bread with Olive Spread and Peanut Butter

25 grams of Cashews
25 grams of Almonds

Carbs - 49 Fat - 36 Protein - 19 Fiber - 10 Calories - 577

BeautyFromPain

U're right, but taking lunch everyday is just so much extra work. Right now my target is to cook enough to have dinner at home everyday. Lean cuisine as a backup sometimes is a good idea though. Thanks!

On sunday night, I do a massive cook up for all my lunches and dinners for the week ahead. It's really not hard.

Topher1978

Right now I am doing a slice of extra sharp cheddar or Irish cheese, a turkey and cheddar link (or 2) which I sometimes wrap in a corn tortilla, and a pint of non-fat milk. I may change this as I want to start adding miso to my daily food intake… maybe as a drink to replace the milk… Anyone try that? Miso as a drink, I mean? I am really becoming sold on consumption of live cultures!

WaterBunnie

Have a word with someone that works in the cafe. I'm sure they'll be happy to do you an egg salad without mayo or steer you towards the healthier options if they know that's what you want.

stphnstevey

Take your own meals, only way ensure within your limits

My meals = meat + veg (+fruit seperately) eg chicken breast and mixed veg, fish and carrots etc you get the idea - protein fills you up

Also you can have 5-6 small meals a day at your desk because its with you all day

pandorakick

I usually bring salads in which I incorporate any leftovers from dinner.

FireMama_24

I usually pack my lunches the night before or bring stuff for a few days to eat and leave it here since I am in a dispatch center (a home away from home). I keep some soups in my locker for those days I just don't feel what I brought or I forgot. I have also found that protein shakes and an apple have been a great lunch for me.

mywayroche

U're right, but taking lunch everyday is just so much extra work. Right now my target is to cook enough to have dinner at home everyday. Lean cuisine as a backup sometimes is a good idea though. Thanks!

If it was easy then everyone would be doing it