Ideas for quick lunch please

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Replies

  • sptsimone
    sptsimone Posts: 10
    There are lots of great ideas here http://www.laptoplunches.com/photo-gallery.php (hover over photos and it tells you what's packed).

    I eat clean and so I pack a cooler every day with all my water, snacks and lunch. I use the Fit N Fresh containers because they have built in ice packs (1 entree/sides and 1 salad). I rarely take anything that needs heating since I drive around a lot during the day for my job.
  • tamheath
    tamheath Posts: 702 Member
    When I need to take a lunch with me I roll a burrito.

    1 Mission Wrap --- I like the sun-dried tomato basil
    1/2 tsp sour cream --- spread a wide stripe
    1 tbsp salsa --- spread on sour cream
    1 tbsp chopped onion
    1 slice red tomato - diced
    1 big pinch Mexican blend cheese
    1/4 cup meat --- I brown ground turkey and add Taco Bell taco seasoning
    baby spinach

    Can nuke it(rolled up) for 30 seconds or so to warm up the meat.

    Check my diary for the numbers on the ingredients. 340 calories total.

    Seriously, this sounds delicious!!!


    Yes, this does sound delicious - thanks!
  • hummzz
    hummzz Posts: 385 Member
    Wraps are number 1 in my lunch! I purchased some 200 Cal Digiorno pizzas that I absolutely adore because I love pizza! I also usually make a large pot of healthy low cal soup and freeze it in single servings so I can just put it in my lunch box and pop it in the microwave when its time to eat!
  • tracytreseder
    tracytreseder Posts: 2
    my favorite breakfast AND lunch while at work is the following:

    Chobani plain fat-free greek yogurt (has 23 grams of protein per serving!)
    15 raw unsalted almonds, chopped
    1/2 cup fresh blueberries
    1/2 cup fresh raspberries
    1 TB. honey
    (mixed all together)

    I also eat string cheese and fresh fruit, cottage cheese mixed with a chopped apple or any other chopped fruit, Weight Watchers smart ones and Lean Cuisines, baby carrots and grape tomatoes dipped in hummus, veggies and dip (Hidden Valley Light Ranch is the best tasting light dressing and only has 40 calories per Tb.), canned lentil & minestrone soup, canned vegetarian chili and oatmeal (Oat Revolution is the best and you can measure the water in the paper pouch it comes in, so is perfect for when you are at work without a measuring cup).

    :smile:
    Tracy
  • wintervixen78
    wintervixen78 Posts: 176 Member
    I work in a busy hospital and get half an hour for lunch. I need recipes that I don't have to make on the spot. I've totally run out of ideas and don't want to stray to the readily available tins of biscuits and chocs that patients family regularly bring us in. Look forward to your input :happy:
    I only get half hour lunches too and it sucks! Mostly I make wraps, or bring in left over's in take away containers (which I purchased the containers online.

    If you like cous cous, here's a dish I make, very very filling and quick! You'll need a kettle for the cous cous and a microwave for the rest and'll take 2 mins to make. If you don't have a microwave, keep the veggies at room temp, they don't have to be cooked, but then you may want to sub the raw onions for garlic puree! http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/155313-mediterranean-cous-cous-396-cals-serves-1-2
  • Katybun3
    Katybun3 Posts: 172
    Whenever I am super hungry and want something low cal and fresh, I always make sure I have a head of romaine lettuce. If you put a couple slices of lean meat inside and a little bit of salsa in each leaf of lettuce, it makes the yummiest, most LOW CALORIE snack ever. and depending on the meat, isnt more than 30 calories per little wrap. :)

    What a great idea! I always have these in my fridge. Thanks so much
  • alnsmith
    alnsmith Posts: 1 Member
    My latest lunch addiction is the Green Giant Just for One Broccoli and Cheese thrown on top of the Fix Quix cubed turkey (http://www.buddig.com/products_fixquix.aspx). The broccoli only takes a couple of minutes to heat up and I throw it on the cold turkey and it warms it up nicely. There's enough cheese in the broccoli so you could throw some rice in there too if you wanted.

    I usually have something small like fruit to go with it. Its pretty filling.
  • lilchris
    lilchris Posts: 4 Member
    If you want to lose the extra calories, use a lettuce leaf instead of the wrap. You can have extra filling or even two and still not have as many calories. I am going to have to try the Turkey, tomatoes and cilantro. That sounds yummy!
  • meadows654
    meadows654 Posts: 164
    NancyM221 has the right idea: Spend part of your day/s off cooking ahead.

    My personal favs are salmon/cream cheese quiche (freezes well in individual containers), protein no-bake cookies, parmesan tuna patties. Of course I have protein bars, too, but I have to watch my consumption of these; not only are they expensive but they're pretty high in calories, too.

    This week I 'm trying a recipe for protein noodle lasagna and chicken patties.

    My sister is a rad tech who works Sat morning through to Mon morning (double shifts and on-call thru the nights). She uses Carbquik and makes blueberry muffins, brings a protein rich cold cereal and ff 1/2 & 1/2, and sometimes Carbquik pizza leftovers.

    Hope this all helps! And if you want any of the recipes I use, let me know!

    Kat
    I would love to know more about those protein no bake cookies! And I love CLIF Mini Bars for a between lunch and dinner snack. Only 100 calories and it's organic.
  • Madiann
    Madiann Posts: 177
    Bump! I'm a security officer. Thanks for the great ideas.
  • nico1244
    nico1244 Posts: 2
    My new favorite thing to do is get a can of chick peas, rinse and distribute between 5 baggies. Next I peel and slice a large cucumber and evenly distribute. In the morning when I'm packing my lunch I'll add just a bit of low fat italian dressing to one baggie, seal it up and go. It's a great snack that really is satisfying. For lunch itself I like to cut a green pepper in half, spread with lowfat spreadable cheese and add a couple slices of deli meat. It's a great alternative to the lettuce wrap that I tend to get bored of. Hope that helps a bit!
  • jmconway83
    jmconway83 Posts: 9
    Nurse here with 30 minute lunch. I always bring lunch.

    I cook a couple of things on my day off for the upcoming week.

    I make a breakfast quiche and a lunch/dinner quiche and freeze.
    I boil chicken breast for salads and sandwiches.
    I bake eggplant slices and freeze also for parmesan.

    Always a salad. I prepackage my dressing and cheese so all I have to do is drop in my bag.

    I get ooh's and aah's from my co workers daily.

    I can furnish recipes if you like.

    I would love a recipe for a breakfast quiche, I have never made one. So include any secrets :smile:
  • jmconway83
    jmconway83 Posts: 9
    NancyM221 has the right idea: Spend part of your day/s off cooking ahead.

    My personal favs are salmon/cream cheese quiche (freezes well in individual containers), protein no-bake cookies, parmesan tuna patties. Of course I have protein bars, too, but I have to watch my consumption of these; not only are they expensive but they're pretty high in calories, too.

    This week I 'm trying a recipe for protein noodle lasagna and chicken patties.

    My sister is a rad tech who works Sat morning through to Mon morning (double shifts and on-call thru the nights). She uses Carbquik and makes blueberry muffins, brings a protein rich cold cereal and ff 1/2 & 1/2, and sometimes Carbquik pizza leftovers.

    Hope this all helps! And if you want any of the recipes I use, let me know!

    Kat


    I would also love some of these recipes you are trying. The salmon/cream cheese quiche especially.

    Thanks :smile:
  • nickscutie
    nickscutie Posts: 303 Member
    I like the evol frozen burritos for lunch - they even come in mini snack size versions.
    They have lots of flavor options, some of them on the website i have never even seen in the stores, but my favorites of what I have tried are the mini bean and cheese (190 cal) and the regular size chicken fajita (360 cal). The pork carnitas (380 cal) is also not bad, I did not like the veggie fajita. I also like to defrost them the night before so they heat up quicker, and they are good out of the microwave but better from a convection/toaster oven.

    When all else fails, I carry around a clif bar or clif builder bar or two in my purse. They will do in a pinch.

    My other advice would also be to try to make a little extra whenever you have time to make dinner, and then bring leftovers with you. Also, make a big pot of hearty soup and freeze it in small containers. A well crafted soup can be very filling.

    Stay away from the tins!
  • elf618
    elf618 Posts: 317 Member
    yum, some great ideas.

    couscous with roasted veges is another option that is good warm or cold.

    i tend to have to graze at work if I get a chance to eat at all, so i keep lots of different finger foods. Cut apple and peanut butter is one of my favorites.
  • Katybun3
    Katybun3 Posts: 172
    Wow...what a fantastic response. I'll never run out of ideas now. My co-workers are going to be so jealous when I start bringing some of these exciting recipes for my lunch. Thanks to everyone on MFP :0)
  • mo11ybloom
    mo11ybloom Posts: 15
    I bring my own lunch to school every day. I like a BIG meal, low-cal, obviously, so I pack a little bit of a lot of things. For example, today I had:
    -Grilled chicken with lettuce and bell peppers tossed in a tad of OJ & hot sauce, wrapped in a low-cal wrap
    -Babybel light cheese wheel
    -14 Almonds (Wasabi and Soy Sauce flavor... high in sodium, but great flavor!)
    -1 Apple, cut into wedges and tossed with some OJ to prevent browning (I don't like lemon juice, and I just used one slice of the orange I had for breakfast for the juice for this and the wrap)
    Total: about 400 calories. It's a lot of food, though, so you can certainly leave out one or more of the "sides" to cut calories.
  • Wandami
    Wandami Posts: 65 Member
    Hard boiled egg, 10 almonds, 1/2 apple & 1 cup spinach...yum!
  • k4evans1
    k4evans1 Posts: 145 Member
    Snack plate with pitas, hummus, and veggies
    Chili
    Hebrew National Hot Dog (40 cal) in 1/2 of a thin bun (50 cal)
    Lettuce, tomato, onion, and cucumber with dressing (2 T apple cider vinegar, 2 T EVOO, 1 packet natural sweetener)
    Turkey, lettuce, cheese, and fat free ranch dressing in an Italian flat out wrap
    Broccoli with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese
    Fish burger (mahi mahi from TJ's on a sandwich thin) with sweet potato fries
    Slice of breakfast lasagna (layers of scrambled eggs, cheese, veggies, and tortillas)
    Yogurt with 1 c. blueberries
    English muffin with pb

    Sometimes I make homemade soup/chili on Sunday and have it for lunch throughout the week. I also try to pre package my meals to save time. For example this week I have salad in cylinder Tupperware containers with a smaller Tupperware of dressing inside so I just grab and go.
  • bizybeemom
    bizybeemom Posts: 84 Member
    I also only get 30 minutes for lunch. I have two staples. I grill some chicken and then add it to some field greens. Pour on my favorite dressing (measured and accurately counted of course). Or I combine 1/2 cup brown rice, stir fry veggies and grilled chicken in a bowl. Heats up in a minute. Delicious! The key is making sure you have a lunch all prepared the night before. The good thing about a 30 minute lunch is that I don't have time to go to a sit-down restaurant and face temptation.
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