Lunch help please?

Lanfear
Lanfear Posts: 524
edited September 24 in Food and Nutrition
Hi all

Can anyone think of something filling to have for lunch which isn't a sandwich?? I've tried having soups etc but after about half an hour I'm hungry again. The only thing that really fills me up seems to be a sandwich - I'm doing them as healthy as possible, so low-cal bread/mayo, small amount of chicken, ham or tuna, and then salad leaves.

But I'm conscious that I may be eating too many carbs (we eat a lot of pasta as well) so wondered if I could replace the bread with something else but not feel hungry??

Replies

  • pftjill
    pftjill Posts: 488
    I do veggie patties and tons of veg or a HUGE salad with a lean meat (tuna or chicken breast), but I don't use bread. I work at a boot camp and there they encourage people to give up bread, pasta, dairy, and soda. I don't know why the dairy. This is all low cal and then you can have a good filling snack a few hours later. I don't know-that is what I do and it usually fills me up.
  • beccala18
    beccala18 Posts: 293 Member
    You could always do lettuce wraps, in order to cut out the bread. Or a baked potato filled with vegetables. (It only takes a few minutes in the microwave to cook a potato, then cover with whatever vegetables sound good to you.)
  • mirna_ayala0428
    mirna_ayala0428 Posts: 406 Member
    I'm having a grilled chicken breast from KFC, cabbage (cooked in low fat/low sodium chicken broth) and leftover baked potatoe.
  • afteil
    afteil Posts: 162 Member
    Chili? Falafel (you can bake it and leave off the bread if you want to lower the calories and carbs), egg dishes like fritatta or quiche, healthy rice dishes (Use leftover meat and brown rice, chilis and tomatoes), or you could always just have a nice big salad. If you find yourself getting hungry, try to keep packs of snackable things that are prepared so you dont have to think about it, like chopped celery, broccoli, carrots, or fresh fruit. That way you wont reach for carb heavy foods to fill you up. Also, make sure you are getting pleanty of water (I know its silly to say, but a lot of people dont). Sometimes when your body is telling you its hungry its actually thirst, so gulping down a glass of water will keep you less hungry
  • morganadk2_deleted
    morganadk2_deleted Posts: 1,696 Member
    baked potato! and maybe vegtable curry , Ratatouille or cottage cheese

    or make a stew or cassorloe the night before
  • taiyola
    taiyola Posts: 964 Member
    Beans are very filling, and protein keeps you fuller for longer. Maybe a chicken salad? Maybe eat less pasta as a way to cut down on your carbs if you seem to be going over.
  • Kichelchen
    Kichelchen Posts: 79 Member
    Just have a little sandwich or a salad and fill the holes with a lot of fruit, yoghurt, almonds, and other healthy snacks throughout the afternoon, so you're never actually hungry, but you don't have to be 'full' either, because you can munch away all the time :) Seems to work best for me anyway :)
  • shariann3
    shariann3 Posts: 15
    Replace any processed carbs (bread) with whole grains, like brown rice, quinoa, or barley. I like to add 1/2 cup of grains to my salads, makes them a lot more filling.
  • adjones_21
    adjones_21 Posts: 234 Member
    You can have a good salad with chicken, turkey or ham with all the veggies. I like lettuce, spinach, carrots, broccoli, califlower, fresh mushrooms, green onions, cucumbers, tomatoes and a choice of the meats listed above. Sometimes I use slivered almonds to add more flavor. And it is best to use a balsamic vineagrette dressing. If made good you should be full for a while.
  • Auzy47
    Auzy47 Posts: 2
    After work out, I usually have yogurt with some granola...and it's really filling snacks...perhaps you can use that for your snack after lunch?

    Have you tried this: A sandwich that consists of turkey bacon, avocado, lettuce, onion, and tomato? It's delicious!

    How about brown rice with diced onions, peppers and some kind of meat (beef, chicken, etc)

    Have you considered about buying some sushi weekly?

    Rice cookies with peanut butter fills me up pretty good...

    Perhaps you can add something side that's filling to your main dish?

    You may want to find something that is high in fiber, as it's well-known for fill you up ^.^
  • ocsurfmama
    ocsurfmama Posts: 127
    I have cut out all bread from my daily meals. When eating lunch meat I just put some spicy mustard on the slice and then roll it up. I get the wonderful taste of a sandwich without the bread. I also cook a pot of rice and keep it in the refrigerator. For lunch I use a serving of rice and top it with Pork, or chicken. Heat it and I have a filling hot lunch.
  • Ben2118
    Ben2118 Posts: 571 Member
    Have a quick look at my lunch today (diary should be public), the portion is probably too much for you but I eat that after a workout and it keeps me full most of the day!! Loads of protein, quite low carb, low sat fat and just over 640g sodium so if you had a smaller portion it would be even lower.

    Easy to make too and yummy!!!

    Ben.
  • NatalieWinning
    NatalieWinning Posts: 999 Member
    I just read about bumble bee tuna "sensations" which is seasoned tuna salad in a tub, basically. Peel and eat. There is also chicken grilled strips prepackaged at the grocery store. Zip open and eat! Protein, still lean, will fill you up! If you want, bring a salad and dump it on top! What about boiled eggs? They travel well, and are full of "good" too.
  • salad37
    salad37 Posts: 30 Member
    i sometimes have a soup such as a slim a soup mug but i put it a bowl, then i bulk it up with celery, bean sprouts sometimes add a few prawns and i always add chilli powder as that makes you feel fuller quicker, you get to slurp a big bowl full and u wont be going hungry as quick for def. enjoy xxxxxxxxx :bigsmile:
  • E_i_am
    E_i_am Posts: 10 Member
    I dunno if you have access to a microwave or anything, I had exactly the same problem and not only that eating a sandwich also made me a bit tired later and so would get something to snack on to keep me awake!!

    What does it for me is a Risotto, My wife cooks a risotto on Monday for tea then i bx up the rest in takeaway tubs for the week - for me its a lifesaver, i have a few roasted veg mixed through with it and eat it with either Soy sauce or Sweet Chilli sauce and it goes down a treat.

    Highly recommended from a big hungry man!!
    :smile:
  • NatalieWinning
    NatalieWinning Posts: 999 Member
    Oh, and nuts! I've been getting pumpkin seeds lately. 40-something % iron, and nutty crunch to my salad. Or a 1/4 cup serving for snack. I got soy nuts for the same idea, but I don't like them half as much.
  • Enigmatica
    Enigmatica Posts: 879 Member
    Green Giant steam-in-the-bag veggies + albacore tuna or meat or veggie patty of your choice. My faves are the combinations called

    "Healthy Weight - Carrots,Sugar Snap Peas, Black Beans, Edamame In Butter Sauce"

    "Healthy Vision - Carrots, Zucchini, Green Beans, Rosemary Butter Sauce"

    "Antioxidant Blend - Broccoli Florets, Julienne Carrots and Red & Yellow Sweet Pepper Strips"

    Sometimes I add a bit of brown rice to these, but that will boost your carbs. (Not a problem for me)

    Also, any kind of fresh salad mix (lots of prepared options at the store if you don't like to prep salad for yourself) and then add whatever fixin's work for you. I frequently add avocado, carrots, strawberries, oranges, walnuts, sunflower and chia seeds, tuna, or other protein.
  • sweetsunlover
    sweetsunlover Posts: 62
    hi well i have just had a egg and ham salad was quite a large bowl and is only 245 calories, which leaves me alot left to snack on fruit or nuts or snack a jacks if i get hungry. u can do all different salads , chicken or bacon or tuna whickever u prefer.
  • dfleno
    dfleno Posts: 25 Member
    Get some Flat Out Healthy Grain and Flax wraps... they are only 100 cals (vs the 200 cals for 2 slices of bread), 17g carbs (vs the up to 40g for the bread) and they hold a lot of stuff!

    My favorite sandwich wrap to have is this:

    1 Flat out wrap
    1 tsp cranberry mustard
    1 thick slice ( about 2oz) of Boar's Head Turkey (they have no fillers and other yucky chemicals)
    1 wedge of Laughing Cow Light Swiss
    1 big handful of baby spinach

    It is only 218 calories and 24g of carbs and is very filling!
  • JenniferO1982
    JenniferO1982 Posts: 21 Member
    I eat salad—but not the kind that leaves me starving an hour later. I use spinach instead of lettuce, and add tune (low sodium/half to a third of the can), and then add mushrooms, grape tomatoes, sprouts—whatever I feel like! The tuna adds protein, helping to keep me full, and the spinach is full of nutrients and you can eat 3 cups for 20 calories! I eat this every day for lunch (changing up what I throw in from time to time, but always spinach and tuna), as it's healthy, filling, and takes the guess work out of what to make for lunch:)

    Hope that helps!
  • reportergirl123
    reportergirl123 Posts: 5
    Make a salad and make sure to include: protein (3 oz) , nuts (1 oz), and, as a boost, hardboiled egg whites. Works every time. Veggies will fill you up in the interim but you will be hungry. Proteins and healthy fats (avocados) are the way to go with EACH meal. A baked potato, unless accompanied by protein or healthy fat, will leave you starving in an hour. Too starchy!
  • skippy37
    skippy37 Posts: 23
    Try taking a 500mg to 1000 mg cinnamon capsule with your lunch. It works wonders.
  • kent4j
    kent4j Posts: 391 Member
    I make a quinoa salad that's really filling. Cook 1 C of dry quinoa with 2 C of water or low sodium broth. When cooled add 1 can garbanzo beans, 1 C chopped cucumber, 1C cherry tomatoes and 3 TBS fresh Parsley. Add dressing: 1 Garlic clove minced, 1/4 C Tahini, Zest of 1 Lemon, 1/4 C fresh lemon juice, 2 TBS olive oil, 2 Tbs hot water and pinch of sea salt. This recipe serves 4 so I make a batch and then put it in containers for work. Very Yummy.
    Per Serving: 388 Calories 52 Carbs 14 Fat 14 Protein 10 Fiber 385 sodium
  • sassylilmama
    sassylilmama Posts: 1,493 Member
    Bump for some great ideas
  • Lanfear
    Lanfear Posts: 524
    Thanks everyone, some FAB ideas here for me to try!!

    Much appreciated :smile:
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