Protein filled lunch?

Kelly_2013
Kelly_2013 Posts: 117 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey everyone!

I am needing to introduce more protein into my diet. And I def need it at work for lunch... It seems when I get off work is when I'm most hungry... I'm looking for a healthy satisfying lunch I can make to bring to work with me... .or of course a couple options I could switch out through out the week. Any advice?

Replies

  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
    I usually make a meat chili in a big batch and freeze it in single serve containers. Takes a second to take it out of the freezer and throw it in my lunch bag. It acts like a freezer pack too for the rest of my lunch.
  • run2jeepn
    run2jeepn Posts: 183 Member
    Chicken Breast and Green Beans. I eat a pound a night while at work and a Can of Green Beans or Carrots. I'll Snack on Pork Grins, NonFat Yogurt, Grapes, Celery and Peanut Butter. I figure while I'm at work is when I can eat my best. I can't eat what I don't bring. When I'm at home there is so much food in the house that is not on my diet at times.
  • selfishshellfish
    selfishshellfish Posts: 97
    Hi!

    Yeah, the meat chili idea is a great one. I do that too. And I also make other batch meals which I bag up in the freezer and use similarly. For example:

    Coq au vin, sausage cassoulet, beef/chicken/pork stroganoff, lamb tagine, chicken and leeks, ma po tofu. You get the idea.

    I don't accompany them with rice or any starch because for me that creates the exaggerated "I could eat my arm" sense of hunger after work.
  • run2jeepn
    run2jeepn Posts: 183 Member
    I try to eat Carb free while at work. Seems like I'm always out with the Family eating somewhere out. So I try to save a large part of my Calories and Carbs for those meals. What Protein I didn't get through out the day. I'll pick up later at work. I work nights. So it maybe the other way around for others.
  • selfishshellfish
    selfishshellfish Posts: 97
    Actually when I'm that hungry I could eat HIS arm ^^^^^^^
  • jasperann
    jasperann Posts: 136 Member
    Actually when I'm that hungry I could eat HIS arm ^^^^^^^

    ROTFLMAO

    I have the same problem when I get off of work. I am so hungry. I think it is because on my off days I have a protein shake for lunch and it keeps me full for hours, and at work I usually just eat a frozen dinner, yogurt and fruit or veggie.

    I like the chicken idea, just not a pound... maybe grill up some chicken and then make a salad and top it with the chicken, that would be tasty.
  • Jugie12
    Jugie12 Posts: 282 Member
    Due to schedule conflicts, I often don't get to make food for the following day. I found that on the website for Subway, they have a feature where you can build your own sandwhich and it will give you the nutritional profile for it as you go!! My favorite:

    6" 9-grain wheat Subway Club.
    No cheese, not toasted (I like my sammiches cold)
    lots of spinach and green bell peppers and some tomato.
    Drizzle of olive oil to get in some good fat

    1 bag of oirignal baked Lay's chips
    tea or water

    the whole meal is like 460 calories or something, plenty of protein, some good carbs, some fat. Fits in nicely with the rest of my day and I don't feel sluggish afterwards!! Doesn't work for everyone but it's great for me. Cheap, too!!! Check out my food diary to see the details.
  • Kelly_2013
    Kelly_2013 Posts: 117 Member
    Thank you all for the great ideas!! I'll def have to freeze some stuff up. I think the chicken and salad sounds great! I don't like the veggie salads... I use Spinach for my salad most of the time... So I can grill up some chicken and toss it on there :) When I'm at work if I"m eating out I do use the Subway site... I always go and figure out a bunch of different ways to eat the sandwich... Also I just found out recently that you can turn any of their subs into a salad! AMAZING!!!!
  • Swissmiss
    Swissmiss Posts: 8,754 Member
    You could try to put whey protein powder in your meal. It can be made into a shake. Or I just like to sprinkle it on my food. It goes great in yogurt.
  • determinedbutlazy
    determinedbutlazy Posts: 1,941 Member
    Salad with tuna and bulgar wheat with a yoghurt... Tonnes of protein!
  • Smuterella
    Smuterella Posts: 1,623 Member
    My go to high protein lunch is a sort of tuna nicoise salad:

    Spinach
    tomatoes
    green beans
    lots of tuna
    a hard boiled egg or two
    capers
    oil and vinegar dressing
  • katejenkins1
    katejenkins1 Posts: 210 Member
    If we don't have any left overs, I like grilling or broiling seafood, I'll make shrimp salad, or scallops on a strawberry, spinach salad. I love leftover salmon, it's great on a bed of spinach or alone with fresh fruit.
  • missprincessjenny
    missprincessjenny Posts: 104 Member
    I plan on cooking up some chicken breasts and fish. Putting them into portion sizes and using them for lunches. I need to bump up my protein content at lunch. Peanut butter just isn't enough.
  • dcourt27
    dcourt27 Posts: 2
    I know that my comment isn't really about what you are asking, but I am having the problem of comsuming too much protien, but way under in my carb and calorie intake. I went with the recommendations of the site for these numbers and have heard that you can change them, but how bad is it to consume a good amount of protien in your diet?
  • EmmaM2211
    EmmaM2211 Posts: 536 Member
    My go to high protein lunch is a sort of tuna nicoise salad:

    Spinach
    tomatoes
    green beans
    lots of tuna
    a hard boiled egg or two
    capers
    oil and vinegar dressing


    I have a tuna salad every day but this sounds lush!! Going to try it!!

    My lunch is
    tuna
    light mayo/creme fraiche
    lettuce
    tomato
    cucumber
    sweetcorn
    gherkins

    Keeps me full until 5 anyway xx
  • douglasmobbs
    douglasmobbs Posts: 563 Member
    I just had a nice high protein lunch. White crab meat with low fat cottage cheese, ginger, soy sauce and horseradish (had no wasabi)
  • JmeJinxx
    JmeJinxx Posts: 210 Member
    make a nice salad with a good serving of boneless skinless chicken breast. some say that using cottage cheese to 'stretch' salad dressing is good (I haven't tried it myself yet) which would add a lot more protein as well.
  • phillieschic
    phillieschic Posts: 615
    Emerald Cocoa Roasted Almonds (dark chocolate flavor)

    Protein and a sweet treat all in one bite!

    1/4 cup serving (1 ounce)
    150 calories
    6 grams of protein
    6 grams of carbs

    SO freaking good for you! Combine it with a glass of ice cold skim milk and it's my protein godsend for the day!
  • Emancipated_Tai
    Emancipated_Tai Posts: 751 Member
    My lunch today has 50g of protein. I made a grilled chicken salad. The chicken alone is 23g, I also have cottage cheese in it, another 10g, egg whites 7g, and some other things in it. I think if you start with the meat as your base, that is where your going to get the most protein. Then build from there no matter what it is you eat with it.
  • amh1974
    amh1974 Posts: 79 Member
    I use a protein shake from GNC that's premade, 170 calories and with it I eat some fruit. Keeps me full until dinner time and doesn't give me the sugar crash! Plus, I barely have time to use the bathroom somedays so to grab a shake from the fridge and drink is easy! It's low carb too and I'm a carb addict so it helps to cut back where I can.
  • Emancipated_Tai
    Emancipated_Tai Posts: 751 Member
    My lunch today has 50g of protein. I made a grilled chicken salad. The chicken alone is 23g, I also have cottage cheese in it, another 10g, egg whites 7g, and some other things in it. I think if you start with the meat as your base, that is where your going to get the most protein. Then build from there no matter what it is you eat with it.
  • julie9200
    julie9200 Posts: 62 Member
    I do a lot of salads for lunch and add a protein to them. Usually, leftovers from dinner, like chicken/turkey breast, steak, chili, taco filling with a scoop of plain yogurt to imitate sour cream, hamburger. I'll also add black beans, chickpeas, cheese, or lunch meat (I have the deli slice it thick so I can cube it). If you buy the whole romaine lettuce, you can fill the leaves with your choice of filling and eat like a taco. Then you don't feel like you're eating just another salad. You could also do nuts, hard-boiled eggs, grilled tofu, tuna, cottage cheese.
  • km_jenn
    km_jenn Posts: 107
    I know that my comment isn't really about what you are asking, but I am having the problem of comsuming too much protien, but way under in my carb and calorie intake. I went with the recommendations of the site for these numbers and have heard that you can change them, but how bad is it to consume a good amount of protien in your diet?

    Not bad at all, depending on how much a lot is to you. Most people don't get enough protein. I aim for my body weight in grams per day.
  • OSC_ESD
    OSC_ESD Posts: 752 Member
    ~ A nice big spinach salad with nuts, berries and a cheese ( I love goat cheese ! ) ... with either Salmon or Chicken. You can always add a " protein bar " or " protein shake " to grab those extra grams.

    That salad with a piece of Salmon can come in around 50 grams of protein and under 500 calories.

    An 8 oz protein shake mixed with water is 26 g of protein @ 140 cal. ( Body Fortress Chocolate )

    A Super Protein Shot of Fuel is 26 g of protein @ 110 calories.

    These two options can be added mid day to carry you through the evening til dinner. Between lunch and dinner you could already have taken in anywhere from 76 grams of protein. Not bad for ½ the day ! :wink:

    I also have protein bars that will give me 30 g of protein @ 270 calories ... or one's that give me 15 g @ 170 calories. Great snack ! And they taste awesome ... low sugar and low carbs, no corn syrup added.

    You just have to find what works for you ! It is hard to get large numbers of protein without these options. Salmon and chicken will provide you with the best one ingredient option. If you can consume 8 oz of Salmon .... that's a whoppin' 46 g of protein ! :tongue:

    My lunch with 4 oz of Salmon is 33 g of protein and with 8 oz it is 55 g !

    Hope this gives you a little hope ... and if you need sweetness just pack in the berries ! :flowerforyou:
  • pgp90xer
    pgp90xer Posts: 219 Member
    Pumpkin seeds are great too. Eat them as a snack at work or add to a salad. A 1/4 cup is a huge 18g or protein!
  • sashanicole88
    sashanicole88 Posts: 180 Member
    bump! <3
  • AthenaErr
    AthenaErr Posts: 278 Member
    Have just discovered 1 can tuna, 2 tomatoes and 1-2 tsp vineger/lemon juice. Plus loads of flat leaf parsley if I can find it. Huge amount of protein, negligible everything else.
  • miracle4me
    miracle4me Posts: 522 Member
    bump :)
  • brendakellyknight
    brendakellyknight Posts: 8
    I buy a whole roasted chicken and slice 4oz off and add it mixed field green salad with a little dreesing or frozen veggies. For me this is quick and easy I do not like to cook or fixed things that take a long time to prepare. i also eat greek yogurt and an apple. Hope this will help. Keep up the good work for great results.

    Peace & Blessings

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