Easy, cheap, quick lunches for work

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pjbr86
pjbr86 Posts: 6 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi all,

I'm really struggling to come up with meals for my lunch in the office that are cheap and quick to put together the night before.

I'm prone to over eating, and find it difficult to stick to anything HUGELY strict.

Also feeling deflated, and struggling to be imaginative.

Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    edited April 2019
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    sandwich, salad, soup, leftovers...

    I don't typically think of lunch as an elaborate, imaginative meal...more basic. I save the more imaginative for dinner.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,390 Member
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    I don't cook for breakfast or lunch, and it takes 5 minutes to prepare in the morning: oats with skyr and raisins (cut some free fruits in at the office). Sandwiches with wholegrain bread. A candybar that's in my underdesk drawer.
  • gentlygently
    gentlygently Posts: 752 Member
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    Interesting - I find weekdays breakfast and lunch the easiest to make cheap and healthy (to me that is: as in high fibre, lower fat, lots of veg/fruit, oily fish from a can). I think this is because I don’t worry too much about variety. And my self discipline is better!

    Lunch - may be cook up (or buy in!) big batches of soup (I would do eg spicy tomato, veg and beans) and portion up and freeze? Grab and go - it Will have defrosted by lunch time to heat up at work. Add a banana and a lump of cheese if you want more calories?

    Or freeze a batch of individually wrapped homemade (thin sliced!) cheese or ham wholemeal sandwiches - in the morning (or night before) grab and simply add a bit of carrot/apple/cucumber /grapes to the lunchbox? This is how we do my daughter’s school lunch box....she makes a couple of weeks supply sat in front of Dr Who.

    Or hard boil some eggs and extra potatoes whilst cooking supper for eg a salad nicoise - (add the tuna at work, and any dressing)?

    Or solve the whole ‘think ahead’ issue by getting up 5 mins earlier and making sandwiches fresh each day? You can cary the fillings and accompanying salad/veg/fruit. And don't have to face food planning issues when you are tired...

    Hope these ideas help..,
  • cavefallss
    cavefallss Posts: 39 Member
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    For lunch I usually have overnight oats with fruit, or regular oats with fruit, potato with broccoli, beans and salsa on top. Homemade burritos, rice and beans, soups, tofu with vegetables, rice cakes with tomato or whatever on top.
  • radpin
    radpin Posts: 6 Member
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    Scoop of whey, apple, 12 unsalted unroasted almonds. Bon appetit.
  • WholeFoods4Lyfe
    WholeFoods4Lyfe Posts: 1,518 Member
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    I meal prep sometimes and do lunches for the entire week in one fell swoop, that way everything is pre-portioned and grab-and-go. Otherwise I do a lot of leftovers, and just pack up meal sized portions when we are done with dinner.
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
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    some of my lunches:
    - two hard boiled eggs. two laughing cow cheese wegdes. cut up veggies for bulk (usually carrots, cuccumber and celeri) and a home made protein bar.
    - tuna (pre-packaged and mixed), crackers, cut up veggies for bulk (usually carrots, cuccumber and celeri) and a home made protein bar (or chocolate jello cup).
    - quinoa salad (i make a big batch), cow cheese wegdes, cut up veggies for bulk (usually carrots, cuccumber and celeri) and a home made protein bar.
    - big batch of home made soup (usually butternut squash), cow cheese wegdes, cut up veggies for bulk (usually carrots, cuccumber and celeri) and a home made protein bar.
  • jessiedawn8400
    jessiedawn8400 Posts: 37 Member
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    I will buy a rotisserie chicken and cook up veggies (peppers, onions, mushrooms, etc) and use that throughout the week for wraps, or put it over rice. It doesn't take long on a Sunday to prepare them for the week so I just have to grab a container in the morning. Or I'll use the chicken added to a bag of salad mix for a quick salad.
  • Dreamwa1ker
    Dreamwa1ker Posts: 196 Member
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    I sort of meal prep my lunches, but try to stay easy. Things like burrito bowls: on the weekend I throw a batch of chicken and veggies in the oven on a sheet pan, and then make a batch of brown rice. And black beans (I just use canned) all you gotta do is rinse them. Each night you can just pack up your portion of chicken, veggie, beans, rice and then some toppings like avocado, lettuce, tomato, salsa. Sometimes I make an avocado sauce instead for the topping (avocado, lime, a little plain yogurt blended together, salt & pepper).
  • Gunandjag
    Gunandjag Posts: 1 Member
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    I get the pre made "ready pac" or "market street" salads from Walmart - add an avocado for substance or some tomatoes. They are pre made up, easy to grab&go and are really good!

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