Packed lunches

rachellochness
rachellochness Posts: 1 Member
edited November 27 in Food and Nutrition
I work in a office and bring in lunch as I can't afford to buy but I've been stuck in a sandwich rut. Just started my weight loss journey and know my lunch isn't very healthy. Does anyone have any recommendations for healthy lunches I can bring into work that won't break the bank?

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    What's wrong with sandwiches? Vary the fillings.
  • nelja
    nelja Posts: 282 Member
    i try to vary my husband lunch so that each day is something different
    sandwich with various fillings
    chicken strips
    meat pies
    pasta salad
    toasted cheese sandwich
    egg muffins
    meat balls
    boiled eggs
  • itsgood
    itsgood Posts: 85 Member
    Greek yogurt with blueberries and sliced almonds! Power bowls are great, too...there are tons of recipes, but essentially they're a mixture of grains, roasted veggies, beans, a few nuts or seeds. Do some prep on the weekends to save time. For myself, I like to stick to the same few lunch options just for the sake of ease and convenience. I know what I'm getting, logging is simple, prep is a breeze. It just helps me stay on track.

    I also bring something to eat on my way home...cut up vegetables like carrots, cucumber, etc., or a sliced apple...so that I don't walk in the door ravenous and ready to eat anything in sight. I've found it to be really effective!

    Good luck on your journey!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    a sandwich is fine if it fits your daily/weekly cals and macros.

    i generally have salad 3 x a week, eggs on the day i work from home, and a shop bought sandwich or sushi on a friday.

    in the winter i usually do some batch cooking of chilli/soup/stew for warm lunches.
  • Jackie9003
    Jackie9003 Posts: 1,119 Member
    I'm completely addicted to ryvita and philadelphia so have that for lunch with some fruit, if you have a microwave you could try soup?
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    I usually have salads of some sort. Sometimes a tuna sandwich when I work from home or on weekends. But with salads it is so easy to switch things up. I usually have some combination of the following:
    Base: Some sort of mix of greens
    Veggies: Bell pepper, summer squash, cucumbers, carrots, broccoli slaw
    Cheese: Feta, blue, and goat
    Protein: Grilled chicken, tuna, leftover meat from dinner, salmon patties, eggs
    Other: Pickled vegetables, nuts, cottage cheese

    There are a number of other options as well that I did not list, but those are the basics that I keep on hand.

    Sometimes I will buy Pita or tortillas and stuff those fixings in there to change things up as well.
  • RachelElser
    RachelElser Posts: 1,049 Member
    I usually make an extra portion of dinner and take it the next day.
  • deonbfit
    deonbfit Posts: 75 Member
    Today I have leftover meatloaf with 1/3 cup of mashed potatoes and 1 cup of cherry tomatoes. I usually make extra at dinner and take it to work for a couple days afterwards.
    One thing I made for lunch a couple weeks ago that was AMAZING was ground turkey pasta sauce with peppers onions mushrooms and garlic. mainly tomato sauce but a hint of alfredo as well. Over a bed of zucchini noodles topped with parmesan cheese it was heavenly!
    Really as long as it fits your calorie allowance for the day you could do ANYTHING. Just log it correctly.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    How is a sandwich not healthy? News to me.

    I usually have leftovers from the night before, or a big salad with chicken, or a sandwich...which is perfectly healthy.
  • TheMrWobbly
    TheMrWobbly Posts: 2,541 Member
    I have the same situation, nowhere I can go for lunch so have to bring it in though I never have sandwiches. Repeating some previous options however
    - Salads (requires preparation)
    - Ready to eat meats
    - Eggs
    - Healthier microwave meals
    - Occasionally ready made pasta salads though they are not much healthier than sandwiches
    - Always have fruit on hand
    - Porridge isn't a bad one to fill you up for an afternoon
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    i try to meal prep on the weekends so all i need to do is grab tupperwares in the morning

    pasta salad, soups, salad(dressing on the side), sandwiches, wraps, overnight oatmeal, yogurt pudding, parfait, pasta bake, tuna salad, chicken salad, egg salad. preportioned fruits and veggies.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    I smoke several chicken breasts on Sunday and then take them for lunch. On a salad, in a wrap, with some steamed veggies, etc.

    I also use Healthy Choice and Lean Cuisine frozen meals and dinner leftovers.
  • BruinsGal_91
    BruinsGal_91 Posts: 1,400 Member
    Nothing wrong with sandwiches - just vary the filling or use wraps rather than bread on some days.

    In the summer if I'm making a salad in the evening, I'll make a bit extra, box it up, put it in the fridge and then it's ready for me to take to work the next day.

    In the colder months when I'm using my crockpot, I've got plenty of leftovers (chilli, pulled pork, curry etc) to portion out and take to work for lunch.

    And Wednesday is sushi day.

    PS. Nowt wrong with egg yolks.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    I usually either eat leftovers from dinner (I always cook enough so that there are leftovers) or a sandwich with maybe some fruit to go with. Nothing wrong with a sandwich. I’m eating one right now :p
  • saragd012
    saragd012 Posts: 693 Member
    Do you have access to a microwave at work? I meal-prep every week for my spouse and I, I will make 2-3 different things, portion a container for each day of the week and we rortate through them so we don't get bored. I just make regualr meals we enjoy, so for example one week could be vegetable and shrimp teriyaki stir-fry with brown rice on Monday and Wednesday, and veggie "chicken" patty with pasta, olives, and grilled zuchini on Tuesday and Thursday. I always pack a fruit to go with the meals. Friday is either for eating out or leftovers. My lunches are generally portioned at about 400-500 calories but you could absolutely use lower calorie options if you need to.
  • KarenSmith2018
    KarenSmith2018 Posts: 302 Member
    Ours are normally a carb base of couscous rice or pasta. Then veggies and a protein sauce. I try and mix up the veggies and protein. We use broccoli corn peas sweet potato onion peppers carrots and for protein it’s chicken meatballs beef or fish. Try and manage it to around 400 calories.
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
    Another vote for leftovers here. It's great when I'm logging because I can log my lunch at the same time I log my dinner the night before.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    I love leftovers and I love sandwiches. The days that I can combine the two for lunch are heavenly. o:)
  • endermako
    endermako Posts: 785 Member
    i did tacos for 5 months straight for lunch, i just did a ton of variations. You can do that for sure and not get bored. Right now I've moved on to different kinds of chicken salad. The greek yogurt and avocado variety are amazing!
  • emmamcgarity
    emmamcgarity Posts: 1,594 Member
    I usually bring leftovers or I make a bowl of tuna salad and mix diced apples into it. I also pack yogurt, fruit and almonds for breakfast at my desk and snacks during the day. I bring a water bottle daily to keep me in track with hydration. Mini Kind bars help satisfy my emergency chocolate needs.
  • gophermatt
    gophermatt Posts: 129 Member
    I grill 5 chicken breasts on Sunday afternoon and bring them with various toppings - salsa, spicy mustard, bbq sauce, 57, and the like. Fill in if hungry in the afternoon with a Quest bar I keep in my laptop bag.

    Lets me enjoy dinner with the family in about any way I please.
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