Cheap and easy lunch ideas

misskayb
misskayb Posts: 18 Member
edited November 15 in Food and Nutrition
Hi all!
I am looking for packed lunch ideas. Something simple, healthy and low cal, i can make in minimal time, the night before or in the morning.

TIA! :)
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Replies

  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    Grilled/baked chicken breast, pizza, chili, baked chicken nuggets...
  • U2R2
    U2R2 Posts: 260 Member
    The salad in a jar thing works well for me. Less than an hour of preparation on Sunday produces lunch for the work week.
  • 2Luverly
    2Luverly Posts: 143 Member
    I completely agree with boiling eggs! My typical lunch is 50 grams of baby spinach with 1 boiled egg and a table spoon of dressing. I pack string cheese as and extra just in case I feel I need something else to chew on.
  • misskayb
    misskayb Posts: 18 Member

    Thank you! Il be boiling some eggs i think! I like the sound of eggs, spinach and dressing.

    Salad in a jar sounds like one to try out too!
  • annacole94
    annacole94 Posts: 994 Member
    I always have a couple Lean Cuisine in the freezer for those days where nothing else is happening. Add a side of veggies.

    Other things: jar salads, soups (large batches made on the weekend and frozen), leftovers.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Leftovers. I might jazz them up by adding grated cheese or putting them in a wrap.

    Soup.
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
    A boiled egg mixed with mayo and a can of tuna...Can be eaten with bread or some wheat thins.

    Sandwich meat rolled with cheese.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    I do salad most days. Mixed greens, spinach, whatever we have for the week. Add chopped veggies (tomato, carrot, mini peppers--whatever you like). I love to add jarred peppers, like the mini sweet or banana rings, for flavor. I add either lunch meat, a tuna pouch, or meat leftovers from dinner.

    If not salad, I usually take leftover veggies and some meat from dinner. I don't do much pasta, rice, or potato at lunch because it tends to make me sleepy. If I don't have any meat, greek yogurt or cottage cheese for my protein.
  • RaeBeeBaby
    RaeBeeBaby Posts: 4,246 Member
    I make either rice or quinoa on the weekend, bake some chicken breasts or put a roast in the crockpot. Then I have ingredients for all kinds of lunches. A big salad with whatever greens and veggies I have on hand, add 1/2 cup of the grain and some protein plus a little vinaigrette or salsa. I also do boiled eggs a lot or egg and veggie scramble in a tortilla.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,029 Member
    If I need something fast and I don't want to prep it, I just get something like Eating Right frozen dinners. They are like 280 calories and cook in the micro in like 4 1/2 minutes. And they usually can be bought for $2.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • Trish1c
    Trish1c Posts: 549 Member
    In winter we eat a lot of soup. It's easy to put some in Tupperware.

    A yogurt & some fresh fruit can tied me over.
  • Lift_Run_Eat
    Lift_Run_Eat Posts: 986 Member
    Buy a couple rotisserie chickens(quickest), or bake your own, shred and portion out.
    You can do the same with Chicken breast. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, cool, and pre-package for the week.
    Serve with salad, pre-cut veggies, steamed (frozen) veggies, etc.

    Cook up some ground turkey, lean beef, etc, add in some taco seasoning. Portion out.
    Add some black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream, cheese, etc for taco bowls.
  • NomNomCupcakes
    NomNomCupcakes Posts: 135 Member
    I'm an oatmeal addict so I have to get with oats on this one. I mix plain quick oats, with chia seeds, cinnamon and flax seed (ground) stick it in a snack bag, shake it up and toss it in my pack. When I eat lunch I put my mix in a bowl, run the empty kuerig on it for the smallest size and mix in fruit and nuts! (Berries like blueberry, dried goji, blackberry, and nuts like sunflower seed, almonds, pumpkin seeds, etc) buy dried fruit and nuts in bulk, much cheaper!! Same with your quick oats!! My favorite mix in is a mushy banana and PB2.
  • lucys1225
    lucys1225 Posts: 597 Member
    I make huge batches of soup over the weekend for the week.
  • jessieknh
    jessieknh Posts: 52 Member
    I normally try to make large batches of stuff on the weekends and freeze them. Then the night before I just pull the single serve out of the freezer.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Cottage cheese & fruit with a side of veggies.

    Most people do this for breakfast, but if you have a toaster at work - homemade egg "McMuffins." I bake 9 eggs + 9 egg whites in a 9" square dish. Cut into 9 portions and freeze with a slice of Canadian bacon. Pack my lunch with a portion of egg, a high fiber English muffin and a slice of 2% cheese. Warm the eggs while muffin is toasting.

    I grill a big batch of chicken breast and portion out into zip-lock baggies (and freeze). Then I have chicken for sandwiches, wraps or salads during the week.
  • steph_runn44
    steph_runn44 Posts: 28 Member
    I eat deli turkey, string cheese and some cucumbers and carrots. I pre-portion them all out on Sunday nights and grab a tupperware from the fridge in the morning. It's super simple and I really don't have to do much prep.
  • childofares
    childofares Posts: 51 Member
    Our deli has white turkey breast baked there on site, I buy about 5 thick slices, bring one, bring a whole grain tortilla, a bit of shredded cheese and some romaine lettuce with sweet oil and vinegar dressing ( I keep all my food separate as I like to put my roll up together at lunchtime). Ill often but super thin lean beef and saute it in the oil and vinegar dressing fajita style and take that when I'm tired of turkey. If im feeling feisty I take a few tablespoons of brown rice and add it to me roll up. Grab 2 oranges and a snack of carrots/cucumbers and I'm happy. It also takes me about 7 min in the morning to prepare even in separate containers.
  • illusion2269
    illusion2269 Posts: 95 Member
    I make sandwiches the night before. Deli chicken breast with a slice of cheese, and a smear of spicy mustard on homemade multigrain bread. Pair that with some carrots or broccoli and pork rinds (yes, pork rinds! no carbs, decent amounts of protein and fat)
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,699 Member
    Single serve rice
    Single serve steamed veggies
    Tin of chicken

    All acquired in my local grocery store and easily assembled.

    Sometimes I change it out and get a single serve soup ... my favourite being LaZuppa's Spiced Red Lentil.

    Sometimes I'll use a Mug Shot instead of the rice.

    Occasionally I'll go with tuna and crackers.
  • Dar_Line86
    Dar_Line86 Posts: 245 Member
    Tuna and triscuits is my go to cheap and easy lunch. Tuna is full of protein with not a lot of calories.
    Though, some folks aren't a fan...
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Leftovers. Just make a little extra at dinner and put it in a container for tomorrow's lunch. It doesn't get much easier than that.
  • Rage_Phish
    Rage_Phish Posts: 1,507 Member
    hot dog + soda at costco. done
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Sandwiches. Salads. Leftovers
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
    I only go out of the home for work once or twice a week. I take coffee and a protein bar or Lara bar.
  • cuadrado12
    cuadrado12 Posts: 43 Member
    I like to make something in the slow cooker (like chili, a chicken dish, etc.) and save it for lunch on Monday and Tuesday for work. You can even freeze part of it and pull it out later for lunches.
  • AigreDoux
    AigreDoux Posts: 594 Member
    Leftovers. Frozen leftovers.

    I'll usually prep some raw veggies, usually peppers and cucumbers, in individual bags.

    About once a week I'll make a big dinner in the crock pot, like shredded pork. They can be doctored up a lot of different ways. I portion is out and put in the freezer in a ziploc container. Then add mix ins in the morning.

    Shredded pork variations
    -add hoisin sauce, leftover rice, broccoli
    -add canned black beans, salsa, shredded cheese
    -add bbq sauce, baked beans, shredded cabbage

    Soups/chilis freeze well, so when I make those I'll portion out a few. So at any given time I have a stack of these little containers that I can grab. That way I'm not eating through huge batches of things and getting tired of them.

    Today I had Portuguese kale and sausage soup, with a half of a ham/cheese sandwich and some red peppers.
  • ashliedelgado
    ashliedelgado Posts: 814 Member
    I either plan to eat lefties for the week, or on Sunday batch cook chicken or turkey and eat it with black beans and steamfresh veggies. And second to having a few lean cuisines in the freezer for days that nothing is going to plan.
  • Meganthedogmom
    Meganthedogmom Posts: 1,639 Member
    edited February 2017
    I'm on a chicken salad kick lately.
    Canned chicken, lite mayo, mustard, relish - easy, delicious and lots of protein! I like to eat it on those flat pretzel crisps
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