Office Lunch?

limevodka
limevodka Posts: 11 Member
edited December 24 in Food and Nutrition
What do you bring to work for lunch? I have run out of pre-prepped lunches and I'm looking for ideas that aren't just 'soup'!

Over the past 1.5 weeks I have had homemade chili; pasta with lemon juice and creme fraiche; and honey-sriracha chicken and broccoli bowls. (I didn't realise how much chili the recipe made and had about 8 meals out of it so am ready for a change!)

Replies

  • busyPK
    busyPK Posts: 3,788 Member
    Roast with veggies (crockpot meal)
    Egg, cheese and veggie casserole or muffins - I like this with hot sauce and an English muffin
    Build your own tacos with either shredded chicken or ground beef or your fav meat
  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
    My typical work lunches are deli meat, cheese, and some bread or crackers. Other times I will make a sandwich or salad. With the exception of couscous, I usually leave more elaborate meals that require actual cooking for dinner.
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
    The hubby usually takes leftovers from whatever I cooked for dinner the night before. He has a portable oven so it heats up nicely.
  • katermari
    katermari Posts: 137 Member
    i am obsessed with tuna wraps or egg salad wraps. im so boring.
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,871 Member
    Today I'm eating leftover pizza.
  • astridtheviking
    astridtheviking Posts: 113 Member
    I almost always make my lunches a duplicate of dinner the night before, even if it means I have to double my dinners.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    Put me in the leftovers camp also. Although I usually go with a smaller portion for lunch.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    Leftovers. I make a weekly meal plan that ensures I will have leftovers for lunches. When I cook, I portion food into individual servings before putting it away, so it's easy to just grab a box from the fridge in the morning.
  • limevodka
    limevodka Posts: 11 Member
    Leftovers seem popular! Definitely what i normally do as well, although i just found a recipe for chicken salad that fits my calories, so I might try that and some green salad in some pita bread.
  • ecmorgan101
    ecmorgan101 Posts: 24 Member
    I'm a teacher, so it isn't really office work, but close enough. I tend to cycle between:
    • Deli meat sandwiches with cheese on healthy white bread.
    • Tuna sandwich.
    • Salads (I make sure to throw some chicken or something in there.
    • Occasionally a lean cuisine/smart ones.
    • Some leftovers (soup - I know, chili, etc.)
    • Our school cafeteria is not exactly yummy, but once a week (day varies), they have an excellent salad bar, so I try to take advantage of that.
  • jenncornelsen
    jenncornelsen Posts: 969 Member
    My go to is half a salad kit with rotisserie chicken. Approx 30 seconds to prepare lol!
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    edited January 2020
    Dinner leftovers. If not, I usually (at this time of year) make a chili or stew or else I bring a big salad with some kind of protein on it (and bring the homemade dressing separately).
  • Nimbkar
    Nimbkar Posts: 63 Member
    buddha bowls! I watch Tish Wonders on youtube. She has some fantastic ideas.
  • ssorg9
    ssorg9 Posts: 30 Member
    I am a salad-in-a jar guy.1/2 of a Taylor Farms Asian Salad with 2 oz of Rotisserie Chicken and 2 cups of Cole slaw mix. Dressing at the bottom of a Mason jar, then meat, then salad, wonton noodles last. I can make a week's worth in advance. Luckily, I'm fine with eating the same lunch every day. I'm tracking it at 275 calories.
  • pdxwine
    pdxwine Posts: 389 Member
    For me, it is usually half a tuna sandwich, an apple or banana and a mini candy bar.
  • cannedgoo
    cannedgoo Posts: 72 Member
    I work in an office that’s been overrun by meeting frenzy - on Friday I finally have a time near lunch that isn’t booked (yet). Because of that I eat a lot granola bars/cups and fruit on the go.
    When I actually get to eat I like the Healthy Choice PowerBowls, but at 3.50-5.00 (depending on location) a piece the $/cal ratio is a bit steep for some.
    I also leave a salad dressing in the work fridge & bring lettuce & cheese and do Caesar salads sometimes.
    Finally, put me in the leftovers camp.

    I absolutely cannot eat the same thing more than once in a row so these choices all get rotated regularly... except this week is a lot of almond butter granola cups :(
  • lilithsrose
    lilithsrose Posts: 752 Member
    When I have time to meal prep, I usually roast veggies in the oven while prepping and cooking chicken and instant rice on the stove. I put a portion of each in a reusable, microwavable container.

    Other ideas are honey sriracha turkey meatballs (I use frozen meatballs), eggroll in a bowl (ground turkey or beef works too), and burrito bowls (rice w/ black beans, grilled corn, salsa, chicken, etc.).
  • Crafty_camper123
    Crafty_camper123 Posts: 1,440 Member
    Almost always dinner leftovers. I try to make enough dinner that both my husband and I can eat the leftovers the next day. I typically go home for lunch, but I will list stuff you could throw together the night before or morning of to go out the door with.

    -Ramen with an egg added in. Crack an egg and add it in when you microwave your noodles. Adds protien. Kind of like poor man's pho.
    -Sammich. Or torilla wrap, or lettuce wrap. Depending caloric needs that day.
    -Omelet in a jar. Grab a coffee mug or mason jar and a couple of eggs. Thow in salsa, veggies, cheese or whatever and nuke it for 90-ish seconds or until eggs are firm.
    -Sardines and crackers (I eat at home with my dogs though, so ymmv, lol!)
    -Cheese, crackers, and veggies.
    -Healthy Choice TV dinners ( I like those because they seem to have enough food and aren't obnoxiously high in calories.)
    -Hard boiled eggs and veggies or fruit
    -Salad in a "jar". (Does not have to be a mason jar. A tupperware container works just as well. Just leave enough room to give it a good shake when ready to eat.)



  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
    Definitely in the leftovers camp. I intentionally make two extra servings of every dinner so hubby and I have food for the next day at work.
  • JennJ323
    JennJ323 Posts: 646 Member
    edited January 2020
    I rarely use leftovers for lunch, I prefer to meal prep on Sunday for the week... these are all meals I've made on a Sunday and they've lasted me Mon-Fri.


    Salads of all kinds (simple greens or you could do egg salad, chicken salad, ham salad, taco salad, cheeseburger salad, steak salad)
    Wraps
    Sandwiches
    Meatballs (so many different varieties!)
    Chicken w/ veggie
    Chicken fajitas
    Homemade lunchable
    Sloppy Joe's
    Meatloaf & veggie
    Pork tenderloin
    Crock pot cheeseburgers
    BBQ pulled pork or chicken
    Stuffed peppers
    Asian chicken lettuce wraps
    Chicken sausage, bell peppers & potato sheet pan meal
    Taco bowl
    Taquitos
    Egg roll in a bowl
  • jdhcm2006
    jdhcm2006 Posts: 2,254 Member
    This week: homemade ham fried rice (twice), chicken with tortilla chips (twice), and a pork chop w/ corn (once).
  • DawnUrbanski
    DawnUrbanski Posts: 39 Member
    My go to is single hummus cups with pretzel or veggie dippers and usually a banana or apple.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 8,005 Member
    OP, next time you make too much chilli keep in mind that it freezes really well. Any braised meat with pulses recipe freezes well.
This discussion has been closed.