Easy Lunch Ideas

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Like most people, I'm a commuter when it comes to work. Our office has a fridge, toaster and microwave so assembling a little meal is doable. However, I'm always stumped when it comes to something quick, easy and HEALTHY to grab to bring to work for my lunch. I often leave quiet early in the morning so I'm either making lunch the night before or doing a grab-n-go in the morning.

What are some things you bring for lunch? Do you have some simple, healthy and flavourful ideas?

Any input helps! Thanks!
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Replies

  • maryjay51
    maryjay51 Posts: 742
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    i have my staples that i have to have for my meals during the week.. what i started doing was cooking boneless skinless chicken --usually on a sunday.. i cook it in a pot with a tad of water in it and cover to steam cook it. i add italian seasoning, freeze dried onion and pepper to it before i start cooking it to add flavor. then when its done i let it cool down a bit before i slice and or dice it up to put in a tupperware container.. then i cook about four servings of brown rice and sometimes a high protein pasta.. during the week when i have to make a lunch to go i can grab a hand full of chicken and put it with the rice or pasta or make a sandwich with it you will also have the chicken all cubed up and ready for a salad too if you want one. sometimes ill cook up sweet potatos or acorn squash ahead of time too and dice it up.. all depends what your plan to eat for the week is. i do not eat lunch meat because it is sooo bad for you so cooking ahead of time to save time during the week has been exxtremely successful for me
  • Mama2HnC
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    Glen's gone for the entire weekend up North. So before I left I fried a bunch of chicken breasts, cut up.
    Mixed baby spinach, cucumber, tomato, and green peppers and feta. I also made some tzatziki from scratch.
    I've the everything above combined in a container in the fridge, and when I want to eat some, I just pour some tzatziki over.

    Otherwise I make a whole wheat sandwich. Boring, but it works! have you tried rice and veggies as well? Make it on the weekend and have it all in the fridge!

    Here's the recipe I made: it's literally no calories!
    http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/08/skinny-tzatziki.html
  • allysonb80
    allysonb80 Posts: 109 Member
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    I was just talking about this with some friends. Here were the ideas that we all came up with...
    *Try a Mission Low Carb tortilla wrapped with deli meat, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, light mayo, whatever you want! Or make a big batch of chicken salad for the week and put it over mixed greens w/ some fresh veggies and light ranch.
    *I bring smart ones or lean cuisines a lot then like for a side grapes, apples, string cheese or a veggie like this week i'll be bringing turnip a few times. Also sometimes i make the boca veggie burgers on a ww english muffin. Or a smaller portion of leftovers from the night before.
    *I would bring the can of soup too. Especially in the winter. I love the Campbell's Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. Really Good!
    *today I'm having wegmans minestrone soup for lunch with cottage cheese and pineapple.... I may add a small grilled cheese sandwich
    *, I like to bring steel cut oats for breakfast with coffee and Creamer (work coffee) and maybe a clementine or banana with it. I used to do cereal with a banana for lunch and then plenty of healthy snacks (baby carrots, pop chips if I'm craving chips, grapes, laughing cow cheese with crackers, etc)
  • Michele7091
    Michele7091 Posts: 256 Member
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    I always bring leftovers for lunch. We make enough dinner so that the hubs and I can both have lunch the next day. I portion it out the night before so it is very much a grab-n-go meal. On the rare occasion that we don't have anything left over I usually keep a few Lean Cuisine pizzas in the freezer here at work. My last resort is to go grab something from a nearby fast food place but I still try to make it healthy and stick to Subway.
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    Lean Cuisine has many low cal, low carb, low sodium meals. Read the lables. I always add some frozen no salt veggies to mine to make them more filling without adding sodium and a lot of extra calories.
  • ChrissyT30
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    I always cook too much at dinner and then eat the left overs for lunch the next day! All you have to do is heat it in the microwave :) I also always have healthy snacks around like carrots, apples, blueberries, mandarines, dry roasted edeamame ect.
  • blueimp
    blueimp Posts: 230 Member
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    For nutritional reasons I can't eat most prepackaged foods and most fast foods (even healthy ones) are out for me.
    I cook ahead and slice and package servings. I buy whole wheat tortillas (6-8 inch). I have cut up veggies prepped ahead of time; sometimes a veggie cassorole or homemade soup that I can heat up. I do use some Greek yogurts so I have some of those on hand. Occasionally I have a small apple. I have enough in the fridge for variety all week - I seldom have the same lunch twice.
  • lorac321
    lorac321 Posts: 627 Member
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    Light Ham, light turkey, lettuce, tomato & light mayo on sandwhich thins with can of Progresso light soup. I bring enough fixings for the week and keep it at work.

    For a snack I like Kellogg's special K crackers and light string cheese.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
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    Every Monday, I take a lunchbox with a package of Foldit's, turkey or ham, cheese, and sliced tomato + onion + lettuce leaves. I have a small container of reduced fat mayo, bottle of mustard and hot peppers. I leave the whole thing in the fridge at work all week, and make myself a nice lovely sandwich every day for about 250kc.

    I bring snacks on a daily basis - yogurt, berries, etc.

    Note: The Foldit's are whole grain, the turkey and cheese are organic. No nitrites or preservatives.
  • keiraannemorgan
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    These are AWESOME ideas, everyone! I am already feeling so inspired to create some yummy, healthy lunches!

    Keep the ideas coming if you have them and feel free to add me to your network - I'm brand new to MFP!
  • boobee32
    boobee32 Posts: 450 Member
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    I eat a Healthy Choice Steamer and a side salad every day. The meals are 330 calories or less, have lots of fiber and protein, and are 600 or less in sodium.
  • emmyvera
    emmyvera Posts: 599 Member
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    I struggle with new ideas on a monthly basis.

    This week I came up with a new idea!!! . . . . a Veggie Salad Wrap

    Mix black beans, corn, fresh tomato. Add cumin, chili powder, dash of salt.
    Put the mixture in a lettuce wrap and topped it with a little salsa and a little mozzarella cheese.

    I made four servings with this, so I have one for each day this week.

    It's under 200 calories per serving. 4 servings. I used canned veggies (drained and rinsed).
    Normally I would use frozen and/or dry. That would save on sodium.

    :happy:
  • dargytaylor
    dargytaylor Posts: 840 Member
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    I like to make a big batch of soup on the weekends and put into individual take along bowls. Grab and go!

    I also make my own stock to cut down on sodium.
  • keiraannemorgan
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    That sounds great - I'd add a handful of cilantro for an extra flavour kick!
  • stephaniep12345mfp
    stephaniep12345mfp Posts: 116 Member
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    Hi everyone, I'm brand new here and am poking around in all the posts to get some good ideas, and I love this thread! I almost always make my lunch at work and have a couple easy staples. I shop on the weekend and bring in the ingredients for the week to keep in my mini fridge.

    The first is a Greek salad from the South Beach Diet. I use a romaine lettuce heart, fat free feta cheese, tomato, cucumber (I prefer the seedless kind), and some bell pepper. The original recipe calls for red onion, but I leave that out. For the dressing it's 1 tsp. dried oregano, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice and 2 Tbsp. olive oil. I make enough containers of dressing to get me through the week and have them ready when I need them.

    The second is a chicken salad wrap, and I can't remember where the recipe is from. It's 1 whole wheat wrap, 3 oz. chopped chicken breast, 1 chopped celery stalk, 1/2 cup chopped apple, 2 tsp. olive oil, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, 3/4 cup baby spinach leaves and 2 slices of tomato.
  • Jlynne2011xyz
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    what is " cilantro "?
    and is a salad healthy?
    and i have been hearing alot about greek yogart? is it a special kind?
    SO SORRY BUT I'M NEW TO ALL THIS, THANKS FOR ALL HELP IN ADVANCE!!
  • Jolenebib
    Jolenebib Posts: 142 Member
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    Check out cookinglight.com this month:
    22 healthy lunch ideas:
    http://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/smart-choices/healthy-lunch-ideas-00412000067923/
  • rmgd
    rmgd Posts: 4 Member
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    they sell already cooked and stripped chicken breast in the grocery store(fresh or frozen)! yahoo! add a few strips to a whole wheat torlilla with assorted green veggies and drizzle with Ken's light options dressing and voila! lunch is ready.
  • lwdllc
    lwdllc Posts: 234 Member
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    I just made a big batch of butter beans with 2 pieces of crispy bacon in the pot. Lunch all week :)
  • italianissima
    italianissima Posts: 140 Member
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    All of your ideas are great!

    I am a huge fan of quinoa! You can get it at Costco wholesale for a great price.

    I love to make it plain and simple- just boil the grain in water and follow the directions for cooking time, etc. Even though it says to make it with broth, I don't . And, you really don't need to.

    Since it is such an absorbent grain, whatever you add to it gets infused into the grain.

    I like to take a small bowl and put quinoa on the bottom, sauteed veggies on top, and cubed chicken breast on that. If I am feeling saucy I add Frank's Red Hot sauce! It's a yummy bowl that's clean eating and full of protein!