Low calorie lunch

hopefaithlove24 · September 2013

Hello:)

I always have a hard time finding something to eat for lunch that is low in calories and still very filling... Most of the time I'm hungry at lunch time and need something to keep me going till dinner time!
Any suggestions? Recipes?

Thanks:)

howardheilweil · September 2013

2 things to consider... Have a snack mid-afternoon. It's good 2 build snacks into your day (mid-morning and mid-afternoon). You can also have a larger/higher calorie lunch and a lighter dinner. Good luck!

hopefaithlove24 · September 2013

I do snacks morning and afternoon, however it seems to make me more hungry! So most of the time i try to cut out my afternoon snack. Also for dinner I have to make it for my husband also and he needs to gain weight instead of lose it lol (I know ironic) so my dinners will always be higher in calories, so really my lunch is the one that needs to be lower on calories! There have to be foods out there that'll fill me up that don't give me crazy cals right?

pastryari · September 2013

askeates · September 2013

I do a lot of beans as a high protein and great filler. Today I am having navy bean soup (homemade). It is 275 calories, and has carrots and ham in it. It will keep me nice and full until my afternoon snack around 2. Then I have a greek yogurt with fresh strawberries.

Another meal I do that is low in calories and a great filler, a lettuce wrap with a quarter cup of brown rice, black beans and taco meat. It's right around 350 as well. I will sometimes add either cheese or sour cream, and I always add tomatoes and sometimes corn too. If you like onions and peppers that is a great addition.

edited for calorie count in the bean soup (I should never go from memory

)

tr4gic · September 2013

Wholemeal chicken salad sandwich with a yogurt and fruit. (Yogurt 100 cal, fruit 50, sandwich probably 300, if you want to lower that you could have one slice of bread making it 150 - thats lunch only 300 cal) Throughout the hours between breakfast, lunch and dinner healthy snack etc. a hand full of nut and raisens (Nuts are great for stopping cravings)

Tip: Drink water 30 minutes before you eat and after. It will fill you up

hopefaithlove24 · September 2013

Thanks, I like the wrap idea:) love wraps! Beans, I dunno if I'd eat bean soup lol, I'm a picky one;)

JoRocka · September 2013

Left overs.

I also "splurge" on Panera's poppyseed chicken salad- it's like 500 or so calories- and it tides me over till night time dinner.

(normally my lunch is only 2-300 calories- then I eat again around 3/4 PM)

Lots and lots of left overs- or eggs and bacon.

MireyGal76 · September 2013

It's horrible for sodium, but I do the frozen dinner route most days at work. :-/

200 - 300 cals, tastes decent and I top it up with yogurt, almonds and/or some sort of fruit.

I am soooooo not a "clean" eater. lol

whierd · September 2013

Packs of tunafish or leftover chicken from the night before as a salad, sandwich, or wrap.

laceylucas86 · September 2013

I usually bring leftover from supper, lean meat, lots of veggies maybey skip the rice or potato at lunch and put in extra veg instead or I make up a casserole for myself that hubby doesn't like and freeze it in portions (use small tinfoil pans from the dollar store so I can grab one and go, peel it ouf the tin and put into glass so I can nuke it at work. last week I made a lazy cabbage roll casserole with 1/2 lb lean gbeef, 1 cup cooked quino, bag of coleslaw mix (pre shredded cabbage yay) and can of tomatos, garlic and spices to taste, it was awesome, a 1 cup portion was less than 200 cal, tons of protein and lept me full longer than a salad would that for sure!

hopefaithlove24 · September 2013

Thank you lacey, the freezing food idea is very smart! That might work for me too:)

Jorocka: I can't have a 500 cal lunch as that is close to half my calories allowed lol, I wouldn't survive for the rest of the day:)

lisajsund · September 2013

What is your calorie goal? Do you know your Basal Metabolic Rate? How much protein are you getting daily?

cadaverousbones · September 2013

I usually have around 300 calories for breakfast, yogurt, sandwich, or oatmeal. For lunch I will either have a sandwich, or leftover dinner. I usually make 1 or 2 big dinners a week and then store them in single serving tupperware so that I can easily just put it in a lunch box with an ice pack. You can make salads ahead of time and also just bring them in a tupperware to work. I would also suggest that if 500 calories is half of your allowed calories, you might want to up it a bit to like 1500 calories a day. My lunches are usually around 400-500 calories. Then I still have quite a bit left over for dinner and snacks, and more if I exercise.

Mcgrawhaha · September 2013

an entire kermaig bakery focassia... mmmm the spinach and cheese is so freekin good!!! i like to add some jalepeno on mine!

hopefaithlove24 · September 2013

My calorie goal is back at 1200, I upped it to 1600 and didn't eat back my exercise calories as that's what you're supposed to do appearantly if you calculate BMI and TDEE, either way it didn't work for me, I lost my motivation as i could eat 1600 calories and didn't have to account for my exercise either way, so I just wouldn't exercise anymore! So back at 1200 i am, and I eat back my exercise calories, which still comes at at least 1400 most of the time:)

hopefaithlove24 · September 2013

I usually have around 300 calories for breakfast, yogurt, sandwich, or oatmeal. For lunch I will either have a sandwich, or leftover dinner. I usually make 1 or 2 big dinners a week and then store them in single serving tupperware so that I can easily just put it in a lunch box with an ice pack. You can make salads ahead of time and also just bring them in a tupperware to work. I would also suggest that if 500 calories is half of your allowed calories, you might want to up it a bit to like 1500 calories a day. My lunches are usually around 400-500 calories. Then I still have quite a bit left over for dinner and snacks, and more if I exercise.

Another person with the brilliant idea of making a big dinner and storing it:) I can't believe I never thought about this:) will def be trying that!

tr4gic · September 2013

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cadaverousbones · September 2013

I still feel like the calorie goal of 1200 is too low for some people... idk. Whatever works.

cicisiam · September 2013

Thank you for the links. I am always looking for new low cal healthy meals & snacks.

Just in case you weren't aware of this feature, when you go to the message boards section, there is a button called search and you can type in a keyword/phrase (ex: low calorie lunch) and you can see the threads that have already been created on the topic. Good luck! :flowerforyou:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1094121-cheap-super-easy-and-healthy-lunch-ideas?hl=lunch#posts-16873451

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1094702-lunch-ideas-please-help?hl=lunch#posts-16878604

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1093854-working-women-and-lunch?hl=lunch

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1093088-big-lunch-ideas?hl=lunch#posts-16847998

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1092223-healthy-lunches?hl=lunch#posts-16836302

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1091427-cool-bag-lunches?hl=lunch#posts-16817291

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1088897-low-calorie-fat-carb-lunch-options?hl=lunch&page=2#posts-16787876

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1086998-what-do-you-take-to-school-college-work-in-your-lunch?hl=lunch#posts-16778919

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1086543-fast-lunch-ideas?hl=lunch#posts-16734693

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1086503-lunches-to-go?hl=lunch#posts-16734404

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1085373-fast-school-work-lunches-on-a-budget?hl=lunch#posts-16714219

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1084609-breakfast-lunch-advice-for-office-worker-non-cook?hl=lunch#posts-16701456

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1084610-what-are-you-having-for-lunch-today?hl=lunch#posts-16701147

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1081880-i-need-healthy-lunch-ideas?hl=lunch#posts-16663679

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1081352-help-packing-lunches?hl=lunch#posts-16659995

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080383-low-cal-lunch-suggestions-please?hl=lunch#posts-16658182

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080218-let-s-do-lunch-ideas?hl=lunch#posts-16626634

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1077769-working-lunch-help?hl=lunch#posts-16601072

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1078579-low-calorie-low-budget-lunch-ideas?hl=lunch#posts-16596682

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1072302-new-lunch-ideas?hl=lunch#posts-16568259

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1075139-what-do-you-like-to-eat-for-lunch-need-suggestions?hl=lunch#posts-16539870

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1073803-lunches?hl=lunch#posts-16517479

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1068215-work-lunch-help-i-hate-lunchmeat?hl=lunch#posts-16422314

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1066813-easy-quick-lunches-to-take-to-work?hl=lunch#posts-16409721

Mainebikerchick · September 2013

Salad with full fat dressing and lots of protein!

csplatt · September 2013

half a cup of blueberries, a greek yogurt, 1/4 cup of raisins mixed with 1 serving almonds, an apple with 1 Tbsp peanut butter, cucumber/bell pepper/tomato tossed with a lite vinaigrette.

hopefaithlove24 · September 2013

I still feel like the calorie goal of 1200 is too low for some people... idk. Whatever works.

I agree with you, I think it is too low for some people too:) For others it might be fine though:)

hopefaithlove24 · September 2013

half a cup of blueberries, a greek yogurt, 1/4 cup of raisins mixed with 1 serving almonds, an apple with 1 Tbsp peanut butter, cucumber/bell pepper/tomato tossed with a lite vinaigrette.

Thank you for some great ideas!

LannyM74 · September 2013

My go-to is the Weight Watchers - Smart Ones Chicken Parmesan frozen dinner....the sodium is a bit high (630mg) but the low calories are a plus (290cals). The chicken and pasta really fill me up until dinner and it's really tasty. Plus there's 23g of protein! Their slow roasted turkey with mashed potatoes is good too and it's only 200 cals!

gatorginger · September 2013

bump

thegilly6 · September 2013

I'd skip the snacks and save the calories for a bigger, more fulfilling lunch. That's just me.

gatorginger · September 2013

I buy Joseph's heart friendly pita bread from publix and it is only 60 calories. I pair it with baked chicken and a tablespoon of kraft light BBQ sauce and it only comes to 210 calories. You could add a cup of fruit on the side with this like strawberries or cantalope and that would only be 50 more calories.

MommyisFit · September 2013

One of my favorite meals - 2oz shredded chicken, 1 whole bell pepper, I stalk of celery, 1/2 apple all mixed with 1 tbsp. of mayo = very filling and only 174 calories!

Low calorie lunch

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