Need easy lunches

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akburmeister
akburmeister Posts: 39
in Recipes
I need some new ideas for some quick lunches that I can pack and take to work with me. I like to feel like I'm eating something decent versus something I threw in the microwave (although some of the WW SmartOnes are awesome!)

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  • Run4UrHealth
    Run4UrHealth Posts: 348 Member
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    BUMP...I need some too. I love the WW Smart Ones too but they have sooo many carbs and so much sodium!
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
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    I like to prepare my lunches the night before and keep them in the fridge. Many times I'll make a salad in a tupperware, or pack one serving of dinner leftovers. Sometimes I just pack a variety of snacks like an ounce of peapods, some baby carrots, a handful of almonds, or whatever I have lying around. The advantage to snack-lunch is that you can dip in early if you get hungry.
  • spammyanna
    spammyanna Posts: 871 Member
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    I mix up some tuna with miracle whip (you can use mayo or whatever you want) and some lemon pepper seasoning and throw it on top of a bed of spinach. I do this with egg salad too. I also pack cottage cheese with fruit, or greek yogurt, and usually have some baby carrots as well.
  • MuffinMan25
    MuffinMan25 Posts: 110
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    Im addicted to SUBWAY!!!!!!! :)
  • RanayeG
    RanayeG Posts: 12
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    Something that I recently started doing is cooking a cup of rice & mixing it with a can of beans (kidney or black) then spicing it up with lime juice, cilantro, season all, garlic, onion,...... (whatever sounds good) then putting in a tortilla with salsa. It makes about 2 or 3 wraps depending on how much you put in it. Or I had done it with tortilla chips instead of the wrap. It is REALLY good, easy to do & really cheap. You can even make a larger batch up & freeze it. Just don't add the salsa until you are ready to eat it or your rice will get soggy.
  • winstonh
    winstonh Posts: 48
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    I almost always make alot of dinner and pack up leftovers and put it in the fridge once it's cooled down. Also, I always make a monster salad and I';; change it up with some tuna, chicken and cilantro, taco spiced beef, etc.
  • tigerblue
    tigerblue Posts: 1,525 Member
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    Lean cuisine, but I get so tired of them. . .

    I'd love to hear some ideas too!
  • NancyAnne1960
    NancyAnne1960 Posts: 500 Member
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    My standard day is: a String cheese and 6 almonds for 10:00 snack, and for lunch, Peanut Butter and Sugar Free Jam on Thomas Whole Wheat Bagle thin. And lots of water!! Carrots, Celery, Radishes, pickles, Red Pepper.
  • Tonilynn70
    Tonilynn70 Posts: 59 Member
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    Lately, I have been bringing salad with me. I use about 2 cups of lettuce and throw some corn and kidney beans in, and 3 tbs of salsa. Some days I throw in left over chicken. I also have been eating Boars Head ham on a 100cal whole wheat English muffin with spicy mustard. I work stupid hours, so I need something that will get me through about 6 hours of work and usually these do. I also don't sit at the office and eat. I need to leave and I sit in my car under a tree and do schoolwork... lol

    I am dying for chicken stir fry...
  • acoleman3
    acoleman3 Posts: 30
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    I have fallen in love with lettuce wraps. You can fill them with just about anything. My favorite is tuna or chicken salad. I use very little light mayo (or plain yogurt mixed with a little mustard - if my kids haven't eaten all of the yogurt), chopped onion, chopped celery, chopped pickles and some salt-free Mrs. Dash. Then just wrap it in a romaine lettuce leaf. So yummy. I usually try to have some raw veggies on the side. Hope this helps.
  • foremaar012
    foremaar012 Posts: 60
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    I make it the night before. Sundays i usually roast a chicken and then by day 3 I can mash it up into some healthy chicken salad on an english muffin and then a container of cottage cheese...LOTS OF PROTEIN!!!
  • MyouTakara
    MyouTakara Posts: 45
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    If you're like me, you don't bring sandwiches because the bread gets soggy and gross. Well, if you make up the tuna, egg salad, or whatever the night before, then pack a serving of that and bread separate and make your sandwich at work. Same with sandwich meats or PB&J. Don't forget to add a salad! If I must go the frozen dinner route, I bring salad along too.
  • sugarbomb83
    sugarbomb83 Posts: 67 Member
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    On Sundays I try and cook one dish that I can eat for lunch for 4-5 days. This week it was whole wheat pasta, sauce (look for one with low sugar), and steamed veggies (summer squash, zucchini, broccoli). This week's dish made 5 lunches and is 330 calories for a pretty large bowl of pasta. Some snacks that I eat before and after lunch are string cheese, hard boiled eggs, fruit, and almonds.
  • akburmeister
    akburmeister Posts: 39
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    Thanks all!! :):)
  • Maiven
    Maiven Posts: 2 Member
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    Hi!!!

    Like Ranaye mentioned, beans and rice is always a great filling lunch and good for protein. I often will mix my rice with salsa and any reduced fat cheese, or frozen veggies like broccoli or peppers.

    Most of the time I try and keep my lunches high in protein and cook several chicken breasts ahead of time. Some of my favorites flavors that are low cal are spicy curry, lemon pepper, and lime cilantro. Usually, I pre-pack my lunches for 3 days ahead of schedule and take advantage of whatever produce is available to me ((frozen veggies are awesome if you're pre-packing your lunches)).

    I work in retail so sometimes it's really hard to be able to get a sit down meal, so I keep my portions small and simple so I can shovel it into my mouth whenever a spare moment comes to me. My biggest meal of the day is usually breakfast, toasted oats or eggs can be really filling if done right and I always make sure to drink water before every meal because it ends up making me eat less and fill full faster.

    Good luck!!!
  • silkysly
    silkysly Posts: 701 Member
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    I like to make Birds Eye Oriental Stir-Fry, Frozen Vegetables in the 4lb Bag, mixed with turkey. I put lunch size portions in zipper baggies & freeze them. You can leave them in your lunch bag & they are pretty much thawed by lunch. This can really be done with most dinner foods.
  • SixCatFaerie
    SixCatFaerie Posts: 690 Member
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    This is my lunch when I go to work with my hubby on Mondays & Tuesdays. I make a wrap with the following:

    Laughing Cow - Garlic & Herb Light Cheese , 1 wedge 35 cal.
    La Tortilla Factory - Low Carb / High Fiber Whole Wheat Tortillas (Large), 1 Tortilla (62g) 80 cal.
    John Soules Foods - Chicken Breast Strips With Rib Meat (Chicken Fajitas), 2.25 oz (84g) 83 cal.
    (can be any chicken or beef fajita meat)

    Nabisco - 100 % Whole Grain Fig Newtons Minis, 1 package 130 cal.

    Sometimes I have just the wrap without the Mini Newtons. Sometimes I have garbanzo/adzuki/sprouted peas mixed with a little organic valley blue cheese crumbles instead.

    Good luck!
  • shauna121211
    shauna121211 Posts: 575 Member
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    Definitely like to cook a bunch in advance and freeze it/ refrigerate it for the week(s) ahead. I can't eat the same thing everyday, so I've got a few meals frozen for me!
  • Vhovell
    Vhovell Posts: 286
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    Something that I recently started doing is cooking a cup of rice & mixing it with a can of beans (kidney or black) then spicing it up with lime juice, cilantro, season all, garlic, onion,...... (whatever sounds good) then putting in a tortilla with salsa. It makes about 2 or 3 wraps depending on how much you put in it. Or I had done it with tortilla chips instead of the wrap. It is REALLY good, easy to do & really cheap. You can even make a larger batch up & freeze it. Just don't add the salsa until you are ready to eat it or your rice will get soggy.

    i like this idea :o) thanks for posting...though would have to find something different to beans as don't really like them!

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