Lunch ideas...Go wild!!

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Meg_78
Meg_78 Posts: 998 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am notoriously bad with lunches and tend to eat a very boring sandwich everyday...My main problem in I eat on the run, so my lunch is usually eaten on a bus or train...which also means I have no access to heat...But I am so tired of crappy bread, and I know there must be better choices out there so any suggestions pleeease???

I want it to be pretty healthy, but I DON'T need it to be low cal, or low fat or low anything, I am a gainer/maintainer and can easily afford 400-500 cals on lunch. I'm also fine with meats but not a massive fan of cheeses...

Requirements.
-A small but calorie dense portion (I don't have a big appetite and struggle with too much food, so I need to pack my calories in
-Something I can eat cold
-Something I can eat from a lunch box, or in my hand.
-Something that doesn't stink up the bus/train.

Thanks!
M

Replies

  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
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    salad wrapped with rice paper. I get it at the little Korean store down the road. It has lettuce, carrot, avocado and you can get fish in it also.
  • Snatched614
    Snatched614 Posts: 115 Member
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    I am in love with Black Bean and Corn Salad. Try it...
  • mtbke5
    mtbke5 Posts: 96 Member
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    Chicken, apple, PB, (and anything else you want to add) on a wrap
  • IHTSM
    IHTSM Posts: 51 Member
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    I usually try and make my lunches for the whole week on Sundays. That didn't happen this week, so today (and tomorrow) its corn and black bean salad:
    1 can of niblets
    1 can of black beans
    an avacado
    onion
    cilantro or basil if you like it
    olive oil and balsamic or red wine vinegar
    lots and lots of black pepper
    a little salt

    delish
  • innocenceportrayed
    innocenceportrayed Posts: 569 Member
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    I refuse to eat the bread for my sandwiches lol

    I usually eat smoked turkey meat and some swiss cheese (I measure it of course) or I LOVE baked chicken breast sprinkled with seasoning. Sometimes I'll have some wheat pasta and sauce.

    Sometimes when I'm not so hungry I'll eat pretzels in hummus.
  • MirandaDeCrane
    MirandaDeCrane Posts: 78 Member
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    I love wraps!!!! Tuna salad is a favorite of mine, if you have a cool pack...
  • marinegirl92
    marinegirl92 Posts: 184 Member
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    Check out some of the salad in a jar recipes - google search for all sorts of ideas.

    http://www.thekitchn.com/salad-in-a-jar-make-a-week-of-lunches-173014
  • tararocks
    tararocks Posts: 287 Member
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    i really enjoy a good sandwich...there are so many options...
    bread obviously...but since you are not as concerned about the calories, mix up your bread options...a nice thick cut, ciabatta rolls, a flavored bread like tomatao basil or asiago etc. those will change the taste of your sasndwich or give it more depth and substance. i do still look for low calories so i switch it up between bread, bagel thins (the everything ones are amazing), wraps, tortillas, pita pockets, etc. you can stuff all kinds of good things in these....
    fo example my current go to is an everything bagel thin, some spinach and artichoke cream cheese, and eitehr deli turkey or real turkey breast-its amazing
    take a pita pocket stuff it with whatever chopped veggies you like...shredded carrots, peppers, black olives, feta cheese, bring a little dressing or cucumber sauce, hummus or whatever other spread you like-yum.
    do you like fruit? especially during summer my kids lover fruit salad-cut up fruit that will keep-think kiwi, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, melons if you like them, add some slices of pound cake-delicious...
  • askeates
    askeates Posts: 1,490 Member
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    I am a BIG fan of wraps... I use the spinach wraps all the time, and put tons of different options together depending on my mood, and none of it must be heated, some things are better heated, but still good cold.

    My personal fav is black beans and rice, this is one that is good cold too... you can load it with tons of stuff, black olives, peppers, onions, guacamole, tomato, chicken, beef, fish, lettuce, tomato.... the posibilites are endless. And it can be as large or as small as you need, and can fit into your macros.

    I usually do, black beans, brown rice, black olives, tomato, a little cheese, sour cream, and chicken. YUM, making me hungry thinking about it now ;)
  • Meg_78
    Meg_78 Posts: 998 Member
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    Thanks guys!!! :heart: :heart: :heart:

    I'm loving the wrap ideas, definitely a lot of inspirations there! and the Jar salads sound great too...Sometimes I just get so un inspired!!! and something that I can prep only a few days a week would be awesome...I usually end up with a sandwich cause I'm just under prepared and strapped for time....I'm good with bread, but I'm getting a bit bored by the same old!! So it will be great to change it up!!!!!

    Cheers all!
  • Zonny
    Zonny Posts: 9 Member
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    I find sandwiches don't satisfy me.

    We usually bring supper leftovers (just a smaller portion). This week I'm hoping that at least one of my bbq turkey burgers makes it to my lunch bag. :) I bought ground turkey at Costco this week, the burgers came out great. I just need to make them a bit smaller as I didn't account for the fact that they don't shrink like a beef burger does. Leftover baked chicken pieces are standard lunch fare too. Or some cooked chicken, veggies, coconut milk, curry, mixed with broth and rice noodles. Yum!
  • luckyjuls
    luckyjuls Posts: 505 Member
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    Does salad in tupperware count? I have a new favorite combo and it does pack calories, but they are pretty good.

    Baby spinach
    tomato
    feta cheese
    bacon (about three slices crumbled)
    olive oil/vinegar (or, my fav, Russian dressing)
  • rachaelbmh
    rachaelbmh Posts: 54
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    Whole grain salads with some greens/other veggies and a dressing. Super quick to put together too.

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