Easy and Healthy Work Lunch Ideas

moochachip
moochachip Posts: 237 Member
in Food and Nutrition
As much as I love peanut butter, I have been eating peanut butter sandwiches at work for about 3 months straight at work. I have been looking for healthy and easy lunches that are filling online, but wanted to see what people here at MFP bring.

Easy, healthy, and somewhat inexpensive lunch ideas?

Replies

  • colleeg
    colleeg Posts: 13 Member
    What about home made soup and some salad, or brown rice mix veg and tuna, grilled sandwiches and a salad. left overs from night before.
  • neil4ad
    neil4ad Posts: 42 Member
    One thing I've done is to just cook a little bit more in the evenings, and to take leftovers the next day. (This presumes that what you're making for dinner is healthy).

    As for recipe ideas. I've made this a few times lately, and take it to lunch with a side of mixed greens (trader joe's herb salad with a dash of balsamic vinegar):

    http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Garlic-Roasted-Chicken-Breasts-240271
    (note: I halve the salt, as I found the original recipe far too salty)

    Another idea:

    make a tuna salad sandwich: for the tuna salad, avoid mayo. Use lemon juice, salt, pepper, chopped tomato and a dash of tabasco sauce.
  • neil4ad
    neil4ad Posts: 42 Member
    What about home made soup and some salad, or brown rice mix veg and tuna, grilled sandwiches and a salad. left overs from night before.

    I was also going to suggest a homemade soup. I recently purchased an immersion blender -- which is great for smoothies and soups. For a quick and healthy soup: heat a tiny bit of oil, add chopped onion and saute until tender. Add in some chopped garlic, stir for a couple minutes. Add some low sodium, organic chicken broth, throw in a bunch of veggies, season with spices, a little bit of salt and and pepper. When veggies are slightly tender (not overcooked), stick the immersion blender in and in 2 mins or so you'll have an excellent soup.
  • web816
    web816 Posts: 10 Member
    I usually do 1 of 2 lunches:

    1) 4 oz tuna canned in water (plain), 2 cups fresh spinach with 1/4 c cheddar cheese, 2 mandarin oranges.

    2) 1 can of Light Progresso Soup (lots of good ones), 2 saltine crackers, 1 Light String Cheese, 1 mandarine orange.

    Both of these are at or around 300 calories and meet my macro goals. Yes the soup is processed and therfore has some sodium, but for the low cost and easy prep it works for me. Also, using different flavors of soup keeps me from getting bored and eating soup with a spoon takes me a long time which keeps me from gobbling down my lunch too fast! :)
  • akern1987
    akern1987 Posts: 288 Member
    I ususally take a sandwich, yougurt and an apple, if i dont have time to put lunch together before I leave, I will grab a frozen meal. There are some great tasting options that are not that bad for you, Marie Calendars makes some great lunches that are under 350 calories, as does Lean Cuisine and Healthy choice, some of them do have quite a bit of sodium, but in a pinch, they are pretty good.

    Good Luck! and happy lunching!
  • dtroutman
    dtroutman Posts: 62
    For treats a couple times I week I get the smart ones frozen dinners. They are really tasty. Other than that I normally do sandwiches or salads of some type.

    Bringing leftovers is a great idea I will do that this week : )
  • tryttej
    tryttej Posts: 18 Member
    I don't know what kind of fridge situation you have at your work, but I have been making a huge salad on Sunday for a whole week's worth of lunches, and then taking in lean protein every couple days - some tuna salad with no fat mayo, an extra piece of salmon from dinner the night before, some shrimp and fajita veggies, etc. I love it because I'm not scrambling every morning to think of and make a nutritious lunch; the salad is already at work, and I'm just taking in a good protein topper every couple days.
  • rachaelbmh
    rachaelbmh Posts: 54
    Homemade soups, salads, green smoothies. whole grain salads, healthy dinner leftovers. These are all rotation for what I eat for lunch regularly.
  • missADS1981
    missADS1981 Posts: 364 Member
    I prep my meals for the week on Sunday. If you want ideas I put them on my blog and instagram....but I will share here also:

    For lunch this week I made to main meal options:

    meal 1:
    Sliced baked sweet potato with cinnamon on top (1/2 of a potato) - good carb
    Asparagus slices made in extra virgin coconult oil (healthy fat) seasoned with Mrs Dash - fiber source
    Chopped chicken breast marinated in Walden Farms asian dressing (no carb, no calories, no fat, no sugar) - protein source

    meal 2:
    10 minute brown rice (1/4 cup) - good carb
    Steamed green beans with sliced almonds and extra virgin coconut oil (healthy fats + fiber)
    99% lean ground turkey meatball (homemade recipe, 2 meatballs) - lean protein

    both came out amazing :)
  • reneemosley
    reneemosley Posts: 95 Member
    One of my favorites is frozen "south west" veggie mix, rotisserie chicken chopped, and salsa. Put in a plastic container with veggies frozen. No fridge needed and ready to eat at lunch. Shake and enjoy alone or over lettuce.
  • Shan790
    Shan790 Posts: 280 Member
    when I get stuck in a rut here are my go to websites

    http://thislunchrox.com

    http://www.thekitchn.com/keeping-it-simple-a-gallery-of-2-ingredient-sandwiches-177145

    http://easylunchboxes.smugmug.com/The-Best-Lunchbox-System/Yummy-Lunch-Ideas/10136835_YSuyb#!i=998960659&k=Q2r3K4x

    lots of great ideas here.
  • Topsking2010
    Topsking2010 Posts: 2,245 Member
    Damn!!! Peanut Butter sandwiches for 3 months straight!!! Oh Hell No!!!


    I can't cook and I am more creative than that!!!
  • heather0mc
    heather0mc Posts: 4,656 Member
    bump
  • neil4ad
    neil4ad Posts: 42 Member
    Damn!!! Peanut Butter sandwiches for 3 months straight!!! Oh Hell No!!!


    I can't cook and I am more creative than that!!!

    LOL.
  • amandadawson24
    amandadawson24 Posts: 11 Member
    My husband and I just eat leftovers for lunch. I usually have a smaller portion at lunch than I do at dinner just because I am usually not as hungry at lunch. If you're not too keen on leftovers, neither was my husband initially. I just encouraged him to think about how it tasted as opposed to how it looked. He said that seemed to help him. He eats them all the time now.
  • FitCoachShawn
    FitCoachShawn Posts: 230 Member
    Fresh salads! Or Shakeology! Ask me if you want more info! :)
  • Joreanasaurous
    Joreanasaurous Posts: 1,384 Member
    I make soup in the crockpot. Half gets frozen and half goes in the fridge for lunch for the week. Works out great. It is cheap it is easy and it is healthy. Plus I always have backups in the freezer for when I don't have time to make something or I'm broke or when I'm just feeling lazy and want to not do anything.
  • bestmeicanbe84
    bestmeicanbe84 Posts: 58 Member
    bump for ideas
  • princesspea234
    princesspea234 Posts: 182 Member
    Leftovers, hummus and veggies in a pita, tuna salad with no fat Miracle Whip, low calorie soup with fruit, sweet potato with vegan chili, lean pocket, lean cuisine, greek salads, cottage cheese and tomatoes.... so many yummy and easy choices!

    And if all else fails, I pack some cut up fruit and veggies and grab something within calorie count to go.... One taco from taco bell, one hamburger from McDonalds, a 6 inch subway sandwich on wheat, grilled chicken breast from KFC with green beans and mashed potatoes....frozen yogurt with fruit from Menchies!
  • laccy40
    laccy40 Posts: 136
    I take lots of small things because I like to snack at work. So a typical packed lunch will be a bowl of salad with lean protein (sliced chicken, beef, tinned tuna) no dressing, a sliced apple with 30g cheddar cheese, a handful of nuts/ dried fruit, sometimes a packet of crisps or a choccy biscuit (that's why I don't have dressing on my salad!). I buy stuff in for a week and just grab a selection aiming for 3 portions fruit/veg and 2 proteins.
  • somanyrhoades
    somanyrhoades Posts: 107 Member
    I have been making wraps lately on whole wheat tortillas, which only have between 80 to 100 calories depending on the brand versus around 200 calories for 2 slices of bread. I will put tuna and chicken and load with veggies. It makes for quicker lunches if you keep containers of chopped veggies for the week or make your lunch the night before. I also eat plain yogurt or lowfat cottage cheese with fruit for dessert.

Categories