Lunch ideas for work

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rapscalli
rapscalli Posts: 12 Member
edited May 2019 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi. I have been taking a tin of beans and sausages to work (along with some fruit) as a quick and easy lunch. But looking at the the calories and nutrients it's not as good a lunch as I thought!

What ideas so you have for 'storecupboard' type meals I can have at work. I have access to a microwave and boiling water.
Some days I have the time to prep lunch, but looking for ideas for the days I don't!

PS trying to lose weight and put on some muscle. Running and dumbbells two or three times a week to achieve this.
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Replies

  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    edited May 2019
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    my work lunches (keeping in mind my daily goal is around 1400 and i leave room for snacks so my meals are not HUGE). all meal prep is easy and pretty quick.
    - boiled eggs, two laughing cow cheese, raw vegetables, home made protein bar "dessert"
    - tuna and crackers, raw vegetables, jello pudding cup
    - home made soup, 2 laughing cow cheese, raw vegetables, home made protein bar "dessert"
    - quinoa salad, raw vegetables, home made protein bar "dessert"
  • wannabeskinnycat
    wannabeskinnycat Posts: 205 Member
    edited May 2019
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    I've been making egg muffins - not sure of their real name but that works for me.

    1 egg per muffin
    Any ingredients you like with egg. I have tomato, onion, cheese etc. My surprise faves are grated courgette & carrott (I know!)

    Mix together and pour in a greased (1 spray of oil/drip of coconut oil - whatever you prefer) muffin tray, to about 3/4 of the muffin and bake for 20 mins on gas mark 5

    I batch make them and they freeze perfectly. Can be defrosted in microwave, or put into lunch pack frozen, then heated for a few minutes in the microwave.


  • garystrickland357
    garystrickland357 Posts: 598 Member
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    I keep canned soup and a couple of microwave frozen lunches at work. Usually the calories are reasonable and the nutrition won't derail anything you're doing. My daily go-to lunch is a simple sandwich ~ about 300 calories and I like them.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,136 Member
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    Today I have some Thai Green Chicken Curry I made in the slow cooker yesterday and reheated it with a bag of steam rice.

    For Tomorrow & Thursday I've Pasta with some greek style salad (feta cheese/olives/tomato/cucumber) and for Wednesday & Friday I'll be making Tuna & Mozzarella Pasta Salad.

    Soups homemade or shop bought are handy for a quick and easy lunch. I often have half a tub with 2 mini naan breads.

    Aldi (if you have one near you) have some nice things you can throw in the microwave too - falafel, etc that can be put in a pitta bread.

    Shop bought salads, sandwiches, ready meals etc.

    Calories & nutrients matter as part of your whole diet, so if you like what you're eating already just make sure it works factored into the rest of your day/week. There's nothing really wrong with sausages & beans/fruit. Just make sure you're making up for any difference in nutrition with your evening meal/breakfast.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
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    It depends on what the problem is with your current lunch. What calorie and/or macro goals do you have for your lunches?

    In addition, you're not likely to both lose weight and build substantial muscle at the same time. Weight (fat) loss requires a calorie deficit, and it's hard to build very much muscle in a deficit. You can/should strength train in a deficit to help maintain the muscle you have, or you can follow a recomp plan to maintain your weight while cutting fat and building muscle.
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
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    Over the weekend, I'll fire up the grill and throw 5 big chicken breasts on there. Marinated in Dale's sauce and cooked over charcoal with some hickory chips, they come out delicious and juicy with a great smokey flavor.
    Toss them in separate ziploc sandwich bags and voila. I have a week's worth of lunches.

    May sound boring to you with no sides but it suits me. Sometimes I'll stir fry some bell peppers while I grill the chicken and divide them into gladware containers to take as well. Or I may take green beans.
  • funjen1972
    funjen1972 Posts: 949 Member
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    Some of my regular quick options with rough calorie estimates:

    50 calorie wraps or tortillas
    Fresh, Frozen or canned veggies - big bowl for 100 cals
    Oatmeal 150 cals per serving
    Canned soups (140-180 cals per whole can)
    Turkey sticks or pepperoni (about 80 cals per serving)
    Turkey lunch meat
    Laughing cow light (25 cals) spread on the wrap and top with veggies and/or meat etc...
    Banana or other fruit - 100 cals
    Tuna packet - 75 cals
    Plain fat free Greek yogurt with sweetener of choice 120 cals per cup
    Hard boiled egg 75 cals
  • etherealanwar
    etherealanwar Posts: 465 Member
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    I usually either have a frozen lunch option or make a grilled chicken salad.

  • Dreamwa1ker
    Dreamwa1ker Posts: 196 Member
    edited May 2019
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    When I'm feeling super lazy - a frozen Healthy choice meal and one of a fiber one bar/side salad/instant oatmeal/fruit since the frozen meal is not going to keep you full on its own and is too low cal anyway.

    Usually I do better than that and meal prep something on the weekend to eat for most of the week - pasta with arrabiata sauce and chicken sausage, salads, burrito bowls, etc. A lot of times I'll make a big batch of chicken, pork, etc for these meals on a sheet pan in the oven or on the grill so it all cooks at once to save time.
  • MarisaMSimon
    MarisaMSimon Posts: 277 Member
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    I always eat leftovers from dinner the night before. Super easy because it's cheaper for me to do that
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,181 Member
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    Tuna fish + Mayo+ any and all veggies ( Celery, onion, tomatoes, etc)
  • rapscalli
    rapscalli Posts: 12 Member
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    Thanks all for the ideas. Are there any more suggestions for healthy 'storecupboard' ideas such as specific tins or packets that are nutritious and I could keep in my drawer in work for days when I haven't made lunch?
  • ejbronte
    ejbronte Posts: 867 Member
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    I food prep on Sundays, usually both chicken breast and some kind of beef dish. Portion and freeze. Through the week, I choose what I want, and do a quick sandwich or salad, and toss it in a tupperware. Done. I've been making my own bread too, and recently pleased myself with no-knead dough kept in the fridge for a week: rip off 3 ounces, form into a roll, or sort of pizza, or an empanada sort of thing, toss in the oven, and it's fresh bread almost on demand!
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
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    rapscalli wrote: »
    Thanks all for the ideas. Are there any more suggestions for healthy 'storecupboard' ideas such as specific tins or packets that are nutritious and I could keep in my drawer in work for days when I haven't made lunch?

    tuna and crackers. actually you can get all kinds of healthy shelf stable meats in a can or pouch now (chicken, salmon, ect.)

    if you have a freezer and microwave frozen meals.
  • nooboots
    nooboots Posts: 480 Member
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    rapscalli wrote: »
    Hi. I have been taking a tin of beans and sausages to work (along with some fruit) as a quick and easy lunch. But looking at the the calories and nutrients it's not as good a lunch as I thought!

    What ideas so you have for 'storecupboard' type meals I can have at work. I have access to a microwave and boiling water.
    Some days I have the time to prep lunch, but looking for ideas for the days I don't!

    PS trying to lose weight and put on some muscle. Running and dumbbells two or three times a week to achieve this.

    Is it a hot meal you want? I started doing this a while back and it really helped me. Get a thermos food flask and either make up some meals on a sunday night (presuming you work Monday to Friday) and put them in portion sized tubs. Then each morning take the tubs, microwave them, put the food in the food flask and you have a lovely hot lunch.

    I used to do this with tinned curry or beef stew, lamb stew. The reason I found it easier not to make my own is because I would make far too much and add in things which I shouldnt like more calories! Using a tin or ready meal was better for controlling what I ate but obviously home cooked is better. I dont eat bread, pasta, pots or rice so I couldnt use the rice pots or noodle pots that others eat.

    I didnt like having to queue up for the microwave and take out hot steaming plastic tubs and carry them back to my desk, too messy and prone to spill (clumsy). The thermos ones come with a spoon in the top. I love them.
  • nooboots
    nooboots Posts: 480 Member
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    wannabeskinnycat wrote: »
    I've been making egg muffins - not sure of their real name but that works for me.

    1 egg per muffin
    Any ingredients you like with egg. I have tomato, onion, cheese etc. My surprise faves are grated courgette & carrott (I know!)

    Mix together and pour in a greased (1 spray of oil/drip of coconut oil - whatever you prefer) muffin tray, to about 3/4 of the muffin and bake for 20 mins on gas mark 5

    I batch make them and they freeze perfectly. Can be defrosted in microwave, or put into lunch pack frozen, then heated for a few minutes in the microwave.


    I used to make those too, good for breakfasts, also a little thin sliver of peperami in them is nice
  • TayaCurragh
    TayaCurragh Posts: 709 Member
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    For cupboard food I'd recommend microwave rice or cous cous with a tin of fish e.g tuna or salmon
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,181 Member
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    rapscalli wrote: »
    Thanks all for the ideas. Are there any more suggestions for healthy 'storecupboard' ideas such as specific tins or packets that are nutritious and I could keep in my drawer in work for days when I haven't made lunch?

    In Walmart there is tuna in a bag. But its not plain tuna.
  • mimimunchery
    mimimunchery Posts: 69 Member
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    I’ve been making a pretty tasty sandwich: nice whole grain bread, turkey, ultra thin sliced cheddar, lettuce, red cabbage and red peppers. Plus some Amy’s honey mustard and yellow mustard. About 350 or 400 cals, really tasty and keeps me full for hour. Keeps well in a U konserve tin.

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