For the People who eat at work

Simplicity
Simplicity Posts: 383 Member
edited September 19 in Food and Nutrition
Hello everyone reading this.
I work long ten hour shifts either from 5.00am to 3.00pm or 2pm to mighnight which means I am usually not at home for my main meals during the day. My workplace provides a microwave and a kettle and fridge so its very difficult to keep up with the proper meals and fresh veg. so i was wondering if anyone had any ideas for recipies that can be pre cooked and then reheated.
I'm not an amazing chef but i do enjoy making new things.
The one i made today was
Basmati rice (75g?) steamed then adding peppers sweetcorn and peas
Chicken breast (200g) steamed with salt and pepper then chopped and added to the rice and peas
all covered in about 3 teaspoons of this hot sauce i got form tesco.
it tastes banging with a good kick in it too. but i'd love to hear other peoples suggestions.
also anyone know whats the best thing to eat when you go out to a curry house. i can't be a complete antisocial health freak all the time lol.
Ps sorry i am quite new to this website so i haven't read all the way through the lists to see if this topic has been covered before.
Thanks
Ben

Replies

  • Simplicity
    Simplicity Posts: 383 Member
    Hello everyone reading this.
    I work long ten hour shifts either from 5.00am to 3.00pm or 2pm to mighnight which means I am usually not at home for my main meals during the day. My workplace provides a microwave and a kettle and fridge so its very difficult to keep up with the proper meals and fresh veg. so i was wondering if anyone had any ideas for recipies that can be pre cooked and then reheated.
    I'm not an amazing chef but i do enjoy making new things.
    The one i made today was
    Basmati rice (75g?) steamed then adding peppers sweetcorn and peas
    Chicken breast (200g) steamed with salt and pepper then chopped and added to the rice and peas
    all covered in about 3 teaspoons of this hot sauce i got form tesco.
    it tastes banging with a good kick in it too. but i'd love to hear other peoples suggestions.
    also anyone know whats the best thing to eat when you go out to a curry house. i can't be a complete antisocial health freak all the time lol.
    Ps sorry i am quite new to this website so i haven't read all the way through the lists to see if this topic has been covered before.
    Thanks
    Ben
  • Phoenix_Rising
    Phoenix_Rising Posts: 11,417 Member
    hi Benjamumover :wink:

    I have no useful advice. I'm a terrible cook.
  • blackbeltfairy
    blackbeltfairy Posts: 66
    I'm in the same boat. 2 15 minute breaks over the course of a 12 hour shift... if I'm lucky.

    Something I've really taken to is the Campbell's Soup At Hand. It only takes 1.5 minutes in the microwave, and it's only 110 calories! The Creamy Chicken flavour is really satisfying, but the blended vegetable ones are great, too. I just bring a can of tuna along in that case to get my protein fix.

    If you can get frozen meals on sale (often as low as 1$) they're great as well. I stock up whenever Lean Cuisine goes on sale. Their Chili Ginger Beef Stirfry is really good.
  • Simplicity
    Simplicity Posts: 383 Member
    ha ha very good lol.
    i do use the precooked micro meals sometimes but i like to see what i put in to mine.:smile:
  • blackbeltfairy
    blackbeltfairy Posts: 66
    Oh, and salads can be awesome too. I hate boring salads, so I go all out.

    One of my favourites: snow peas, mango, red peppers and almonds in a raspberry vinaigrette. I top it with teriyaki portobello mushrooms, and it's delicious!

    Another good one: baby spinach, dried cranberries, tamari almonds and blue cheese, topped with strips of steak. I get a package of cheap fast fry steaks, cook all of them up and slice them before putting them in baggies. Then I whip one out whenever I feel like adding meat to something.
  • likes2bwet
    likes2bwet Posts: 275 Member
    CAn't really say I have advice either, but the name totally cracks me up. I will be giggling over it all day..thanks for jump starting my morning Ben...:laugh: I have a feeling I could get to giggling so much I start to :cry:
  • Simplicity
    Simplicity Posts: 383 Member
    thanks for that lol. my mum hates the name for obvious reasons along with almost everyone else. I thinks its terrible too but i forget that people will actually see it and again with this website i forgot ha ha.
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
    For fresh veggies, try Birdseye steamfresh....there are lots to choose from and you can cook them right in the microwave. They also have single serve versions, though I have not been able to find them at my grocery store.
  • mother23ts
    mother23ts Posts: 70
    Well I work 12hour shifts 6:30 am to 6:30 pm and what I like to take are wraps. I will bake some chicken or beef season and use a tortilla wrap and add lettuce or I use fresh spinach leaves and might make a vinagarette or eat plain. It tastes so good and you can eat it cold or heated. Another tip: before I leave the house I portion out everything I plan on eating at work and I figure out my calories for the day. Ohterwise I end up eating things and forget about them. Good luck:flowerforyou:
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  • mother23ts
    mother23ts Posts: 70
    Congrats on the sober living:happy:
  • eshwok45
    eshwok45 Posts: 21
    I find a lot of good low cal recipes on the Food Network website. One of my faves is the Hamburger Buddy recipe from Eating Well.com. It is basically a homemade, healthier version of hamburger helper. It makes about 6 servings and keeps for a couple days. One serving is 1 1/3 cup and it's 326 calories. Very filling and very yummy!

    http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/eating-well/hamburger-buddy-recipe/index.html

    Hope that helps. :happy:
  • Simplicity
    Simplicity Posts: 383 Member
    thanks for that. i hadn't thought of wraps i do like them.
    I'm like you too in that everything is in seperate containers when i go to work and all typed into MFPal before i have eaten them. that way i don't have anything else lol.
  • Thin4payton
    Thin4payton Posts: 234 Member
    For fresh veggies, try Birdseye steamfresh....there are lots to choose from and you can cook them right in the microwave. They also have single serve versions, though I have not been able to find them at my grocery store.
    You can also get the ziplock steamer bags and use what ever food you want to put in it and micorwave it. It gives you more variety and you can make foods you like!! Very handy!
  • Simplicity
    Simplicity Posts: 383 Member
    wow thanks for everyone tips and help i appreciate it.
    stomachs rumbling now i think its time for a exciting exhilarating undescribably delicious ......apple!!! woo yey for me
    Thanks again
  • chrissyh
    chrissyh Posts: 8,235 Member
    he he :laugh: ROFLMBO

    Funny name!! Love it!

    No helpful hints either - I work from home so typically leftovers are the magic key for me.
  • Phera
    Phera Posts: 269 Member
    I don't know if you have a Trader Joes anywhere near you but I like their microwave foods way better than than the typical stuff you find a the supermarket. They have black bean and corn enchiladas which are very tasty, Annie's noodle bowls which I add some extra frozen veggies to and sometimes tofu, also madras lentils that I add rice and a spot of fat-free sour cream. All these meals are about 400 calories.

    The trick to eating at work is to plan ahead and really look for microwaveable low cal basics to customize. Spend a little extra time at the market looking at the entire frozen food section including the "healthier" microwave meals tucked away at the end. Try one and if you like it then wait for them to go on sale and then buy a bunch of them.
  • Nich0le
    Nich0le Posts: 2,906 Member
    Cook lots of rice and grilled chicken, poriton into tupperware containers and take with you. You can add frozen veggies too.

    I like to cook veggie soup and double the batch, portion and freeze so when I have to go to the office I have good food to take with me.

    Also, if you don't have time to cut fruit, grocery stores are adding more and more on the go fruit and veggie items, stock up for the week and enjoy.

    Trader Joe's has great salads and ready made meals to choose from if you have one near you.

    Basically, plan ahead, work smarter, not harder :drinker:
  • rmccully
    rmccully Posts: 319
    Hey Ben you can also get the eat smart salads aswell. they are great. I am eating one right now. I bring in my lunch most every day. fruit and veggies mainly.
  • roserex
    roserex Posts: 90 Member
    I buy the single serving "green giant" vegatables the ones that run about $1.30-$1.10. They are label like "Healthy Weight" or "Immunity Blend". Then they also have a package of broccoli and cheese sauce (comes iwth 4 to a package). These are really good. The immunity blend has its own sauce.
    Many times I will take these and mix them with grilled chicken leftovers. Also, Uncle Bens has a Long Grain Veg Medley rice that cooks in 90 sec in micro and that mixed with any meat is really good. Costs a couple of bucks but you can get several servings out of it. Nuts and fruit are also good.

    You could even make your own pasta the night before and mix it for lunch with above veg - especially the broccoli cheese sauce. These have been my lifesaver as far as giving me more taste to the traditional chicken breast. Hope this helps.
  • rocketdreams
    rocketdreams Posts: 15
    Chilli is my personal favourite -- make a big pot on the weekend when you have time. It freezes beautifully! And then you always have something to bring in to work!

    I don't really have a recipe, to me it's a food you can kind of make up as you go. :) But I'm sure you can find tons of healthy chilli recipes on here or via the google.
  • JDHINAZ
    JDHINAZ Posts: 641 Member
    I keep it simple. I take a big gallon bag filled with chopped salad veggies (minus leafy greens, they don't keep as well), several cans of tuna and a bottle of salad dressing. Boring, but it gets me through several days without having to think about what to eat. Then a couple days a week I take leftovers from the previous nights supper.
  • carolstrange0
    carolstrange0 Posts: 134
    K so i think i can help.... I too work 8 - 5 and i eat at my desk

    But a couple of times i have brought in my grorge forman and some chicken.

    You can cook some brown rice (were all healthy here) night before once you get home.... Seperate it out to last about 3 days. and when you reheat it either keep the lid on with a tiny crack or if you have to use a bowl... Cover it with a damp paper towel (no water drippies)

    Also if you have time... cut about 1/4 an inch off the top of your LEAN chicken brest and put seasoning inside it... I find if you cook it with seasoning on it in the "george" it burns

    Cut up watermelon the night/ day before... some Broccoli, some celery (maybe some ranch or peanut butter.... measured out of coures)

    Also i have a good lasgana recepit at home but i will have to get back to you on that... I have no idea what the Calories are in it, but if you substute too much its really bland! it makes enough for about 6 - 8 people!
    I would make this and just seperate it out and reheat it .... oh its yummy!!!

    One more thing i do because i work at a desk....
    Try to drink water with in a certin amount of hours.... say you start at 8am, Drink 16 oz between 8 ans 9:30 then do it again 9:30 to say 10:30 or 11... so on and so fourth...

    Good Luck!!
  • Kelly11
    Kelly11 Posts: 75 Member
    Stir fry! Of course any veggies work, but my favorite combo is carrots, celery, edamame, and lots of big pieces of onion...just use a little olive oil and a lot of garlic, red pepper, black pepper, and some salt if you like. I make a huge batch, and then put some in a container over brown rice for lunch, with the soy sauce and hot sauce added. At work, I microwave it, and it's so filling and good!

    Sometimes I make the same recipe, but instead of hot sauce and soy sauce, I add a little white wine and curry powder (the blend of spices). It's a good way to get the flavor of Indian food, without the worry about calories :)

    Good luck packin' your lunches!
  • BlossysMom
    BlossysMom Posts: 50
    great idea Rose! I have a tough time figuring what to eat also. I am up between 5-6am and in bed by 9-10pm.

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  • Cinnamon_Kisses
    Cinnamon_Kisses Posts: 83
    It took me a good few minutes of saying your name out loud before I got it :laugh:

    I've been having a mixed bean salad for lunch the past few days. It just different types of beans mixed up with your favourite salad dressing.
  • JDHINAZ
    JDHINAZ Posts: 641 Member
    It took me a good few minutes of saying your name out loud before I got it :laugh:

    I've been having a mixed bean salad for lunch the past few days. It just different types of beans mixed up with your favourite salad dressing.

    Great idea!! Simple and filling. I'll give that a whirl....better remember to take the Gas-X! :laugh:
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