Cheap and easy lunch ideas
misskayb
Posts: 18 Member
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!
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!
0
Replies
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I keep yogurt around, also cheese sticks, and boiled eggs (I boil a half dozen every Sunday). I also buy pre bagged salads and split them into single portions with the separate ingredients still separate to mix at lunch. I do similar with just pre washed greens.
100 calorie snacks are also easy to grab and throw in. You can even get pre portioned baby carrots, but I usually quickly measure out raw veggies in the morning.5 -
Grilled/baked chicken breast, pizza, chili, baked chicken nuggets...1
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The salad in a jar thing works well for me. Less than an hour of preparation on Sunday produces lunch for the work week.1
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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.2
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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!
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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.0 -
Leftovers. I might jazz them up by adding grated cheese or putting them in a wrap.
Soup.0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0
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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.
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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.0 -
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.0 -
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 PB2.1
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I make huge batches of soup over the weekend for the week.0
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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.
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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.2 -
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.0
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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.0
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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)1
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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.0 -
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...0 -
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.1
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hot dog + soda at costco. done0
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Sandwiches. Salads. Leftovers0
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I only go out of the home for work once or twice a week. I take coffee and a protein bar or Lara bar.0
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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.0
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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.0 -
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.0
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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 crisps0
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