Lunch at work

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Twylla
Twylla Posts: 51
in Food and Nutrition
Ok so i work the safeway deli and during the day i get hungry looking at the food and i'm forcing myself to bring a lunch so that i don't fall off the wagon. I've been eating low cal wraps with fat free chicken or turkey with light mayo and lettuce pretty much all week and i'm getting bored of it. Do any of you have any ideas for a lunch that i could bring to work with me?

Replies

  • Oompa_Loompa
    Oompa_Loompa Posts: 1,099 Member
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    I'm interested also..usually all i eat are lean cuisines...
  • klybarger
    klybarger Posts: 214
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    It really is hard to be creative AND calorie conscious! I will bring in canned soups that I can pop in the microwave, make my own salads and top with chicken or diced ham, or makings for nachos (lo cal toppings). Good luck!
  • catherine1979
    catherine1979 Posts: 704 Member
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    I look in all my cookbooks for inspiration. I might bring a salad, or some soup. Often on Sunday, we'll cook a big batch of something, soup or stew, and then freeze some in individual portions for quick work lunches. Or I might make a little extra supper and take some for lunch the next day.
  • Oompa_Loompa
    Oompa_Loompa Posts: 1,099 Member
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    It really is hard to be creative AND calorie conscious! I will bring in canned soups that I can pop in the microwave, make my own salads and top with chicken or diced ham, or makings for nachos (lo cal toppings). Good luck!


    oooo nachos! What do you use?????
  • mistyreed82
    mistyreed82 Posts: 68
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    I take a salad and add a little grilled chicken or tuna to it. I also have a 10 calorie jello cup and some fruit. It usually adds up to 230 or so calories. I also take a Special K bar for an afternoon snack if I feel a little hungry later. It is really hard to mix things up when you have to watch what you eat. I also try to have some left overs from the night before to take to work once in a while so I dont get as burnt out on my salads. Good Luck to you though!!! :0)
  • klybarger
    klybarger Posts: 214
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    It really is hard to be creative AND calorie conscious! I will bring in canned soups that I can pop in the microwave, make my own salads and top with chicken or diced ham, or makings for nachos (lo cal toppings). Good luck!


    oooo nachos! What do you use?????

    If you look long and closely, you can find some chips that aren't too bad calorie wise (Snyder's I believe has a good chip), low fat cheddar cheese (microwave til cheese is melted) and top with whatever (low fat sour cream, fresh salsa from the produce section, fresh hot peppers, lettuce, etc.) I don't care for the taco- seasoned meats, but you could make up some seasoned chicken or ground beef to add to it. Something different than plain wraps or sandwiches.
  • theraymiles
    theraymiles Posts: 5
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    I'm a huge fan of a spring mix lettuce and spinach salad with shredded carrots, cheery tomatoes, and grilled chicked (half of a breast) on top. I also eat a sliced chicken sandwhich with Ezekiel bread.

    Total calories is roughly around 400.

    Great filling meal with tons of good stuff and fiber.
  • Twylla
    Twylla Posts: 51
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    Thank you all! :) Looks like i need to stock up on chicken breast and the greens :D
  • shornwood
    shornwood Posts: 2
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    You're lucky in a way that you can easily buy healthy things without taking too much time off for lunch! I have fallen in love with the Healthy Choice fresh mixers. It's pasta and sauce with meat and it's hot, yummy. (in the dried soup aisle which I'm sure you know!). The best thing is that I can keep 5 at my desk and eat them when I need them- they store forever and you just need water and a microwave. It's only $3 for lunch! Deal.
  • melissahager
    melissahager Posts: 70
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    I love taking soup as well. I also take celery slices and spread some whipped chive cream cheese or hummus on the celery and then wrap some deli meat (chicken, turkey, or roast beef) around it. Between this and a cup of soup I feel very satisfied! This is SO quick to pre-prepare the night before!
    Another idea- cook a chicken breast (I always cook 2-3 breasts at a time) and cut it into small pieces, make a bag of the steamfresh whole grain brown rice, add a can of 98% fat free cream of mushroom and mix it together. I also like to add steamed broccoli or green beans as well to get my veggies in. Sometimes I leave all the ingredients seperate and mix it when I am ready to eat it... it seems fresher this way. I usually put it into portioned containers and can easily grab and go before work! And a plus is that my kids love it too!!
  • kgrutch
    kgrutch Posts: 223
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    i bring a lot of leftovers, i will bring leftover chili, i bring raw sweet potatoes and just put them in the microwave for 4 mins, cottage cheese, apples, leftover fish/rice combo, egg whites and veggies (precooked and heat them up), whole grain bread and peanut butter or cheese, fruits, frozen veggies.

    i try not to eat any prepackaged foods like the lean cuisines so leftovers is the easiest.
  • Twylla
    Twylla Posts: 51
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    Thank you all i'm excited for lunches this week i'm going to try to have something different everyday. :)
  • Jennplus2
    Jennplus2 Posts: 984 Member
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    I make a thick soup or lean chili (On sunday, to last the week) that is low cal with good veggies and protien and put a cup on top of 3 cups green spring mix salad. You don't need any dressing and I enjoy the hot meal on the cold salad. It also helps me get my veggies in, I am trying to eat all 5. As a side I eat a fruit. Then I have carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and pepper slices as a little veg tray at my desk for afternoon snacking.
    I cut up a little more than a serv of each because co-workers always walk by and steal a bit or two. :laugh:
    Keeps me full all day because I am always eating!
    I drink a lot of water during the day 2 :drinker: and I eat at my desk while I am working (FYI pros will tell you not to do that but to sit down and eat slowly) so I can exercise on my lunch break.:devil:

    :flowerforyou:
  • cincykid
    cincykid Posts: 7 Member
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    I get bored with trying to create a lunch for work. We are fortunate enought to have halfway healthy lunches brought in for us. Other than that, I find that Subway is not too bad depending upon what you get.
  • RebelRenny
    RebelRenny Posts: 1,073 Member
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    One of my favorite lunches I bring to work is a sandwich made with cream cheese on Squirrelly bread (has no flour).
    - 2 slices of Squirrelly Bread = 200 calories
    - on each slice spread 1 TBSP of Philadelphia light cream cheese = 60 calories
    - add tomato, zucchini, cucumber, mushroom slices and finish off with lettuce. I also add hot pepper rings, because I love that.

    total calories +/- 350. Very tasty and satisfying. Holds me until dinner.
  • Twylla
    Twylla Posts: 51
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    I found a really great rye bread called Deli World Light Rye and it only has 130 calories for 2 SLICES!!! :)

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