Healthy lunchbox ideas

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Debs1981
Debs1981 Posts: 9
in Food and Nutrition
I normally take a lunch box to work with me as I like to know what it is I am gonna eat and they are normally healthy, but I am getting a little fed up of having the same things for lunch. Normally I will pack either ryvita with low fat cheese spread, or sandwiches of some kind, with a cereal bar, pro biotic yogurt and some fruit. I only have a microwave at work . If anyone has any ideas of what I could take to work, or let me know what you take I would be very greatful.

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  • TiffanyW1014
    TiffanyW1014 Posts: 614 Member
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    I often do left overs.. I know they are healthy. I just make a bunch of whatever (mostly chicken) then take it to work all week. I also do greek yogurt, cheese sticks and turkey slices. Snacks are fruits and veggies! Hope it helps!!
  • jonquilrose710
    jonquilrose710 Posts: 14
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    I like the healthy choice soups that come in the little microwaveable bowl. The chicken noodle has 180 calories for the whole thing. There are a few others with that many calories as well. Its probably not enough by itself to get you through the day so maybe pair it with a piece of fruit.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    A microwave gives you loads of options! Soups, vegetable stews, scrambled eggs, baked beans, leftovers from last nights dinners.

    I like mixing up my salads - some leaves (choose from iceberg, rocket, watercress, or a mixture), some cheese (feta, blue, goats), and some other protein (walnuts, almonds, flax-seed mix, pine nuts, tinned fish, smoked fish, cooked chicken, boiled egg...)

    Endless permutations!
  • PaddyWhite
    PaddyWhite Posts: 78 Member
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    Hiya, I sometimes take a potato into work, and bake in the microwave at work. I use half or sometimes a whole baked beans snap pot with it. No cheese :( But it is healthy, keeps me going the whole day and microwavable! :)
  • Debs1981
    Debs1981 Posts: 9
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    Thanks, I forgot to say I work in a nursery school with early years children, so it involves at lot of running around, 'playing' and lifting so I would need enough calories to get me through 10 hours doing all that a day. I only have 1 1hour lunch break in the middle.
  • SugaDumplin
    SugaDumplin Posts: 79
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    Pepperoni, olives, cheese and almonds, yummy so good and filling.
  • wanttogetskinny
    wanttogetskinny Posts: 194
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    I take a Lean Cuisine meal some days. Or the Progresso 'Weight Watchers" soups (60-80 cals/serving) with crackers. Yogurt is a daily thing for me! Fresh veggies and dip. Fruit. A fiber bar sometimes. Instead of sandwiches I usually do a wrap, because the cals are usually lower.
  • annacataldo
    annacataldo Posts: 872 Member
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    I generally take a sandwich on wheat with turkey, cheese, romaine, seasoned with garlic, red pepper, and pepper. Then a serving of carrots.

    I bring snacks, maybe a fruit, another veggie, a serving of nuts. String cheese (light) is good. Fiber1 granola bars (I like the chocolate & oats one). A 100cal bag of popcorn, rice cakes, pudding cups (sugar free), sug free jello cups...

    Next time I'm at store I plan to look at lean pockets-the white chicken ones, I bet they're not to terribly bad.

    Sometimes ill make a big batch of chicken/rice or spaghetti/meatballs, or ....whatever...and bring a serving to work everyday til I run out of the batch.

    U could also bring a low sodium soup like progresso chicken & rice is my fav. Baked potato with 1/2 cup cottage cheese. I'm sure there's tons of tv dinner options... tuna & crackers w/celery (for mayo I replace with a non fat plain yogurt), or the same on bread instead of crackers.
    A low cal bagel with light cream cheese and could even add sand.meat. Sug free fruit cups (I like the peaches best).

    Spinach salad w/ feta, almonds, a meat such as baby shrimp, some turkey lunch meat, chicken, all pre-seasoned with garlic powder, pepper, red pepper flakes (won't need dressing), and any veggie u want to add, such as carrots, celery, mushrooms, etc. If u need dressing (which its to overpowering to use both seasonings and dressing, so choose which) I use kraft free zesty italian (1tbls is 8cal), or wishbone light ranch (1tbls is 20cal, if u add a tablespoon of water to it then it will be like 2tbls for 20cal)...
  • lalilalu
    lalilalu Posts: 102 Member
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    If you can make something up on the weekend, freeze it into portions and then take it during the week. I do this with frittata. Make up a big one with bacon, leek, potato, capsicum, mushrooms and zuchinni. Have it for dinner and then cut up the rest and freeze it to have later on. Very tasty and filling.

    Another bacon and egg thing I make is... Little tarts using bread as the casing. I push slices of bread into a muffin tin, then add some fried up bacon and veggies (capsicum, zuchinni, mushies, whatever) then pour on an egg and low fat yoghurt mix, although just egg and milk would work. Bake them in the over and you have little tarts that come to under 200 cals each.

    Baked beans are always good
  • lemmyhead
    lemmyhead Posts: 116 Member
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    I often go to the supermarket before work on monday and get some Pita pockets and loads of delicious ingredients to fill them with and keep it all in the fridge at work. Heaps of options and you could get a different meat or dressing for each day (small portions from the deli section) and then it wont be the same flavour all week. Pack the pitas full of fresh veges for your lunch, and then snack on nuts, fruit, crackers, tea and bean sprouts through the day :-) Yum!

    Or

    I really just like to make extra dinner every night, then pack a portion away for my lunch before anyone else gets to the dinner and then just reheat in the microwave at work :-)
  • Debs1981
    Debs1981 Posts: 9
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    Thanks everyone for all your ideas, I'm gonna give some a go :)
  • ekicinsk
    ekicinsk Posts: 92 Member
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    My favorite thing is a salad I make, it makes enough for 4 lunches, 5 if they're smaller portions. I bring baby carrots & a piece of fruit to go with and I'm full!
    2 pouches/cans tuna (6oz each I think)
    1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans
    1 serving (1/3 c. dry) whole wheat couscous (cooked)
    1 red bell pepper (chopped)
    1/2 white or red onion (sliced very thin)

    Dressing: (approx measurements - I usually wing it)
    1 teaspoon Rosemary
    1/4-1/2 t Pepper
    1/2 c Lemon Juice
    1/4 Extra Virgin Olive Oil

    Aprox 290 calories if its 4 servings

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