Lunch to bring to school?

fernwehwanderlust
fernwehwanderlust Posts: 26
in Food and Nutrition
Alright, so I am trying to lose weight while still being school. I'm having trouble with finding a healthy, relatively low calorie (maybe 300-400) lunch. The lunches offered by the school are not nutritious, or even tasty, and probably are high calorie. And all snacks are junk food. Right now, I bring a salami sandwich, apples and cheese, and a white cheddar popcorn bag the school sells that is relatively healthy. But having this everyday is getting boring. I also don't have access to a fridge, or a microwave. So are there any healthy, tasty lunches I can easily make and bring that fit the criteria? Thanks!

Replies

  • TheVevina
    TheVevina Posts: 46 Member
    I try to pack different salads that are actually filling like:
    - Chicken breast on kale w/ mango
    - Shrimp, asparagus stir-fry
    I always switch it up by experimenting with different fruits in them

    I also like to make wraps with rice paper wraps (each sheet is around 35 cals):
    Chop up an omelet, add shrimp and/ or sausage, and then load it with veggies

    Something fun is baking tomatoes, peppers, and cheese on top of a portobello mushroom- kind of like a pizza bagel??
    These are all pretty easy and quick to make but if they don't float your boat, then pinterest is your best friend!!
  • Mangopickle
    Mangopickle Posts: 1,509 Member
    Squeeze fruits (fruit purées usually found in the applesauce section) and yogurts, freeze and they will be thawed by lunch in an insulated bag. They can also act as the ice packs making your launch box lighter. Rotate your fruit and cheese sticks. Cheese sticks last for months so get a few bags in rotation. Same with nuts, get six varieties in rotation. Slim Jim minis are only 40 cals and jerky is low cal. Also get pickles and olives in your rotation. Celery, carrots, bell pepper and cherry tomatoes with yogurt dip (oikos dip is only 25 cals /2tbsp) just get some of those tiny containers, portion the dip out and freeze- it will thaw by lunch. Again, rotate the veg so you don't get bored. Try a salami pasta salad instead of the sandwich. When I was in high school and we would go on road trips and Bragg potatoes were very popular. Bake some potatoes in foil the night before and refrigerate. They should be small like the size of a tennis ball. Get some Braggs liquid amino spray. When ready to eat, hold it like a candy bar, peel foil and mist the potato and munch away. So yummy and cheap. Try marinated veg salads, bean salads and roasted root veg, they are good and stable at room temp. Sugar free jello jigglers hold up well in a lunch box.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    whole fruits like bananas oranges and apples hold up well.

    add some nuts.

    pudding or yogurt with chia seeds if you can get a cold pack into an insulated bag.

    string cheese of any color/flavor.

    make your drink count.

    juice boxes now come in milk, coconut water, and a variety of juices.

    empty out a bottle of water a little and freeze it with the lid loosened, when the water expands it wont go out of the container and will keep your food cold and defrost thru the day for you to have a cold drink throughout the day.
  • la_te_ra_lus
    la_te_ra_lus Posts: 243 Member
    I mix kale and spinach into a 1.5 serving of jasmine rice,6-8oz of grilled chicken or beef or fish.. I always prepare my first 3 meals ahead of time so I don't run into any time restraints. Meals 4-6 I usually make on the fly.

    You could do something similar but make it fit your calorie requirements.
  • R1ss4n1
    R1ss4n1 Posts: 35 Member
    You can also check out bento boxes for inspiration. They don't need to be refrigerated (and are designed not to be) so you'd be able to have something fun to look forward to when you eat.

    http://justbento.com/recipes is a good resource.

    You could also check http://www.skinnytaste.com/ So many amazing recipes (she's already figured out calories or weight watcher points if you're doing that) like http://www.skinnytaste.com/2014/04/canned-tuna-ceviche.html

    Good luck!
  • fernwehwanderlust
    fernwehwanderlust Posts: 26
    Wow, thanks. Any other ideas?
  • gert1985
    gert1985 Posts: 53 Member
    If you can use an ice pack to keep things cool:
    Wrap ham/turkey around dill pickles
    Tuna wrapped in lettuce
    Salads
    Hard boiled eggs
    Cottage Cheese and pork n beans (my favorite)
    Vegetables and dip
    Fruit
    String Cheese
  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,371 Member
    A food thermos will keep food hot for hours, could have soup, casseroles, stews, etc

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