What do you have for lunch at the office?

RissaDean
RissaDean Posts: 189 Member
edited September 28 in Recipes
I eat a sandwich almost every single day - they're pretty much my favorite food - but my friend dared me to go a full seven days with NO sandwiches, and I'm struggling for lunch ideas! My office has a full size fridge as well as a microwave, but I don't necessarily need a hot meal for lunch. I can't do microwaved veggies, they're just too squishy! Any other ideas are most welcome :smile:

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • butterfly1445
    butterfly1445 Posts: 81 Member
    When you make your dinners make an extra portion and reheat it for lunch the next day. I plan as many reheatable meals as I can and just make extra to save for lunch, with some fruit and nuts for snacks. We eat a lot of chicken which is almost always good reheated, just depends on the sauce used. Lean Cuisines aren't great but if you have a choice between that and fast food they can be a lifesaver. Or a big salad with grilled chicken, tuna fish or chicken salad and crackers, reheatable soups with crackers, cereals...lots of possibilities.
  • NA_Willie
    NA_Willie Posts: 340 Member
    When you make your dinners make an extra portion and reheat it for lunch the next day.
    Thats what I do a lot. But typically I have tuna or chicken salad that I make.
  • Fochizzy
    Fochizzy Posts: 505 Member
    I will probably get yelled at for this. I do not like sandwiches and just getting away from Pizza and Hotdogs was a challenge. I eat Pasta dishes from Lean Cuisine and Smart Ones (I know too much sodium), I counter act the sodium by drinking lots of water and they are seriously yummy. Four Cheese Rigatoni, Angel Hair with Marina, and French Bread Pizza's are my favorite, they are pretty good for protein actually.
  • akwagner25
    akwagner25 Posts: 62
    I like to do the same thing. As soon as dinner is done being cooked I put what I like to call "used to be by seconds" in a container to take to work the next day. If we didn't have any leftovers then I like to the get the Healthy Choice Steamer meals. I also love the Green Giant Steamer bags for the veggies especially broccoli, they cook very well and aren't mushy. They are very good. I actually like any of the bags that you throw in the microwave and they steam cook the meal.
  • Barelmy
    Barelmy Posts: 590 Member
    What I usually do is take in sandwich ingredients - a sliced vegan sausage, deseeded cucumber and tomato slices, bread, lettuce - and make the sandwich during my break. It feels much more special, and it's so fresh.

    Of course, that's not really an option for you; you could try googling 'bento' for ideas? Bentos are Japanese lunchboxes packed in a certain way - 1/2 grain, 1/3 veggies, 1/6 protein - so that the calories normally match the size of the box they're packed into. Some of them get really inventive, especially if you have access to a microwave and no dietary restrictions.
  • kaplansa
    kaplansa Posts: 4 Member
    If you like salads (at all) I've recently fallen in LOVE with Ready Pac Bistro salads. The Santa Fe style and the Chicken Cranberry Walnut are my favorites. They help me with my protein goals w/o adding a lot of carbs, and there's enough calories left over for some crackers, tortilla chips, toast, or a granola bar if I'm really feeling the need for some carbohydrates.

    They're also great for work for me since I move around a lot and don't always have a microwave handy. I carry it in an insulated lunch cooler with other snacks and it works out really well!
  • Lovelystrumpet
    Lovelystrumpet Posts: 44
    I'm not in an office, but occasionally I'm on campus in lectures all day and to save resorting to grabbing something from the food outlets, I take a couple of ryvitas, a few pieces of fruit, and a yoghurt or cereal bar, to put me on until I get home and can make something more substantial for dinner. If I won't be home till late that evening, I'll take something more filling like pasta salad, and then only have a few pieces of fruit when I get in that night.
  • cdpm
    cdpm Posts: 297 Member
    I used to have sandwiches all the time too for lunch. I managed to switch to a mix of filled pittas or wraps (wholemeal) as it was less breaddy. I have now removed the wheat completely from my lunches and just a have a big salad or leftovers from the night before. The thought of going cold turkey with my beloved bread was too scary for me!
    I now feel very bloated after eating slices of bread and find myself not wanting sandwiches any more! How mad is that?!
  • uniquesoul73
    uniquesoul73 Posts: 151 Member
    I actually do a variety of things. When I cook dinner, I always make extra portions for lunch the next day. I keep several of the Healthy Choice Steamer meals at my office for those days when I just dont want leftovers.

    I also do the sandwhich thing, but use wheat tortillas and tuna or some other filler. I keep a lot of stuff at work: the tortillas, instant oatmeal, almond milk, cereal, granola, Dole prewashed Spinach leaves for salad, fruit and even cans of tuna...its just easier to have things around for lunch than to have to make a decision about what to eat every day.
  • purpleprose
    purpleprose Posts: 650
    I usually bring leftovers from a large meal I'll make on Sundays, but, failing that, I will either bring a large salad with some grilled or baked chicken (I always have that in my fridge), dried cranberries, feta, cucumbers, carrots, etc (whatever is in my fridge, really), and some light dressing. I pack everything separately (i.e. all the toppings and dressings have their own container or package) in order to keep the salad from becoming wilted or slimy. I've found that really fills me up with a lot of food without many calories.

    I will also bake a lot of chicken on Sundays then make chicken salad and bring that. I just bring some salad greens and some balsamic and make a nice meal of it.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Oh man, I could not go a whole week without a sandwich - it's like the perfect meal! Meat, cheese, bread, maybe a veggie or two, and a little dressing of choice. How could you go wrong?!

    Could you be sneaky and have your sandwich for breakfast then eat whatever you usually eat for breakfast for lunch?
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Cottage cheese & fruit. Serve with a side salad & wasa crackers.

    Soup & whole grain crackers. Small fruit plate on the side

    Baked potato with broccoli & cheese (I use Green Giant "Just for One" packages)

    ...... I get in a lunch rut too
  • Laura_beau
    Laura_beau Posts: 1,029 Member
    Melba toats & Hummus with cherry tomatoes

    Cottage cheese with ryvita & cucumbers

    Homemade soups in a flask

    Quinoa with sundried tomato paste, olives, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, lemon juice

    Cous cous with harissa paste, salad leaves, chopped bell peppers, spring onions, cucumber.

    Wholewheat pasta with pesto & salad

    chicken & noodle lettuce wraps with plenty of veggies

    Mixed fruit salad with yoghurt/ sugar free jelly (Jell-o)
  • Nicole52501
    Nicole52501 Posts: 12
    I sometimes make an awesome salad!!


    Morningstar spicy black bean burger (grilled.. has to be grilled)
    Mixed greens (mostly romaine)
    Roma tomato
    Low fat/fat free shredded cheddar cheese
    Hot salsa


    SOOOOOOOOOO YUMMY!!!!!!!
  • kadinino
    kadinino Posts: 3
    I feel ya! I have this issue EVERY Sunday when I think about the work week. Recently I have gone to Trader Joes and purchased a package of pre-cooked chicken (Called 'Just Chicken') and is in the cooler section near the other prepared foods. I bring that then I always have a protein and I can mix it up a million different ways depending on what I have around. I also bought veggies that can be microwaved and steamed and small whole wheat pitas. Add Hummus, or Tabouli or whatever else floats your boat and you can have a healthy and satisfying meal.

    I try to stay away from frozens, but Trader Joes also has AWESOME frozen meals.. their Indian ones are particularly good.
  • Sheri869
    Sheri869 Posts: 1,195 Member
    I have pretty much taken over our full size fridge at work! My boss always teases me about it (but then he eats my food...grrrrr!) He actually got a bigger fridge for the office cuz I was taking up all the space (but I still do).

    I typically eat breakfast and lunch at work - and often dinner if I have things to do because I have a 40 minute commute so I don't go home first.

    I always have leftovers from dinner during the week

    along with sandwich items to make anything from chicken, turkey pastrami, lean roast beef, lettuce, tomato onion, mustard, (I skip the cheese and never miss it cuz of all the other goodies)

    also usually have a baked potato on hand that I 1/4 and put some turkey or vegetarian chili and salsa on

    frozen WW meals

    Pre-chopped salad mix and about 4 different fat free dressings - as well as fat free refried beans and salsa for a taco salad spin

    Southwest Egg beaters for breakfast w/ my chopped potatoes & ....salsa or tobasco

    ALWAYS have salsa, hot sauce & tobasco on hand to add flavor and substance to most of my meals - makes me feel like I'm not dieting cuz its so yummy!

    Anyway I control 9/10 of the fridge here because I'm the main one who eats all my meals here and I DO NOT like having no variety (boring) so I keep a little bit of everything every week so I have healthy options when meal time comes up... and I ALWAYS keep the variety here so I'm not tempted to hit the fast food...if I were bored with the same old same old....I know I'd be tempted.

    ....but sandwiches are really good for you if made right - just my advice - try and skip the cheese a couple times when your back to eating them - I LOVE cheese but its so high in calories that I only eat it when I can really taste it - I find that on sandwiches with all the veggies, light meat, and mustard - I barely, if at all, notice it missing!

    Good Luck to You!
  • morenita71
    morenita71 Posts: 137 Member
    Some alternatives which need to be made night before but are not too labour-intensive are:

    Couscous and roast vegetable salad. Roast aubergine, red peppers, red onion and courgette in oven 180 c with some sprays of olive oil bake for around 45 minutes. Prepare couscous with stock/bouillon. You can make this easily while you make an evening meal. Mix together veg and couscous with lemon juice, harrisa or other chilli sauce, coriander leaves, some cumin and maybe a few olives. Make enough for 2 days.

    Potato salad (esp as jerseys are in seaon) make dressing with low fat hellmans, 0% Greek yoghurt or creme fraiche. Mix with horseradish, tiny bit of garlic, chilli flakes, black pepper and maybe a daash of white vinegar. Add some chopped cornichons and capers or baby pickled onions.

    Today's lunch was a tin of red kidney beans, blackeye beans, a tin of sweetcorn, with toms, cucumber and a dressing of cumin, lime/lemon juice, olive oil, chilli and again some coriander. Could add grated carrots etc...
    Just got a text from my non-dieting partner saying it was lovely!!!
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