Healthy filling lunch ideas?

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Mother_Warrior
Mother_Warrior Posts: 44 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have breakfast and dinner pretty much down for ideas that I like and that work. However for whatever reason I really struggle to think of healthy filling ideas for lunch. I am a stay-at-home-mom, so I have access to a kitchen, though I am not much of a cook. I usually eat a turkey sandwich.... or well in reality I use to not really eat lunch more so just grazed on "snacks" through out the morning and afternoon! Looking for ideas..... what are some of your favorite lunch meals? Healthy and filling of course! ;)

Replies

  • chachabear79
    chachabear79 Posts: 14 Member
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    I've found homemade soup is great for lunch. Most soup (if they are not cream based) are low in calories an packed with taste and nutrients . One if my favorites is cauliflower soup.easy to make ,you can find the recipe online. Just look up cauliflower soup. Lol have fun.
  • andersontrio3
    andersontrio3 Posts: 9
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    I am hooked on grilled chicken salad right now. Just home baked chicken on homemade salad. I have also been hooked on a chicken taco stuffed with lettuce/tom/onion (any veggies) and fat free sour cream on a whole wheat tortilla. Those are very filling to me. I have also used Tyson ready steak instead of chicken.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Sandwiches are fine.....add a side of veggies & a piece of fruit for dessert & you've got an entire meal. Egg salad & tuna salad are high protein....keep the mayo to a minimum and add pickle relish for moisture. For variety try wraps or Flat-Outs.

    I also like broth based soups. I can make a big pot & freeze leftovers. The soup typically has protein & veggies....so I add a side of whole grain crackers......and again a piece of fruit

    Cottage cheese & fruit. Side is a nice veggie plate with ranch dip (Hidden Valley powder mix with greek yogurt).....roasted veggie leftovers are yummy too.

    Salads are excellent. I grill (George Foreman) a package of chicken breast. Cut chicken, portion out, and freeze in zip lock sandwich bags. Salads can have nuts, dried fruit, chopped apple, grapes......tons of easy add-ins.

    Eggs (unless you have them at breakfast) .....you can make a nice breakfast (errr lunch) burrito.
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
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    I usually do a sandwich with some fruit and veggies, or with chips and salsa. Sometimes I grab the biggest mixing bowl in the kitchen and throw together a giant salad with some boiled eggs, lunch meat, and maybe some shredded cheese, or even some cottage cheese. I also love chili-cheese dogs, healthy, filling, good balance of protein/carbs/fats, and lots of fiber. Hard to beat a couple chili-cheese dogs. Today though, it was roast beef on wheat with chipotle mayo, swiss, tomato, and lettuce with a side of chips and homemade salsa.

    Rigger
  • battybecks
    battybecks Posts: 147 Member
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    I like soups and stews too. I make 'em in batches and freeze individual portions - potatoes in a soup or stew keep you full but without raising your calorie count too much!

    Are you in the UK? If you are, I love Warburton's sandwich thins - 100 calories per thin. Great way to have bread for a sandwich without too much bread. Lean meat and lots of salad.

    I'm also currently experimenting with different salad ingredients - I had grilled aubergine in my salads last week, and am having tinned broad beans and tinned artichoke hearts this week. Favourites - chicken, pastrami, cucumber, tomato, rocket, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, mozzarella, feta, olives, sundried tomatoes (only a bit because of the oil), tuna, chickpeas, apple ...

    I also like Spanish omelettes when I'm not pressed for time. A couple of eggs, some sliced (and preboiled) potatoes, and whatever dried herbs you have in your cupboard. With salad etc :)
  • battybecks
    battybecks Posts: 147 Member
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    Oh and I almost forgot! My fav. Chinese-y style lunch is noodles, quorn chicken pieces, peas and soy sauce/veggie stock/Chinese five spice.

    Very very quick and easy to make - about three minutes!
  • MissLakeTime
    MissLakeTime Posts: 59 Member
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    My favorite lunches are:

    -Buffalo chicken wraps (buffalo chicken using Tyson chicken tenders-cooked in crockpot or on stove/grill, Moore's buffalo sauce, shredded lettuce, Mission Carb Balance soft shell, and a little bit of ranch dressing)
    -Taco Salad (minus shell-taco meat, lettuce, cheese & salsa).
    -Quesadilla (Mission Carb Balance tortilla, shredded chicken, cheese --possible add ons: tomato, black beans,etc.)
    - 13 Baked Tostito chips with Shredded cheese (possible add ons: leftover taco meat, shredded chicken, Hormel turkey chili with no beans, shredded pork-I like with BBQ Sauce on it!) topped with Salsa unless it's BBQ pork

    My go to items: Shredded Lettuce, low fat shredded cheese and whatever kind of meat I have leftover!

    Quick Lunch: Spaghetti O's, Hormel Turkey Chili, Small Chili from Wendy's, Lean Cuisine French Bread Pizza, Green Giant Just for one Broccoli & Cheese)

    Other Ideas: Tuna with dill pickle relish and a little bit of Hellman's light mayo, can also do this with shredded chicken. Put it in a wrap if you want.

    (I have one small crockpot and I use that to put a few Tyson tenderloins in-frozen and spice it up however I want (garlic, taco seasoning, etc.) and put on low. Easy to shred chicken!)
  • MJ1975CA
    MJ1975CA Posts: 31
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    Melissa's Spaghetti Squash Mac n' Cheese (modified from skinnytaste.com recipe)

    5.5 cups COOKED spaghetti squash
    2 TBSP Brummel & Brown yogurt butter
    1/4 cup flour
    2 cups 2% milk
    1 cup fat free chicken broth
    2 cups 2% shredded sharp cheddar cheese

    wash and cut spaghetti squash in half. Take out seeds. bake cut side down on cookie sheet at 350 degrees until soft. Let cool a bit and shred insides of squash with fork to get 5.5 cups of cooked squash (I used 2-3 small organic squash)

    In a sauce pan melt butter. add milk, chicken broth and flour. wisk and bring to a boil. remove from heat and add shredded cheese. toss with spaghetti squash. put in baking dish and bake at 350 for about 10-15 minutes.

    Makes 7 servings (1 cup=1 serving) 190 calories 10g fat 13g carb 11g protein 465 g sodium 6 g sugar Please note this was my first attempt at this dish and I used ingredients I had on hand. You can use real butter, fat free milk or corn starch instead of flour (for gluten free), just adjust your recipes as needed (2 cups of cheese is a lot, you can reduce it if needed). this is how I made it and it was AMAZING! You can make adjustments. I personally have no plans on changing it as it was so good and very filling. 1 cup serving is a big amount of food, you may find 1/2 cup serving enough :)

    I am still perfecting this recipe, but it's a good one to share. I stored 1 cup servings in Tupperware and microwaved with a protein.

    I eat it with pre cooked (on the BBQ) turkey burgers.
  • Mother_Warrior
    Mother_Warrior Posts: 44 Member
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    Thanks! I really appreciate the suggestions, some very yummy ideas that I am for sure going to try!! I think I have really overlooked soup as a choice. Never been a big soup eater.
  • Vonikins
    Vonikins Posts: 56 Member
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    My go-to lunch is a heaping salad of mixed greens, carrots, avocado and vinegrette and then a lean pocket, usually the 4-cheese pizza. Granted, this is my work lunch, but it is fast, filling, and I usually change up my salad toppings with other vegetables for variety. You can also do chicken on the salad instead of the lean pocket for your protein.
  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
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    Half tin tuna in water, big Beetroot, big carrot, cucumber, any other greens, splash of balsamic. Takes ages to eat, filling. High nutrient.

    Then when you're feeling annoyed about your lack of food, you reach for the Choccy protein bar and slowly eat it with a nice cup o cawfee. Before you know it you're full AND you've had a Choccy treat,

    Under 400 calories and a whopping 41g of protein.

    And there's no carb coma so you are alert all afternoon.

    Not enough carbs to workout on though, I use it for rest days.

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