easy lunch options

brittblaz · February 2013

Anyone have any excellent ideas for a desk lunch option? I usually bring a healthy choice meal to heat up, or maybe left overs from dinner the night before...but I really need some affordable options right now to change it up. I'm getting bored with the same ol, and I dont want to cheat on my calories! I need something that is going to be filling. If any of you have some good combinations or meal idea..it'd be greatly appreciated!

nycrose2013 · February 2013

I bought a variety of low calorie, low sugar marinades recently for my lunches. I take a piece of meat (usually a thin chicken breast, steak, or piece of fish) and put it in a ziplock the night before with my chosen marinade. I let it rest in the fridge overnight and in the morning, during my coffee, i simply sautee the meat in a frying pan. Usually my cuts are so thin that it only takes about 10 minutes to do, and it's a delicious, low cal option to spice up those boring healthy proteins.

I also like to bring a package of "steam in-bag" veggies and stick those in my microwave at work too. Corn comes out deliciously and u dont need any butter.

I am excited to read this thread since I hate having cold stuff like sandwiches or salads for lunch, so I am going to steal some ideas!

AdeleDazeem · February 2013

I'm a pretty standard girl...

low-cal wrap + lunchmeat + spinach + chopped veggies
apple or banana
string cheese / almonds / granola bar

I also like soups. I sometimes replace the wrap with tomato bisque (it's ~ 200 calories) and eating it with veggies that I dip instead of bread.

EDIT: Oh, I also love salads. Spinach base, fresh veggies, croutons (because, yeaaah!), grilled chicken and cottage cheese. I leave the cottage cheese on the side and will eat bites of it with the veggies. No need to salad dressing.

EDIT EDIT: I will also take some vanilla greek yogurt and mix it up with fresh strawberries or blackberries. 1/2 cup + 1/2 strawberries is only about 200 calories and so much more than I would've imagined! I'm going to turn this into a smoothie at some point, but that's not helpful for desk eating!

brittblaz · February 2013

Nyc- great idea to make a meal at home to just bring to work. Seems simple and easy! Now I just have to get up a little bit earlier...meh. But, anything to keep my weight loss momentum going!

Joy- The soup idea is great! I don't think to do this often enough. It would definitely breakup the daily routine a little bit. Thanks!

Keep the ideas rollin in ladies!

lovelyheather · February 2013

I like to pack a bunch of smaller items for my lunches so I can break it up into two smaller meals/snacks.

veggies + hummus (195)
apple (80)
cheese stick (90)
caprisun (70)
100 calorie pack (100)
Total: 535 calories. I might add a granola bar if I know I am going to be burning a lot of calories at the gym.

I also am a big fan of making a bunch of burritos on Sunday and freezing them all. Then I can just grab one for my lunch every day.

I second the suggestions for the steam in bag vegetables and making salads.

SunriseAmber · February 2013

@lovely, do you have any specific recipes for the burritoes? Would love to do this.

EDIT: Also, I also like the healthy choice soups. I'm on Weight Watchers so as of right now I am only paying attention to the points and not so much calorie intake.

-Toast with hummus and cucumber slices
-Salad (I make the chicken the night before and just put it in the microwave at work before tossing it on my salad)
-Bagel thins with hummus or cream cheese (i like to mix up breakfast/lunch sometimes)

lovelyheather · February 2013

Amber: it depends what I have on hand/how much time I have. I usually try to recreate what I would order from Chipotle.

Tortillla: I usually buy LaTortilla Factory tortillas because they make some good low calorie options.

Rice: I have made this rice for them: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/03/chipotle-cilantro-lime-rice-4-pts.html I also just use the microwave brown rice when in a hurry.

Beans: I either buy canned black beans with no salt added (I think the brand is Kuner's) or refried beans. I've also used both types of beans together.

Corn salsa: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/02/corn-salsa-with-lime.html Make this! It is so good!

Cheese: whatever I have on hand, IF I remember it. I usually forget to add it.

Wrap burrito in plastic wrap and toss in the freezer. Once I was out of plastic wrap and managed to cram them into sandwich bags...I don't recommend this method. The frozen burritos take forever to reheat, especially the rice. So usually when I get to work, I put them in the fridge so they can thaw a bit before lunch. FI doesn't like the rice that much, so he makes his with soy crumbles instead. If you aren't a vegetarian, I assume you could just add ground beef or whatever meat you want.

I also buy 100 calorie guacamole packets to eat with the burrito. You can get a big box of them from Sam's Club. http://eatwholly.com/products/wholly-guacamole/classic-snack-pack.html

SunriseAmber · February 2013

Thanks that sounds great.

brittblaz · February 2013

Those burritos, lovelyheather, sound amazing! Such a good idea. And the 100 calorie avocado packets at Sam's Club?! How have I never heard of this? Excellent!

Sunrise- I LOVE bagel things and hummus. Great idea!

cnf2013 · February 2013

Wholly Guacomole for the effing win! Love that stuff!

I have nothing constructive to add. I eat either chicken with a vegetable or a lean cuisine. *is boring*

entropicbeauty · February 2013

I feel like I suck at lunch, but like others I tend to eat leftovers for lunch or if I go home I eat soup and sandwiches with DH - when I eat at work I tend to get a spinach wrap from the cafeteria (nothing fancy)

LizzyRB · February 2013

Every Sunday I make some sort of meat, usually chicken breast, and veggies. I pack it up in 5 tupperware containers and I am good on lunchs for the week. Sometimes I'll make two dif meats and veggies so I don't get sick of my lunch by the end of the week.

While the meat is cooking Sunday I cut up berries and put them in 5 dif baggies.

When I am walking out the door for work I grab a premade lunch, a bag of berries, a yogurt, an apple or banana and I am set for the day.

AT my desk I keep some Ostrim (ostrich jerky) sticks. They taste pretty good and only 80 calories, 1.5 fat, plus 14g protein! Also some soy nuts and oatmeal packets that you just add hot water to.

easy lunch options

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