Bento/Healthy Lunches

erincredible85

I'm going to be honest.  I'm great at healthy breakfast and great at dinners.  Lunch, however, I suck.  I am doing some lean protein, fruit, and grain combos but all I've really come up with is a cup of chicken breast, cucumber and hummus for a side, etc.  This week I got some Morningside Chiken Free Chick'n Nuggest and some meatless meatball and brought 2 tbsp of a dip like fat free honey mustard (in the mustard section, not salad dressing) and some veggie marinara sauce but that is going to get boring real fast.

If anyone would share their go-to, healthy, and QUICK to prepare lunches that would be great.  I don't do fastfood and like to make my own.  I really don't want to spend more then 10 minutes a so in the morning. 

Thanks : )

firsttimersluck

Hi Erin!

I ALWAYS prepare my lunches ahead of time or I eat like crap. :P 

What I often do is make a crock pot soup or two on the weekend and then I can divide them into tupperwear for the week for my quick grab lunches. So easy and so good for you if you're making the right stuff (today I just had a potato/mushroom/carrot chowder.. mm.. so filling) 

I also make lunch wraps, but instead of the tortillas/bread I will make them using romaine leaves as the wrap. That cuts out 100-250cal right there.  

Another trick I do: 

Buy your veggies in bulk (like carrots/cucumbers/broccoli. Costco is great for that) and cut them all up over the weekend. Ziploc baggy those suckers and then it's a quick grab. You have no excuse to eat them when they are there and ready for you! I also do this with my nuts so that I am good about portion size. Nuts (I am in an almond and pistachio phase at the moment) are great for you and filling, but are easy to overeat so be aware of that!

Fruits are pretty straight forward. I keep apples and bananas in the house at all times because you have ONE and are done. There is no over-eating those like you can with berries and things. 

Also: Quinoa. 

Make a big batch over the weekend, add in corn and chives (and even some scrambled egg if you want) throw on some soy sauce and BAM you have a much more healthful version of fried rice that is SUPER filling. And soooo good... ) 

I guess the moral of my story is that I prep everything over the weekend (while the husband plays video games ) ) so that it's easy to grab and go,a nd I have NO excuse to no eat well. 

anna.oskar

Here is a list of lunch foods we do.  I typically portion them all up on Sunday night and then we can both feel free to grab whatever we want to include:

*grilled, marinated chicken breast
*grilled lean pork chop
*sauteed bologna ring and peppers
*meatballs in marinara
*meat and cheese rollups
*cottage cheese
*cheese curds/cubes
*green beans
*peas
*celery with laughing cow herb cheese
*celery with peanut butter
*berries
*grapes
*applesauce
*yogurt
*jello
*mocha ricotta creme

entropicbeauty

I tend to just eat leftovers of dinner from the night before for lunch. If there aren't leftovers I'm totally guilty of eating a lean cuisine every now and then (though frozen food is no longer a "love to eat it" kind of thing)

Lobsters25

We always make it the night before.  Usually I cut up some fruit, pack up a yogurt and granola, and make a sandwich.  In the summer when fresh fruit is a bit less expensive I'll just cut up tons and mix it with a greek yogurt when I get to work.

snuff9861

I like making homemade pizza on a thin whole wheat crust and roasted veggies. I use fat free cheese and olive oil for the sauce. So tasty