Lunches....
Algerina9601
Posts: 55 Member
So it seems that I suck at lunches. I just seem to snack all afternoon, which of course is not a good idea. Any ideas for fast and easy lunches? Salads seem to be a lot of work, I do try, especially at work to plan, but when at home it all seems to go to hell in a handbasket!
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That's always been my hurdle. I found that by taking a day out of my week and preparing my meals for the remainder of the week worked the best. My favorite lunch became a Boca Burger on Romaine lettuce with soy nuts added for crunch and barbecue sauce as a dressing. Another great lunch-able has been to get the Genisoy BBQ crisps, add some turkey pepperoni, and a bit of Swiss Lace Alpine cheese (low fat) to it. I believe it's 22 crisps, 1.5 slices of cheese, and 17 slices of the Hormel turkey pepperoni that makes a full serving (and filling). Don't forget to keep your tummy full of water throughout the day to help stave off the munchies.0
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I pack breakfast, lunch and 2snacks for work. 2snacks because I need 1in the morning and 1in the afternoon to get me through my workout when I leave work.
For lunch tomorrow I am taking a turkey burger, American cheese slice and a sandwich thin. Probably olives and carrots to go with it.
Edited to try and fix spelling issues but my iPad is being a pain and I give up lol0 -
I also will make extra dinner so that I can take that for lunch the next day.
I don't do we'll with just salads, I need protein to fill me up.
When I make soup I will make a huge batch and freeze leftovers in single serving sizes. Then it is a quick and easy lunch.0 -
I am currently obsessed with this chicken salad that I came up with. I mix shredded chicken, apples diced really small, diced grapes together with just enough light mayo to hold it all together. I make lettuce wraps with the chicken salad and a little bit of chopped pecans on top. Even the kids and hubby love it.
Other than that, I usually eat leftovers from whatever I cook the night before.0 -
I try to plan dinner meals for my husbanc and I so as to have leftovers for the next day.It may not be a normal serving size but I add lettuce and carrots and maybe a piece of low fat string cheese. I do keep a few of the Weight Watcher smart one meals on hand for days when I either have no leftovers or I am running behind and don't have enough time to pack lunch. I try to take a couple of pieces of fruity and a piece of cheese or meat for an afternoon snack to prevent the brain fog issue.0
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I am not a huge fan of salad as a meal (at least not on a regular basis) or leftovers and sandwiches (my hubby`s norm)
A lot of times I will take a frozen dinner or a can of soup (check labels, you canfindsomedecentones). I also like egg salad sandwiches, cheese and cracker combos (like a lunchable but I make it myself so I can control what is in it and make lower cal substitutions. Also since I like breakfast better than a lot of lunch choices if nothing else sounds good I will have oatmeal or an egg muffin or bagel sandwich (again made at home).
Baked potato is another thing you could do easily in a microwave
I would probably have some fruit yogurt or a string cheese as a side to any of these. Or a smallsalad or singleserve frozen veggie.0 -
I am currently obsessed with this chicken salad that I came up with. I mix shredded chicken, apples diced really small, diced grapes together with just enough light mayo to hold it all together. I make lettuce wraps with the chicken salad and a little bit of chopped pecans on top. Even the kids and hubby love it.
Other than that, I usually eat leftovers from whatever I cook the night before.
Thats sounds really good! I'm going to have to give it a try.0 -
Lunch is my bug bear as well, it's such a non event. I will have dinner leftovers, ryvita with cream cheese and salad or multiple snacks, like celery with pb, some fruit and a protein bar.0
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I keep sandwich stuff at work. I get the sandwich thin bread, deli meat, and Laughing Cow Lite cheese. (I use this instead of mayo). I also have cottage cheese (that I have portioned out in small containers and a jar of pineapple chunks.
I also keep slim fast shakes on hand in case I'm in a hurry.0 -
I usually eat salad or a cheese sandwich for lunch. My problem is breakfast. I battle to eat breakfast.0
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I try to get one protein thing in with a bunch of lighter little snacks.
Like today I had a small (less than a pop can in size) serving of chicken salad with peanuts, apple, cheddar, and crackers. I felt pretty full after. I think having separate things makes me take longer to eat them, and gives my stomach more time to figure out that it's getting full.
You could also have a hardboiled egg with a fruit side and vegetables with low-fat dip (like hummus!).
I also like a variety of peanut butter + fruit sandwiches, like PB and banana or PB and sliced strawberries. Or just plain old apple slices with peanut butter and whatever other fruits and crackers I have.
I'm a fan of taking things I don't have to worry about reheating for lunch at work, since the microwave is almost always in use during lunchtime.0 -
Thanks for all the great ideas girls! I think that I have been doing 'ok' this week. I haven't ate out even once, even though I really wanted to today! I was being lazy and it's just me the baby and one other kid home. So iI thought, let's just do McDonalds for supper.....how bad can it really be??? Well.......I was shocked!!! For my usual there it's 1260 calories!!!! That is NUTS!!! There is way too many other things that I would rather eat than that crap for that many calories.0
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There is way too many other things that I would rather eat than that crap for that many calories.
Amen!
I love that MFP is on my phone so that I have *no* excuses when making a decision on what to eat. Also, my husband got the THIS/THAT book a couple Christmases ago and that's woken me up. He told me he subscribes to their newsletter and in a recent one learned that it's healthier to eat a double hamburger from McDonald's than it is to eat a chicken sandwich from the same place. I would have never known! (The example was that you're on a red eye flight, starving, and the only place open at the airport is a McD's).0 -
I like simple, quick lunches. Since I've been dieting I've been eating:
-Lean Cuisines, Smart Ones, etc.
-Starkist 100 cal. tuna packets on whole wheat bread
-Turkey & provolone on wheat
-Tyson frozen grilled chicken breast popped in the microwave and topped with some spaghetti sauce and mozzarella
-Frozen grilled fajita chicken meat cooked and rolled in a corn tortilla with cheese, pico de gallo and a 100 cal. pack of wholly guacamole
those things are usually eaten with a side salad or a fruit/veggie.0 -
Despise salad...I just can't make myself like it. Unless from Olive Garden.
Yum.
Anyways, I do leftovers usually. Sometimes Smart Ones frozen dinners.
Or like ham, cheese, pickles, and olives. Like an antipasto platter.
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I always keep greek yogurt in the fridge at work. It fills me up and is quick to eat. I also always have a serving of almonds or pistachios in my lunch bag. Other than that, I usually have leftovers.0
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My favorite lunch is turkey, lettuce (I use spring mix), a couple cucumber slices, and a couple cherry tomatoes stuffed into a pita that has been spread with roasted garlic hummus. My friend made it for me and I watched her make it thinking that it looked like vegetable vomit but it is the best thing ever. It only takes a minute or two to put together. Soooooo Gooooodddd.0
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I have to mix it up to not get bored.
I work long hours usually so I pack a breakfast, a lunch, and 2-3 snack.s I don't normally make it through all those- but I like to be prepared with healthy snacks so I dont see someone with junk and say- we'll i didnt bring anything! Guess i'll grab one too.
Breakfast,
*I like to scramble one or two eggs with a a little diced tomatoes and spinach and put it on a 8- calorie English muffin. That usually holds me well until lunch if I have my coffee.
* Or Steel cut oatmeal from Aldi- 150 calories.
*Tea or Coffee with Equal and SF FF Hazelnut Creamer ( 10/20 CAl) ( Makes me feel like im having a treat since its sweet.)
But Lunch, I will make large batches of soup and eat it through out the week. I can make a soup under 70 calories per serving, and when i cook I use MFP and determine how many servings the pot will have, so usually a serving is more then it would regularly be.
*I love to make cabbage soup with extra veggies ( Check out my recipe) that so low and filling its crazy!
*A sandwich with oscar mayer turkey ( 50 calories a serving), Healthy Choice bread ( 35 per slice) and add mustard ( O cals) and maybe a handful of spinach ( it adds bulk with no calories)
*Smaller version of Dinner from the night before
* A can of Soup - I had a whole can of Campbells Chicken noodle for 170 CAls
*Salad with assorted lettuces ( sometimes iceberg, some times spring mix, butter, spinach, bibb etc etc)
---- Sometimes plain, sometimes with chicken, i'll add veggies, onions, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, berries, nuts. And I have around 4 -5 dressings that light in calories.
*Snacks--- 10 Cal Jello, Fruits, Veggies, Fruit Cups, Trail Mix, a cup of tea, a glass of 0 Calories lemonade,
For dinner I try to do something that all the family can eat ( Like tonight will be Spaghetti but made with Whole wheat and turkey meat).
Or I make sure I have little of what they are having, but i supplement with extra lettuce and vegetables. Im use to eating large quantities, and I havent been able to get over it yet.
Feel Free to read my diary! I havent been on here that long, but See if you get any ideas.
A bad thing is- we eat out alot.
I love to cook, but with our schedules sometimes we're out until 8 and we have no time to cook. I am trying to learn to make smarter choices at restaurants.
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I often make enough for dinner to take leftovers for lunch the next day. I also keep frozen dinners (Lean Cuisine, Smart Ones, etc.) in the freezer to grab on the days that I don't have leftovers. Lately I've been making a big salad for dinner on some nights. I've been thinking I need to just make it even bigger so that I can take it for lunches too.0
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-Frozen grilled fajita chicken meat cooked and rolled in a corn tortilla with cheese, pico de gallo and a 100 cal. pack of wholly guacamole
Holy salivary glands Batman!! That sounds AMAZING right now!! You can bet it is on the grocery list!!0 -
Meal planning and prepping ahead of time is essential. I normally have peeled boiled eggs and some cooked whole grains in the fridge. The nice thing about these two items is the addition of seasonings can give you a completely different seeming meal with very little effort.0
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Hi..lunches were my issue also. I normally take leftovers from the dinner before and I pack snacks also. HOWEVER I am going to try something new for variety ...salad in a jar...supposively you can make ahead for the week...grab a jar and go. Quart jar...homemade dressing in bottom...veggies (including any bean you might add), cheese, and lettuce. At lunchtime dump it into bowl and mix. Veggies marinate in dressing and lettuce is not suppose to wilt.0
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I've been into making bento boxes for my daughters lunch. It is healthy, creative, and fun. I just started packing an extra one for me.
These lunches are simple, well planned, and healthy. It is just everyday food, you don't have to make some crazy happy bunny out of rice.
Here's an article about a woman who used this type of lunch to help her loose over 30 lbs.
And JustBento is a great resource.
http://www.justbento.com/how-bento-lunches-helped-me-lose-30-lbs-so-far0 -
I work 11hr shifts w/ 1 hr lunch break.....I eat all my food at work. I make it easy...2 protein, 2 fruit and 2 veggies. I drink water and 1 diet soda at work. I use fresh veg/fruit and bag salad. I use my last off day for the week to sort everything except the salad. I make a soup or casserole of some kind that will be that nights meal and leftovers for work. So here would be a typical day:
Coffee/ Protein shake on the way to work
Salad w/ hard boiled egg whites (veg+pro)
Soup or casserole that I made (veg+pro)
(or some other protein. If you have a trader joes they have wonderful turkey meatballs. I put them in a container w/ some regular can tomato sauce...add a lil water at work and 3 min they are done)
Container of strawberries (fruit)
Banana (fruit)
I keep crisp and light wasa crackers at work and bring laughing cow cheese wedge and tomato or cucumber to put on the cracker (veg+pro+grain)
When I stick to my bag and have water in between I don't graze....if I stray from my bag I eat whatever is in sight! Hope tis helps!0 -
I'm pretty boring I usually take a sandwich. I do occasionally bring left overs from dinner (when there is any) and I occasionally make tuna or chicken salad (sometimes with bread, sometimes alone). I can't do salads at lunch time either! I generally snack on light string cheese, clementines, sugar free pudding and sometimes thin pretzel sticks0
