Brown Bag Lunch Ideas

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Resa52
Resa52 Posts: 182 Member
in Food and Nutrition
My husband packs a brown bag for lunch every day. He works a desk job with few options to get up and move around and works 12 hour shifts. His "lunches" typically consist of 2 sandwiches (low calorie bread, low cal mayo, and deli chicken or ham), string cheese, cottage cheese, and a cup of fruit. He tries to stretch this out into 2-3 meals throuhout the 12 hour shift.

Since moving to dayshift a month ago, he's ended up spending half the day starving on this routine and is trying to figure out something different. I suggested adding in more healthy snacks, but since he's already spending about 750 calories here, he doesn't have much wiggle room when you add in calories from breakfast and supper. I suggested adding in something super low cal like a cup of green beans, but he doesn't exactly what to eat green beans 5 days a week LOL

What other healthy FILLING lunch/snack ideas do you have for him that he can brown bag and have basically zero prep at work for? He has access to a fridge and microwave, but he can't exactly be throwing together ten ingredients for a salad at his desk.

He doesn't do fish and spicy foods upset his stomach. Ideas?

Replies

  • suecq09
    suecq09 Posts: 36 Member
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    Maybe he should swap one of the sandwiches for something more filling. Other options would be veggies sticks (i prepack carrots, celery and snap peas), nuts (higher in calories, but very filling), sugar free jello, fruit. I can't stress enough getting the fruits and veggies into his diet. I find the sandwich in my lunch, even though its made with lower calorie breads and cheeses, still eats up a bunch of my calories. I try to sub out with fruits and veggies when possible. It takes a lot of veggies to equal the same calorie intake. Having a salad with his lunch every day would not be a huge calorie drain but filling. Another suggestion - make sure he's drinking at least 1 glass of water every hour. Staying hydrated will stave off the hunger.
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
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    More protein, and lots of water as a start. Add avocado to a sandwich, and make the other PB and J. Peanut butter will stick with him. Also, some red beans and brown rice as a snack.

    Rigger
  • MyJourney1960
    MyJourney1960 Posts: 1,133 Member
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    can he swap one of the sandwiches for a big salad with chicken/tuna/egg/turkey? if you keep the salad to mostly greens/tomato/cucumber/pepper/brocolli/green beans etc, and smaller amounts (or none) of the starchier veg.

    Also, instead of the deli chicken/ham,why not make your own , slice and freeze? i do this with chicken and turkey all the time, it's cheap and you control what goes in the food.
  • Cyclingbonnie
    Cyclingbonnie Posts: 413 Member
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    I prefer not to do anything fake, so low calorie stuff isn't on my list of goto foods. However, I do take the stand of to each their own and find your own balance with these things. With that said ... sandwiches are huge calorie hogs. The bread just sends you over the top weather it is low calorie or not, and (this is personal taste) if I'm not eating real mayo why bother with it.

    So skip the sandwiches, make big beautiful salads ... add in great fruits for in between ... eat fresh prepared meats (deli meats are so full of preservatives).

    Protein is really important ... it stays with you so I like to keep almonds on hand ... why almonds? Almonds are actually a little on the low side of calories for nuts they are high in other nutrients and they take a good bit of chewing and are large enough to eat one at a time. So I count out the # of almonds to eat and put them in a cup and I eat them one at a time. Completely chew and swallow before eating the next. It is a minor detail, but does make you eat less and stay satisfied longer.

    Lunches at work can be challenging good luck to you and your husband.
  • belle_of_the_bar
    belle_of_the_bar Posts: 474 Member
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    Hummus and veggie sticks are my best suggestion. Filling and fiber and pretty low cal.
  • CooperSprings
    CooperSprings Posts: 754 Member
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    Homemade soup is always good.
    I made mushroom sweet potato soup last week.
    Usually my man comes home saying hes starving but that day he was just fine. =]
  • youdontknowwhatyousaw
    youdontknowwhatyousaw Posts: 221 Member
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    Lately I've been packing turkey meatballs in marinara, 12 meatballs and 1/2 cup of sauce is 310 calories, another 70 cals if I add 1/4 cup crumbled feta. I also pack sliced cucumbers in red wine vinegar which is low cal and filling. Turn the sandwiches into lettuce wraps instead and add more meat to keep him fuller longer. Oatmeal with fruit seems to keep me full.

    My work day looks a little like this:
    Get to work and eat breakfast: banana and a luna fiber bar
    Break if I'm hungry: greek yogurt or fruit (usually an apple or raspberries)
    Lunch: mostly protien; meat or some kind of bean salad or refried beans topped with cheese, salsa and plain greek yogurt
    If I'm hungry at the end of the day I always have a stash of bananas at work because I eat them everyday for breakfast.

    If he finds that he's always hungry maybe try upping daily calories by 100-200 a day and see if he's still seeing weightloss. I find I lose much better at a higher daily calorie intake.
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
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    Mini quiches and hard-boiled eggs really fill me up. Also, meatballs.
  • Jennjo322
    Jennjo322 Posts: 74 Member
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    Have him try a wrap on low cal, whole grain tortilla . You can practically fill these with anything, turkey, steak, brown rice, veggies, beans, avocados etc etc. they are portable and healthy. also a proteins shake with skim or unsweetened almond milk is good. For extra filling try adding oatmeal to it. High protein foods will keep him full. I too have a desk job and the key is to pack the cooler with your foods and try to eat two-three hours apart. Good luck!

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