What do you bring for lunch? (easy packed lunches)

megansprague
megansprague Posts: 57
edited September 28 in Food and Nutrition
I'm looking for easy nutritional filling lunches I can bring to work. I only have access to a fridge, freezer and microwave. Since starting this lifestyle change I've been bringing PB and wheat bread and carrots and sometimes buying fruit (I work at Target so I have lots of options for groceries). Only drinking water.

What do you guys eat? I appreciate any and all suggestions!
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Replies

  • CBaumgardner7
    CBaumgardner7 Posts: 212 Member
    I love greek yogurt, special K crackers and a fruit.
  • rharris86dc
    rharris86dc Posts: 635 Member
    I've started packing sandwiches, because I don't have access to any type of cooling or warming device at my internship. I also like to pack some almonds, too.

    I'd like to see some of the responses, as well!
  • redneckbettie
    redneckbettie Posts: 20 Member
    I am a horrible planner and so I bring lean cuisine. This is so simple to put in my bag in the morning and the fridge to thaw until lunch then 1 minute and its ready to eat. Plus all the nutritional information is there for me so I dont have to worry about if I am buying or eating the right thing for one meal out of the day. :) Hope this helps. Oh, another idea is the Nile Valley soups. the ones that come dehydrated in a cup.
  • rlmiller73190
    rlmiller73190 Posts: 342 Member
    healthy tortilla (or some kind of low cal bread) with a laughing cow cheese spread as a spread for the sandwich...i often use green peppers and cucumbers all chopped up. then i roll it tight and bring some low cal chips, crackers, or other vegetables on the side.
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    big spinach salads with lots of veggies and a little protein (grilled chicken, turkey, tuna, egg, etc)

    cooked brown rice and veggies
  • FairyMiss
    FairyMiss Posts: 1,812 Member
    usually what ever i make for dinner (chicken, burger, fish) i make an extra and tak it the next day or wait a day and switch off
  • I like to make tuna with low fat mayo. Add whole grain bread for a great sandwich. I also like to pack fat free pudding cups (for my sweet tooth) and Yoplait light yogurt. Sometimes I'll make turkey on whole grain substituting hummus or freshly smashed avocado instead of mayo. I stick to water, but when I'm craving soda I pack diet Mt. Dew. Hard boiled eggs are great snacks too. I tend to like foods high in protein.
  • Drunkadelic
    Drunkadelic Posts: 948 Member
    Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, babybell light cheese, Luna bars, apples and natural peanut butter, carrots and hummus, cottage cheese, lean meat (tuna or turkey), salads, lighter soups, leftovers...

    I pack every day and I kind of like it. Most of my calories are eaten during the day while I'm at work so it really helps me stay on track.
  • lutzsher
    lutzsher Posts: 1,153 Member
    I usually cook chicken breasts and slice thinly for sandwiches (with lots of lettuce, cucumber and green peppers) or throw them in a homemade salad, or will use a whole wheat wrap in place of the bread. I usually have a salad most days and shake it up with the spices on the chicken, different veggies, and dressings so I don't feel like Im eating the same thing everyday.
  • FairyMiss
    FairyMiss Posts: 1,812 Member
    one of the good sides of dieting, and bringing your lunch it ends up saving you alot of money in the long run from buying lunch every day
  • susiekusie
    susiekusie Posts: 13
    The easiest lunch I take is tuna. A whole can of regular tuna is 100 calories, add 1 tablespoon light mayo and 1 tablespoon dill relish (for zero calories) and my total lunch today was 145 calories. It keeps me full most of the time. Good luck!
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    Only a fridge, freezer and microwave? What more could you want :)

    I usually bring leftovers from the night before, or something like a casserole that we have cooked specially for lunches.
    Usually we'll cook pasta, casserole, roast meat, chicken drumsticks or similar on a Sunday so that will do us for the next few days lunches and then I just cook extra of the evening meal and bring that.

    If we don't have leftovers I'll usually bring a salad with whatever is hanging around in the fridge (baby spinach, sundried tomatoes, any veggies, cooked or raw, cheese, egg, tuna, left over chicken or beef, baked beans...... you get the idea!).

    Another quick and easy idea is to make a roti egg wrap. Break a couple of eggs into a small non stick pan, scramble them around a bit (with some cheese if you have the calories) plus some baby spinach or mushrooms. When it's cooked, turn it out onto a roti or tortilla or whatever flatbread you like and roll it up. Add some cherry tomatoes or fruit or yoghurt and it's a yummy and filling lunch!

    Or make a zuccini slice (crustless quiche) with lots of veges, or tuna/veggie patties and have these with some salad.
  • Protein bar, apples, strawberries, grapes, and greek yogurt on the days I work. Sometimes I will stop at Subway and take a sandwich but only when I don't plan well.
  • I've just made my lunch for tomorrow. A 20 oz water bottle that I can fill up at my place of employment, 1 tetley herbal tea infusion, 3 TBSP of 60 pepper hummus (in a resealable plastic container), 1 pita cut into wedges (you can either dip the pita in the hummus or spread in on with a knife), yogurt and a granny smith apple. I know this doesn't seem like a lot, but it fills you up and keeps you full. I have about 3 full water bottles during an 8 hour shift.
  • bmw4deb
    bmw4deb Posts: 1,324 Member
    I always plan and pack ahead.brkfst,lunch and snack!! I make alot of pitas
    with chicken breast (from night before) tuna with lettuce, tomato and laughing cow
    cheese, I count a pack special k cracker chips, fruit, 14 cal sugar free phillt swirl
    ice cream bar.
    You will be amazed at how much you can pack to help with munchies keep you
    full and stay well within your calories.
  • You can buy the prepackaged tuna lunches. Or make your own tuna with avocado no mayo needed. Salads with veggies or fruit lean protein, and oil and vinegar. Leftovers from the night before. Soup. Lettuce wraps with lean protein. Ect .
  • kacarter1017
    kacarter1017 Posts: 651 Member
    Hummus, pita, veggies, yogurt, and fruit.
  • SenseAtional
    SenseAtional Posts: 134
    I usually make a big batch of something on the weekend, divide it up into 4-5 containers, grab a bag of apples, and take it in on Monday, that way I have my lunches for the entire week.

    Some of the items I've taken recently are:
    Quinoa with black beans, corn, zucchini, and grape tomatoes - http://www.mywalletisfatnotme.com/2011/06/quinoa-with-black-beans-corn-zucchini.html

    Greek couscous salad (which I've made with Israeli couscous too, and is just as delicious!) - http://www.mywalletisfatnotme.com/2011/03/greek-couscous-salad-recipe.html

    Stir fry - http://www.mywalletisfatnotme.com/2011/05/super-simple-stir-fry-recipe.html

    Lentil stew - http://www.mywalletisfatnotme.com/2011/05/split-white-lentil-stew-urad-dal-recipe.html

    All are low cal and filling, yet don't put you in a food coma after lunch, so you can still work.
  • I've pretty much stuck with sandwiches for lunch since I started "Dieting" I change up the meats, sometimes Turkey and Ham, Turkey and Chicken, Chicken and Ham, PB&J, and a Yoplait Light yogurt or a single serving cup of apple sauce and water. I've been working out and eating right for a bit less than 3 months and have dropped 40 pounds :)
  • MarielP83
    MarielP83 Posts: 6 Member
    I like to cook up a big pot of soup, and portion it out into containers. Then I just grab one from the freezer every morning. If I haven't been in a cooking mood, I'll do Lean Cuisine. I might take dinner leftovers too. Then I just add a fruit.
  • coolsmartygirl
    coolsmartygirl Posts: 299 Member
    I have been taking salads with chicken and croutons, and smart ones pizzas. On the weekends at my other job I will get a small thing of rice from Panda for 3 dollars.
  • slammer51
    slammer51 Posts: 3
    I have found for snacks I but a little peanut butter on a rice cake with a few sticks of celery. I also will use one or two of the laughing cows and bring about 15 rice crackers which together is about 130 calories. Those are two very easy snacks. As far as lunch goes, i try to make enough dinner for a left over or take salad and add some chicken into it.
  • significance
    significance Posts: 436 Member
    I usually just go with sandwiches. Cheese and salad is a favourite. Often, especially in winter, I have toasted sandwiches: cheese and tomato or egg and ham (you can put egg in raw and the toaster will cook it, if you press the bread into the base first so there's a depression to hold it in). I take fruit, raw veges, or nuts for snacks during the day, or sometimes vita-wheats or oat-cakes.

    When I want to mix it up or reduce my carbs, I'll have a boiled egg with salad instead of a sandwich, or sometimes microwave a frozen fish fillet (since I hate canned fish but feel I should eat some fish). Or heat a tin of soup, but the sodium content is awful, even in the "low salt" varieties. Dinner left-overs sometimes make good lunches, too.
  • courtneybot
    courtneybot Posts: 2 Member
    I work at Target too! I'm in a tiny store, though, and we only have 6 aisles of consumables :( My days at work look like this: I take a turkey, ham, and cheese sandwich with mustard on a sandwich thin to eat right before I clock in, fat free greek yogurt (I prefer Chobani) for my first 15 minute break, a lean cuisine pizza and either a can of tuna over lettuce with fat free dressing or tuna mixed with 1 tbsp greek yogurt and 1 tbsp reduced fat mayo for my 30 minute lunch, and a 3oz bag of 94% fat free popcorn for my last 15 minute break. This puts me right at my 1200 calorie goal. I almost always close, and I sleep until I have to get ready for work, so I eat all of my calories for the day inside the bullseye! If i work out that day I snack at home :)
  • corsayre8
    corsayre8 Posts: 551 Member
    Chicken salad, whole grain bread and a piece of fruit.

    Whole wheat tortilla, refried beans, and veggies.

    Greek yogurt, granola, blueberries.

    Chicken stir-fry and brown rice.

    Last night's left overs.

    Lots of options for snacks.
  • bnjones23
    bnjones23 Posts: 86 Member
    My "go to" lunches are usually sandwiches (preferably low sodium turkey breast) with lettuce, tomato, mustard on whole grain bread and an apple and baby carrots to go with it. It fills me up for several hours.
  • Thanks everybody! These are really helpful!! I just need to make time to prepare them now.
  • WWH_AJ
    WWH_AJ Posts: 419 Member
    I have discovered that if you are having a sweet craving that 100 calorie pack of chips ahoy plus 60 calorie jello pudding makes an excellent snack. For lunch I normally bring turkey sandwiches, tuna sandwiches, or PB & J. Sometimes I also add a cup of pineapples or an apple.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    I take one bag full of food on Monday and it covers my whole week's worth of food. I take:

    1 package of La Tortilla low carb, high fiber tortillas
    1 package of Applegate all natural turkey breast
    1 package of Applegate cheddar cheese
    A ziploc of romaine lettuce leaves
    A ziploc with a sliced tomato in it
    A ziploc of sliced onions in it.
    A tiny tupperware container of Smart Beat mayo - about 1 tbsp total
    A tiny tupperware container of spicy mustard - about 1 tbsp total
    A bottle of tabasco peppers

    Every day I make a wrap with a tortilla, mustard, mayo, 2 oz of turkey, 1 slice of cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and some peppers on the side.

    It's a total of 227 Cal, 27 carb, 9 fat, 25 protein. You can vary the meat type (ham, salami, beef) and cheese type (jack, swiss, provolone, munster) which will slightly change the calorie count, but it's filling, cheap, nutritious and takes up very little room in the fridge.

    Note: Every day I also pack snacks for before and after lunch - greek yogurt, strawberries, hard boiled egg, baby cucumber, etc.
  • FitCoachJen
    FitCoachJen Posts: 139 Member
    I hate waiting for the microwave, so my lunches have to taste good cold.

    - A pita pocket (wheat pita cut in half & opened) stuffed with couscous, veggies (olives, tomato, greens, sprouts, peppers), protein (egg, chicken, tuna) & dressing on the side
    - Leftover veggie pizza
    - Big premade salad: a base of greens, chopped veggies (roasted, raw, it doesn't matter), protein, cheese/nuts/dressing on the side (I like to add trail mix to my salads for a crunch)
    - Salad w/ grains (couscous, quinoa, rice, farro, etc)
    - Deconstructed taco salad: rice, black beans, corn, avocado, peppers, onions, tortilla chips on the side in lieu of croutons, salsa for dressing
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