Clean Eating Lunch Suggestions, Please?

I'm going to start eating clean, but I have no clue what to do for my lunches.

Right now I'm doing fruit and greek yogurt for breakfast but it's hit and miss with lunch.

Any suggestions would be welcomed.

Thanks a lot,
Mandy :)

Replies

  • Bump, could use some ideas too
  • cabrerva
    cabrerva Posts: 33 Member
    I've been working on the same thing. I try to have a veggie, a protein and a healthy carb or wheat.

    I basically rotate Lean ground turkey (can make patties with it as well), boneless chicken breasts and ground chicken, sometimes a couple sautéed shrimp. I do sweet potatoes for my carbs, and I am thinking of trying Quinoa soon.

    For veggies I try to do a small side salad, steamed broccoli/cauliflower, and I love Kale as well.


    I want to figure out how to add more variety as well.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    Grilled chicken breast.
    Spinach.
    Tuna or any other fish
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    800px-Pop-Tarts_Frosted_Strawberry.jpg

    +

    spin_prod_ec_766398501?hei=315&wid=315&op_sharpen=1&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0

    =

    clean
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
    Stirfries and soups packed with veggies
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    What's your definition of "clean"? No way to answer the question unless we know that...
  • megan_elizabeth8
    megan_elizabeth8 Posts: 216 Member
    I don't know if these will meet your definition of clean or not, but for lunch I like things such as:

    Tuna and Cottage Cheese Salad
    1 can tuna
    60g cottage cheese
    1/8 cup onion (more/less to taste)
    1 cup shredded lettuce
    1/2 medium tomato

    Chicken and apple salad
    Chicken breast, baked or boiled, cut into cubes
    1/2 an apple cut into cubes
    60g cottage cheese
    1 cup lettuce
    1/2 a tomato
    1/2 a carrot, finely chopped

    Baked potato and coleslaw
    Potato - cook in microwave, on stove, in oven etc.
    1/2 cup green cabbage, shredded
    1/2 cup red cabbage, shredded
    1/2 a carrot, grated
    1 spring onion, chopped
    1 stick celery, chopped finely
    30g greek yogurt
    Grated cheese on top (optional)

    Tuna and 4 bean salad
    1 can tuna
    1 can 4 beans
    1 stick celery, chopped finely
    1/2 a large carrot, chopped finely
    1 spring onion, chopped
    1/4 cup peas
    Few sprigs fresh parsley, chopped

    Any veggies you like, steamed, with cottage cheese stirred through. I love broccoli, carrot and cauliflower. It tastes great hot or cold.

    You could make soups with heaps of veggies - i often use crushed tomatoes rather than stock, and add things such as chickpeas for more volume.

    Potato salad is great - I make mine with greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, spring onion, peas and potato.


    Hope this helps :smile:
  • scroogy
    scroogy Posts: 18 Member
    I think part of eating cleanly is avoiding excessive animal protein. I'm certainly no vegetarian, but I try to eat red meat only once a month, and other types of meat only 2-3 times per week if that. Any meal should include a balance of protein, fat, and carbs. If you're eating animal sources of protein then you're getting your fat in, although it's the bad fat. Adding a variety of whole fruits and vegetables plus some healthy fats to balance out your bad fats would be ideal. (although you don't want to overload your body with fats all at once. Maybe incorporate your good fats during another meal)

    Meal Ideas:


    beans and rice
    cucumber salad with bell pepper, jalepeno or anaheim chile, corn, onion, and a splash of rice vinegar


    organic whole grain or sprouted grain bread toasted into croutons sprinkled over a kale salad with nuts or beans for proteins

    shrimp pasta with olive oil, garlic salt, Super delish! Side of whole fruits/veggies
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    I think part of eating cleanly is avoiding excessive animal protein. I'm certainly no vegetarian, but I try to eat red meat only once a month, and other types of meat only 2-3 times per week if that. Any meal should include a balance of protein, fat, and carbs. If you're eating animal sources of protein then you're getting your fat in, although it's the bad fat. Adding a variety of whole fruits and vegetables plus some healthy fats to balance out your bad fats would be ideal. (although you don't want to overload your body with fats all at once. Maybe incorporate your good fats during another meal)

    Meal Ideas:


    beans and rice
    cucumber salad with bell pepper, jalepeno or anaheim chile, corn, onion, and a splash of rice vinegar


    organic whole grain or sprouted grain bread toasted into croutons sprinkled over a kale salad with nuts or beans for proteins

    shrimp pasta with olive oil, garlic salt, Super delish! Side of whole fruits/veggies

    what's wrong with animal fat?
  • pineapple_jojo
    pineapple_jojo Posts: 440 Member
    Home made soup!
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    This is typically what I eat for lunch
    Apple
    Banana
    Carrots
    Cucumber
    Sunflower seeds
    Almonds
    Hard boiled egg
    Tuna
    Greek Yogurt

    Mix & match to suit your tastes.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,009 Member
    If you're eating animal sources of protein then you're getting your fat in, although it's the bad fat.

    Really? Do tell...
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,009 Member
    Tuna and Cottage Cheese Salad
    1 can tuna
    60g cottage cheese
    1/8 cup onion (more/less to taste)
    1 cup shredded lettuce
    1/2 medium tomato

    Chicken and apple salad
    Chicken breast, baked or boiled, cut into cubes
    1/2 an apple cut into cubes
    60g cottage cheese
    1 cup lettuce
    1/2 a tomato
    1/2 a carrot, finely chopped

    Baked potato and coleslaw
    Potato - cook in microwave, on stove, in oven etc.
    1/2 cup green cabbage, shredded
    1/2 cup red cabbage, shredded
    1/2 a carrot, grated
    1 spring onion, chopped
    1 stick celery, chopped finely
    30g greek yogurt
    Grated cheese on top (optional)

    Tuna and 4 bean salad
    1 can tuna
    1 can 4 beans
    1 stick celery, chopped finely
    1/2 a large carrot, chopped finely
    1 spring onion, chopped
    1/4 cup peas
    Few sprigs fresh parsley, chopped

    Any veggies you like, steamed, with cottage cheese stirred through. I love broccoli, carrot and cauliflower. It tastes great hot or cold.

    You could make soups with heaps of veggies - i often use crushed tomatoes rather than stock, and add things such as chickpeas for more volume.

    Potato salad is great - I make mine with greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, spring onion, peas and potato.


    Hope this helps :smile:

    These sound delicious...
  • savannahribeiro
    savannahribeiro Posts: 194 Member
    I have this problem too. Breakfast and dinner are great but I am usually stumped when it comes to lunches.
    Sometimes I grill a chicken boob (Teehee, bewbs! lol) with a bit of garlic and then have a side of raw carrots and celery sticks (Hold the ranch). But the same meal does get tedious :/
    Most of the time it's just PB and J and I'd rather cut down on bread.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    wipe the surface of the table thoroughly and then put you lunch on it.
  • jenn26point2
    jenn26point2 Posts: 429 Member
    I'm going to start eating clean, but I have no clue what to do for my lunches.

    Right now I'm doing fruit and greek yogurt for breakfast but it's hit and miss with lunch.

    Any suggestions would be welcomed.

    Thanks a lot,
    Mandy :)

    Leftovers from dinner is what I do. I just make an extra serving when I cook dinner.

    I have to say WTF about avoiding animal fats... have you done any research recently? Animal fat is NOT bad for you - in fact it's essential for proper brain function.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    I have this problem too. Breakfast and dinner are great but I am usually stumped when it comes to lunches.
    Sometimes I grill a chicken boob (Teehee, bewbs! lol) with a bit of garlic and then have a side of raw carrots and celery sticks (Hold the ranch). But the same meal does get tedious :/
    Most of the time it's just PB and J and I'd rather cut down on bread.

    Grilled chicken breast, salad, covered in mayo. That's where it's at. :D
  • I do intermittent fasting so the couple meals a day I have are large but my breakfast/lunch consists of 1 whole egg, 4 egg whites, 8 oz of chicken breast meat, 1/4-1/2 cup cooked steel cut oats, 2 slices of cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread, 2 tsp of almond butter, 1/2 - whole avocado, 3 oz of spinach/kale mix, (guessing here) 4-8 oz of mixed veggies, 12 oz of coconut milk. Sounds like a lot to eat but when intermittent fasting, you can eat quite a bit for that first meal.

    I could go into why, how, what and all that but you didn't ask for all that so I won't. I will tell you that it works. I still get the same amount of calories and macro/micro nutrients every day so it's fine.
  • KatieHall77
    KatieHall77 Posts: 129 Member
    Homemade ground turkey chili with tomato, kale, and black frijoles

    Tuna or chicken on oat/flax bread pita

    Scrambled eggs with spinach, feta and olives (either heated or cold)

    Veggie sticks with homemade hummus

    Chicken and tomato soup with kale and basil

    Pork or beef stir fry with lots of veggies, either with or without brown rice

    Pear, spinach and walnut salad with oil and acv

    I usually make extra portions at dinner, and re heat while at work. The salads or sandwiches can be prepped very quickly in the morning if you need to. I usually pop extra soup or chili portions in the freezer for emergency lunches too.
    If you have a crock pot, some of these make easy dinners too for late meeting nights.
    I think the important thing is to prep good, homemade foods so that you're never tempted to pick up junk from extreme hunger and being late at work. I also keep sunflower seeds at work in case of being stuck in a meeting.

    Good luck in the new year everyone!
  • shellylb52
    shellylb52 Posts: 157 Member
    Bump for the recipes above yum!:flowerforyou: