What do you take to work for lunch?

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245

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  • Christie0428
    Christie0428 Posts: 221 Member
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    Every sunday we make a large batch of grilled chicken or taco meat or chili and I always bring a serving of that with a large salad. If you put the chili or taco meat on a salad it is really yummy and filling - think taco salad.

    When I make the chili or taco meat I use TONS of veggies so you get e large serving for relatively low calories. the batch of chicken chili from this week, 2 cups is 274 calories.

    I avoid processed foods, the quality of the food and the chemicals/preservatives are no good.
  • jacque930
    jacque930 Posts: 122 Member
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    Not sure what your work is like but we started something at our work last spring and it is still going on!

    4 of us got together and said, we are going to loose weight. A couple of us used weight watchers and a couple used MFP.

    So the idea came, each one of us cook lunch 1 day a week for 4 people. 4 days a week and you only have to worry about 1! The 5th day we are on our own (We work a 5 day work week).

    Whatever is brought for lunch has to be healthy but really its open. We all share recipes, find them on WW, Skinnytaste, etc. Or we even make family favorites and try to lighten them up with lower calorie ingredients such as low fat cheese or greek yogurt in lieu of sour cream, lean meats, etc.

    The other key is portions. We eat the proper portion. Typically we have a main dish and a side of vegetables, fruit or salad. The side item was not required but we have been incorporating in a side each day even if it is just a can of green beans and add garlic salt.

    Lower calorie recipes and Portion Control have been key. We all eat slower and less food than we use to and have found to be full each day.

    Not everyone can do this but if you can and you have any questions, feel free to send me a message and/or friend me!
  • UrbanLotus
    UrbanLotus Posts: 1,163 Member
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    You guys take chciken breasts to work? How are they cooked? I would think they would get dry if microwaved the next day... Though grilling and putting them on a salad is a great idea, i could keep a bottle of dressing at work

    Yes I should make some soups! Unfortunately I don't eat tuna so that doesn't work for me, and I usually don't have time to leave the office to pick up Subway (and would rather bring food from home anyway).
    Angel - I make similar sandwiches (love the Nature's Own bread!), I guess I would like something hot in the winter but I will go back to sandwiches in the summer :)
  • shellielane
    shellielane Posts: 4 Member
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    I bring salads and chicken breast - boring, I know. Or I bring whatever I had leftover from dinner the night before. I also bring baby carrots and hummus to snack on. And, I make a "parfait porridge" which you will find on the FoodBabe's blog. It is just oats with almond milk plus frozen fruit (which thaws by the time I eat it).
  • ronitabur
    ronitabur Posts: 178 Member
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    PB & J:

    Light on the PB
    Sugar Free Smuckers J
    and Sarah Lee Delightful whole wheat bread

    Then fruit, string cheese, triscuits, etc. for snacks
  • irjeffb
    irjeffb Posts: 274 Member
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    I keep a stash of Clif bars, both the energy and the protein ones, in my office. I also try to have some fresh fruit and greek yogurt there as well, but those work better if you have your own mini fridge.
  • happyfrogg
    happyfrogg Posts: 86 Member
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    Usually I do leftovers from the night before (assuming facilities like a fridge and a microwave aren't an issue). In fact, I tend to cook extra servings of everything so I always have something on hand. On Saturday, for example, I made a big pot of sausage and veggie minestrone, which comes to about 280 cals a serving. The recipe makes so much soup that even though three people ate it Saturday night (and two people had seconds!) there was still enough for lunches yesterday and today for my husband and myself-- plus there's still about 1.5 servings in the fridge for another day! If you get bored easily, try freezing your leftovers and rotating them so you're not eating the same thing multiple days in a row. Personally I'm totally fine with eating lasagna for dinner and then for lunch the next day, but I know some people want more variety than that.
  • CakePlate
    CakePlate Posts: 27 Member
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    I try to take left overs from the night before if I have them, but sometimes that doesn't work. Today I brought some cut up vegies and 8 ounces of grilled chicken breast. The beauty of the chicken is I can eat it right out of the baggie cold if I don't have access to heat it up. My favorite, Costco Basil Pesto Talapia..160 calories per fillet, so you can have two and some veggies. Cook at home or you can microwave at work. People get jealous when I bring it. It makes 1200 calories looks easy :)
  • karllundy
    karllundy Posts: 1,490 Member
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    I usually eat a flatout flatbread, 4 oz. of some type of low sodium lunch meat, mustard and fresh or frozen vegetables. Very filling and within your calorie range (depending upon what vegetable and how much). VERY FILLING!
  • liz827
    liz827 Posts: 193 Member
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    Today I had 4 oz crock pot teriyaki chicken breast, 1 cup snap pea stir fry mix and 1/2 cup brown rice. Tomorrow I'm having a salad (lettuce mix, tomato, colorful pepper blend, cucumber, carrots) and either 4 oz low sodium turkey breast or a can of tuna or a leftover chicken sausage on the side. This week for dinner I'm making the honey chicken I found here on MFP and I'll pair that was 1/2 cup brown rice and a cup of deluxe stir fry veggies and bring it for lunch.

    I'll usually bring left overs, soup or a big salad.
  • AwesomeSquirrel
    AwesomeSquirrel Posts: 632 Member
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    I bring homemade soup in a thermos. Since I'm not on 1200 kcal a day I also bring some fruit, cheese and maybe crackers for snacks throughout the day.
  • alaliberte
    alaliberte Posts: 205
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    Usually a big salad...but not skimpy. I put cheese and or meat or tuna on it. I like a hard boiled egg or a raw revolution bar for extra protein.

    Today is shopping day so my options were limited. I decided on a bean and beef burrito (frozen) an apple and a hard boiled egg. I also brought one of those raw revolution bars for the late afternoon...gotta go food shopping and don't want to be hungry!!

    I like the salads the best, I feel full and they are not very many calories. :)
  • trhops
    trhops Posts: 295 Member
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    2 low carb tortillas, black beans, avacado and tomato. Side of bing cherries to eat!
  • Sweet_Potato
    Sweet_Potato Posts: 1,119 Member
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    Leftover dinners... could be homemade soup, stir fried tofu and vegetables, crepes with a savory filling, roasted fish, enchiladas, risotto... I'm only cooking for two so I end up with leftovers naturally, but if you're feeding a lot of people and don't normally have extra just scale up the recipe so you do.
  • mnb7v3
    mnb7v3 Posts: 21
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    I'm back in school now, but when I was teaching I always brought a salad (usually spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, or whatever veggies I had on hand) and used either hummus or a salad dressing from Trader Joe's. I love the champagne pear vinaigrette! I also like the Bolhouse Farms honey mustard yogurt dressing. Along with it, I'd have crackers with Cabot 75% reduced fat cheese (I don't usually eat reduced fat things, but that cheese is SO good!) and an apple or pear.

    I use to always bring sandwiches, but hate the way they taste once they've been sitting in my lunch bag all day. Cheese and crackers were a good alternative! Sometimes I also brought some turkey to go with it.
  • peter236uk
    peter236uk Posts: 140 Member
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    Chicken wrap with salad plus apple and go-ahead bar for snacks or soup
  • MrsB123111
    MrsB123111 Posts: 535 Member
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    I take leftovers from dinner the night before. I eat 5-6 times a day, so most of my meals are all between 200-300 calories. I try not to eat more for any one particular meal. Usually, I have a lean protein and a veggie. If I don't have leftovers, I am really into the Chipotle burrito bowls! I get brown rice, chicken, salsa, black beans, lettuce and a little cheese. I can usually get 2 meals out of one bowl...
  • UrbanLotus
    UrbanLotus Posts: 1,163 Member
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    Flatout flatbread looks good!

    Trhops - that sounds so good, going to buy some black beans
  • shellbatronic
    shellbatronic Posts: 193
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    This is my go-to salad, I love the steamed lentils you can pick up at Trader Joes because you can just dump em in and go, but I'm trying to be better about just making my own. The little seaweed bits add some crunch, and if I don't use the dressing then I make my own with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and some mustard. Today I added in kale because I'm sitting on a pile.

    Earthbound Farm Organic - Baby Lettuces, 2 oz
    Trader Joe's - Sweet Sesame Seaweed Snack , 0.5 package
    Trader Joe's - Goddess Dressing
    Spinach - Baby, Fresh
    Trader Joe's - Steamed Lentils, .5 cup
    Mushrooms - Raw, 1 cup, pieces or slices
  • alaliberte
    alaliberte Posts: 205
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    BTW--I am supposed to be on 1200 calories per day which is crazy because I am 5' 8.5" and currently weigh 130...I think the 1200 is feasible but I workout every day and I usually eat all my calories back. I'm not trying to lose, I'm maintaining. But I hear you, 1200 is not very many calories and very hard to maintain!

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