I'm so bored of my packed lunch... Help?

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megan4pr
megan4pr Posts: 12
in Food and Nutrition
Time to run out the door for work and throw something in a lunch box to save a few $$.
It'll either be a turkey and cheese sandwich, a microwaveable healthy choice meal, or a salad with ripped up turkey deli meat.

I need more options for a college budget.

Get creative people!

Thanks! :smile:

Replies

  • horseryder77
    horseryder77 Posts: 224 Member
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    I'm also on a college budget. My two favorite packed lunches: Salad with cut up strawberries and pecans (I buy the glazed pecans.. they're delicious) with raspberry vinaigrette dressing. And a peanut butter/banana sandwich on whole wheat bread.
    Also, lots and lots of fruit to munch on. Some grocery stores sell those little bowls of fruit for like $1.50 and you can get a couple servings out of each one.

    Good luck :) Being a poor college students definitely makes things complicated.
  • skinnyme125
    skinnyme125 Posts: 396 Member
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    try natural organic peanut butter with honey. It is great and will give you a boost to get through the day. I also eat an apple with it as my snack.
  • dihar2
    dihar2 Posts: 29 Member
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    Since you have a microwave, supper leftovers are always good.
  • Fayve
    Fayve Posts: 411 Member
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    Hmm, I struggle too, but most often I'll pack a spinach salad with some tomatos, cucumber, turkey (deli), and feta cheese with some balsamic vinegar. I just picked up some pita bread, so I want to try and make some pita wraps using canned tuna maybe. It sucks being on such a tight budget for school, and I look forward to seeing other answers :)
  • Josephine237
    Josephine237 Posts: 72 Member
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    Try Dannon Plain Greek Yogurt with Polaner Sugar Free Raspberry or Strawberry Jam and a few Blueberries Sprinkled In....I love it and its only about 125 calories.
  • LauraJo08
    LauraJo08 Posts: 219 Member
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    Last week on Sunday, I grilled 5 salmon burgers and made enough wild rice for 3/4 cup per lunch. This week, on Sunday I made my own version of healthy chicken fingers for the week: cheap frozen chicken tenderloins (135 cals for 3 pieces), covered in a bit of 2 tbsp corn meal, 4 tbsp grated parmesan, chili powder, and curry powder. Delicious! I also made some green beans to put in each day.

    I find that if I make the main part of my lunch on Sunday and make it something healthy but delicious, I look forward to lunch and feel much more satisfied afterwards than if I make a cold sandwich.

    (BTW my lunch is usually the biggest meal of my day, cal count: 2 chicken tenders, 120 cal, 1/2 cup green beans 30 cal, 5.5 triscuits, 110 cal, 1/2 cup cottage cheese 90 cal, 3 oz carrots 35 cal, yoplait light yogurt 100 cal, small apple 60 cal. Which all equals out to about 550 cal)
  • megan4pr
    megan4pr Posts: 12
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    Ah these are awesome! I'm making a grocery list right now. haha.
  • 2stepz
    2stepz Posts: 814 Member
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    I'm a grad student working part-time as a secretary at a neighboring community college on top of doing thesis research. Its a busy life.

    My habit lately is to buy a big package of frozen chicken breasts, thaw them and throw them on the grill. I grill 6-8 at a time, slice them up, and re-freeze them in portion sized freezer baggies. I boil a dozen eggs on Sunday for use through the week.

    Then when I'm ready to go to work, I grab a bag of chicken, an avoacado, a couple hard boiled eggs, and throw those in my lunch bag. When I'm ready to eat, I half the avocado and smash it up. Dice the egg. The chicken has thawed out. Mix these three in a pita-half and enjoy.

    Or I take the same chicken breast (heated with an ounce of jack cheese), mix with a little salsa and greek yogurt, stuff in a pita, top with lettuce and have a pseudo taco.

    I precook a box of whole wheat penne and mix with sauteed garlic and mushrooms, to the fridge to cool. When packing lunch, I throw a serving of pasta in the bottom, top with half a cup of marinara, and a serving of chicken breast.

    Take two eggs, scramble them, dice a patty of turkey sausage, wrap in a tortilla for a "breakfast" burrito on the run.

    Going to try to make a garlic shrimp sauce w/ greek yogurt this week to go on the pasta... w/ frozen peas. (Shrimp Carbornara style?)

    If all else fails, I keep a Luna bar or two in my briefcase.

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