Lunch ideas

I prepare all of my lunches at home. Mostly I eat salad. I have to have two prep sessions a week so it stays fresh. I have to be at work really early so I pack breakfast too. With my lunch salad I have something delicious with it. This week it is cabbage rolls. Last week it was stuffed shells. Next week I'm thinking about crab cakes. I do spend some time in the kitcken on Sunday and have to remember everything in the morning. I find that the more I prepare and plan the easier this whole process is.

I know this is not what you asked but it is the best answer I can give. Eating out is one of the big enemies of being healthy.

If most people really wanted to eat healthy then this would be a good business opportunity.

I bring different kinds of soups-all canned not homemade. They're easy and quick to heat up too. Although I am wanting to branch out a bit. Someone said taco soup-I was wondering if you had a recipe that you could share? I like the idea of leftovers and wrapping it up seperate the night before when cleaning up.

Someone already posted a link to a skinnytaste.com recipe. All of the recipes there are really great!

I usually bring tuna, chicken, or shrimp. I have a few different go-to combos such as chicken, black beans, corn, and salsa on a wrap. I make the chicken mixture over the weekend and bring that to work. Or an arugula salad with sweet potato and shrimp. Sandwiches if I run out of time in the morning. I always bring fruit and yogurt with granola to snack on. I am honestly constantly eating at work, lol.

I also bought a set of tupperware with a built in ice pack and it's really helpful!

I have 2 go-to lunch out meals; naked taco salad from Qdoba (hold the dairy) and a #12 Unwich from Jimmy John's. I think you would have some luck with just checking out the nutrition calculators for places near you and writing a detailed list of "approved" lunches you can grab anytime

i always bring my lunch. usually it's left overs from the previous night. buying lunch every day adds up and we just don't have that kind of money to throw out.

I'm assuming this person is asking about eating out or on the go, so...

Qdoba or Chipotle Crispy (not soft) Tacos (any meat) lettuce and cheese only - salsa is FULL of sodium - just like most of subway meats! You can also remove the shells and dump it all into a pile and eat like a salad to reduce carbs.

1 Steak taco is:

180 calories
9 carbs
11 fat
14 protein
185 sodium

You can also find chicken in the deli sections of local grocery stores, usually an 8 piece for about $6.99 (baked, bbq, fried - remove skin) or KFC Grilled chicken or Popeyes (remove skin).

a Burger King hamburger patty by itself - no bun or condiments is:

90 calories
0 carbs
7 fat
7 protein
30 sodium

Your best bet is of course making your own food so you know what you are getting.

I bring my lunch 18-19 out of 20 days of the month. I usually bring leftovers from the previous night for my protein (chicken or beef, or seafood that can be eaten cold since I don't like to stink up the office nuking fish) and a big bowl of spinach with some feta, chopped almonds or walnuts, and a light dressing. Some days I bring homemade soup, sometimes I need to microwave a veggie burger or some frozen veggies, and very rarely do I eat at the cafeteria - I work at a private college with a really yummy but dangerous dining hall and Starbucks. We do have a Subway down the street but it's also dangerous with the smell of freshly baked cookies, so I try to avoid unless I forget my lunch or have to drive off-campus for an unexpected meeting.

I also bring lots of snacks - Fiber One bars, Greek yogurt, fruit, nuts, and the occasional piece of dark chocolate for "emergencies." Once I have my morning coffee (made at home with almond milk and cane sugar), I have a timer on my computer called FocusBooster that helps me drink 8oz every 30 minutes.

Does "rowerdc" mean you're in the District? Me too. My spots include Subway like you said, Roti (chicken kabob, not chicken roti salad), Chopt' where you can make your own salad and I often add a lean protien (be careful though, it gets pricey fast!), and Corner Bakery has a ton of combos that are under 600cal, though I often make mods to get it even further under that. The Daily Grill has a great under 600 cal menu, and over on L is a place called Energy Kitchen. Haven't been, but everything is baked, steamed, or grilled, and under 500 cals each. Want to try it soon. I also do salads at Quiznos and Sweetgreen, the Cosi hummus/veggie sandwich is good, and I do the "skinnys" at Potbelly. I'm personally 'eh" about Chipotle, but if you get a salad with meat veggies and salsa, it's not too bad, and the cheese doesn't kill it, either.

Of course if you're not in DC, my bad, but most of those are chain-y. .