healthy lunch options for work

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debrag12
debrag12 Posts: 1,071 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am looking for healthy and cheep ideas for lunch I can take to work either hot or cold.

I like wraps, past, rice, lentils etc mexican food I love.

Replies

  • babyangelica2010
    babyangelica2010 Posts: 117 Member
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    If I had a microwave at work I would just bring leftovers of dinner the night before. Unfortunately I don't, so cereal it is lol.
  • whatjesseats
    whatjesseats Posts: 228 Member
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    I typically have leftovers of some sort for lunch. I'm only cooking for two, but I generally make enough to have at least one or two portions left over, and those go in the fridge or freezer.

    Today my lunch was leftover red lentil dal. Yesterday it was leftover tuna & white bean salad. Both of those are very lost cost per serving.

    If I'm not in the mood for leftovers, I usually turn to quick sandwich options--earlier this week I had a veggie cheeseburger with a side of baby carrots.
  • christyrivers
    christyrivers Posts: 15
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    If I had a microwave at work I would just bring leftovers of dinner the night before. Unfortunately I don't, so cereal it is lol.

    If you sit near an electrical outlet, you should try a mini-crockpot. It's not a cooker, just a warmer, but it is fabulous for warming up soup, veggies, leftovers, etc. Better than a microwave for sure, and only $20 (not a spokesperson for them, promise). I'm a teacher and only have about 15 minutes to scarf down my lunch. This has been a lifesaver for me.
    http://www.amazon.com/Crock-Pot-SCCPLC200-R-20-Ounce-Lunch-Warmer/dp/B006H5V8US/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1362079938&sr=8-2&keywords=crockpot+mini
  • debrag12
    debrag12 Posts: 1,071 Member
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    Yes we have a microwave, I don't generally hbave left overs to take as I don't cook from scratch every night and when I do there's really not a lot if anything left.

    I usually take rice or pasta those I do have left overs but what to put with them? Any good sauces?
  • mielikkibz
    mielikkibz Posts: 552 Member
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    i'm looking for easy lunch options too. . I can walk over to giant and get salads, but those tend to be high in sodium cuz if I don't put dressing on it, I put cottage cheese :P and i'm sick of taters LOl
  • 55sc
    55sc Posts: 46 Member
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    My usual lunch is a salad with two cups of greens and other veggies, and lots of Roma tomatoes, and a half sandwich on whole grain bread.

    I usually make my own dressing with balsamic vinegar. I use roasted red peppers or salsa and I add various seasonings. This week I am having chipotle lime dressing. I blended a chipotle salsa, lime juice, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and some water to adjust the consistency.

    For variety, I have different sandwich meats or different breads or make my dressing different. If I didn't make dressing on the weekend, I'll mix Ranch dressing with salsa or have just salsa.
  • Jgroover36
    Jgroover36 Posts: 2
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    At the beginning of the week buy salad ingredients and keep them in the fridge, then every day at lunch you have an easy cheap meal waiting for you. For example I buy at Trader Joes:
    1 lb bag of organic baby spinach - $2
    1 lb bag of organic broccoli - $2
    1 lb bag of raw almonds - $6-7 (lasts at least 2 weeks)
    1 lb container of cottage cheese - $3
    1 bottle of low cal dressing - $4 (lasts many weeks)
    These ingredients are enough to make a protein packed, healthy and filling salad every day of the work week. I personally am fine with eating the same thing every day but there is no reason you couldn't buy a bigger variety of things to spice up your salad!
  • jacalennejax
    jacalennejax Posts: 97 Member
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    Salads
    Sandwiches
    cold summer soups
    veggies with dips
    crackers and cheese ( rice crackers and laughing cow wedges)
    fruit


    My salad today is under 270 calories has turkey breast, romaine, carrots, cucumbers, shredded cheese, croutons, and craisins. If i had nuts i would have put them in there.

    I weigh everything out. So i can be sure, even with 1/8 cup of cheese- My salad is good in calories and i get my cheese and bread fix.
  • monicalosesweight
    monicalosesweight Posts: 1,173 Member
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    I also do the mini-crock pot. It's fantastic. I layer it with rice, left over meats and top it with frozen or precooked veggies. I just dump it on a paper plate and it's a cool meal. You just need an outlet where you can plug it in and then eat after a pair of hours. I find that within 2 to 3 hours the food is perfectly hot. Mine gets plugged in around 8:30 a.m. and I eat around 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. due to school hours.
  • reneeopruitt
    reneeopruitt Posts: 36 Member
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    I also do the mini-crock pot. It's fantastic. I layer it with rice, left over meats and top it with frozen or precooked veggies. I just dump it on a paper plate and it's a cool meal. You just need an outlet where you can plug it in and then eat after a pair of hours. I find that within 2 to 3 hours the food is perfectly hot. Mine gets plugged in around 8:30 a.m. and I eat around 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. due to school hours.

    That sounds really good. I may have to get one of those.
  • reneeopruitt
    reneeopruitt Posts: 36 Member
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    I will eat fish from the freezer section that are 100 calories and a salad or soup to go with it. I try to have left overs, but that does not always work.
    Canned Soup
    Salad with canned Bumblebee tiny shrimp for some added protein.
  • mielikkibz
    mielikkibz Posts: 552 Member
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    unfortunately canned soup is very high in sodium if you're trying to be good :P
  • RawMomma10
    RawMomma10 Posts: 89 Member
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    Pb & J... with apple slices
    cottage cheese with pears or some other fruit
    a couple of big honey crisp apples
  • mielikkibz
    mielikkibz Posts: 552 Member
    Options
    At the beginning of the week buy salad ingredients and keep them in the fridge, then every day at lunch you have an easy cheap meal waiting for you. For example I buy at Trader Joes:
    1 lb bag of organic baby spinach - $2
    1 lb bag of organic broccoli - $2
    1 lb bag of raw almonds - $6-7 (lasts at least 2 weeks)
    1 lb container of cottage cheese - $3
    1 bottle of low cal dressing - $4 (lasts many weeks)
    These ingredients are enough to make a protein packed, healthy and filling salad every day of the work week. I personally am fine with eating the same thing every day but there is no reason you couldn't buy a bigger variety of things to spice up your salad!

    that all sounds good except for the spinach and brocoli LOL

    that pretty much is what i use, except instead of almonds it's sunflower seeds, cucumbers, and as many tomatoes as I can eat. . I find with the cottage cheese I don't need the dressing so muhc and I toss in some shredded cheese too
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
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    I usually do some combo of the below, totaling 350-400 cals

    Bumblebee fat free tuna salad and crackers kits (LOVING these right now, or sometimes I will make my own tuna salad)
    cut up veggies with 2 of 3 tbsp of hummus
    greek yogurt with berries
    wrap with provolone, lettuce, tomato, onion, and boar's head low sodium deli turkey (I like Joseph's garlic and herb wraps)
    Sargento reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese stick
    orange, apple, peach, or pear
    leftovers from dinner
    chickpea salad (search for a recipe for this if you love chickpeas. It's so good)
    low sodium tomato or chix noodle soup in the microwavable bowl

    I totally burnt myself out on salad so I'm staying away from those for now. Used to bring a spinach salad every day.

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