What to bring to work for lunches

Stacylynn1977
Stacylynn1977 Posts: 42 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I bring my lunch to work everyday, but I seem to go over my sodium, by picking things to just pop in microwave, what kinds of things do you all eat for lunch, like today, I have baked chicken and frozen veggies in cheese sauce, low in calories and fat, but extremely high in sodium :(
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Replies

  • trackercasey76
    trackercasey76 Posts: 781 Member
    I just take my leftovers from last nights supper, most of the frozen meals are super high in sodium
  • Kebby83
    Kebby83 Posts: 232 Member
    Tomorrow I am taking egg salad (1 egg with 1 teaspoon mayo and a little salt) in an Italian pocket bread (100 cals). That's about 200 cals. I will also take some fruit like some blueberries or strawberries and a fiber one bar. I take things I can hold and move at the same time because we feed the residents (10 people who need help eating) while eating ourselves and have 45 minutes-60 minutes time limit. I take lots of water. I work 6.30am-3pm and that's what I eat - sometimes I have some toast when I make the residents breakfast (I eat some raisin bran at 5am) but I am making myself stop eating the house food because I over eat.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    I eat the same thing every day, for the last 4 months. I prepare it in bulk on Sunday and portion it out every night.

    2.2 oz pasta
    200 g mixed veggies
    8 oz baked chicken breast
    3 oz brocolli
    3 oz cauliflower
    2 tbsp lemon/pepper marinade (lots of sodium there)
    122 g 2% cottage cheese (lots of sodium)
    28 g almonds
    cherry coke zero

    Even though I eat the same thing every day for lunch (even weekends), I find I miss it when I don't!

    Sodium is NOT that big of a deal, it's a needed component of your electrolytes. I typically have about 5000 mg a day, I just make sure to have plenty of potassium, water, sugar. It all balances out. Don't let the food nazi's scare you. I lost 140 lbs in 7 months while eating a Cafe Steamer frozen entree every day for lunch, before I started making my own lunches.
  • MaryG418
    MaryG418 Posts: 3
    I bring fresh cut veggies and tuna salad or cottage cheese to dip the veggies in. It super quick to throw in a bag, and filled with fiber so you stay full. I snack on fresh fruit in the afternoon too.
  • Jexebel
    Jexebel Posts: 67
    On Sundays I usually cook up a batch of chicken breast/shrimp/sometimes fish, either baked or pan sauteed with stir fried veggies. I make enough for at least 3/4 lunches. Sometimes I add ~1/2 a cup of brown rice/pasta to the meat/veggies for lunch. I take some fruit as well, as desert. If I don't make a hot lunch I usually make a wrap with peppers, a bit of cheese, hot sauce, soour cream and above described chicken. When the week is almost over and I've run out of my lunches, I generally take leftovers from dinner.
  • senyosmom
    senyosmom Posts: 613 Member
    3 days a week I bring a salad that I make at home the night before. 1 day a week I bring stuff like a sweet potatoe (microwave for like 8 minutes), healthy choice or lean cuisine meal (the frozen meals tend to be high in sodium) and on Fridays I eat out with friends from work - I always go over sodium on Fridays LOL.

    You could try bringing in leftovers, or make a sandwich or salad and bring that with you. Also (and yes I know its hot) you can bring progresso soups and microwave. They have the easy pull tabs and have tons of variety and tons of low cal, low sodium options. My work cranks the AC so I have no issue having soup in the summer when I eat in our breakroom.
  • TrimAnew
    TrimAnew Posts: 127 Member
    I just take my leftovers from last nights supper, most of the frozen meals are super high in sodium

    I do this a lot. It's easier to do now that my husband and I try to plan out our meals a week in advance because I can plan leftovers into the rotation and know that they are still good for me.

    I also got a couple of segmented metal lunch boxes a while back. They were a bit pricey, and technically designed for kids, but for a petite woman on a weight loss mission they work great! I've even gotten compliments from co-workers on how "modern" my lunch box looks, which is funny because I thought it looked old fashioned! ( http://www.planetbox.com/ and I don't bother with the magnets or the case because I just slide it in the fridge in the break room as is. It's not water-tight though, so I don't use it when things are pretty juicy.

    I find the segmented lunch box helps me pack though. I can slice a cucumber for one segment, toss sliced peaches in another, and use the smallest segment for a bit of leftover meat or pasta. Add a little bit of hummus or laughing cow cheese and I'm usually off to a good start for a healthy lunch that I can supplement with a snack in the afternoon.

    When I'm feeling lazy I just swing by Publix on the way to work and get the deli/grill counter to make me an fresh artisan salad with dressing on the side. My favorites are their Shanghai chicken, Baja chicken and the Harvest salad.
  • apcross13
    apcross13 Posts: 8 Member
    I have pretty standard work lunches, too: Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, fresh veggies, a fiber bar. A couple times a week I throw leftover protein from dinner on a bed of greens and toss on some olive oil and vinegar. It is easier not to think about it!
  • Devona14
    Devona14 Posts: 171
    Since February until just last week I had been bringing two slices of Merita Autumn Grain bread, 1 oz. of Jennie-O blue ribbon turkey chipped, 1 teaspoon of mayo, and one of the following (greek yogurt, banana, apple, strawberries, watermelon, carrot sticks, cucumbers, large tomato). This week I'm having Boca Veggie Burgers on a Great Value Hamburger Bun and either a tomato or cucumber.
  • Colleen_G
    Colleen_G Posts: 57
    I have been batch making my version of like a dirty quinoa.

    I use a mix of tri colored quinoa and ground turkey that has been sauteed with kale, a bunch of those little sweet peppers (red, yellow and orange), green beans (fresh!), onion, garlic and zucchini. I divided it into containers for the week. I used a little sea salt when cooking and it is ultimately pretty low sodium.

    I add to that a small gala apple for my terrible sweet tooth!

    A lot of people like to add a sriracha or other hot sauce to it. Not me, but others...lol
  • mainelymama
    mainelymama Posts: 57
    sandwiches
    leftovers
    cereal
    deli meat and cheese rollups
  • ellybeann
    ellybeann Posts: 122 Member
    My diary is open to friends if interested frien me,I get alot of ideas by looking at diarys.

    Today I had tuna fish salad (mustard, boiled egg, celery seeds. salt, pepper and pickle juice) over a romaine lettuce based salad with garden fresh tomatoes.` Its yummy and filling.
    Good Luck
  • Thor2020
    Thor2020 Posts: 41 Member
    greek yogurt and almonds
    3-4 tablespoons of natural PB
    1/2 cup of milk
    carb shake

    I know....boring right? but I'm a very simple man when it comes to food....so it's all good to me.
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
    My daily lunchbox always includes the following:

    Greek yogurt
    Fruit cup
    Cheesestick (or peanut butter, I alternate) with pretzels or crackers
    Nuts
    Protein bar
  • free2live72003
    free2live72003 Posts: 186
    One of the above posters stated: "Sodium is not that big of a deal" and went on to say they get 5,000 mg/day.

    Sodium is a "big deal" and itoo much s bad for your health, especially 5,000mg/day.

    You should try to stick to 2,500mg or less for good health and for weight loss.

    You achieve this by eating as few processed foods as possible and minimizing table salt.
  • giftieetcetera
    giftieetcetera Posts: 96 Member
    I always try to have a veggie (carrot sticks or a romaine or spinach or cucumber salad with vinegar, unless I have leftover veggies to heat up from the night before), fruit (watermelon, berries, banana), and protein (usually leftovers from dinner or a frozen single serving of some crockpot food I made this month, like roast beef or turket meatballs, but I will do peanut butter if I am running late).
  • WarriorCupcakeBlydnsr
    WarriorCupcakeBlydnsr Posts: 2,150 Member
    Since I can't always sit down for lunch, I try to keep it fairly simple to a sandwich, fruit, and veggie:
    2 pieces gluten free multigrain bread, toasted, a laughing cow cheese wedge, 2 oz low sodium turkey breast
    either cut veggies or low sodium V-8 juice (I usually keep both in my tote so if I'm in a rush, I can drink the juice to get quick veggies- and have the cut veggies to snack on while I'm driving home)
    1 serving of fruit
  • corriewarren
    corriewarren Posts: 16
    Left overs work good for me. Also, I can take some deli sliced chicken or roast beef and take about 3 slices, roll them up with a sliver of cheese and eat a few of those. I eat mine on top of wasa sesame crackers. Or - I also do a fruit plate from time to time. I hope this helps.
  • jessjpjb
    jessjpjb Posts: 38
    i too usually have same thing, fat free deli meat, wrap, lettuce tomato, side salad and a piece of fruit. fridays are usually chef salad day. also by the tuna in pouches to take and make up and put them in a wrap...( i love wraps and arnolds sandwich thins!)
  • Lyerin
    Lyerin Posts: 818 Member
    For about the past month I have brought a salad virtually every day. Lots of veggies, some grilled chicken, reduced fat feta cheese and balsamic dressing. Very tasty, I'm not sick of it even a little and it is having an impact on my waistline and my wallet (no more buying lunches out). On the weekends at home, I either make a salad or have dinner leftovers.
  • crzyone
    crzyone Posts: 872 Member
    I make rice on Sunday, with tomatoes, onions, pepers, garlic, etc, cooked in. I divided it into bowls. I take a salad and a bowl of rice. The rice is good to have when I need something and dont' feel like cooking or to grab and take to work. I always feel like I need a carb to make me fell full and the rice does the trick. OH, it's brown rice, by the way.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    One of the above posters stated: "Sodium is not that big of a deal" and went on to say they get 5,000 mg/day.

    Sodium is a "big deal" and itoo much s bad for your health, especially 5,000mg/day.

    You should try to stick to 2,500mg or less for good health and for weight loss.

    You achieve this by eating as few processed foods as possible and minimizing table salt.

    I don't have high blood pressure or any negative effects from the sodium boogie man, not even retaining water. Now, if I do decide to eat a lot more sodium then normal without balancing it out with anything I do see bloat the next day. That's just your body trying to level out the electrolyte inbalance, typically by retaining water. Which it easily works out within a day or two.

    You shouldn't let the food nazi's scare you. High sodium diets are easily put in balance by consuming equal amounts of other components of the electrolyte balance.

    Ease up on the broscience.
  • BethS74
    BethS74 Posts: 1 Member
    The Fiber One Bars really aren't all that great for you. I've been researching them, because even though they may taste good, all they do is cause gas. The first ingredient is Chicory Root and it is not the "right" type of fiber. The protein & energy bars are better.
  • lowpro1983
    lowpro1983 Posts: 305 Member
    I either do leftovers (that way I won't overeat the night before either!) or I make my own salad and top with grilled chicken.

    For instance, I cooked 3 chicken breasts and some noodles in alfredo sauce lastnight. I ate - my bf ate - I packed a lunch for me - I packed a lunch for him AND we still had one serving left.
  • sabusby
    sabusby Posts: 78 Member
    I take a salad every day.

    The Dr said you should eat one salad a day and that's mine.

    I can eat at my desk and not worry about overeating/mindless eating. I take whatever protein is left over from the previous night's dinner, chop it and put it on my salad.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Leftovers. I also like leftovers like rice or greens and add greek yoghurt, bean sprouts, and raisins to them (with a bit of curry) just for a change.

    Egg salad is a favorite - we have chickens so lots of eggs and it's all protein. You can take a hint from the raw foot people and use kale or kohlrabi leaves instead of tortillas to make rollups.

    And always fruit and raw nuts and something crunchy (carrots/celery/radisihes) so I have something to munch on when my body has finished eating but my mind keeps wanting to stick things in my mouth.
  • tlblood
    tlblood Posts: 473 Member
    I just take my leftovers from last nights supper, most of the frozen meals are super high in sodium

    ^^This^^ It's just my husband and I in the house, and most recipes make at least 4 servings (or at least I'll cut them down to only 4 or so servings), then I take the leftovers for lunches (not necessarily the next day, but later in the week).
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    I like to have chicken and a payday bar :tongue:
  • arenkel
    arenkel Posts: 77
    A bunch of people have said leftovers, and I concur! I'm a college-aged kid on an internship (and thus an intern's budget), so I try to make my food stretch.

    I cook pretty much every day, but one day a week I'll make something big (chili, stir-fry, beans & rice, etc) and eat on that until it's gone. I find that adding rice/beans tends to be a cheap way to make food stretch farther. Homemade soup is another good option, and glass mason jars are the perfect single-serving soup containers!

    I also bring several snacks to work, usually an orange or cheese & crackers for the morning and carrots or mixed nuts in the afternoon.

    For mornings when I don't have time for breakfast, I'll eat it at work-- 1/2 c rolled oats, 1/8 c raisins, dash of cinnamon in a glass to-go container (add hot water from the coffee maker and pop it in the microwave).


    Good luck with your movement away from processed/high sodium foods! :)
  • m16shane
    m16shane Posts: 393 Member
    My average lunch:

    -Tomato sandwich:
    (Nature's own 40 cal bread, tomato, miracle whip lite and black pepper)

    -Special K chips

    -Yo Crunch Oreo

    Nutrition. Calories 398, Fat 8, Sodium 645

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