Do you pack a lunch?

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coliema
coliema Posts: 7,646 Member
I bring my lunch with me everyday to work, I've noticed I bring quick things that are high in calories and all of that. I'm sick of eating a sandwich everyday, it get's old!

Does anyone have any ideas on what I could bring for lunch that is easy to make and not high in calories, yet filling?

I've started to bring veggies with ranch dip, instead of the cookies/chips I was bringing. Now I just need something to put in place of the everyday sandwich. Sometimes I'll bring a salad but that get's old quick as well!

Thank you for any help :flowerforyou:
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Replies

  • londongirl2012
    londongirl2012 Posts: 151 Member
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    wraps, pasta salad, couscous, normal salads with roasted veg/meat/beans, jacket potato, soup, last nights dinner? anything really depends if you have a microwave to warm up food or a fridge as meat/dairy can go off quickly in warm weather.
  • katiej122
    katiej122 Posts: 125 Member
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    I pack lunch every day, I got sick of sandwiches pretty quick too though, now on the weekend I make a big batch of soup, or anything I can freeze, portion it out into 4-5 containers, and take one to work and heat it up in the microwave.
    Salads are still good, try putting chicken breast or boiled eggs or low fat cheese in them to make them more filling, or even some pasta.
    Wraps are good alternatives to sandwiches too, and really good if you can toast them :) rice cakes too!...not toasted though
    You can have anything really :) Leftover dinners are the best!
  • MrsDutt
    MrsDutt Posts: 32
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    Just want to BUMP this threat cause I am also a sandwich queen and need new ideas :-)
  • JoolieW68
    JoolieW68 Posts: 1,879 Member
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    I pack lunch every day, usually a salad, but on rare occasion will bring a frozen Lean Cuisine.

    I cut up a bunch of romaine lettuce and keep it in a large container in the fridge, so in the morning I just have to put some in a smaller tupperware and add other veggies and lean turkey deli meat or grilled chicken.
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
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    Bulk cooking helps. Even a busy scheduled individual can make some time to cook on grocery day!
    I make plenty of soups (different varieties).

    We were a household of three, but we now have an empty nest - I still make four portions. One for dinner for each my husband and I. An extra for me for lunch the next day and an extra that my husband can have either as seconds, or for his breakfast the next day.
  • coliema
    coliema Posts: 7,646 Member
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    Thanks for the ideas everyone :flowerforyou: Keep them coming!

    I love the idea of making a big batch of soup and bringing it all week. I used to do that with chili! Mmmm.
  • thekarens
    thekarens Posts: 254 Member
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    When I make dinner the night before I always make enough for the next day lunch. I also occasionally have a sandwich or salad.
  • Kris1997
    Kris1997 Posts: 241
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    Progress light soup, many flavors and filling.
  • JLervold86
    JLervold86 Posts: 93 Member
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    I pack leftovers from the previous nights dinner (about 4 oz of protein and a half a cup of a carb) and a peice of fruit. We have a microwave so I just reheat whatever I ate the night before--Today is steak and a half a cup of mashed potato with an apple!
  • sashanicole88
    sashanicole88 Posts: 180 Member
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    I pack Progresso soups, lean cuisines, salads (with grilled chicken or turkey), sometimes I'll make some brown rice and veggies the night before and pack them for lunch :) lot's of choices! I almost always bring a low calorie yogurt as well for my "dessert"
  • bio_fit
    bio_fit Posts: 307 Member
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    Today I had houmous with carrot sticks and baby sweetcorn as a snack - lunch was salad with tzatziki and lamb - delicious!

    Other tasty lunches have been 3 bean salad (kidney beans, borlotti beans and cannelini beans) with a drizzle of oil, fresh mint and lemon juice. Dressed lentils with feta (green speckled/puy lentils - great for protein), chickpea salad with smoked mackerel... the list is endless! Ooo, nice one I had the other day, mustardy puy lentils with beef. Om nom nom. Puy lentils are great - they cook in about 15 minutes, not like those lentils that take forever..
  • HauteP1nk
    HauteP1nk Posts: 2,139 Member
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    I bring a lunch every single day - except Wednesday when our cafeteria has this fabulous Salsa Chicken and salad dish.

    Anyways, I usually bring left overs from my previous nights dinner. I always try to make extra so that I can just pack a small portion to bring for lunch.

    I also pre-cut all my veggies on the weekend so I can just grab them and go.

    I bring Tomato-Cucumber Salads, yogurt, a banana or mixed berries, and a lean protein such as a boiled egg/omelette, or piece of chicken.
  • shibainugal
    shibainugal Posts: 46 Member
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    My Fit Foods are tasty low calorie meals if you have one in your area. You keep them in the fridge and microwave them for two minutes. They have small/medium/large meals. I usually get the small. Another fairly healthy option I like are Amy's frozen meals. They are all organic. They also have soups.
  • naomi8888
    naomi8888 Posts: 519 Member
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    I bring lunch every single day and often it is a salad.

    I know you said salad gets boring but there are so many different salads you can make. I always have a deent amount of protein in (I eat seafood but no other animals) so it could be tuna, salmon, smoked salmon, prawns (shrimp)... And there's Asian salads or Mediterranean style salads, a millions different dresings. If you post a thread titled "What's your favourite salad recipe?" you'd get a million different responses.

    Otherwise another good option is frittata. You can make a big one or single serve ones in muffin tins. Again, there's a million different combinations :smile:
  • anhaab
    anhaab Posts: 44 Member
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    I try to grill or bake several meats (chicken, pork, tilapia) on Sunday and then bring leftovers for lunch during the week. Sometimes will throw together a salad and then reheat some chicken to put on top.
  • valroys
    valroys Posts: 7 Member
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    Yes ,lunches can get boring but there are millions of ideas out there. Lunches depend on if you have access to a fridge or microwave. I found a great secret that can make your lunches more interesting, get yourself a dish that has sections in it, like the stayfit brands, mine even has a freezerpack built into the lid, as well as a slot with a fork and knife. in the sections (3 in this type) pack a variety of items that appeal to you ie. protein in one, carb in another, fruit or veggies, crackers or cheese,etc, the possibilities are endless, but variety keeps it interesting, I am a big fan of bento lunches and if you search the net under bento lunches or go on pinterest there are loads of ideas, lots for kids and also for adults to. Another company called www.laptoplunch:yawn: have whole systems for taking your lunch to work or school and they post tons of ideas on their site, their systems are pricey, but i think definitely worth the cost in the long run, ! Bon Appetit!
  • jts10
    jts10 Posts: 37
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    I make home made hummus that's good for 4 servings -- try bringing a serving of that and some carrot sticks as a side snack. I always include a really large salad in my lunch as well. Some other ideas are wraps, obviously, leftover soup from the dinner the night before, a veggie type burrito, or even a sandwich made with something different -- tons of veggies but adding something fun like avocado or hummus to it. (Yes, I'm a vegetarian but you can easily add meat to any of these, these are just typically things I bring with me). Hope some of these help!! :)
  • naomi8888
    naomi8888 Posts: 519 Member
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    Today I had houmous with carrot sticks and baby sweetcorn as a snack - lunch was salad with tzatziki and lamb - delicious!

    Other tasty lunches have been 3 bean salad (kidney beans, borlotti beans and cannelini beans) with a drizzle of oil, fresh mint and lemon juice. Dressed lentils with feta (green speckled/puy lentils - great for protein), chickpea salad with smoked mackerel... the list is endless! Ooo, nice one I had the other day, mustardy puy lentils with beef. Om nom nom. Puy lentils are great - they cook in about 15 minutes, not like those lentils that take forever..

    Sophie, can I pay you to come and make my lunches please...?? :laugh:
  • HotMamaByVday
    HotMamaByVday Posts: 343 Member
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    Dinner leftover. I also grill extra chicken during the week or make a big pot of beans or soup.
  • dreamshadows
    dreamshadows Posts: 734 Member
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    I take a lunch most days. I build freezable meals, and vegetable pre-packs every few weeks.