Ideas for low-calorie no-microwave lunch?

lawilgus
lawilgus Posts: 21
edited September 26 in Recipes
I don't have access to a microwave for lunch 3 days out of the week.

Does anyone have any really awesome "sandwich" alternatives? Or just something I would not need to microwave or refrigerate?

Thanks a bunch!

Replies

  • Jsuttles
    Jsuttles Posts: 2
    Do you like tunafish? If so they have lunch-on-the go packs with crackers and everything(even a breathe mint :-} ).
    Fruit, raw veggies, crackers.... I have also seen soups that are dehydrated that you just add hot water if you have access to that through a coffee machine.
  • chubswonky
    chubswonky Posts: 195
    I used to bring soup in a thermos. I would heat up the soup on the stove while I got ready for work and it would be nice and hot by the time i was ready to eat.

    Right now I usually bring fruit and popcorn or a salad with chicken/turkey
  • waverly9876
    waverly9876 Posts: 605 Member
    Turkey sandwiches, tuna sandwiches, spinach salads, salads with tuna on top.
  • sjh24f
    sjh24f Posts: 6
    Come summer, I will have the same problem. I was thinking about that the other day, and I thought maybe cold pasta salads. I know there are some low calorie recipes on the internet somewhere. Also I like hummus and celery or pita chips. Hummus feels me up really quick. Salads are another good way to go.
  • skinnyjeanzbound
    skinnyjeanzbound Posts: 3,932 Member
    1/4 c. dry quinoa
    1 can garbanzo beans
    1/2 c. baby spinach
    4 spears of asparagus
    2 c. low sodium chicken broth
    2 tbsp. extra light olive oil

    Add 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of chicken broth. bring to a boil, reduce heat, and add spinach. Simmer until liquid is absorbed (about 15-20 minutes).

    Steam asparagus in microwave in a separate dish or in a vegetable steaming ziploc bag. Cut spears into 1 inch peices.

    When quinoa is done cooking, add can of garbanzo beans (drain liquid first), asparagus, and olive oil

    I like to add goat cheese and fresh ground pepper, but you can improvise w/ the spices and cheese.
  • rgreenwood03
    rgreenwood03 Posts: 4
    I try really hard to stay away from the microwave lunches and dinners, because they are so high in sodium and other junk! My favorite lunches when I'm stuck in the car or can't cook....
    banana with natural peanut butter - I pack it in the morning, just peel the banana down, split in half, and put the peanut butter on, and pull the peel backup and wrap in plastic or foil.
    yogurt - I freeze it the night before. By lunchtime it's thawed. I take one of those little pop top cans of peaches in 100% juice and put that right in the yogurt, add some mixed crushed nuts and it's a pretty complete little meal.
    hard boiled eggs travel well, too. Salt and pepper packets left over from takeout places are great to put on there.
    Hope this helps!
  • skinnyjeanzbound
    skinnyjeanzbound Posts: 3,932 Member
    Sorry forgot to add that the recipe makes 5 servings and w/out the goat cheese it's 164 calories a serving.
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    Chop some salad green with tomato, peppers or any veggies, add 2 oz chicken or luncheon meat and low fat cheese you like. Add a little Mayo, mustard or dressing and mix. put it in container. Low carb whole wheat pita, bread or tortilla. A piece of fruit. Put it together at lunch so it's not soggy. Smells better than tuna.
  • sharoniballoni
    sharoniballoni Posts: 163 Member
    When I didn't have access to a refrigerator, I brought an insulated lunch box with an ice pack in it. This way my food could stay cold enough to last until lunch or beyond. You can bring:
    -salad with dressing in a separate container (so it doesn't get soggy)
    -wrap (with veggies, hummus, you might be able to get away with turkey or cheese if it's kept cold)
    -lots of veggies and fruits (apple, carrots, celery, banana, orange) and an energy bar or protein shake
    -if you need some protein, you can easily bring a can of tuna (though it can be smelly in an office), salmon, chicken, etc.
    -pasta salad with beans, whole grain pasta, tomatoes, etc.
    -dry cereal with one-serving size soymilk (doesn't have to be refrigerated until opened) with some slivered almonds and fruit

    I'm sure there are more...
  • mamagooskie
    mamagooskie Posts: 2,964 Member
    Hummus and crackers or snack size tuna and crackers. I just store in a lunch bag with ice pack
    salad is easy.
  • penny39
    penny39 Posts: 266 Member
    Bump
  • Crystal817
    Crystal817 Posts: 2,021 Member
    Turkey sandwiches, tuna sandwiches, spinach salads, salads with tuna on top.

    I wouldn't recommend eating tuna unrefrigerated. :laugh:
  • hajjcomb
    hajjcomb Posts: 118 Member
    1/4 c. dry quinoa
    1 can garbanzo beans
    1/2 c. baby spinach
    4 spears of asparagus
    2 c. low sodium chicken broth
    2 tbsp. extra light olive oil

    Add 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of chicken broth. bring to a boil, reduce heat, and add spinach. Simmer until liquid is absorbed (about 15-20 minutes).

    Steam asparagus in microwave in a separate dish or in a vegetable steaming ziploc bag. Cut spears into 1 inch peices.

    When quinoa is done cooking, add can of garbanzo beans (drain liquid first), asparagus, and olive oil

    I like to add goat cheese and fresh ground pepper, but you can improvise w/ the spices and cheese.

    Yum! Thank you for posting this. This is now in the rotation.

    Another quinoa salad I like is Greek. Just quinoa, feta (low fat if you like), kalamata olives, red onion, olive oil, and cherry tomatoes all tossed together.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    A big green salad with blue cheese crumbles, cucumber, celery and a sliced hard boiled egg. If you don't have, or can't bring, a small ice chest there are also some nice plastic containers out there with a gel in the cover that you can freeze. It'll keep your food or sandwich cold until lunch time. You can also freeze a 2/3 full water bottle, but wrap it in a towel so it doesn't drip all over everything.

    One of my favorite macaroni salads is very simple:

    2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
    1 can of tuna, drained
    miracle whip (low fat is also good)
    1 cucumber cut into chunks

    I just pretty much eyeball the miracle whip (I don't like a lot). It's really refreshing.
  • chroi23
    chroi23 Posts: 27
    Bump
  • skinnyjeanzbound
    skinnyjeanzbound Posts: 3,932 Member
    Yum! Thank you for posting this. This is now in the rotation.

    Another quinoa salad I like is Greek. Just quinoa, feta (low fat if you like), kalamata olives, red onion, olive oil, and cherry tomatoes all tossed together.

    Thanks--I will have to try the greek version next :happy:
  • rebeccaS85
    rebeccaS85 Posts: 141
    bump

    We usually do "sample platters" (named from the samples at Costco, lol)

    A little bit of meat, some fruit, a few crackers, some cheese, and a bunch of veggies.
  • kfister
    kfister Posts: 22
    Love the quinoa/garbanzo bean recipe! Thanks and BUMP!

    Also, I second the cold pasta salad idea. I packed it a lot in the summer for work.
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