Stuck in the lunch vortex....help!!

Hey everyone!!  Just a pretty simple question for you guys....

I'm insanely tired of having just normal sandwiches for my lunches.  I have an office job and rarely any extra money, so I pretty much always bring my lunch with me.  But even when I was trying to buy better bread and add toppings to my sandwiches, they still just weren't cutting it.  I'm TIRED of them. lol

Anyone out there have any suggestions for other things that are good for lunches, but still stay around 300-400 cals a meal?  I'm trying to get back into making myself some salads too, but I can only do so many of those....little cracker sandwiches like Lunchables I wouldn't mind, if there's something a tad healthier.....I'm just kinda stuck.  Even a lunch that I just kinda snack on during the lunch hour would be great, but it's hard for me to think of healthy options with that....

So, any suggestions for any good, reasonably low cal, filling lunches??  :)  I'd sure appreciate any help I can get!!

I know what you mean.  I also have a office job and I bring my lunch everyday.  Sometimes I use a tortilla or whole wheat pita bread for my sandwiches.  That helps to cut down on the calories.  Sometimes I'll use Humus instead of mayo and it gives it a nice tangy flavor.  I hope that helps some.

Original Post by linda23:

Hey everyone!!  Just a pretty simple question for you guys....

I'm insanely tired of having just normal sandwiches for my lunches.  I have an office job and rarely any extra money, so I pretty much always bring my lunch with me.  But even when I was trying to buy better bread and add toppings to my sandwiches, they still just weren't cutting it.  I'm TIRED of them. lol

Anyone out there have any suggestions for other things that are good for lunches, but still stay around 300-400 cals a meal?  I'm trying to get back into making myself some salads too, but I can only do so many of those....little cracker sandwiches like Lunchables I wouldn't mind, if there's something a tad healthier.....I'm just kinda stuck.  Even a lunch that I just kinda snack on during the lunch hour would be great, but it's hard for me to think of healthy options with that....

So, any suggestions for any good, reasonably low cal, filling lunches??  :)  I'd sure appreciate any help I can get!!

It may not sound like a lunch but maybe you can make some kind of dip that incorporates some beans for your protein, avocados for some good fats, and some vegetables and you can dip some vegetables into it or spread it upon your bread for a good lunch. :] I do that a lot and if you choose the right foods to pulverize or mix together for your dip, it can be a very good and filling lunch. You can also make some fried rice if you like rice which is always a great choice since you can pretty much add any leftover sausages, eggs or anything leftover from the night before and still make it taste good. Good luck!

Do you have access to a microwave in your office? If you do, you could make up a stew or soup come the weekend and take it in a few days a week. If you don't have a microwave, you could still make gazpacho! Or take it in a thermos ^__^ Yum. Homemade soups may be better as you can control the salt content to a degree.

I usually bring leftovers. If it's something that's calorie dense like pasta I'll bring a small portion of that and then a big container of steamed broccoli or something. Yesterday was vegetarian zucchini lasagna at 294 calories. Today was a sliced grilled portabella mushroom on a whole wheat wrap with a laughing cow wedge and lots of veggies with a side of sliced cucumbers and salsa for 278. Tomorrow is 1/2 cup brown rice or whole wheat couscous with a ton of veggie and tofu stir fry for 315. I also do a lot of things with lentils/split peas/beans (which are dirt cheap, since you said money was a concern). I'm a vegetarian, but those are just some examples for you if that helps at all.

Agree with leftovers if you have access to a microwave, pasta is easy to make and reheat.  Wraps are quite good and could fill with tuna salad, chicken, or turkey and add a little feta (or whatever low fat cheese you like) with some hummus or light mayo, spinach, tomato, olives, and banana peppers (or veggies you like).  Ball park fat free hot dogs are high in sodium but do the trick for me on days I need something different (and use low cal bread instead of bun)  A stuffed pita with chicken salad is not really a sandwich.  Hard boiled egg with a cup of yogurt and a side salad.

I would mix together a half an avocado with some salsa for a healthy and quick guacamole. I'd eat it with a fork but it would be really good to dip veggies in :)

One of my fave "change it up" lunches is to buy frozen cooked & peeled shrimp.   Put them frozen in a baggie in the morning and by lunch they should be defrosted enough to have a shrimp cocktail, along with some veggies and fruit.    

If you do have access to a microwave the grocery stores carry those microwave steamer bags.  I load up the bag with some fresh veggies like celery , broc, mushrooms, and add some already cooked diced chicken breasts and all I have to do at lunchtime is microwave for six minutes.  I hope that helps!

on the weekends i make a gigantic frittata/omelet using egg beaters, veggies, meat (usually canned salmon and/or sliced turkey), a little cheese and herbs.  i start it on the stovetop and finish it in a hot oven to make the top crispy.  then i cut it into pie slices, pop it in some tupperware, and grab one for breakfast each morning.  i'm sure you could do the same for lunch if you like eggs.  the whole meal takes about 15-20 minutes to make and it feeds me for seven days.  you could use the same concept with stir-fry or any other "dinner" dishes that you like (e.g., pasta, casseroles): cook them on the weekends, pack them in tupperware, and have them as your lunches. 

Hmm...lunch is always the problem isnt it ;-)

A few things I've had lately:

mini-bagel sandwiches (100cal bagel, whipped cream cheese, bit of meat)

fruit of the season w/ yogurt or cottage cheese - berries, peaches, bananas (all the time).  with yogurt, i like to add some cereal sometimes also - usually something high fiber w/ protein, like golean crunch

taco salad - made from leftover taco fixings

string cheese

whole wheat pretzels w/ honey mustard

 

My typical lunch is chicken breast that I've cooked on Sunday night (or leftovers from the week) with a bag/box of frozen veggies.  I buy the Green Giant Healthy Weight and Steamers. They come pre-seasoned and you just pop the bag in the microwave for 3-4 minutes.  The entire box of veggies comes to around 200 calories (2 - 3 serving of vegetables) and the chicken is 100-200 calories depending on how big a piece I have.

i have a few ideas for you:

• hummus and cucumber and/or celery sandwiches.
• (light?) cream cheese and cucumber and/or celery sandwiches.
• a tuna sandwich (mix the tuna with hummus instead of mayo - it's good).

can you tell i like hummus? ;)

I'm trying not to eat bread so I find the key is LOTS of protein at lunch along side lots of vegis and friut. I sort of plan my protein and work the vegitables around it.

A typical lunch for me looks like:

1.5  cups - slices of cucumber and tomato with cottage cheese

1/2 cup - black beans and salsa OR chickpeas with spices such as curry OR kidney beans with chili spices. (I know, there is a lot of salt here)

Fat free yogurt and an apple or other fruit

It doesn't sound like much but it keeps me going for about 4.5 hours and I think it comes in under 500 calories.

What about buying a thermo container and just basically bringing your leftovers from dinner from the day before?

If I have salmond for dinner with brown rice, and I basically microwave it the next morning and put it in a thermo container for food and when its time for lunch its still very warm!

I love the hungry girl "fried" fiber chicken with some diced fruit on the side! DELICIOUS! You can literally bring anything to work if you have a thermo! COnsider investing in one!

I'm all about budget & eat what's cheap.

Something I've been into lately is Krab (imitation crab / surimi). It's so cheap & fabulous. I make seafood salad (with light mayo, tomato, avocado, cukes, celery, whatever) & LOVE it nuked with mushrooms & some parmesan.

It's also great wrapped with some fat free cream cheese wrapped in a tortila & covered with salsa & nuked.

Mmmm.