filling low cal homemade lunches..........

jackiemonx
jackiemonx Posts: 343 Member
in Food and Nutrition
hey as anyone got any ideas? im needing something that came either be heated up in the microwave or eaten cold.

i dont eat any proessed food or junk but im needing something to fill me up a bit more at lunch time

Replies

  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    I always make extra at dinner time, and then I have the leftovers next day for lunch. Or I freeze individual portion sizes so I have a selection ready to go in the freezer.

    At weekends, I'll make a big bacth of soup/ stew using up any old vegetables, with a tin of tomatoes, maybe a tin of some sort of beans for added protein, and freeze that in individual portions.

    Quinoa pilaff is brilliant for freezing and reheating.

    Today I chicken and chorizo risotto, leftover from last night.

    Chunky root veg (squash, parsnips, carrot) with chilli make a great luncthime dish.
  • Zichu
    Zichu Posts: 542 Member
    I find that filling my plate with veggies tends to help fill me up. If I am having chicken or fish, I usually serve it with some rice and fill half of the plate with broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. I use these steam bags you can get in your supermarkets, stick your veggies in, microwave for a few minutes and done. They're great if you don't want to mess about with boiling water and such to steam them.

    I have steamed vegetables quite often and I find that I am fuller for a lot longer and lately haven't been feeling so hungry like I used to. I would usually eat a sandwich and crisps, but I have switched it up a bit to confuse my stomach lol. So a plate of veggies on the side seems to help me feel full.

    Hell I might replace crisps with a plate of veg.
  • ipsamet
    ipsamet Posts: 436 Member
    I eat: pita chips, hummus, various veggies to dip, and a handful of nuts for lunch pretty much every day and it's about 450 calories. Sometimes I add in a greek yogurt if I need an extra boost. Totally filling, and no need for heating!
  • niftyafterfifty
    niftyafterfifty Posts: 338 Member
    I usually have a large salad for lunch. Fill it with lots of veggies; add chicken or kidney beans for protein if you like.
  • jackiemonx
    jackiemonx Posts: 343 Member
    yeah ive been making soup with veg and beans in it but i always seem to need something else as well. today ive had butternut squash n 3 bean soup, chicken, tomato, cucumber and pepper sandwich on ww bread and 2 squares of organic dark choc and im still not completely full!!i have a pretty large appetite, and i work shifts so ive been up and had bfast at 5.30 (porridge) apple and banana for snacks then my lunch at half 12.

    ive tried baked sweet potatos and filling and salad, they were ok at filling me up but needing a bit more variety!
  • emilyjmcg
    emilyjmcg Posts: 5 Member
    Boxed soups are super easy and filling. My favorite is Latin Style Black Bean soup from Trader Joe's, it's only 70 calories for a cup and it's a little spicy and really delicious! I think they have other ones too all around 100 cals per serving. Usually I'll start with soup and then have a small salad or a piece of fruit and I'm good to go!
  • notaperfect10
    notaperfect10 Posts: 48 Member
    Agree with all the above, but I find protein filling , so for lunch I often eat eggs, an omelette with portobello mushrooms, something similar. But to take out... a frittata's the easiest. : )
  • enewsome2
    enewsome2 Posts: 355 Member
    I have started a running list on my phone, because I get bored of eating the same thing fast. A lot of mine contain pita bread/bread or cheese, so I'm not sure if you eat that, but here is what I've got so far:

    *Veggies, laughing cow cheese in whole wheat pita.

    *Instant brown rice with tofu and brocolli with soy sauce and chinese hot sauce.

    *Baked sweet potato with beans and/or cheese.

    *Spinach salad w bell pepper, egg (hard boiled), cheese, and salsa.

    *Fresh veggies w hummus and wheat pita.

    *Bean and cheese burrito with carrot sticks.

    *Veggie sushi hand rolls (made with brown rice).

    *Veggie sandwich with hummus.

    *Bagel thin w marinara, bell pepper, turkey pepperoni, and olives.

    *Shake w protein powder, nonfat milk, and frozen strawberries.
  • magerz18
    magerz18 Posts: 29 Member
    I usually have rollups with either boars head chipotle chicken (its new and delicious) or they also have a new jerk turkey... i slice one piece of cheese and divide it up into the rollups - I have about 6-8 rollups and then a serving of popchips. If I am still hungry I have a fruit leather (trader joes are the best) or some cucumbers. If I dont have deli meat I eat kashi frozen meals - the spicy enchilada is great and also morningstar started making frozen meals that are great and vegetarian if that appeals to you. The other meal I love for lunch is something I made up one day... Hummus Pizza - I take a whole wheat pita, I am partial to the 'Pocket Full of Fiber' ones from Trader Joes, I then spread hummus over it and then a layer of tabouli salad. If I have some shredded cheese I will sometimes throw that on it too! You can really do anything, but I have shared this recipe with others and they love it! Good Luck!! :smile:
  • wedjul05
    wedjul05 Posts: 472
    I bring all my own food to work. I make batches of food and reheat in the microwave in work. I make:

    - spicy lentil stew
    - chilli con carne
    - sausage casserole
    - spag bol
    - bean soup
    - bean stew

    Making more quinoa salads. Beans/baked potato is quick and easy too. I make more mashed potato at the weekends and just freeze portions of the rest also. Any leftovers get taken to work.

    I make 4 small pots of sugar free jelly as a snack after my lunch too. Aft snack in work is grapefruit segments, grapes, blueberry yoghurt and some granola. All yummy!!!!!!!!!!
  • dirty_diana
    dirty_diana Posts: 27 Member
    I love a salad made with the following ingredients

    romaine lettuce
    tomato
    cucumber
    kidney beans
    feta cheese
    tuna fish
    Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar dressing (full fat)

    It's about 360 calories and fills me up until dinner.
  • krawl78
    krawl78 Posts: 115 Member
    I usually have a salad as well... today it's 2 cups of spring mix, 1.5 oz. of matchstick carrots, 56.5 g of 1% (PC Blue Menu) cottage cheese (half the individual size container), 1 can of low sodium tuna and 1 tsp of sesame seeds. Super filling and delicious!

    I usually set my menu the night before and lunch is generally the meal I play with to balance to 30%, 30%, 40%.

    Salads are a canvas for creativity!
  • CleanandLean33
    CleanandLean33 Posts: 115
    Salad with olive oil, herbs, chicken breast cut into chunks, 1/2- 1 sweet potatoe cut into chunks and all mixed together :-)

    Mackerel (tinned in brine/ tomatoe sauce) on rye toast and salad.

    Tuna nicoise salad...boiled egg, tuna in brine, olive oil, salad, olives and couple boiled new potatoes

    Vegetable Frittata cold

    yum yum :-)
  • KellyS_86
    KellyS_86 Posts: 25
    Yep, I take in my leftovers too. It can get a bit repetitive so every other day I have weight watchers tomato soup (YUM) two pieces of gluten free bread and low fat cream cheese. Comes out about 300 cals and is filling. On the days I have pasta or curry for dinner I take half a portion to work (so not dinner plate size) and its lovely again the next day!
  • xXmimiXx
    xXmimiXx Posts: 564 Member
    Daal with brown rice
  • alodell89
    alodell89 Posts: 36 Member
    I usually have rollups with either boars head chipotle chicken (its new and delicious) or they also have a new jerk turkey... i slice one piece of cheese and divide it up into the rollups - I have about 6-8 rollups and then a serving of popchips. If I am still hungry I have a fruit leather (trader joes are the best) or some cucumbers. If I dont have deli meat I eat kashi frozen meals - the spicy enchilada is great and also morningstar started making frozen meals that are great and vegetarian if that appeals to you. The other meal I love for lunch is something I made up one day... Hummus Pizza - I take a whole wheat pita, I am partial to the 'Pocket Full of Fiber' ones from Trader Joes, I then spread hummus over it and then a layer of tabouli salad. If I have some shredded cheese I will sometimes throw that on it too! You can really do anything, but I have shared this recipe with others and they love it! Good Luck!! :smile:

    I started making a buffalo chicken hummus pizza on a pita last week! Everyone at work though I was crazy but it's so delicious!
  • londongirl2012
    londongirl2012 Posts: 149 Member
    veggies/salads, soup, wholegrain/wholemeal foods chickpeas/lentils//beans/soya mince/burgers, couscous, drink lots of water or low calorie drinks and eat slowly too.
  • tigerdactyl
    tigerdactyl Posts: 112 Member
    I pack a spinach salad loaded up with black beans, garbonzo beans, tomatoes, shredded carrots and whatever other veggies I have around. You can throw in meats or cheeses if you're into that, but I find that the beans really bulk it up and keep me full for a while.
  • hmgarcia83
    hmgarcia83 Posts: 45 Member
    I always make extra at dinner time, and then I have the leftovers next day for lunch. Or I freeze individual portion sizes so I have a selection ready to go in the freezer.

    At weekends, I'll make a big bacth of soup/ stew using up any old vegetables, with a tin of tomatoes, maybe a tin of some sort of beans for added protein, and freeze that in individual portions.

    done that so quick and easy pull out of freezer defrost and take to work i make a chicken Alfredo Florentine for under 300 cals and take that the pasta is the killer there
  • deadstarsunburn
    deadstarsunburn Posts: 1,337 Member
    I drink lots of water right before I eat my lunch than if I still feel hungry after I eat lots of veggies. Make sure you eat slow and I would recommend rice or bulgar mixed with veggies or if you eat meat that can be added. I've always found rice or bulgar to be really filling.

    If it's in season I eat a whole stir fried zuchinni for lunch lol
  • 247momma
    247momma Posts: 14
    yeah ive been making soup with veg and beans in it but i always seem to need something else as well. today ive had butternut squash n 3 bean soup, chicken, tomato, cucumber and pepper sandwich on ww bread and 2 squares of organic dark choc and im still not completely full!!i have a pretty large appetite, and i work shifts so ive been up and had bfast at 5.30 (porridge) apple and banana for snacks then my lunch at half 12.

    ive tried baked sweet potatos and filling and salad, they were ok at filling me up but needing a bit more variety!

    What about Mac Nuts? Toss in 1/4 cup of those to finish off your lunch.
  • Sherie13
    Sherie13 Posts: 250 Member
    On the weekends I cook quinoa with a little chicken or veggie stock. Then I sauté up some veggies... usually zucchini, mushrooms and poblano peppers with a little chicken (seasoned with pepper and galic and cayanne). I portion the quinoa into tupperware for the week(i have a lot of tupperware!), add the veggies and one ounce of feta for a little salty goodness. It's usually around 300 calories depending on how much chicken I add. Sometimes I do it with beef or nothing at all. If I do fish, I usually skip the feta cheese and add a pinch of salt. But the great part is, Monday morning, I have 5 little tupperware ready to go!
  • alyson820
    alyson820 Posts: 448 Member
    juliennned zucchini with tomato and basil pasta sauce. I use a whole zucchini, and it's super filling with some apple slices with peanut butter on the side

    and drink lots and lots of water! I try and drink two gallons a day

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