Lunch Ideas 400-500 cals

I second skinnytaste, love the chicken Parmesan. I am 62 and also prefer hidden vegetables or a basic salad:) sandwiches bore me with the exception of toasted turkey and Swiss on rye.

Another good diet is Emilybites, love her Mac and cheese cupcakes with spinach.

Wraps are a bit more interesting than sandwiches. Mug shot soups are available with noodles and are quite nice too. I like carrots with hummous for lunch- but depends how you feel about both of those things!

I make enough for dinner that I can take the leftovers for lunch. It could be anything. Soups are my favorite. Chili, chicken and rice with vegetables, pork, sauerkraut and potatoes. With 500 calories your choices are vast.

feel free to snoop at my diary it's open weekdays i usually eat 300-400 cals at lunch - weekends tend to be different as I can cook my lunch at home (if you're looking you may waant to skip over the easter weekend - I went onto holiday plan mode but at least i logged it)

my lunches tend to leftovers or things i make while cooking differ the night before, I aim for proteing and filling veg but not so many carbs when i can to help me keep the macro balance i want

when i have to eat out at lunch i try to go for large salads with lean protein and try to limit the amount of dressing i eat

I have chicken and garlic with veggies such as sweetcorn, peppers, courgettes. sometimes I chuck chickpeas in too I make a batch of this up for the week and have it with couscous

Wraps are the most versatile for me. Instead of mayo or mustard I use a spicy humus (Sabra has tons of hot choices). I also mix canned chicken with Laughing Cow Cheese for a low calorie chicken salad wrap. Love to make salads on Sunday for the week's lunches too. You can make them exciting also. I like Romaine lettuce, onion, shredded carrots, peas, tomatoes, chick peas, sweet colorful peppers, sliced almonds, apples, grapes, mandrian oranges.....its endless what you can throw in a salad

Chicken and sauteed peppers and onions in a 90 calorie wrap with raw spinach. yum yum YUM.

I love the skinnytaste website and I also like this one:
400caloriesorless.com

My lunch for today:

8 oz Broiled Chicken Breast (261 cals)
1/4 Cup Salsa (50 cals)
1/2 Cup Plain Greek yogurt (65 cals)
Total: 376 calories, 18 carbs, 7 fat, 62 protein

Throw whatever veggies you like in the mix and enjoy!

Mac and Cheese Cupcakes with Spinach??? I need to know more. Where would I find this recipe?

I pick a protein (or combination of them) and then I add a truck load of raw veggies and/or fruits. I love to eat like that. My work lunches are my favorite meal. It gives me yummy stuff in great quantity and I'm all about quantity

some proteins I like are chicken breast (made ahead of time - and I happen to like cold chicken so it works great), tuna, tuna salad, boiled eggs, bunch of pumpkin seeds on a spinach salad, cottage cheese, deli meat, string cheese, black beans with salsa mixed in.

Once in awhile I'll make sandwiches especially if I'll be eating in the car. I like them a lot I just usually avoid the bread calories at lunch time to save them for supper. I love soup and sometimes bring that but I usually eat all the hot foods at supper time so pack the fresh cold lunch.

For snacks I usually have fruit or recently become kind of addicted to protein bars. So much like a candy bar, lol. I don't actually think those things are a great option - gonna try and hold off on buying any more when current stash is gone. A greek yogurt would probably be better.

My lunches are almost always under 500 calories.

I love corn tortilla tacos, burritos, and rolups.I don't like sandwiches either. I like to prepare ahead marinated chicken , lean beef, or lean pork marinated in equal parts fresh lime or lemon juice and olive oil (or any veggie oil) plus garlic, salt and pepper. You could use 3 parts lime and 1 part oil instead. You can add a hot pepper powder spice if you like.For chicken, leave in marinade for about an hour, beef and pork 5-8 hrs. If you like the marinade stronger, cut the meat in strips before marinating instead of after. It's best if you bbq. It's also very good sauteed with onions and green peppers. Add chopped hot peppers if you like. I like to make a big batch in advance and have a fajitas dinner with chopped fresh tomato, onion,green pepper, and cilantro. Squeeze lime on it plus hot sauce and/or salsa. I freeze leftovers in divided portions to grab and go. If you save just the meat, you can add whatever veggies, beans, and rice you want when you make your lunch and its good plain, too. Cheese is good and sometimes I melt it on the tortilla or add cold. If you sauteed it with the onion and process, it's even easier for lunch. All you need is your meat packet. To warm for lunch, heat meat first and tortilla separate for about 5 or so seconds on high. You can also use a no or low fat wheat tortilla but I like the fiber and taste of corn tortillas and it feels and looks like you get more. Mission tortillas split less than other brands. It's best with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime but it's God all by itself. Add whatever cold veggies you want, even corn, lettuce and beans. Don't stuff the tortillas. Make it so it's easy to eat. This sounds harder than it is, but it's easy and quick if prepared ahead, especially if you use the meat for a dinner.

I've been making flatbread "pizzas". I stick a flatbread in my toaster oven and crisp it up a little, then spread on a good slab of refried beans, followed up by shredded mozzarella, sometimes shredded chicken breast, and whatever veggies I have, which is usually bell pepper, mushrooms, onions, and always some sliced jalapeno! Then, back in the oven 'til the cheese starts browning. It comes to around 450 calories, and over 30 grams of protein without the chicken. You're welcome to peek at my diary!

I usually don't snack and aim for a lunch right within that calorie range. I do like curries and things, but somewhat like you I am not crazy about traditional salads or sandwiches. A few favorites for me are briefly described below. I also think lunch is a great time to have something sweet like fruit or a square of chocolate (usually Ghirardelli dark varieties ~60 cal/square).

crab and/or avocado nachos (10-12 white tortilla chips, 1 oz shredded cheese, salsa, green onion, chopped imitation crab and/or half an avocado, chopped)

wrap - large tortilla spread with hummus, then filled with black beans, carrot sticks, avocado, lemon juice, edamame & tons of baby spinach

shrimp po'boy salad...lettuce with popcorn shrimp on top and remoulade (homemade or prepared) and sliced red onion. With or without some sort of baguette. Not the healthiest, but still low cal and different from a traditional lunch salad IMO.

lentils cooked soup-style - I don't know if this would be too creamy for you, probably not based on your post. My husband works magic on green or brown lentils with tons of spices...great leftovers, too.

rice bowls with any leftover vaguely Mexican or southwest type ingredients. I like it best with brown rice, bell peppers and onions sautéed fajita-style the night before (reheated or cold), pinto or black beans, lettuce & salsa. You can also add Greek yogurt or sour cream, but I usually leave it off because I'd rather have chocolate or fruit, as I mentioned above ;-)

veggie burger patties with lettuce chopped on top of it and any type of sauce or dressing used sparingly...goes well w/ raw veggies dipped in hummus. Great with falafel chips or other types of cracker/pita things if you like.