Office Lunch?

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: 7,959 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.