Office Worker - Healthy, Easy lunch ideas
Options
Replies
-
If you have a fridge at work, go buy a plastic bin, put your name on it and stock it up.
Boiled eggs, deli meat, cut up veggies, some fruit and some nut butter.
Keep apples, almond packs (100ish calorie packs) at your desk.
I always do well when I plan ahead, and have some healthy nutritious food on hand for meals and light snacks. Good luck!0 -
I'm the same - half the time I don't remember to bring my lunch, and the other half the time I don't even bother making it. I am saved by Cambells and Progresso soups. They have cans that have the pop-top lids, so it's really easy to open and nuke here at the office. Once a week I go to the grocery store and grab enough soup to last at least a week at work. The soups are anywhere from 160 (for the light variety) to 500 calories for the entire can (two servings in a can). They have saved my sanity and kept me from binging on snack machine food more often than I can count. Which reminds me... I need to head to the store and pick up soup! Today I'm having Campbells chicken noodle soup for 220 calories. One of my favorites is new england clam chowder, which is only 360 calories in a can. Yum! They are loaded with sodium, but IMO its better than going without or grabbing something unhealthy at a drive thru.0
-
I bring my lunch almost every day (except for my monthly Chinese run with a couple of the girls at work, and that is ONLY once a month). at least 80% of the time, my lunches are "leftovers" from the previous night's dinner - I don't actually think of them as leftovers though, as I intentionally make enough to have 1 serving for me for dinner, 2 servings for the hubs for dinner, and 1 serving for me for lunch. Crockpot meals are GREAT for this, and depending on the recipe, I can many times get 2 dinners and 2 lunches out of one "meal" (ie any recipe that serves 8). the rest of the time, I make a sandwich - turkey, roast beef, chicken, tuna. Making a sandwich takes all of 2 minutes (and no dishes) in the morning (5 minutes and a small bowl if I make tuna). Easy peasy :happy:0
-
Thanks for all the replies, I will absolutely be taking time to go through.
To clarify, I am actually not mumsy at all, wrong sex!
However my routine still stands. I agree with you, I am likely not being diligent enough, potentially a bit lazy. I try to be motivated enough to sort my lunches out. However ideal in theory, it never actually happens. I guess as you say, I should perhaps plan my meals better like srmchan does.
Again thanks all, definite food for thought there (pardon the pun).
Regards
Lee
Hi Lee,
I spend about an hour so so meal planning on Sunday so my breakfasts, snacks, and lunches are all together. I typically cook up some chicken, or a pork roast (some form of meat), then throw it in with some veggies, then a starch (black beans, brown rice, something along those lines). I measure out yogurt and put it in Tupperware. Lots of different things to do to make a hectic work week easier on the waistline. My diary is open in you want any ideas. The weekend didn't get logged but all last week is logged.
Karli0 -
Without meaning to offend, you say you have no time to prepare anything due to being a very busy mum & I get that with hectic routines it can be hard but this is about your health and your body so surely you can make time to make lunch? Even if that means going to bed 15minutes later or deciding to go cook something instead of watching a 30minute tv show...There are hundreds of things you could cook the night before in well under 20minutes, just google 10/15minute meals and there are loads of options & most recipes serve 4, so that's potentially 4 lunches that you can box up for the week by just cooking once.
I think its a matter of prioritising to be honest, my sister has two young kids, works full time and is also part time helper (evening & weekend visits) to her husbands ill mother, on top of being a taxi service for her husband who doesn't drive. She is by no means a superwoman, and yes she gets hacked off with how hectic things are but she finds time to cook simple but healthy meals for herself and her family because it is important to her. No doubt people will disagree with me but "I don't have time to cook" is a kind of lazy attitude.
*edit spelling
VERY well said!!!0 -
I work in an office as well, have a microwave and fridge. I vary through the following items throughout the week to keep some variety.
Mixed Greens Salad/Raspberry vinaigrette dressing w/ Chick Breast
Assorted Fresh veggies - baby carrots, celery, broccoli, grape tomatos, peppers
Canned Tuna - add pepper/vinegar
Cottage Cheese
Bean Salad
Hard Boiled Egg
I take about 15 minutes the night before to prepare the meal plus a smoothie for my breakfast. Buying your veggies (carrots/celery/broccoli) prewashed/cut saves a lot of time!
For the chicken, I buy a bulk tray about every 2-3 weeks, cook it all on the Sunday, portion it into individual servings and freeze. Pull it out the night before, it thaws mostly by lunch and just a quick warm up in the microwave.
If I have a busy day on the road, I 'll stop into the local grocery and grab a premade salad (cheaper than the fast food salads!)
I joke with my wife, that since starting MFP, I lose more calories just getting ready for the next day (packing gym/work clothes, smoothie and lunch). But I have to do it to make it work.0 -
I joke with my wife, that since starting MFP, I lose more calories just getting ready for the next day (packing gym/work clothes, smoothie and lunch). But I have to do it to make it work.
My boyfriend hates this too but he knows that I have to do it.
Lunch is always a salad with some form of protein - usually whatever meat was dinner the night before or a half can of tuna if we had veggies or there wasn't leftovers. I refuse to keep cut salad for very long because I prefer it fresh cut so I will do that the night before. OP - you can buy all kinds of bagged salad mixes if you don't have time to cut salad. Bring a can of tuna, a can of mixed beans, throw it all together , toss on some vinaigrette and you're golden
On weekends I usually weigh out and measure my ingredients for my breakfasts (overnight oats) for the week, then I take 2 minutes to throw it together every night also.
Making lunch doesn't have to take a long time but you have to be organized about it.0 -
I bake my chicken on Sundays, enough for the week. I take that (at least 6 ounces, most of the time 8) and add broccoli or green beans, and brown rice or carrots. When I eat my lunch, it will hold me for HOURS because I eat a large protein amount. All you have to do is pop it in the microwave at work and eat. So easy! And it holds you a LOT longer than taking a Healthy Choice meal or something like that. Those don't hold me long at ALL. And it's hard to stay in calorie range when you're starving. Sometimes I make my own homemade tuna salad and bring about a cup of it with a few low-fat crackers and that is pretty filling too. Hope this helps!
0 -
You have a fridge and a microwave???
Scramble eggs with egg whites, chicken and veggies of choice - reheat at work
Make chicken and veggie soup over the weekend - reheat at work
Make breakfast lasagna - reheat at work (cream cheese pancakes (or pancake of choice) turkey crumbles (or sausage of choice), scrambled eggs (add egg whites if you want more eggs) topped with shredded cheese. Use whatever variety of food that fits your diet and/or macros)
Huge salad topped with tuna, feta and balsamic vinegar
Leftover dinner
Plain yogurt with cut up fruit
tuna/egg salad on lettuce, celery or bread- can sub avocado for mayo if you don't eat mayo
Whole carrot or some baby carrots
Various homemade soups, stew or chili
Turkey or chicken rollups with cheese. Either on bread, lettuce wrapped, in a tortilla or by themselves.
PS.. I have a very busy hectic lifestyle as well. The crock pot is my best friend. So is stir fry anything and things that don't require cooking. I also get up 20 minutes earlier then I want to so I can make my food for the day. Or on Sunday I go to bed a little later so I can prep food for the week. I will also make extra dinner the night before with the intention of having it for lunch the next day.0 -
One other thought as I don't want you to feel I'm bashing your time management.
I've only been cooking seriously since November 2013. My stove died, so I bought a new one and with it some cookware. I had a little time on my hands over the holidays, so I set out to learn how to cook something better than the typical crock-pot or microwave fare. My early adventures weren't at all healthy - my first target was to learn how to make a good crème brûlée. After that, I moved onto figuring out my grandmother's egg custard pie, and then soufflés. I'm pleased to say I can whip up a sweet vanilla or chocolate soufflé on command now.
As time progressed, I started learning other basics - like how to properly pan sear meat and vegetables, how to cook to temperature (vs cooking to time), and seasoning food. I'm pleased to say I buy more fresh produce than I do packaged foods now. Recipes are great but I think technique is half the battle. To that end, YouTube is a great resource. I never could get soufflés right in the beginning and many ended up in the trash - but after watching a ton of videos on YouTube, I figured it out. I try to learn something new - whether simple or complex - each weekend. Yesterday, it was fresh guacamole. And I've found that moving about the kitchen is great exercise.
I have a LONG way to go towards becoming a proficient cook but am building "muscle memory" in the kitchen through repetition. I can do dishes like lemony-garlic pan seared asparagus, creamy truffle mashed potatoes, potatoes au gratin, blackberry-lemon brûlée, bacon wrapped pan seared pork chops, burgundy mushrooms, and honey glazed sweet and sour wings practically off the top of my head now. :-)
But I digress... I enjoy my cooking hobby and started the fitness journey a few weeks ago. I feel very passionate and hopeful that my hobby is compatible with a significant life goal - to lose weight, exercise and eat better - and I love to read and share experiences. If you find a good answer that works for your lunches, please share. I'm keen to learn.
You had me creme brulee...0 -
I work 3, 10 hour shifts as a home heath aide Saturday-Monday. I pack 2 meals, sometimes 3, for my "weekend shift". I use left overs and a ton of fruit ( I love fruit) for my meals. Left overs is a bit of a misnomer. I cook large amounts when I cook on purpose. It cuts back on time, energy use, and figuring out what I'm going to eat. It can be done on a crazy schedule. I have noticed that all adults that aren't on welfare, lazing around all day, have crazy, busy schedules.0
-
I simply reheat leftovers from the previous night.0
-
Thanks for all the replies, I will absolutely be taking time to go through.
To clarify, I am actually not mumsy at all, wrong sex!
However my routine still stands. I agree with you, I am likely not being diligent enough, potentially a bit lazy. I try to be motivated enough to sort my lunches out. However ideal in theory, it never actually happens. I guess as you say, I should perhaps plan my meals better like srmchan does.
Again thanks all, definite food for thought there (pardon the pun).
Regards
Lee
I also grab tuna, pico de gallo (pre-made from store) and iceburg lettuce. Use the top leaves like a tortilla.
Or i snack on jerky, pepperoni sticks and smoked oysters, string cheese (not recommended if watching sodium or cholesterol) to meet my protein requirements.
I rarely take leftovers, lack of tupperware and planning... good luck! 0 -
i think sandwiches have a bad rep for little reason. just use whole grain bread, low fat lunch meat and a little cheese. i have one everyday for around 400 cals for lunch0
-
So I work in an orifice also; a dark, dank, and smelly one at that, with people that would rather spit on you rather than give you a hand, they would stab you in the back in a second but enough about my family life.
One thing that you can do is prepare your meals for the week on the weekend. I’ll make a big helping of tuna fish salad with hardboiled eggs enough to make it through at least the week. I have also made protein pancakes to get me through the week on Sundays which has worked out rather well. I keep protein powder and bars at my desk to augment my meals and various nuts as well. I also try and have a Greek yogurt for every lunch too.
Best wishes hope you find what works for you.
V/r,
DW0 -
I have found if I bring in baggies of small carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, and yummy very small tomatoes. I can eat a ton of food and not have it amount to a lot of calories. I feel full and healthy.0
-
You had me creme brulee...
Ha! Many years ago, I had a rotational assignment in southern France in the Cannes-Nice area. I lived on brick oven thin crust pizzas, paella, and vanilla crème brûlées. I have 3 different types of crème brûlées in my regular bag o' tricks now: standard vanilla, pumpkin spice, and lemon-blackberry. They're all good and - at best - I can have a single bite when I make them. Made a dozen of the lemon blackberry brûlées last weekend and gave everyone of them away. (That's my secret plan to look thinner... by making everyone else look fatter!)
:-)
Sam0 -
lettuce wraps (lettuce, veggies, deli meat, mustard), egg whites (lik e2 min in the microwave), cup of soup (50 cal packages all you need is a mug),0
-
When I'm cooking Sunday dinner I cook a load of extra meat to eat cold with my office lunches. I cut them up in advance too. I also peel and slice up a few extra carrots that can happily live in the fridge for a few days. Chuck in some mixed salad leaves and cucumber chunks and I'm done.
When I've been particularly lazy and don't have any cold meats or sliced up veggies to hand, I rely on those individual frozen steam bags with veggies and rice. Microwave for 3 minutes, add some cooked prawns or the emergency tin of tuna that lives in my desk and I'm sorted.
If I literally forgot to bring any food with me, I'll have a jacket potato with half the cheese and a side salad. At least it's high in fibre.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.6K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 393 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.3K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 937 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions