Alternatives for lunch-usually eat sandwiches

verbifyvenus
verbifyvenus Posts: 175 Member
edited September 22 in Food and Nutrition
I'm really burnt out on frozen low-fat meals like Lean Cuisine and such so I started bringing ham sandwiches with mustard and whole grain chips.

Is this a good alternative?

Does anyone else have REALLY simple filling lunch ideas? Preferably something I don't have to cook or anything the night before.

Replies

  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
    Avoid Lean Cuisine at all costs! It’s really bad due to the sodium. Sandwiches never fill me up so for months now I've been loving 1 cup frozen vegetables and ½ can tuna canned in water. A little unique I know but very good and so filling for less than 150 cals and <2 minutes to put together.

    Having a large salad with protein is a great lunch. If you want to avoid the sodium in processed dressings do a balsamic-oil mix or vinegar-lemon juice-oil mix. Higher in fat but good fats and a chicken breast will keep you full. You can make 2+ salads at a time and keep it in your fridge and they take like 10 seconds to make if you use the pre-washed spring mix buckets and add a tomatoes/cucumber/pepper, whatever your favourite salad topping happen to be.
  • blondie76
    blondie76 Posts: 552 Member
    Avoid Lean Cuisine at all costs! It’s really bad due to the sodium. Sandwiches never fill me up so for months now I've been loving 1 cup frozen vegetables and ½ can tuna canned in water. A little unique I know but very good and so filling for less than 150 cals.

    Having a large salad with protein is a great lunch. If you want to avoid the sodium in processed dressings do a balsamic-oil mix or vinegar-lemon juice-oil mix. Higher in fat but good fats and a chicken breast will keep you full. You can make 2+ salads at a time and keep it in your fridge and they take like 10 seconds to make if you used the pre-washed spring mix buckets and add a tomatoes/cucumber/pepper, whatever your favourite salad topping happen to be.


    Do you cook the veggies and tuna???
    lol thanks!
  • CarolHudson11
    CarolHudson11 Posts: 372
    I don't eat the frozen meals - I don't like the way they taste. I usually take soup for lunch or leftovers from dinner the night before. I have a friend who eats raw veggies for lunch every day. She loves them, but I'd get bored with that after a while. I don't think I helped...??? Sorry.
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
    Do you cook the veggies and tuna???
    lol thanks!

    Valid question for sure. I keep them stored in 2 separate containers, microwave the veggies at work then add the tuna in after.
  • blondie76
    blondie76 Posts: 552 Member
    Do you cook the veggies and tuna???
    lol thanks!

    Valid question for sure. I keep them stored in 2 separate containers, microwave the veggies at work then add the tuna in after.

    thanks for the idea!!
  • JulieBoBoo
    JulieBoBoo Posts: 642
    I generally have a bowl of homemade soup and a 100 cal Handi Bagel with some melted cheese on it. Both your previous lunch (Lean cuisine) and current lunch (ham and chips) are rather high in sodium. So is soup generally which is why I make my own in the crock pot with either low sodium or no-sodium broth. You can make it at night and let it cook overnight with the timer.
  • idill
    idill Posts: 1
    I get La Tortilla Factory Smart Wraps that are 50 cal each with 8 or 12 g protein & 6 g fiber. I use chicken or turkey breast or even 1/4 c cheese and microwave them. VERY filling. I have also used peanut butter (sparingly) and raisins (sparingly). They are also quite filling. I think any of the high fiber / high protein wraps will suffice.

    I got these little veggie keepers from Tupperware and tote veggie sticks to work. The bottom of the keeper has ridges and the keeper has ventilation holes so the veggies stay crisp, do not get soggy and keep for days. I only found them on Tupperware. I do a few carrots or celery but focus on red bell pepper strips because they are sweet and crunch and I like jicima for the same reason.
  • fawnifer
    fawnifer Posts: 3 Member
    I pack my husbands lunches and always pack him dinner leftovers or tuna salad with celery sticks and a carbmaster yogurt for breakfast! Pickles make good low calorie snacks too!
  • rmkorama
    rmkorama Posts: 232 Member
    I cook lunch meals every once in a while, usually every 1-2 weeks, and freeze in portions. Chili, beans/rice/veggies, and other frozen entree types of food. I can make it at home much less expensively and more healthily than what comes in a box. It takes time and dedication, but I've found it really works for me. I just pull something out of the freezer the night before, put it in a container, and bring it to work the next day. Usually it's still plenty frozen so it's not messy to carry.

    As for freezing them, I just use a scale and whatever containers I have in the cupboard. I keep yogurt, butter, sour cream, and similar containers. Portion the food into one, throw it in the freezer, and then you can either leave it in the container or pop it out and store several portions in a freezer bag. I keep things in a freezer bag because it's easier for storage. And do use flexible plastic containers because it's almost impossible to pop stuff out of other containers without some thawing. If I have trouble getting something out, I just partially submerge in some warm water for a few seconds, and voila.
  • cmw72
    cmw72 Posts: 390 Member
    Avoid Lean Cuisine at all costs! It’s really bad due to the sodium.

    The lean cuisine isn't all that bad with the sodium these days. Perhaps they used to have more, but the ones I'm buying only have about 500mg, which is a fair amount, but not enough to put me over my daily limit.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    My usual lunch is 6 pieces of turkey wrapped around cheese and avocado. I use 1/4 avocado and two thin slices (1 oz) of cheese cut into 6 strips. I also have carrots and celery sticks, sometimes mushrooms and cucumber too. And if I get hungry a little later I'll have an apple.

    Today I had to make "When You're Sick Soup" because my husband and I are sick. The kids are fine though, thankfully. It's got celery, carrots, onion, lots of garlic, Yukon gold potatoes, tomatoes, and chicken. I seasoned it with plenty of ginger, some salt and pepper, dill, bay leaves and carroway seeds. It made about 10 servings and each serving is 105 calories!
  • newjmf
    newjmf Posts: 78
    I run most days on my lunch break, so after changing, stretching, running, stretching & freshening up, I have limited time to prepare my lunch. This is what I typically have: 2 tablespoons of Athenos flavored hummus, an individual pack of baby carrots (I dip the carrots in the the hummus), 2 packs of Chiquita Apple Grape Bites (found in the produce section at Wal-Mart), a sugar free Jello cup, and TONS of water. All of this is pre-packaged and very easy with little preparation. All I have to do is scoop out the hummus, put it on a plate and open the carrots and other items. This fills me up most of the time, but when I do get hungry, I sip on some low caffiene or caffiene free flavored green tea, which is filled with tons of antioxidants and curbs my appetite.

    You can also pick any raw veggie to dip in the hummus...celery, etc.

    Also, the Ziploc Zip n' Steam bags are WONDERFUL! I can cut up a chicken breast, put it in the bag, add some Mrs. Dash and microwave for 3 minutes. The chicken is jucy and fully cooked, not rubbery or raw. They are also great for steaming veggies. You can prep 3 days worth on a Sunday evening...just grab the bags out of the fridge as you walk out the door...re-load/re-prep on Wed., etc. (I do this to keep the chicken fresh.)

    I hope I have given you some ideas that are useful! If it's not quick & easy, I'm not going to cook it! So, I have tried to find healthier alternatives to quick, simple, easy cooking! ;)
  • anovasjo
    anovasjo Posts: 382 Member
    Hummus is delicious, very healthy, and quite cheap (even cheaper if you have a food processor and feel like making it yourself). It's super high in protein. Spread it on wraps and roll with veggies like spinach, peppers, grated carrots, basil, kale, cabbage, tomato slices, mushrooms,... anything! Hummus can also be used as a dip with crackers or vegetable sticks. You can create interesting versions with sundried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, garlic and onions, etc (also available pre-made at grocery stores, depending on where you live).

    Another lunchtime favourite of mine is a grain salad. Save leftovers when you make grains for dinner: rice, tabbouleh, barley, bulgar wheat.. even pasta will work (I won't tell!). Mix the leftover grains with a tsp of olive oil, squeeze some lemon juice on it, salt and pepper for a healthy dressing. Then toss in whatever veggies you have lying around: parsley, cherry tomatoes, minced onion, celery, radishes, broccoli florets. Super filling.

    Yummy "sides": a handful of raisins and almonds, or apple slices with peanut butter (choose a brand with no added sugar).

    Now I'm hungry!
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