Full Timers: What's your favorite lunch to bring?

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Replies

  • I normally cook up some chicken with some pepper and oregano on the weekends that way i have it all week. For lunch it's usually a big salad with lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, carrots, and some chicken, or 1 or 2 chicken pitta pockets with a small side salad, or a make shift pizza using pita bread with roasted or fresh raw crushed tomatoes with some chicken and mozzarella microwaved so its hot and the cheese is melted (add some avocado slices and bake it and have it for dinner) and again a side salad. Snacks i bring are usually fruits and veggies sometimes ill bring jello or cottage cheese.
  • jennymendiola
    jennymendiola Posts: 77 Member
    100cal popcorn
    jif to go with apple
    hummus and carrots
    dried venison sausage
    triscuits and laughing cow cheese
    clementine
    grapes
    atkins shake (cafe caramel is the BEST!)
  • tuckerrj
    tuckerrj Posts: 1,453 Member
    stouffer's stuffed green pepper, campbell chunky soups, Lipton diet green tea, and an assortment of fresh fruit are available when I don't bring last night's leftovers for lunch.
  • junipearl
    junipearl Posts: 326 Member
    Oh and the crockpot should really be everyone's best friend.
    I will make big batches of soup or chili or chicken and veggies etc. on Sunday and then portion it out into tupperwares.
    then, freeze half of them and the other half are for us to take for lunch once or twice during the following week.
    as a result, our freezer always has a few different varieties of ready-to-go lunches in it from weeks past that can be grabbed when all else fails.
  • HPLW0705
    HPLW0705 Posts: 102
    I'm lucky to work in a building with an onsite cafe that has a reasonably priced salad and soup bar. For days that I don't brown bag it, I typically get a salad and small broth based soup. When I bring my lunch it's usually left overs or a sandwich with a can of progresso soup...snacks are the usual vegetables, fruits, things like that.
  • Breakfast - Trader Joes 0% greek yogurt flavored either blueberry or pomegranite (has least fat and carbs of any greek yogurt ive found)

    Morning snack - carrots and peanutbutter or cliff bar or granola bar

    Lunch - grilled chicken (8-10 oz or so usually), some high fiber frozen green (Broccoli, spinach, or brussel sprouts) hot sauce lots of hot sauce

    Afternoon snack - cliff bar or single scoop protein shake (20g) or both depending on how I feel

    After workout protien shake (40g protein)

    Dinner - Turkey burger or chilli more vegitables

    After dinner snack -some fruit maybe with peanut butter if its apples or pears.
  • nolachick
    nolachick Posts: 3,278 Member
    oohhhh bump!
  • bi0nicw0man
    bi0nicw0man Posts: 56 Member
    Breakfast:
    I make a smoothie at home and drink it at my desk. or
    I make oatmeal at the office and top it with banana, berries or nuts. or
    I toast a whole wheat English muffin at the office and top it with nut butter and banana.

    Lunch:
    Soup, rice crackers, hummus, veggie sticks. or
    Egg salad, tuna salad, or lean deli meat and/or cheddar cheese with Wasa bread. or
    Salad with lean protein like chick peas or navy beans.

    Snacks:
    Greek yogurt, apples, oranges, grapes, almonds, dark chocolate (I only bring enough for one little serving so I can't overindulge).

    If I do decide to get take out I try to opt for sushi, shredded chicken tacos or tortilla soup from the healthy Mexican place down the road, or a salad from the supermarket.
  • Maddalen101
    Maddalen101 Posts: 307 Member
    At my desk: anything from soups, canned tuna, Dijonnaise, plain oatmeal, little boxes of raisins, croutons, to red potatoes, mac n cheese, salt n pepper, honey, apples and oranges, fizzy water, and sweet potatoes (sometimes)
    In the work fridge: milk, kefir, grape tomatoes, avocados, baby carrots, lettuce, vegan unburgers, hard boiled eggs (sometimes).
    What I bring from home sometimes: dinner leftovers (e.g. meat chili, vegan chili, spaghetti sauce).
    The nearest place for lunch is a 2 mile drive, so it's best to have everything here that I need.
  • twoss9112
    twoss9112 Posts: 162 Member

    Wholly Guacamole (100 cal packs, that's more than enough!)

    WAIT A MINUTE!! I was **JUST** at the store this afternoon, just 1 hour ago, looking at the Wholly Guac and wondering why in heck they don't make little packs of it becuase I couldn't keep a regular pack at work without wasting most of it.

    So they do, and I've just not found them? I've never seen them and I'm always near the fresh dip/dressing/salsa guac area of the store because it's where the produce is. I need to have little wholly guacs!
  • lizzybethclaire
    lizzybethclaire Posts: 849 Member
    wraps.

    small taco wrap - 90
    1/4 cup rice- 50
    1/4 cup beans -50
    2 oz chicken or tuna or egg etc... - 35-55 cals
    half a slice of cheese - 35 cals
    1/4 cup of veggies if I have it - 15 calories

    230 to 250 cals each (I usually bring 2)

    I add a piece of fruit to that

    and a yogurt before I leave work and usually go straight to the gym.
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    on my desk i have a jar of peanut butter, a bag of almonds in the shell and a half loaf of whole grain bread. And sunflower seeds which are my guilty pleasure. these are just my standys- so i never have to go buy lunch somewhere if i didnt bring anything in. I can just eat a pb sammy.

    Generally i try to have a week's worth of food in the office fridge- which is 2 lbs of greek yogurt and some kashi go lean cereal for bfast, and i will make something in my crockpot and eat on that all week. Earlier this week it was pulled pork sammies. Now its chicken and black bean chili.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    usually grill a bunch of chicken breasts and make a big salad on the weekend, bring them into work and mircowave the chicken then throw it in the salad.

    also have some have way decent and low cal tv dinner type things in my desk if i forget to bring something in. not the greatest but much better then starving.

    also have almonds, dehydrated fruit, jerky, and protein powder and few other suppliments in my desk.

    i'll also bring in carrots or fruit daily
  • Richie2shoes
    Richie2shoes Posts: 411 Member
    Breakfast choices
    1. English Muffin, peanut butter and an apple
    2. Breakfast burrito - diced peppers, onions, turkey bacon microwaved for one minute, mix in 1 egg and 2 tbsp shredded cheese, microwave another minute, serve on soft taco size tortilla
    3. Whole wheat pancakes served with no sugar jelly and 2 turkey sausage links. The pancakes and sausage are made on the weekend, portioned out and frozen.

    Lunch choices
    1. Soup and salad
    2. Sandwich and soup or salad
    3.. Leftovers
    4. Grilled chicken breast mixed with green giant frozen vegetables and a salad.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    My lunch is generally whatever is leftover from the night before, especially this time of year when I tend to make big stews and the like. Otherwise, PBJ...tuna salad and spinach...sometimes Turkey breast or pork loin with some type of veg side...and some kind of startch/carb.

    Snacks: Greek Yogurt, strawberries, blackberries/blueberries, apples with peanut butter, avocados, nuts, whey, etc
  • daniellegwilliam
    daniellegwilliam Posts: 122 Member
    its a nice privelage that we get breakfast catered at work! Its usually egg and sausage fritatta, egg wraps, yogurt parfaits.

    I always unroll the wrap and eat the scrambeled eggs inside.

    or I bring my own greek yogurt mixed wirth berries and "Holy Crap" cereal.

    Lunch:
    usually leftovers from dinner the night before
    I cook up chicken breasts on the weekend, and make lunches like chicken salads, chicken pita wraps with lettuce, tomato, avocodo and cucumber
    canned tuna on a ryvita cracker and soup
    If I buy lunch I prefer to go to the delis that have a hot salad bar. I will get mostly veggies and a meat or fish

    in my desk I always keep raw natural almonds, oatmeal packs for a quick snack or pre lunch run, lara bar, small cans of tuna

    For the fridge I always have hardboiled eggs, fruit, yogurt and cottage cheese. And I like to keep individual bags of veggies you can steam right in the microwave, especially edamame
  • joleenl
    joleenl Posts: 739 Member
    I eat practically the same thing every work day. The only meal that changes is dinner.

    Every work day:

    Breakfast:
    Homemade steel cut oats (I make a weeks worth sunday nights) - 1/4 raw or 1 cup cooked
    With 1/3 cup frozen organic blueberries and a bit of unsweetened almond milk
    and a green tea.

    Morning coffee: a piece of fruit

    Lunch: A salad (about 2 cups) with homemade dressing and some protein
    Salad contains any combination of but not limited to: peas, snap peas, organic spring mix, carots, grape tomatoes, chia seeds, hemp seeds, mini cucumbers, blue berries, raspberries, black berries, mushrooms, bell peppers.
    The protein: is prior nights left over, chicken, 1/2 can tuna, smoked oysters, turkey, hard boiled eggs.
    Dressing: some vinegar & oil combo (1 tbsp of each)... usaully balsamic vinegar and olive oil

    Afternoon snack: fruit or cut up veggies

    My biggest hints: Make enough oat meal for the week sunday. I buy my veggies at costco so mostly cut up and washed and ready to go, if not I prep them too sunday night, make chicken and turkeys and roasts often and freeze lunch size portions in ziplocks. If the veggies are ready to go making a salad is as simple as adding a handful of this and that. For the dressing I have those little tupperware containers.... I fill one (oil or vinegar) to the 1/2 ounce and top up with the other. The seeds, put them in an old spice shakers and sprinkle some on.
  • Reza151
    Reza151 Posts: 517 Member
    QUick, easy to prepare, and delicious:

    Healthy easy, cheesy pizza!

    Top one whole wheat tortilla (or pita bread) with spaghetti sauce, reduced fat cheese (i like mexican cheese), (cut up peppers if you have them on hand), and chicken. Pop into the toaster oven and Voila!

    Another variation is do do it Eggs florentine style: Top one whole wheat tortilla (or pita bread) with 2 fried eggs, baby spinach leaves, and reduced fat mozarella cheese. Add any other veggies that you may have on hand. Though in this case, I would place the bread in the frying pan, 30 seconds per side, rather than toasting the whole thing.
  • I'll give you an example of a typical day:

    Breakfast: 1 Bagel Thin, All Natural Peanut butter, 1/2 a banana, Pomegranate Green Tea, 2 Truvia Packets

    Mid Morning snack: Trail Mix

    Lunch: Home made Spring slalad with grilled chicken wrap... using a low carb whole wheat tortilla to wrap it. A side of baby carrots, and laughing cow cheese as a dip, a Cutie Mandarine Orange .... and if I want it a nice low fat dressing, or home made balsamic vinegar dressing!

    Afternoon Snack: Half an oats and honey bar, and 1/2 a banana...

    I prep everything the night before so I don't impulse buy at lunch time!
  • bigb2001
    bigb2001 Posts: 57 Member
    How do you cook Quinoa ... sorry I know a bit off topic.
  • MyM0wM0w
    MyM0wM0w Posts: 2,008 Member
    I usually make something on Sunday. Shepherd's Pie, chicken and veggie casserole, eggplant rollatini.... enough for the week at work. As soon as it cools I put it in serving size containers and take one every day.

    Breakfast is almost always cereal and half a cup of whole milk. I pack it the night before.

    Snacks are usually fruits/vegetables that I take in at the beginning of the week.
  • Snacks:
    Almond butter & sliced apples.
    Pistachios & sliced pears.
    Carrots and/or celery with hummus or string cheese.

    Lunches:
    Stuffed green pepper with 1/2 avacado.
    Meat with sweet potato and brocoli (the raw brocoli steams in the microwave when I heat the whole deal up).
    Stirfry with brown rice.

    I do all my shopping Saturday morning and by 5PM Saturday I have an entire week of breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinners prepped and cooked. I have an extra refrigerator in the garage so we can store all of the containers of food. This keeps me on track for nutrition and budget. So after work I can go to the gym, go home and dinner just needs to be warmed up. The only caveot is that you have to be willing to eat the same food 5 days in a row - but if its good, eh, no problem :smile:
  • mommy1126
    mommy1126 Posts: 146 Member
    I keep popcorn, crackers, peanut butter, and some type of granola bar at my desk.
    I always bring in frozen fruit.
    And I drink water most of the day. When I need something else to drink it is coffee, with a little milk & splenda.
  • Mcmilligen
    Mcmilligen Posts: 332 Member
    Lunch is almost always a result of a big bulk meal made on Saturday or Sunday night for dinner. This week was (my version of) sloppy joes. Made a ton of sauce, and ate it either as is (like chili), on quinoa, on roasted cauliflower, or of course- it's good in between two buns (I prefer cauliflower myself). I actually got a lot of compliments on the smell of my food ;)

    Other bulk options include:

    Coconut pumpkin curry (also good as is or on top of whatever you choose)
    Chili
    Homemade Pizza
    Homemade Mac n Cheese (vegan)
    Stews
    Homemade Burgers (also good broken up on top of salads etc)

    Snacks:

    I make things like tofu fries, protein bars and salads in bulk Sunday night as well to bring to work and keep in the fridge.
    Generally, I have 1 snack between each meal. If I get hungry other than that, I make myself a protein shake, tea or snack on granola or oatmeal.

    For me, preparation is everything. Doesn't hurt that I love to cook too ;)
  • Reza151
    Reza151 Posts: 517 Member
    I have mini bags of popcorn at my desk. And i keep yogurt, low fat mozarella sticks, and spinach pancakes in the fridge at work as well. Sometime's I'll bring an apple or berries and have it with cottage cheese or peanut butter.
  • How do you cook Quinoa ... sorry I know a bit off topic.

    First, rinse the quinoa. 1C quinoa to 2C liquid (stock gives the quinoa more flavor). Boil liquid, add quinoa, bring back to a boil, simmer covered on medium for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, take off heat, fluff, set aside covered for another 15 minutes.
  • HealthWoke0ish
    HealthWoke0ish Posts: 2,078 Member
    How do you cook Quinoa ... sorry I know a bit off topic.

    If it hasn't already been cleaned, I clean/rinse it and then boil (not really boil...more like a medium to high heat) it in water or broth for 10-15 minutes (kinda like you'd do with rice). You can probably Google it and get a more complete answer. :)
  • bigb2001
    bigb2001 Posts: 57 Member
    Thank you!
  • dlkingsbury
    dlkingsbury Posts: 90 Member
    all good ideas! i like 90 cal special k bars, fruits - clementines, pears, plums, apple, orange, etc., hummus, carrots, greek yogurt, granola (but keep it to a minimum b/c that stuff adds up), graze snack box, and most of all herbal TEA!
  • 33Chief
    33Chief Posts: 106 Member
    I drain two cans of Progresso soup and put them in a 2 cup container. 400 calories and fills me up!