Lunch Ideas 400-500 cals
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helsbelshms
Posts: 93 Member
I'm hoping some of you lovely MFP peeps can help me. I'm struggling to get motivated again and I'm looking for some recipe ideas for lunch. My diet goes way off track (as it has in recent times) when I'm not prepared in advance. I prefer not to snack at work as it leaves me open to eat too much. I'm on 1500 cals + exercise, so I can go higher if needed as I don't snack during the day.
I'm ever so slightly fussy so I'm struggling for ideas. Sandwiches bore me (I will have them as a last resort), I don't like pasta, nuts or curry and creamy sauces make me ill
. I will eat a range of vegetables (although I dislike most), but for lunches I prefer them to be mixed in with the meal so it's easier to prepare at lunch time.
I love spicy food, noodles, rice and chicken, but I'm willing to try most things. I'm also quite good at adapting recipes if there's something I don't like or prefer not to eat.
If I haven't limited it too much, do any of you have any ideas?
I'm ever so slightly fussy so I'm struggling for ideas. Sandwiches bore me (I will have them as a last resort), I don't like pasta, nuts or curry and creamy sauces make me ill
. I will eat a range of vegetables (although I dislike most), but for lunches I prefer them to be mixed in with the meal so it's easier to prepare at lunch time.I love spicy food, noodles, rice and chicken, but I'm willing to try most things. I'm also quite good at adapting recipes if there's something I don't like or prefer not to eat.
If I haven't limited it too much, do any of you have any ideas?
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Replies
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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.0 -
Thanks, I'll have a look at that site. Hopefully I find something I can make in a large batch and freeze.0
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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!0
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I cook up a whole chicken or two on the weekend and add a quarter-pound of it to a large salad every day for lunch. Even with a conventional dressing it still keeps under 500 Calories and, has at least three veggie servings, loads on protein, and will keep you full for a while0
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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.0
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Quiche!0
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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 eat0 -
I make up a batch of something quick and easy on a Sunday afternoon and box it up into takeaway containers to take to work for the rest of the week. This week I'm having couscous made with a vegetable stock cube, with a chopped tomato and canned fish (today's choice is herring in a mango and peppercorn sauce, ooh fancy!)
I also like to mix couscous, rice or bulgar wheat with roasted veggies left over from Sunday dinner, or with some feta cheese and tomato.0 -
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 0
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I'm a notorious "fast food" eater.
3 crunchy tacos w/o cheese from Taco Bell (140 cals each)
or a 6 inch turkey sub from Subway (330 cal).
Two McDonald's grilled chicken snack wraps w/o cheese (210 cals each) and throw in a couple bags of sliced apples (15 cals each) to top it off.0 -
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 0
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My first thought was pulled chicken, brown rice and maybe refried beans in a whole wheat wrap. Basically, like a burito. You could put everything together, put it in a microwavable dish and then just heat it up. Or you could make burrito bowls without the wrap. Basically a salad with everything that would come in a burrito.0
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Chicken and sauteed peppers and onions in a 90 calorie wrap with raw spinach. yum yum YUM.0
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I'm hoping some of you lovely MFP peeps can help me. I'm struggling to get motivated again and I'm looking for some recipe ideas for lunch. My diet goes way off track (as it has in recent times) when I'm not prepared in advance. I prefer not to snack at work as it leaves me open to eat too much. I'm on 1500 cals + exercise, so I can go higher if needed as I don't snack during the day.
I'm ever so slightly fussy so I'm struggling for ideas. Sandwiches bore me (I will have them as a last resort), I don't like pasta, nuts or curry and creamy sauces make me ill . I will eat a range of vegetables (although I dislike most), but for lunches I prefer them to be mixed in with the meal so it's easier to prepare at lunch time.
I love spicy food, noodles, rice and chicken, but I'm willing to try most things. I'm also quite good at adapting recipes if there's something I don't like or prefer not to eat.
If I haven't limited it too much, do any of you have any ideas?
This may be mind blowing, but take your fav recipes or any recipe at all and then just portion out enough to be 400-500 cals. Woah0 -
Haha that's what I have been doing, but I'm running out of dinner ideas because I'm having them for lunch :laugh: . I'm also stuck in a bit of a rut because I always make the same things and I'm getting bored of them now.0
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I found this website the other day... I have not tried any recipes yet, but only because I need to get some mason jars first.
http://www.organizeyourselfskinny.com/2014/03/17/the-ultimate-mason-jar-salad-tutorial-and-recipe-round-up/0 -
I love the skinnytaste website and I also like this one:
400caloriesorless.com0 -
Leftovers ... cook enough for dinner the night before to bring for lunch the next day! I made a Cooking Light recipe for Kofte last night and then just had the same thing for lunch today. As was mentioned above, soups, chili, etc can be prepared ahead of time and brought for lunch. With a 500 calorie target for lunch, you should have a lot of options!0
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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!0
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