Lunch Ideas for those of us who pack!

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Replies

  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
    Pack heat and mug someone else for their lunch!

    You made me think of this ecard I love---

    "Strange new trend at the office. People putting names on food in the company office. Today I had a tuna sandwich named Kevin."
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
    :wink:
    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:

    What do you put in your protein shake/smoothie? I'm new to the protein-ing... new word I have created
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
    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

    Ahhh bagel thins. I forgot about those. And when you said fruit cups, it made me think of the delicious delmonte peach cups that are in cans. I LOVE them. Thanks for reminding me!!
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
    Smart and delicious low carb tortillas (50 calories) with roast beef (60 calories) and lettuce/cukes/whatever (negligible)

    Tea with no sugar

    Orange or pear (100)

    Candied ginger (30)

    Tell me more about this candied ginger... it's not something I have heard of before.
  • myfrogs11
    myfrogs11 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?

    Yum!!! I love white chili but I've never tried to make it before. Thanks for the post!

    I LOVE soup, so during the colder times I make a big pot a week and eat/freeze it. Live in Southwest, so I also love anything spicy. I LOVE white chili but don't care for regular chili, so this works out great for me!
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
    Salads with homemade dressing (greek yogurt with a little bit of a package of hidden valley ranch, or another flavor packet) with tuna sometimes! Great protein source!!
    Cucumber sandwiches - this is little bits of meat between two slices of cucumber, or chicken salad or tuna salad on top of them (mixed with greek yogurt)
    Yogurt
    Buffalo chicken salad (AMAZING!)
    pulled pork or pulled chicken
    devilled eggs (great for breakfast too!)
    egg salad

    I dont get away from my desk for lunch - its either go to the cafeteria for my lunchbreak, or the gym - I choose the gym every time! I eat my lunch between conference calls at my desk. No one has complained yet!

    What do you do for buffalo chicken salad?
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
    I cook extra of whatever I am having for dinner - burger, chops, steak, fish, and veggies, or something like that lean cuisine except I make them myself with better ingredients. Then you can freeze them.

    Do burgers freeze well? Any special tricks?
  • joyincincy
    joyincincy 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!

    Do you have a particular brand of Sardines you prefer? The last I bought were a bit "smelly" ... which makes me "that girl" at work when everyone is wondering where the putrid smell is coming from. I'd hate to be found guilty of stinking the office up again!

    If you don't want smelly, then you have to shell out the big bucks:( I tried one that didn't smell to bad, but I think it cost something like $5 a can, not something I can afford too often. Totally understand, and would suggest you take your lunch outside. Thankfully it is nice out now. I guess that means no sardines during the winter, but I eat a lot of soup during those months anyway:)
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
    6.5 oz of chicken breast (baked)
    2.5 oz of steamed brocolli
    1/4 cup of kraft shreeded mexican cheese
    1 cup of uncle bens brown rice

    i eat this m-th at work

    heat it up 2 minutes in the microwave

    Yum! That sounds delicious!!
  • CBaumgardner7
    CBaumgardner7 Posts: 212 Member
    Bump :)
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
    I pack the left-overs from the previous day.

    But I make a lot of food during the evening (one portion for me, one for my daughter, one for work and one for the freezer) so your mileage may vary. ;)

    Any particular meals that never get old?

    Well... I cheat when it comes to planning food. I subscribe to a weekly food plan; so once a week a guy shows up with a bag of groceries and a receipt for 5 days worth of cooking.
    Sometimes I cancel it the weeks I don't have my daughter and live of the left overs in the freezer from the previous weeks.

    This cheat has a couple of major advantages a) never have to figure out what to cook b) I'm fairly certain my daughter gets a well rounded dinner every night and c) I cut down on the chances that I pick up a bag of chips when shopping hungry.

    That sounds like a pretty good deal. ---Jealous!---
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
    In the summer I love spinach salad with strawberries, goat cheese, pecans, red onions and maple viniagrette.

    Is the maple vinagrette something you find in a store or do you make it?

    We went strawberry picking this weekend and made a salad very similar to this one for lunch. The maple vinaigrette was super easy to make and delicious on this salad! We added some grilled chicken to make it a meal.

    1 T pure maple syrup
    2 T red wine vinegar
    1 T EVOO
    salt and pepper to taste
    Whisk!

    Thanks for sharing this recipe! It sounds simple and delicious (:
  • gabegrammy
    gabegrammy Posts: 147 Member
    This week I made this chicken salad for sandwiches to take to work -

    http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/01/pistachio-cinnamon-chicken-salad.html

    It's excellent! I also ate a salad with lunch today, made with 50/50 spring mix, some sliced strawberries, a little feta cheese, some honey roasted sliced almonds and a little bit of poppyseed dressing.

    I snack a lot at work. Larabars, raw fruits and veggies, nuts, greek yogurt.
    I'm making that this week end, sounds yummy
  • irishblonde2011
    irishblonde2011 Posts: 618 Member
    I love Greek yogurt. I will put a handful of cereal on top muesli etc and eat that.
    For lunch it is usually salads feta & cherry tomatoes are my favourite.
    Lime and chilli quinoa with quorn fillet is good also.
    I will also make a bit extra in dinners and have them during the week which is great when I'm rushing.
    I always feel so full after I make my own lunches compared to buying them.
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
    Hello all! In an effort to get back on track, and also curb spending, I have been packing my lunch to take in to work with me.

    I'll take leftovers from dinner the night before. Or, one thing I've been doing and really liking is taking a blender bottle filled with whey protein powder, coffee crystals and some PB2. Add water, shake, lunch. Boom.

    I would have argued you this time last year if you had told me I'd be sated with that... but it's filling, and I'm good to go. Go figure.

    Another thing I do is grill about 4-6 chicken breasts and keep them in the fridge as either snacks, or to take with lunch. I'll sometimes do a salad instead of my protein, etc.

    I'd love to try that shake... where can you get PB2? Do you have to order it online or do they sell it in stores?

    And I think I'm going to have to invest in a George Foreman grill... I don't have any place to store a grill at my apartment, but I just LOVE things off the grill--- chicken, steak (gasp! I know), pineapple, etc.
  • meredith1123
    meredith1123 Posts: 843 Member
    I bake chicken the night before (or day before) and then shred it/chop it up along with chopped celery, hormel 50% less fat bacon bits, mustard, hot sauce/jalapenos (if you like hot stuff), chopped up hard boiled egg whites and boom....
    healthy chicken salad that leaves you under 225 calories.
    I usually use about 3 to 4 oz of cooked chicken breast for this. you can even bring a wrap of your choice to make a chicken wrap as something different or to add calories/macros.

    Today i brought in a made meal from last night also.
    Its five hard boiled eggs - but only used two yolks plus mustard, hot sauce, Hormel 50% less fat bacon bits, and celery. call me gross if you want but its actually really good and again, very low in calories and macros! It's a healthy egg salad that you can use in a wrap if you want or eat plain. I eat mine plain most of the time.
    I always bring a Greek yogurt with my lunches. If i dont have greek yogurts ill bring an apple or banana to go with my lunch.

    If you dont have cooling options (fridges at work, etc), you can throw in an ice pack in your lunch bag and it stays cold.
  • summery79
    summery79 Posts: 116 Member
    I make a big salad, divide it into portions in plastic containers, and add a mini container of dressing to each. So I end up eating the same thing for lunch daily for a week, but it is nice to have some healthy food ready to go. Lunch is the meal where I find it easiest fail health-wise, because it is too easy to grab some crappy food while I am out.
  • clobern
    clobern Posts: 341 Member
    Kahr CW 40
  • supergirl6
    supergirl6 Posts: 224 Member
    Love all these ideas! Lunch at work is always the hardest for me to plan.
  • penguinlally
    penguinlally Posts: 331 Member
    don't know if anyone else posted this - but they are so good and extremely versatile! fun to play around with and tweak to your tastes and calories needs - I tend to use grilled meat, fruit or veggies (or a combo) and never use dressing.... nom nom nom

    http://www.thekitchn.com/salad-in-a-jar-make-a-week-of-lunches-173014


    pack 'em up in mason jars or in a decent size lock - n - lock... easy do ahead lunches!
  • neisy4u
    neisy4u Posts: 1 Member
    :love:
    Hello all! In an effort to get back on track, and also curb spending, I have been packing my lunch to take in to work with me.

    Aside from frozen meals i.e. Lean Cuisine, Smart Ones, Michelina's Lean Gourmet, etc., what do you pack for lunch? I like to balance out the main course with a yogurt or apple. I am searching for other options for packing lunches.

    I don't mind to prep for the week on Sundays. Let's share ideas! :smile:
  • Jen_ht
    Jen_ht Posts: 99 Member
    Bump for all these awesome ideas. It does save a load of money.

    Even when I'm in a rush, I try and either chuck a salad or pitta together - usually some form of lean protein like fish or skinless chicken plus a ton of spinach and mix up the veg.

    Otherwise, I find Fattoush is immensely filling and tasty - North African type salad with raw cauliflower, rocket leaves, pomegranate, cucumber, tomatoes and a citrus spice like sumac, or a squidge of lemon if I don't have any sumac in the cupboard. Or a quinoa salad as you can cook a load of quinoa or giant couscous in advance and mix it with whatever you fancy the night before - if you remember to roast some veg then go for it, otherwise it's perfectly good with just cucumber, tomatoes, mint and coriander and a nice citrus or vinegar dressing.
  • lisaabenjamin
    lisaabenjamin Posts: 665 Member
    In the summer I love spinach salad with strawberries, goat cheese, pecans, red onions and maple viniagrette.

    Yum, that sounds good, I'm going to try that!

    I usually take a big salad to work most days, bulked out with crunchy, low cal salad leaves, carrots, cucumber, peppers and radishes with a few 'embellishments' like a handful of sultanas, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, capers, pickles, tinned fish, a small amount of cheese etc. I also have a small amount of low cal dressing to moisten things up. My lunch is usually around 250-300 cals which, along with a small snack mid morning and mid afternoon (a piece of fruit and some nuts or seeds) and lots of water, keeps me going until my evening meal.

    I found this recipe recently and it's delicious: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/6339/marinated-courgette-salad-with-pine-nuts-and-parme
  • murphy612
    murphy612 Posts: 734 Member
    My lunch is always leftovers from last night's dinner. It's a good way of keeping things healthy, home cooked, and saving money.

    ^^^^ This is what I do. I always cook a little extra for dinner for my lunch the next day. I hate those gross frozen meals. I also keep a few things at work (I have a small fridge) to suppliment lunches just in case. Like some bread, chicken sausages, fruit, cottage cheese, peanut butter, and cheese. I also eat my breakfast at work.
  • KimberlyDCZ
    KimberlyDCZ Posts: 525 Member
    bump
  • westhamrangers
    westhamrangers Posts: 66
    I am currently bulking, so may not be for everybody.

    During the day I have something along the lines of this at work:
    Tuna
    Brown Rice(prepared the night before)
    Porridge oats
    Protein bars
    Brown bread
    Nuts/seeds
    Chicken
    Cereals
    Yogurt
    cous cous

    and mix and match a fair bit
  • H3TR0
    H3TR0 Posts: 87
    What a great post! I'm always wondering what to do for lunch too. The one thing that seems to work for me right now is on Sundays I chop up a lot of lettuce and then I add things that are "drier" like cherry tomatoes, seedless cucumbers and throw it in a gallon ziplock with a paper towel and it keeps really well for 5 days or more in my crisper. Then I just throw it in a container, dressing in another small container then I pick a topping. Sometimes it is left over chicken, fish, more veggies or shrimp. It makes it a no brainer for me.

    When I get sick of salad then I do leftovers. I try to limit eating out to once a week as a treat with my co-workers.

    This may sound silly, but do you wrap it in a paper towel in the bag or ? I have had bad luck with lettuce, but I love salads!
  • Ironhead3td
    Ironhead3td Posts: 40 Member
    My favorite lunch for work right now is a half dozen hard boiled egg whites with a little mustard and a couple tomatoes.
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
    I pack ANYTHING I would eat or make at home. No restrictions. My lunch bag has a blue ice pack so I don't have to worry about refrigeration.
  • vkc1978
    vkc1978 Posts: 63 Member
    One of my fav lunches (quick, easy, and tasty):

    cut up squash
    cut up zuccini
    broken up veggie burger
    half a jar of salsa
    brown rice (already cooked, but i dont always add the rice, depends on what im planning for dinner.... )

    heat it up (assuming you have access to a microwave at lunch) for about 3 mins, and its sssoooo yummy.

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