What do you pack for lunch???

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Replies

  • SkagitYogini
    SkagitYogini Posts: 112 Member
    Often for me it's sliced lunch meat (turkey, ham, or pastrami), raw vegies like broccoli, carrots, zuchini, and some reduced fat Triscuits. Oh, and I put Laughing Cow cheese on the crackers. Sort of like a grownup Lunchable.

    I hadn't thought about baked sweet potatoes for lunch. Great idea, Cara!

    Oh, and I try to stay away from frozen entrees when possible, because even though they are low in calories, they are highly processed and usually high in sodium.
  • BringingSherriBack
    BringingSherriBack Posts: 607 Member
    last night's leftovers (I had chili today)
  • Veslus
    Veslus Posts: 72 Member
    My girlfriend and I eat paleo, so no grain or dairy...when I packed her lunch for today it looked like this:

    Leftover beef stew
    Chicken drumsticks
    Sauteed asparagus
    Steamed broccoli
    Sweet potato hash
    4 hard boiled eggs
    Ants on a log (Celery with sun nut butter and raisins. Almond butter works too, but sun nut butter was cheaper this time at the store.)
    A cup of homemade trail mix

    ...it sounds like a lot of food, but she's on duty today (she's military) so her shift is 24 hours. Frankly I'm concerned I didn't pack enough!
  • RockinTerri
    RockinTerri Posts: 499 Member
    Leftovers, soup, salads (I try and vary them between veggies, fruits, and combo), wraps, oatmeal, hard boiled eggs, tuna with whole grain noodles, frozen meals, and yes, sometimes sandwiches.

    As you can tell, I don't always have the same things...:wink:
  • adnamalegna
    adnamalegna Posts: 203 Member
    I had Salad with 2 cups greens, 1 pkt Herb and Garlic tuna, 1/4 c of sweet peas, and 2 tsp shredded cheese. No dressing, and it was delightful! I'll have a grapefruit later for a snack.

    When I did low- carb, I used spaghetti squash and made a fabulous "pasta" dish with it that was ULTRA low- carb but all the taste of real pasta.
  • Kristendcampbell
    Kristendcampbell Posts: 786 Member
    I bring spinach with 1oz feta, 1 T of Cranraisins with balsalmic vinegar and then I bring frozen fajita steak strips in another container, heat and then mix into salad. WIth a 1/2 cottage cheese on tomatos.

    I also take a beef patty and brown it with some tomato with water and chili powder, then put that in a seperate container to heat and pour over mixed lettuce with mushrooms and its a taco salad. and a yogurt

    I sear chicken tenderloins with garlic powder and franks hot sauce, then bring a tablespoon of ranch/bleu cheese dressing OR salad spritzer and have a faux buffalo chicken with a side mix salad with mushrooms and cucumbers.

    OR chicken with garlics seared and a baked sweet potato

    Also I heat shrimp in skillet with a little dab of soy or liquid amino and put in a tiny bit of peas and then egg whites and make a faux egg foo yung.
  • acollis1
    acollis1 Posts: 167 Member
    WOW, so many good ideas! I hope they keep coming! Chili and snap peas seem to be favorites! I also try to stay clear of processed foods, so I really like the ideas for spicing up my chicken! I also maybe need to make more food at dinner so maybe I can just bring leftovers! Thanks everyone for sharing!
  • catfyson
    catfyson Posts: 26 Member
    I am trying to be good with my lunches - today I had a jacket potato with cheese and beans (still sort of healthy, right?) and tomorrow I have wholemeal pitta, chargrilled chicken with lighter green pesto, salad and a sprinkling of dried parmesan.

    I'll probably snack during the day as one pitta is not a lot - work has a fruit collection dropped off weekly so I'll probably pick at the oranges and apples. I also have soreen mini loaves that make an OK snack, too.
  • KimINfortheWin
    KimINfortheWin Posts: 251 Member
    The people at work laugh at me because I make eggs pretty much every day at work for lunch. I haven't gotten tired of them and I absolutely know how many calories I get, and can allow myself a lot more calories at dinner time (800+). It becomes a 'eat to fuel my body" rather than a 'live to eat' type of mentality. I eat the eggs to give my protein, and then I take other things that I love. Right now, I'm munching on a lot of blueberries too. Picked them fresh off the bush this past Saturday.

    I also eat a lot of mini-sweet bell peppers. Those are awesome! Again, plain, or dipped in hummus. Apple slices, frozen grapes (YUM!!).

    Make your own nut butter? It's super easy and you can modify the way it tastes, based on what you add to it. The other week I made a walnut, cashew, sunflower seed nut butter. Added a bit of honey and salt. As you're grinding it in your blender, add enough oil to make it work. I used coconut oil..but that sets up in the fridge. If you don't mind that, it gave it an awesome taste!!
  • SwitzEngine
    SwitzEngine Posts: 3,418 Member
    I eat two bananas, two golden kiwi's and two apples.
  • ferocityturbine
    ferocityturbine Posts: 110 Member
    You could make a frittata full of any veggies/seasonings you like and cut it into wedges. I like spinach, butternut squash, mozzarella with pine nuts on top. Yum!
  • Wow I'm seeing a lot of 0 carb meals...I manage veggie stir frys with tofu or shrimp (make it from scratch) and brown rice or quinoa for under 400 calories.
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    today i have a pasta salad made with maize pasta, feta and spinach dip, sunflower seeds and celery. It'd be just as nice made with something like diced cucumber instead of pasta.

    Usually I bring salad, or steamed veg (steam them the night before and eat them cold) with a dressing or some grated cheese, yoghurt, fruit, crackers etc.
  • jfauci
    jfauci Posts: 531 Member
    I'm pretty boring, but it works for me. I usually have chicken breast, raw carrots, tomatoes, zucchini and any other veggie that looks good. I also might grab a protein bar.
  • Joannesmith2818
    Joannesmith2818 Posts: 438 Member
    I take the following ;

    -banana
    -tuna/salad wrap
    -crisps (quaver or french fries)
    -boiled egg
    -big bad of veg (carrot , sugar snap peas, cherry tomatoes and cucumber)
    -cereal bar
  • maffff
    maffff Posts: 72 Member
    Today I've made a salad consisting of
    - lettuce
    - 6 cherry tomatoes
    - 6 slices of cucumber [quartered]
    - 2 sticks of celery [chopped]
    - handful of chives
    - 6 radishes
    - third of a red onion
    - 95g red thai chicken breast fillets [sliced]

    throughout the afternoon I've also got an apricot and a nectarine.

    Washing it down with a Carte Noir arabica coffee [black] and a got a bottle of 750ml water on my desk.

    Done this for the last couple of weeks, varying what's in the salad slightly each day.

    Around 261 calories the lot, remove the coffee, apricot and nectarine and it comes in around 196cal for just the salad, and there's plenty of it!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    I don't understand the obsessoin wtih weight loss = salad.

    EAT REAL FOOD. Just don't eat to much of it! LOL

    I make a 10-12 egg scramble with sauasge and veggies every week.

    I eat one portion- which is about 2 eggs worth for breakfast- sometimes for my 330 PM snack
    > bag of carrots
    > 1 tomato
    > 1 green pepper
    > 5 oz chicken + 5 veggies (or steak- whatever it was I cooked)
    > 2 hard boiled eggs
    > fruit (banana/grapes/cherries whatever)
    > more egg scramble OR 5/5 oz left over

    all my food is pre-portioned and measured out after I cook it. There is very little variety.

    I eat salads when I go out to dinner because I'm too lazy to make them at home. Otherwise - I eat chicken and veggies or steak and veggies and a whole boat load of eggs. And YES... I eat upwards of 10 whole eggs- none of that egg white ****- barf- hate that.
  • goldenglow90
    goldenglow90 Posts: 44 Member
    I'm a really fussy eater and prefer grab food for lunch rather than foods that take preparation. I usually have a yoghurt, some strawberries and a pot of jelly (the 10 calorie pots). I tend to have small lunches and save the calories for dinner, otherwise I snack in the evening
  • chrisloveslife
    chrisloveslife Posts: 180 Member
    Today's lunch is: a turkey wrap using a low carb wrap (60 calories for the wrap), 1 cup strawberries, 1 cup cantalope

    Yesterday's lunch was: 1 cup broccoli, 1/2 cup brown rice, 1 cup strawberries, 1 cup cantalope, and a light & fit 80 calorie greek yogurt

    I usually have an apple and banana for snacks.

    ETA: One of the really health conscious guys at work typically has a can of tuna, an apple, and a bowl of those frozen mixed veggies for lunch
  • maffff
    maffff Posts: 72 Member
    It works for me in the office - I can pick at it as I'm in / out of meetings a lot.
  • JustUla
    JustUla Posts: 20
    I bring spinach with 1oz feta, 1 T of Cranraisins with balsalmic vinegar and then I bring frozen fajita steak strips in another container, heat and then mix into salad. WIth a 1/2 cottage cheese on tomatos.

    I also take a beef patty and brown it with some tomato with water and chili powder, then put that in a seperate container to heat and pour over mixed lettuce with mushrooms and its a taco salad. and a yogurt

    I sear chicken tenderloins with garlic powder and franks hot sauce, then bring a tablespoon of ranch/bleu cheese dressing OR salad spritzer and have a faux buffalo chicken with a side mix salad with mushrooms and cucumbers.

    OR chicken with garlics seared and a baked sweet potato

    Also I heat shrimp in skillet with a little dab of soy or liquid amino and put in a tiny bit of peas and then egg whites and make a faux egg foo yung.

    These are GREAT ideas! Thank you!
  • PennStateChick
    PennStateChick Posts: 327 Member
    Today, I had 4oz of chicken & 1 cup of quinoa mixed together. I brought that and heated it up, and then I topped it with Avocado Sauce. It required two small containers and a microwave - but it was fantastic and more filling than my normal lunch.
  • mrslcoop
    mrslcoop Posts: 317 Member
    HUMMUS! With lots of veggies. It’s my daily go to. Also, a banana and an apple with peanut butter. For lifting days I keep a jar of almonds on my desk to get in the extra calories I need.
  • NikoM5
    NikoM5 Posts: 488 Member
    Cash or credit
  • tlab827
    tlab827 Posts: 155 Member
    I've been cooking veggie type casserols,pasta bakes and soups. I found lots of great recipes on Cooking Light. I make one or two on Sunday and then I bring it to work for the week for lunch.

    For me, i'm just bored with the typical "lunch foods". I like the idea of having butternut squash lasagna for lunch or a tasty grilled corn chowder. You should see the looks I get in the lunch room from the people who are eating yet another Turkey sandwich on whole wheat. :)
  • Aspieb
    Aspieb Posts: 26
    I don't like sandwiches or salad - so I do dinner leftovers or sometimes an antipasti type thing.
  • stetienne
    stetienne Posts: 560 Member
    Same thing all the time: string cheese, greek yogurt, and some type of frozen dinner with as much protein as possible (and as few carbs as possible).
  • gsgitu
    gsgitu Posts: 118 Member
    my usual, give or take a turkey sammich on homemade bread

    Great Value - Turkey Breast, Fat Free Smoked, 2 slices 50 4 0 10 2 0
    Sargento Lk - Natural Provolone Cheese Slices, 1 slice (19g) 70 0 5 5 0 0
    Meijer - Low Fat 1 % Small Curd Cottage Cheese , 1 cup 160 8 3 26 6 0
    Perdue - Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts 40 Pack, 8 oz 200 0 2 44 0 0
    Great Value - Greek Nonfat Yogurt Plain, 1 Cup 120 9 0 23 9 0
    Carrots - Raw, 1 cup, chopped 52 12 0 1 6 4
    Kraft - Miracle Whip - Light - Cwd, 2 tbsp (15g) 40 4 3 0 1 0
    bread from sourdough starter, 2 serving 189 30 6 5 2 4
    Dole Costco - Banana, 1 banana 90 23 0 1 12 3
    Organic - Small Vine Ripened Tomato, 1 small 22 5 0 1 3 2
    Mountain Rose - Organic Chia Seeds, 1 tbsp 60 5 3 3 0 5
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