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Lunch Ideas for those of us who pack!

13567

Replies

  • Posts: 190 Member
    I'm posting in here so I can snacg some of these ideas because a Roast beef sandwhich every single day for lunch is starting to drive me nuts :(
  • Posts: 304 Member
    I'm a single gal that LOVES to cook, so I bring a lot of leftovers to work. To change it up sometimes, I'll grab something from My Fit Foods (a healthy pre-made meal business in Texas). I save the MFF containers and they are PERFECT for portioning out whatever I make on the weekend.

    My conundrum always came when I wanted to make something that serves 6-8. I don't want to eat the same thing every day, so I will usually eat a portion when I make it, and then portion out a couple more for the week, and the last portions get frozen individually. Problem solved! I always have a good variety of leftovers in rotation in the freezer, and I don't have to worry about food going bad, or getting sick of eating the same thing over and over. It took me a little while to get the timing down, but it's perfect for me. I just pull out tomorrow's lunch the night before and put it in the fridge. Even if it's not fully thawed by lunchtime, it's easy enough to heat up in the microwave.

    I like to bring a veggie "side" with lunch as well, and for that I steam a bag of frozen vegetables (lately it's been cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots) in a bit of chicken stock with some herbs. That gets portioned out into containers to throw in my lunch bag with whatever other leftovers I'll be having.

    I cook a lot of things from skinnytaste.com or emilybites.com. They both have all of the nutrition info posted for each recipe, and a ton of them are already in the MFP database so they're easy to log.

    I'm also not a big fan of frozen dinners, but I do occasionally have the ones from Trader Joe's or the ones made by Amy's Organic Kitchen.
  • Posts: 87

    This is my recipe, guaranteed to please!

    Homemade 3 Bean Turkey Chili

    16 oz. ground turkey
    1 can dark red kidney bean, undrained
    1 can garbanzos, undrained
    1 can black beans, undrained
    1 small can tomato paste
    1 can diced tomatoes in juice, undrained
    1 medium onion, diced
    3 TBSP chili powder

    Brown the meat. Toss everything else in. Cook on the stove on low for 30 minutes or 5 hours, your choice - the longer, the better!

    Edited to add: it makes 12 servings (1-1/4 cup) at 193 calories each.

    Thank you!!!
  • Posts: 87

    Ooo, I do! This is my favorite: http://www.elliekrieger.com/turkey-chili

    Thank you!! I can't wait to try out all of these new recipes!
  • Posts: 87
    I'm posting in here so I can snacg some of these ideas because a Roast beef sandwhich every single day for lunch is starting to drive me nuts :(

    Haha, you just made me smile :bigsmile:

    I've been eating the same few things in rotation and decided branching out was a good idea :wink:
  • Posts: 109 Member
    It looks like you eat very little. Are you on a temporary calorie deficit? 1,200 is very few calories and you often have calories left over, but it looks like it's working for you very well and you've lost a lot of weight so Congratulations on your sucess. :)
  • Posts: 53 Member
    I normally pack my lunch when I'm putting dinner leftovers away, so in the morning I just grab n go. I also make soup (everyone in the pool) and eat for a few days, then freeze the rest in freezer bags. I bring cheese (bought a chunk yesterday, cut it into portions and ziploc it) for snacks, salad and that spray dressing to keep in fridge for the week so I always have a basic salad, some yogurts for snacks too. I always tend to get hungry about 3 pm, so I try to have some protein (yogurt, cheese, nuts) to last me to dinner, otherwise I'm STARVING! Today I had freezer soup (hadn't labeled so it was a surprise that it was broccoli cheese), salad and a tiny piece of homemade pizza from last night. A combo of all 3 things of how I prep.

    Some of my favorite soups -
    White chili - ground turkey, cannalini (sp?) beans, broth/water, kale, green chile, cumin and oregano, s/p, dollop of sour cream or yogurt on top (mash a bit of the beans up to thicken it up)

    Lentil, sausage - sausage (anything you like turkey pork etc), lentils, tin of hot habanero Rotel, kale, broth/water, seasons to taste, bay leaves

    Broccoli cheese - broccoli, bunch of other veggies, broth/water, cheese. I literally make a veggie soup with just veggies and broth/water, then puree it down and add a handful of cheese till you can taste the cheese. No flour or butter or other thickener.

    *onion and garlic in all the soups too, guess that's just a given in my head?
  • Posts: 2,245 Member
    Pack heat and mug someone else for their lunch!
  • Posts: 87
    I'm a single gal that LOVES to cook, so I bring a lot of leftovers to work. To change it up sometimes, I'll grab something from My Fit Foods (a healthy pre-made meal business in Texas). I save the MFF containers and they are PERFECT for portioning out whatever I make on the weekend.

    My conundrum always came when I wanted to make something that serves 6-8. I don't want to eat the same thing every day, so I will usually eat a portion when I make it, and then portion out a couple more for the week, and the last portions get frozen individually. Problem solved! I always have a good variety of leftovers in rotation in the freezer, and I don't have to worry about food going bad, or getting sick of eating the same thing over and over. It took me a little while to get the timing down, but it's perfect for me. I just pull out tomorrow's lunch the night before and put it in the fridge. Even if it's not fully thawed by lunchtime, it's easy enough to heat up in the microwave.

    I like to bring a veggie "side" with lunch as well, and for that I steam a bag of frozen vegetables (lately it's been cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots) in a bit of chicken stock with some herbs. That gets portioned out into containers to throw in my lunch bag with whatever other leftovers I'll be having.

    I cook a lot of things from skinnytaste.com or emilybites.com. They both have all of the nutrition info posted for each recipe, and a ton of them are already in the MFP database so they're easy to log.

    I'm also not a big fan of frozen dinners, but I do occasionally have the ones from Trader Joe's or the ones made by Amy's Organic Kitchen.

    From one single cooking-gal to the next, thank you for these ideas. I feel stuck sometimes because I'll find these great recipes that I want to try but I *despise* throwing away the leftovers when I don't get a chance to eat it all. I should start freezing more and rotating around ideas.

    Your method of steaming veggies sounds great!
  • Posts: 903 Member
    sandwiches with all sorts
    wraps with all sorts
    pittas with falafel, bell peppers, whatever I can find with houmous.

    salads:

    spinach, brie, strawberry salad with poppy seed dressing
    pasta salad with penne, gorgonzola, rocket and cucumber
    pasta with spinach, pesto and parmesan
    salad with lettuce, bell pepper, chicken/quorn strips and salsa
    slow roasted tomato, basil and pasta salad with roasted pepper and tomato dressing



    in my thermal food flask (life saver):

    noodles with spinach and sesame seeds
    mushroom ragout with pasta
    lentil curry with rice
    pasta with tomato-basil sauce
    chili with rice
    egg fried rice with satay sauce
    leftover lasagna
    risotto
    any other one pan dish


    soups in the flask with some tasty bread:

    tomato-basil soup
    carrot coriander soup
    minestrone soup
    vegetable soup (clear stock with small pieces of vegetables)
    other vegetable soup
    spinach soup
    roasted bell pepper and tomato soup
    chicken soup
    lentil soup
    butternut squash soup
    mushroom soup

    I love me some tasty homemade soup with really good fresh bread from the German market stall :).
  • Posts: 185 Member
    These are all great ideas. I just made chicken stir fry myself that I pack individually and use throughout the week. They are easy to freeze too. Way less sodium than a store bought frozen dinner.
  • Posts: 30 Member
    I saw this post a few days ago: http://imgur.com/gallery/VyskG and I think some of these look really delicious!
  • Posts: 183 Member
    I sit behind a desk for a living, so I don't like to bring leftovers from the night before so I tend to have a lighter lunch. Today was just a simple hot dog and a serving of Pop Chips. I also had a morning snack and I'm about to dig into my afternoon snack - baby carrots. But I'll usually have a sandwich wrap, ham, turkey, roast beef lunch meat wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla... usually holds me pretty well, especially if I know I have an afternoon snack coming too!
  • Posts: 717 Member
    I have the 4cup pyrex dishes with the leak proof lids. I use those for salads with a little grilled chicken. I make my own dressing - 1.5t dijon mustard, 1.5t olive oil, 6T seasoned rice vinegar, 1/2c chopped shallots. Shake it up and add some to your salad at least an hour before you eat so it can soak in.

    Leftovers are easy - I often just do a protein and veggies because I get a ton of carbs throughout the day.

    Wraps - my favorite is garlic hummus, tomato, cucumber, red onion, grilled chicken.

    On a lazy day with no groceries - tuna salad and saltines

    Random assortment - a bunch of snacks, all at the same time (cut up fruit, hard boiled egg, veggies, hummus, etc)

    I try to pack a 2cup pyrex of veggies each day. I usually make a big batch of roasted veggies and use it throughout the week. I do broccoli, brussels sprouts and cauliflower most of the time (little salt and pepper, olive oil, bake at 400 until it starts to get crispy). Sometimes I eat this with lunch, sometimes as an afternoon snack. Other easy to roast veggies are asparagus, green beans, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, beets.

    Bean and cheese burritos - I make flour tortillas on the stove and refried beans in the crockpot, then combine with some shredded cheese, wrap, freeze. I let it defrost in my lunch bag from morning til lunch time. Message me if you want either recipe.

    My diary is open and I log Mon-Fri - feel free to check it out.
  • Posts: 87
    sandwiches with all sorts
    wraps with all sorts
    pittas with falafel, bell peppers, whatever I can find with houmous.

    salads:

    spinach, brie, strawberry salad with poppy seed dressing
    pasta salad with penne, gorgonzola, rocket and cucumber
    pasta with spinach, pesto and parmesan
    salad with lettuce, bell pepper, chicken/quorn strips and salsa
    slow roasted tomato, basil and pasta salad with roasted pepper and tomato dressing



    in my thermal food flask (life saver):

    noodles with spinach and sesame seeds
    mushroom ragout with pasta
    lentil curry with rice
    pasta with tomato-basil sauce
    chili with rice
    egg fried rice with satay sauce
    leftover lasagna
    risotto
    any other one pan dish


    soups in the flask with some tasty bread:

    tomato-basil soup
    carrot coriander soup
    minestrone soup
    vegetable soup (clear stock with small pieces of vegetables)
    other vegetable soup
    spinach soup
    roasted bell pepper and tomato soup
    chicken soup
    lentil soup
    butternut squash soup
    mushroom soup

    I love me some tasty homemade soup with really good fresh bread from the German market stall :).

    Tons of delicious ideas! Thank you for sharing :)
  • Posts: 173 Member
    chicken salad, sometimes I make my own lunchables with a few crackers, lunchmeat, and low-cal laughing cow spread, sugar free pudding, salad with my homegrown veggies. I like popcorn instead of chips most of the time. Fresh fruit. Sometimes something as simple as a bowl of cereal or a ham and cheese omelet (I have a dish that I can make one in the microwave).

    *edited becasue I apparently cannot talk on the phone and spell at the same time.*
  • Posts: 84 Member
    Two lunches:
    $1.99 for a pack of 6 whole wheat pita bread (90cal/slice)
    $2.50 a container of hummus (pick your flavor)
    $4.00 a container of tabouleh (where available)
    $1.00 yogurt
    $1.99 for fresh strawberries (in season now, pretty cheap)
  • Posts: 31 Member
    My food diary is open and I pack a lunch almost every day, I am eating around 1200 cals a day. I find inspiration from looking at Bento Box lunches on Pinterest and the web. I believe that if food looks good it is more filling and makes my day/lunch happier.I also find I eat more veggies and fruit if I am making my lunch "pretty".:love:
    I also always have a "emergency" snack for the afternoon in case I get that "starved" feeling.

    Lunches this week are:
    Today- Chicken wrap with lettuce and sundried LC cheese, cherry tomatoes, mini pepper slices, half a banana and a orange.
    Wed- Nacho dip (refried beans, greek yogurt w/taco seasoning, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, chives, olives), tortilla chips, pineapple & strawberries
    Thur- Chick-salad in a pita with lettuce, apple and carrots
    Fri- Crackers, chicken lunch meat, cheese, turkey pepperoni, orange and pineapple
  • Posts: 3
    I pack a chicken breast, 2 cups of veggies, a bag of fresh fruit, and no salt seasoning for the chicken.
  • Posts: 87
    I sit behind a desk for a living, so I don't like to bring leftovers from the night before so I tend to have a lighter lunch. Today was just a simple hot dog and a serving of Pop Chips. I also had a morning snack and I'm about to dig into my afternoon snack - baby carrots. But I'll usually have a sandwich wrap, ham, turkey, roast beef lunch meat wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla... usually holds me pretty well, especially if I know I have an afternoon snack coming too!

    I'm a desk-er too and I try not to eat too "heavy" throughout the day since I have less of a chance to work it off... those trips to the printer don't level out much. I haven't tried the Pop Chips-- is there a favorite flavor you like?

    Do you eat the baby carrots solo or is there a good dip to have them with?

    Thanks for sharing!
  • Posts: 102 Member
    I do a chicken breast packed with lots of veggies! For snacks I will have some hummus with celery, tomatoes, or snap peas.
  • Posts: 84 Member
    Bump for later
  • Posts: 90 Member
    Hummus and veggies are always in the fridge at work so if I forget a "real" lunch, I still have something. I've been trying to just snack on 100-200 calories when I get hungry throughout the work day instead of having a whole big breakfast or lunch.

    Hard boiled eggs
    String cheese
    Cucumber salad (cucumbers, rice vinegar, red onion, splenda and red pepper flakes)
    Yogurt
    Quinoa salad (I make a bunch and portion it out over the week)
    Low-sodium lunch meat (I'm discovering how timing my protein intake affects whether or not I get super hungry or not)

    And leftovers! I usually hate them but 1) they are cheaper and 2) I don't have to input all new food into my tracker, so it's lazy, lol.

    I've also been snacking on sliced English cucumber with salsa, rather than tortilla chips.
  • Posts: 228 Member
    One of my favorite lunch items is sardines in mustard sauce with Nut Thins crackers (gluten free). Easy, high in protein, and filling. Lots of great ideas on this post!
  • Posts: 87
    I have the 4cup pyrex dishes with the leak proof lids. I use those for salads with a little grilled chicken. I make my own dressing - 1.5t dijon mustard, 1.5t olive oil, 6T seasoned rice vinegar, 1/2c chopped shallots. Shake it up and add some to your salad at least an hour before you eat so it can soak in.

    Leftovers are easy - I often just do a protein and veggies because I get a ton of carbs throughout the day.

    Wraps - my favorite is garlic hummus, tomato, cucumber, red onion, grilled chicken.

    On a lazy day with no groceries - tuna salad and saltines

    Random assortment - a bunch of snacks, all at the same time (cut up fruit, hard boiled egg, veggies, hummus, etc)

    I try to pack a 2cup pyrex of veggies each day. I usually make a big batch of roasted veggies and use it throughout the week. I do broccoli, brussels sprouts and cauliflower most of the time (little salt and pepper, olive oil, bake at 400 until it starts to get crispy). Sometimes I eat this with lunch, sometimes as an afternoon snack. Other easy to roast veggies are asparagus, green beans, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, beets.

    Bean and cheese burritos - I make flour tortillas on the stove and refried beans in the crockpot, then combine with some shredded cheese, wrap, freeze. I let it defrost in my lunch bag from morning til lunch time. Message me if you want either recipe.

    My diary is open and I log Mon-Fri - feel free to check it out.


    And now I am craving a burrito haha! Messaging you so I can learn your ways!
  • Posts: 337
    I make a protein shake/smoothie the night before and freeze it. By the time lunch comes around it is perfect!
    Just dont forget it in the freezer :laugh:
  • Posts: 87
    chicken salad, sometimes I make my own lunchables with a few crackers, lunchmeat, and low-cal laughing cow spread, sugar free pudding, salad with my homegrown veggies. I like popcorn instead of chips most of the time. Fresh fruit. Sometimes something as simple as a bowl of cereal or a ham and cheese omelet (I have a dish that I can make one in the microwave).

    *edited becasue I apparently cannot talk on the phone and spell at the same time.*

    Haha, I love your edit (: And I like the idea of doing lunchables your own way, I hadn't thought of doing the laughing cow spread with it! Thank you for sharing!! :bigsmile:
  • Posts: 109 Member
    It looks like you eat very little. Are you on a temporary calorie deficit? 1,200 is very few calories and you often have calories left over, but it looks like it's working for you very well and you've lost a lot of weight so Congratulations on your sucess. :)
  • Posts: 87
    Two lunches:
    $1.99 for a pack of 6 whole wheat pita bread (90cal/slice)
    $2.50 a container of hummus (pick your flavor)
    $4.00 a container of tabouleh (where available)
    $1.00 yogurt
    $1.99 for fresh strawberries (in season now, pretty cheap)

    I've never heard of tabouleh, but I googled it and it sounds delicious. Thank you for sharing!
  • Posts: 1,115 Member
    sandwiches
    leftovers from the night before dinners (I just make a little extra to take in the next day)
    hard boiled eggs
    bagel thins
    raw veggies
    fruit
    yogurt
    fruit cups
    100 calorie bars and packs
    cheese/crackers
This discussion has been closed.