Heathy lunch options for work

So, I am a little different than most people when it comes to lunch because if I'm not at work I typically don't eat lunch. Meaning on the weekends I usually skip lunch because I know that I am going to have a bigger dinner. Usually, because I have time to fire up the smoker or make some elaborate meal on the weekends. But what I have been doing lately is taking cheese and crackers to work. Typical day is 2 oz of cheese and 4 club crackers (should be right about 300 calories). I then take my crackers and make little cheese sandwiches and go for a walk on my lunch break and eat them while on my walk.

I realize this probably won't work for everyone but it's what I do so I thought I would share.

I will add here that on a typical day I also have a midafternoon snack of coffee and a nature valley almond bar (170 calories) to tide me over until dinner time.

I never cook lunches (or breakfasts). I have a sandwich with something on it that I enjoy. Plus fruits or veggies to snack on.

I don't eat breakfast and normally have a decent size dinner with my family so calories for lunch are important. I usually choose a Healthy choice meal. They are not calorie heavy, cheaper than the take out I used to have, and filling. If I am still hungry or need a little pick me up before I go home I will eat a balanced break. This leaves me with 700-1000 calories left for dinner so I can eat with my family and even have a mini bag of smart pop popcorn.

This worked well for me during my last weight loss journey. I lost 75 lbs. Fell off the wagon after getting laid off during COVID but I am back at it. Staying well within my calories and not struggling with hunger.

jasonkaiser wrote: »

Low cal tortillas, shredded chicken (can be bought prepackaged), a small amount of cheese, lettuce & salsa

Yes, I was just going to suggest wraps using rotisserie chicken

Also, dinner leftovers.

And if you're up for a little more time in the kitchen, I posted some summer lunch ideas from my favorite youtuber cook here:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10895306/ethan-chleblowski-makes-three-high-protein-entree-summer-salads-two-with-chicken-one-with-tofu

I make a chia pudding the night before (chia seeds, natural yoghurt, milk, frozen banana blueberries and strawbs) and take that in. Often take a small apple or carrot as a snack too. For me, lunch on a workday is literally just for fuel and nutrients, so this does a good job of being nutritious and filling enough to get me through to evening. I actually made a big batch last night for the first time, about 4 days worth, which will make evening lunch-prep even easier.

I also went through a phase of eating half a tin of baked beans and an apple for work lunch every day. That was actually surprisingly great, but got a few weird looks from my colleages!

Frozen meal (Amy’s, Trader Joe’s Indian, Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine) with a string cheese and
some fruit.