Considering bringing lunch everyday...what are your go-to (non microwavable) easy lunches?

fitmek
fitmek Posts: 277 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I always eat breakfast at home and lots of dinners at home, but find myself eating out at lunch...lots of salads with grilled chicken and minimal dressing and toppings from places like chick fil a and Wendy's or the grilled chicken cantina power protein bowl from taco bell. I'm over it. I'm to the point where nothing sounds good anymore and I don't want to keep putting so much sodium in my body.
What are some super fast and clean lunches I could bring everyday that do not require a microwave?
Thanks in advance!
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Replies

  • AngryViking1970
    AngryViking1970 Posts: 2,847 Member
    I rarely bring anything that requires heating. Lots of times I bring deli turkey and string cheese for lunch; I just make rollups with it and dip them in mustard. Also tuna pouches, smoked oysters on 34 Degree crackers, wasa flatbreads spread with Laughing Cow and topped with ham or roast beef, Buffalo chicken salad and pork rinds...
  • Mycophilia
    Mycophilia Posts: 1,225 Member
    Leftover pizza is my go to lunch.
  • mcducey
    mcducey Posts: 3 Member
    bring exactly what you want to eat - and that's it! resist that urge to impulse buy food which is likely to be junk anyway. today, like most days, I brought a watered down grapefruit juice, a banana, a peach (in season), two pancakes (left over from Saturday kids!), a fish salad and handful of spring mix (hello Tupperware). My count says I'm eating not enough! Never go through a drive thru again.
  • jenfitnessmama
    jenfitnessmama Posts: 138 Member
    Salads, sandwiches, leftover pizza, veggies and dip...
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    sammich....
  • fishshark
    fishshark Posts: 1,886 Member
    i dont work but when i make my husband lunch it cant be meals that need to be warmed up (hes an athlete and does his job outside) i make him a lot of sushi.. he uses a cold pack lol
  • losergood2011
    losergood2011 Posts: 172 Member
    I bring a salad. mostly chicken and use lots of varied veggies. My coworkers are always commenting on how jealous they are and its so flipping easy - no hassle no mess- just put it in my fit bowl or mason jar - add the homemade chicken strips done.

    sometimes I get tired of it - then I bring deli meat, romaine leaves and rollup my 'sandwich' sometimes I use daves Killer bread but not often
  • fitmek
    fitmek Posts: 277 Member
    Mycophilia wrote: »
    Leftover pizza is my go to lunch.
    Assuming it's cold? Yuck! :) Whatever works for you though hehe.

  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,746 Member
    tuna salad with crackers, cold green beans with balsamic dressing, P&J, cold chicken. home made trail mix
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    sammich....

    PB sammiches got me through 12 years of school.
  • TitaniumTexan
    TitaniumTexan Posts: 16 Member
    I used to rely heavily on deli meat, but then I saw the sodium levels and am now trying to do so less often. I love bringing wrap sandwiches which I make on a high-fiber flour tortilla (corn is healthier but I don't like the taste). Today, for example, it's a laughing cow Chipotle wedge, baby spinach, and rotisserie chicken breast (no skin). Delicious! Other days I'll do hummus and veggie for the wrap filling, or do a Mexican-style one with laughing cow, ground turkey, red bell pepper, and black beans. Pretty much whatever leftovers you have can work inside a wrap! I, too, almost never bring anything that requires heating. I love the Starkist tuna pouches that are marked "low sodium" -- I mix with lemon pepper, finely chopped celery and apple for crunch, and FF Greek yogurt to make a killer healthy version of tuna salad which I bring for lunch and eat plain, or stuffed into tomatos, or on low-sodium crackers. Best wishes finding options that work for you!
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    Today I am having 6 oz of Smithfield slow cooked pulled pork on a 80 calorie wheat bun with a fried egg for around 40g of protein and under 500 cals .. drool.. sodium might be off the chart but I just. don't. care. hehe
  • Dublinmum
    Dublinmum Posts: 19 Member
    Goats cheese, beetroot, nuts and tomato salad with a little vinaigrette - yum. Avocado and tuna salad. Consider buying a wide necked thermos so you can bring warmed soups and stews from home
  • JenSD6
    JenSD6 Posts: 454 Member
    Since it was almost impossible to use the work microwave at lunch time, I just got used to room temperature leftovers. I even found some leftovers are tastier not reheated (but not cold from the fridge).
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,002 Member
    2 cups of spinach, 1 large or 2 small apples diced up, 2oz nuts of your choice (mine is roasted sunflower seeds) and a protein of your choice, done...
  • rsleighty
    rsleighty Posts: 214 Member
    Roasted red pepper hummus, swiss cheese, tomato, sliced onion and dill pickle on sandwich thins.

    Sliced mozzarella, tomato and fresh basil on a bagel or ciabatta bread.

    Salad with black beans, corn, halved grape tomatoes, diced cucumbers, diced onions and orange bell pepper. Make a basic viniagrette with cumin and chili powder, salt and pepper. Mix in either pasta, rice or quinoa. (This makes a wonderful and filling salad. We serve a variation of it where I work. It is a huge hit!)
  • RoseTheWarrior
    RoseTheWarrior Posts: 2,035 Member
    I love my salads for lunch: romaine lettuce, spinach, turkey or chicken, carrot matchsticks, green onion, and then fresh strawberries or Craisins, with lite ranch dressing. Very filling, very flavorful.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Leftovers in a wrap with a little shredded cheese.

    Salad with cold chicken on top; dressing stored separately.

    http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/vichyssoise-102030 with Wasa crackers.
  • KDar1988
    KDar1988 Posts: 648 Member
    Lately mason jar salads. Mostly I bring leftovers so I'm using the microwave a lot. I eat breakfast and lunch at work.
  • Melysa1988
    Melysa1988 Posts: 81 Member
    Most days I have greek yogurt with granola and strawberries.
  • BackwoodsDarlin
    BackwoodsDarlin Posts: 109 Member
    Pretty much any protein in a wrap... protein/veggies

    Deviled eggs and bacon, with a side of 'maters

    Tuna Salad on Wasa Crispbread



  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,371 Member
    Chicken and chickpea salad with honey mustard dressing: diced grilled chicken thighs, can of chick peas, quinoa, cucumber, capsicum, cherry tomatoes, celery, carrot, baby spinach leaves along with dressing of course. One batch does me five meals - I use for lunches or dinners.
  • olymp1a
    olymp1a Posts: 1,766 Member
    I always eat lunch at work. I usually take legume salads (I recently found a fantastic curried chickpea salad which I adore: hummusapien.com/curried-chickpea-salad/), quinoa salads with tuna or chicken, tortillas I wrap in the morning before leaving home, usually filled with chicken, lettuce, bell peppers and a tablespoon of yogurt sauce or tahini sauce. I also make some pretty easy turkey sausage egg cups and tuna muffins which are very easy to grab and go.
    Sometimes I even take fish with salad (today I took grilled salmon and a mix of 3 different leaf vegetables salad). The possibilities are countless. Hope I gave you some ideas! :smile:
  • clicketykeys
    clicketykeys Posts: 6,577 Member
    I almost never get salads when I go out because I can make them fairly easily at home and they cost a LOT less. I use a spinach base almost exclusively, and then add some of the following: chopped celery, cucumber, grape tomatoes, summer squash, zucchini, broccoli; grated carrot; shredded cheese; raisins, dried cranberries, dates; sunflower seeds. I used to use walnuts or almonds, but sunflower seeds are significantly less expensive and they go well on both savory and sweet salads.

    Sometimes I'll top with leftover meat if I have it - steak or pulled pork or chicken or tuna salad.
  • whatatime2befit
    whatatime2befit Posts: 625 Member
    I cook on Sunday's my lunches for the week, so I just grab and go. stirfry, chicken breasts, pork chops etc, and add rice, salad, veggies to it.
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
    Yogurt, cheese, salad, fruit, lean meat, and raw crunchy veggies
  • stephenearllucas
    stephenearllucas Posts: 255 Member
    Grilled chicken (cold), low-salt Triscuits, almonds, apple, orange, and raw broccoli/cauliflower.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    A bag of lettuce, can of tuna, wedge of laughing cow cheese, and about a whole yellow/orange pepper and whole cucumber with hot sauce. Mad volume. Little Calories. Basically no prep.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    I do salad almost every day. I vary the greens. I live those chopped salad mixes, but they are a little pricey, so I mix them with other greens. Sometimes I make pico to use instead of dressing. Sweet mini peppers are great sliced on top. My protein is usually something leftover from dinner (salmon, taco meat and beans, chicken, etc) or a flavored tuna pouch.

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