Need lunch ideas (around 300 calories) :)

Confession: Every day at around 3:00 pm I turn into Little Miss Snacky Pants and the result isn't pretty, LOL.

I eat a 300 cal breakfast and usually around a 400 cal lunch but then I get "snacky" late afternoon.   I'm thinking if I just have a plan to eat lunch around noon (300 cals) and then plan on eating again at the 3 PM snack fest (another 300 cals) then that I will be ahead of what I'm doing now.

Any ideas for 300 calorie (give or take) lunches?????

1. A tortilla (90), 3 slices turkey (60), Sugar Free Chocolkate Pudding Cup (60), and 1 cup skim milk (90) = 300 calories

2. 2 slices diet bread (80), 2 slices fat free kraft american cheese (60), 1 cup Progresso tomato soup (110), 1 cup raw baby carrots (50) = 300 calories

3. 1 Kim's Light Bagel (110), 2 tbsp tomato sauce (10), 1 oz fat free mozzerella cheese (50), 2 Cups lettuce (30), 2 Tbsp Salad Dressing (120) = 320 calories

4. 2 slices diet bread (80), 3 slices turkey bacon (50), Lettuce (10), 2 slices tomato (10), 1 medium apple (100), 1/2 cup skim milk (40) = 290 calories

5. 2 slices diet bread (80), 1 frozen veggie burger (100), 1 cup 1% Milk (110) = 290 calories

6. 1/2 cup egg beaters (60), 1 oz fat free cheese (50), 1/2 Cup diced peppers and tomato (30), 2 slices toasted diet bread (80), 2 tsp butter (60) = 280 calories

oomboo2....THANK YOU so much for typing that all out for me...great ideas~!!!! :)Again, wow....Amazing selection! 

Tell me about diet bread, I've never heard of it.??

Rachel

Its just a low cal bread. They;re not everywhere
I;d suggest having protein at lunch you're getting hungry.
And have something you like otherwise you'll crave other snack foods you like
What are you fav lunches? Maybe you can lighten them?
Try wholemeal or wholegrain if you use bread, or low GI - stopping you getting hungry too soon.
I'd go a massive salad with a grilled chicken breast - nice and colourful too. You can change up the 'flavour' everyday. Add a dressing made frm a little soy and sweet rice vinager etc and sprinkle on sesame seeds and add mandarin for a chicken salad, add some mayo, reduce the chicken and add a few croutons, a little parm cheese and ham to make caesar (check out hungry girl's recipes)  etc.
Soups are really great in winter, very filling and yummy. I even add a dollop of low-fat natural yogurt (but you could use fat free sour cream) to give it a little protein, or I have chicken soup with real chicken or egg whites.
Get creative! Try a tortilla cut into triangles and grilled with some herbs and spices and top with TVp or a bit of real mince or beans or just salsa (low cal) veggies low fat cheese for fake nachos - which might stop you wanting to nibble too much.

If you can get shiratake noodles they'll save you heaps too. making a cheesy tuna alfredo with that and laughing cow cheese isgreat

there are tons of low-cal bread. you can find it in basically every super market. Some brands are Pepperidge Farm Light Style Soft Wheat Bread (40 cal per slice), Aunt Millie's Healthy Goodness Light Whole Grain (35 cal per slice), Nature's Own Light Vread (40 cal per slice), and WonderBread Light Style (40 cal per slice).

If you want to feel full you should def. have a salad with a little light dressing and a half a cup of beans and a little tuna or boiled egg.

You guys are awesome!  Thanks for all the ideas...keep them coming!

Okay...so I just got back from the grocery store and since I live in the sticks they do not carry diet bread...which is probably why I've never heard of it, LOL...and the fact that I thought that "Diet Bread" was a brand, LOL.  Now I'm straightened out. :)

I'm feeling like this is really going to work.  Today I had a big green salad with 6 slices of Hormel Shaved Virgina Brand Ham (50 cals), 1/2 slice of provalone cheese (50 cals) and ranch dressing (110) cals...so right around 300 TOTAL...go me!

I just made some homeade ranch dressing which is pretty good and only around 10 cals per Tablespoon. (blend 1 cup lowfat cottage cheese 1 cup lowfat buttermilk, 2.5 teaspoons buttermilk ranch mix, 1/4, teaspoon ground pepper, 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon paprika).  I used to make it in college all the time and forgot about it....I sometimes also add a little mayo (upps the cals though, but tastes more Ranch-y).

I also got the ingredents for the "pizza bagles" minus the bagle...again, I live in the sticks so I had to sub whole wheat English muffins.  I also got most of the ingredients for the "mandarin chicken salad"...I'm going to experiment with the dressing and try adding a bit of honey mustard.  I already have lauging cow cheeses...yum...never thought of making an alfredo-type dish with them. Thanks for all the ideas :)

THANKS AGAIN CALORIE GROUPIES!!!!

 

i love making mexican salads. Iceberg lettuce, black beans, corn, bell peppers and salsa. Iceberg lettuce is like 6 calories for like the whole head lol black beans about 150 for 1/2 cup, corn about 100 for a cup, salsa 50 calories 1/4 cup. im not positive about all the calories, and the amounts kind of just go with preference. add more peppers and less black beans for lower calorie, more black beans if you want more protein...etc.

 I also love veggie sandwiches on wheat bread(made at home of course) with hummus and veggies, like cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes...etc. usually a slice of bread is around 100 calories and the humms is 50 cal for 2 tbsp. then pile on 50 cal worth of veggies and you are good to go!

If I feel like snacking, I make me a big bowl of greens, sprinkle just a tiny bit of feta cheese.. and I use wish bone salad spritzers.. the balsamic is great!

6 pieces kappa maki (150)

1/2 cup edamame  (100)

it's quite filling and you're only at 250 :)

 

 

Girl, that's easy!!! Smart Ones and Lean Cuisine make some awesome frozen lunches and I always choose the ones that are 200 calories or less.  Some are only 140 calories!  Filling too!!  I eat one everyday for lunch at work. Already pre-portioned and tells you how many calories in it.  No thought involved.  Like I said - easy!!

I have the same prob. So I went to the grocery store and stocked up on lean cuisines from the froozen section. all are 200 - 300 cal. and low in fat. Today my snack was chow mein, celery, peppers,chicken and an asia sauce. I am bloated and it was only 250 calories. They have pizza, lasagna,deserts, pasta bowls. about 40 different selections.

 

darn jennnifer i just realized u wrote exactly what i did. haha. I spent the time typing so i am submitting it anyways

I just found this site and I am so glad I did! I was about to spend $65.00 to join w.w. and I can do the same thing online with this site. I need to lose 30 pounds! How did I get this over weight! I also just added up the calories from a fast food salad and it was like 500! So from now on I will get my ideas from here! Thanks everybody!

Original Post by jennniferlea:

Girl, that's easy!!! Smart Ones and Lean Cuisine make some awesome frozen lunches and I always choose the ones that are 200 calories or less.  Some are only 140 calories!  Filling too!!  I eat one everyday for lunch at work. Already pre-portioned and tells you how many calories in it.  No thought involved.  Like I said - easy!!

What she said plus south beach diet meals and Healthy Choice frozen meals

Great site gals!  I am always looking for easy ideas for lunch or even a snack..  For the most part I am having trouble getting to my calorie range when I am doing it right.  I am just full.  I have started to split it up to smaller meals and larger snacks then normal.  A big change.  Now I am finding I am only eating about 3/4 of what is on my plate.  This is a great site for ideas.  I am just starting and need to loose over 100lbs.  I have a long road ahead and don't want to get bored with what I am eating!

Thanks

When I do go for the frozen meals, I tend to get Kashi's dishes b/c they usually have lots of whole grains and beans and are very filling.