Lunch Ideas for those of us who pack!

This is what I have 3 days a week with a whole lot of Louisiana Hot Sauce on it.

Lunch
Perdue® - Ground Chicken Breast (Cooked), 3.99 oz
Minute - Instant Pre-Cooked - Whole Grain Brown Rice, 43 g (1/2 cup) as sold
Olivia's - Organic Baby Spinach, 1 cups (85g)
Corn - Sweet, yellow, frozen, kernels cut off cob, boiled, drained, without salt, 0.1 package (10 oz) yields

303 Calories 42 grams carbs 4 grams fat 37 grams protien, and then I have this for a snack with it, Cabot - Cheddar Cheese Sharp Light Snack, 1 bar wich is only 50 calories, and delicious.

My co-worker is also using myfitnesspal, and she brought in a (fake george forman) grill to keep at our office. It's nice when you are craving somthing warm.

*Low Cal Grilled Cheese: 2 slices Monks Genesee Rye bread (70 cal/slice) and 1 slice of Kraft Deli Delux America Cheese (70 cal) and I use a quick squirt of Pam on one side of each bread slice.

*Low Cal Quesedilla: Father Sams Whole Wheat Tortilla (80 cal.) 2 oz Cabot Sharp Extra Light Cheddar Cheese (120 cal.) , & Your Favorite Veggies! *plain greek yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream.

Some of our favorite work day snacks (things you can keep in your purse , desk, or office fridge) include:

Brother All Natural Freeze Dried Fruit Crisps (banana is the best!)
Laughing Cow Light Swiss Cheese wedges and Light Baby Bell rounds
Motts NSA Healthy Harvest apple sauce
Emerald 100 cal Pack Almonds
Slim Fast Snack Peanut Butter Bars
Quaker White Cheddar Rice Cakes
Celery/Carrott Stcks
Yopa 100 cal Greek Strawberry Yogurt w/Granola
Quaker Oatmeal Rasin 90 cal granola bar

And sometimes if I am looking to just add a little protine to my lunch, but am not interested in a whole sandwhich, I often pack 2-3oz of sliced ham or turkey in a zip lock bag, accompanied by some healthy snacks. Great low cal way to add some substance!

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:)

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.

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.

Kahr CW 40

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

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.