Packed lunch ideas

Options
Stepheng1973
Stepheng1973 Posts: 68 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Looking for ideas for a healthy lunch to take to work. At the moment it tends to be salads or soups and just looking for tasty healthy alternatives.

Replies

  • sy_19440
    sy_19440 Posts: 55 Member
    Options
    Leftovers from dinner. I usually make enough for a second helping the next day. When I'm really focused, I prep several meals that can be used as lunch or dinner through the week. Grilled chicken, lean cuts of beef, and quinoa are staples in my meals. Also sweet potatoes last several days so I make those ahead of time.
  • Karb_Kween
    Karb_Kween Posts: 2,681 Member
    Options
    I've packed hubby tacos, wraps and sandwiches

    I try to avoid giving him stuff to take thats obnoxious smelling so stay away from any fish or... what was that other thing I try to avoid?

    Well actually if he has leftover Chinese food I tell him to take it because I hate the smell of that *kitten* in the house the day after haha his coworkers are on his own there

    And you can make sandwiches and wraps healthy and Mexican is always the dieters best friend as long as you avoid sour cream and excess cheese
  • Karb_Kween
    Karb_Kween Posts: 2,681 Member
    Options
    Leftover dinner*
  • soccerkon26
    soccerkon26 Posts: 596 Member
    Options
    Sandwiches are always great! I love chicken, rice and veggies too.
  • kschwab0203
    kschwab0203 Posts: 610 Member
    Options
    I tend to go with wraps or leftovers.
  • hcdo
    hcdo Posts: 201 Member
    Options
    I take leftovers of whatever I had for dinner. My current obsession is a version of some chicken chili that I bastardized. Throw chicken, a jar of salsa verde, and some chicken stock in a crock pot and let it do it's thing. I shred the chicken once it's done, but you don't have to. You can then add whatever you want, beans, veggies (I like cabbage and spinach) or anything else you want. I also tend to separate out the chicken and use it on salads and other meals. I do a few pounds of chicken at a time so I can use it for a lot of different things.

    I also cook up some ground beef/turkey and spread it out over different meals: I have spaghetti one day, tacos/burritos the next, chili after that. All re-heat easily and don't stink up the lunch room.

    Good ol' sandwiches work, too. I always have a loaf of bread a few cans of tuna handy just in case I run out of leftovers.

    I definitely look forward to whatever anyone else has to add to the thread; I get in the lunch rut, too.
  • Stepheng1973
    Stepheng1973 Posts: 68 Member
    Options
    Great ideas. Trying to cut down on bread so wraps sound a good idea, perhaps with beans or chicken / turkey. Mexican.... Must inveatigate
  • everher
    everher Posts: 909 Member
    Options
    I always struggle with lunch. I'm not a bread or sandwich lover so it makes it especially hard.

    I've done veggie dogs (the stuff in real hot dogs is off putting), turkey or veggie burgers, baked potato loaded with cheese and bacon, salads, tuna salad, baked chicken or fish with veggies, soups and stews, etc.

    Leftovers and sandwiches are a fallback. Since I don't really care for bread all that much often I will leave my sandwich open faced (only one slice of bread).
  • Karb_Kween
    Karb_Kween Posts: 2,681 Member
    edited November 2016
    Options
    Stepheng1973 wrote: »
    Great ideas. Trying to cut down on bread so wraps sound a good idea, perhaps with beans or chicken / turkey. Mexican.... Must inveatigate

    4e7a97df-8778-47d1-8a15-2b42a3d27636_1.25881c60bfcd153d18a041b03d923d09.jpeg?odnHeight=450&odnWidth=450&odnBg=FFFFFF

    0027331032120_NF_hyvee_default_medium.jpeg



  • mattdhall
    mattdhall Posts: 85 Member
    Options
    If you're going to try tacos, try corn tortillas instead of flour. They're much lower in calories and higher in fiber. Homemade crunchy taco shells are awesome.
  • jagodfrey08
    jagodfrey08 Posts: 425 Member
    Options
    I do wraps with the 90 calorie Flat out wraps, some reduced fat Sargento cheese, the Oscar Meyer naturals meat (4 ounces is like half the pack!), and baby spinach...maybe a little hummus. Also, a side of cucumbers, bell peppers, carrot sticks, or celery sticks...and like half an apple...or a square of my favorite Ghirardelli.

    Either that or leftovers.
  • almeyer2013
    almeyer2013 Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    Check out my instagram for lunch ideas. Thehotskillet.
    I used to meal prep, but for time saving sake, I only prep my left overs.
    I do meal plan every week though when I buy my groceries for the week. Good luck
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    Options
    I usually just toss a couple of chicken breasts or fish filets in the oven when I first wake up. They're done about the time I am ready to leave for work, so into Ziploc containers they go. I usually save all of my veg (volume) eating for at night, so I can sleep through the horrible smells that such foods tend to make me produce.
  • ejbronte
    ejbronte Posts: 867 Member
    Options
    I make salads as a base, which I toss into a small sealed container. In the morning, choose my protein (leftover chicken, 2 or 3 oz of top round beef, canned tuna, beans....). Decided on my dressing, if any. I add a piece of fruit for dessert, and I'm done. With the colder weather, my salad bases are more likely to be squash or potato than lettuces and tomato. When I make the squash, I save the seeds and toast them up, and then I can add that to the salad.
  • avskk
    avskk Posts: 1,789 Member
    edited November 2016
    Options
    Hard-boiled eggs and raw vegetables with hummus; turkey- or ham-and-cheese roll-ups with fruit; cottage cheese with chopped tomatoes, chopped cucumbers, and salsa; peanut butter (or PB2) and jelly on a sandwich thin with baby carrots on the side; chicken taco lettuce cups , raw veggies, and guacamole for dipping... all of these are pretty good, easy to transport, and low in refined carbs.
  • gjw1911
    gjw1911 Posts: 31 Member
    Options
    Meal prepping,
    Sunday my wife and I cook our lunches for the whole week. Chicken breast, rice, chickpeas, and broccoli or green beans. Measured and weighed into containers, easy to grab and go in the mornings. Change the hot sauce every day for sodium, and some variety.
  • shaumom
    shaumom Posts: 1,003 Member
    Options
    Bentos have been great for me (japanese lunch boxes, that serve as both the box and the serving plate). And if you follow the concept behind the box, the size of the box (they are measured in mL) is actually approximately the same number of calories they will have for the meal in the box. The ratio is 4 parts rice/carbs to 2 parts protein to 1 part other ingredients (veggies or fruits) - with little to no sauces adding calories.

    I believe for losing weight it's considered better to have a 3:2:1 ratio, instead.

    But there are some great recipes, great ideas, and you can use lots of leftovers and have something quite lovely to use - the styles you can find online have some intended for kids, women, men, you name it. They are usually affordable. - Like this is a good example of one, about $22 bucks - https://en.bentoandco.com/collections/boxes-by-popularity/products/bento-yamato?variant=38757222

    I have liked them in part because they have become popular in many cultures, so if you look online for bento recipes, there is a huge variety of recipes to choose from that are convenient, tasty, healthy, etc...
    This is a list of some great recipes - http://justbento.com/recipes

    And this would be some examples of bento meals I have seen:
    http://greatist.com/health/healthy-bento-box-ideas


    And one last thing- if you are looking for some good recipes, I would highly recommend pinterest. you make the free account there, and then just search for something like lunch recipe and then type in a main ingredient or two, or a type of diet or style of meal (like gluten free, paleo, low fat, bento, whatever), and you get the search results, but you get them in visual form. So you can very quickly and easily browse through images of foods that will match what you search for. It has really made it easier for me to search for foods, IMO.
  • VeganRaptor
    VeganRaptor Posts: 164 Member
    Options
    When I pack myself lunch I will usually have something like a peanut butter and jam sandwich on rye bread or a simple rice dish :smile:

Categories