Low calorie packed lunch ideas

You've probably been taking salads, sandwiches, and wraps? Not sure if I have any new ideas...but, leftovers are my favorite if there is a microwave. Soups are easy. Of course baggies with your favorite veggies (maybe baby carrots, broccoli, pea pods, bell peppers, celery sticks etc) and pieces of your favorite fruits are easy to grab. Nuts travel well, just portion out the big bag into snack baggies to make it quick when you need it. I also like the little Jif peanut butter to go cups because they're no fuss, and especially enjoy them with slices of a delicious honey crisp apple (I toss a knife with a cover and a small bar sized cutting board in my lunch bag to cut it up fresh at lunch time). Individually wrapped string cheese is handy. (Or ahead of time you could cut up a whole block of cheese and wrap the pieces yourself so they're ready to go.) If you boil a dozen to have on hand, then a hard boiled egg is quick to pack. I keep tuna (packed in water) that comes in the little foil bags or plastic cups on hand to toss in when I'm running late. I like the little Cutie mandarin oranges for a sweet dessert, or tootsie rolls.

I make my lunches for the week ahead of time, so that day I can just grab what I feel like that day out of the fridge and go. I typically do this on Sunday. First I grill or sauté chicken and chill it in individual baggies or containers so I can just grab them for a salad. I also chop veggies (Cukes, Peppers, Red Onions) and store them individually as well. I then mix some corn, garbanzo beans, and black beans and rinse them all well, and store them in snack bags. This also freezes well, just spin them in the salad spinner first. Mix up a batch and then keep 3-4 out and freeze the rest. For lettuce I use mostly hearts of Romaine but I also mix in some spring mix and spinach as well. I put these all in single serve containers as well. I keep (kept, I work at home now but still pre make everything or I won't eat healthy) dressing at work. That way, all I have to do is put all the individual packs in a salad container and go. I can even just grab them, and you have a filling, satisfying salad that keeps you full well into the afternoon. I also keep hummus at work and bring fresh veggies or WW crackers to much on if I want a savory snack. Home made trail mix with mini chocolate chips to help with those really bad sweet cravings works well also. I mix up my lunches during the week between the salad, a turkey sandwich I typically will make the night before, and the new light soups are good if you are really in a time crunch. I also try to keep at least two things (a soup and a Frozen Meal) at work so that if I forget I won't go get something.

Hope this helps. It took some discipline, but I find that if I take an hour or so on Sunday to prep stuff for the week mornings and evenings go much smoother I also pre dice onions, peppers, and do any early prep work I can for meals I have planned for the week, so it isn't that much more to just do the salad too.

Good Luck!
Jen