Healthy Lunch Ideas

whitney4126

I am trying to eat healthier, and lunch is the main place that I'm lazy about it.  If I don't bring my lunch, I end up eating out and the town I work in pretty much only has fast food.  I know some of you all are packing lunches everyday too.  So, bring on the healthy lunch ideas!

JSS1002

I'm boring. I pack a sandwich, vegetables w/ hummus, baked lays, and a Kashi bar every day and then two snacks (apple w/ string cheese, and a little packet of mixed nuts).

ham0216

Fruit to snack on throughout the day.. I try to keep KIND bars or Lara Bars always on hand, as well as water. I really love Amy's frozen meals when I'm in a hurry.  She specializes in organic, gluten free, etc., and they're actually really good!  I'm also a big salad person & try changing it up as often as I can (greek, garden, etc.). Lately I'm obsessed with Panera Bread & found the knockoff recipe online for their Mediterranean Veggie... My new addiction. 

https://www.loriesmississippikitchen.com/2012/07/copycat-panera-bread-mediterranean.html

Hope some of this helps!

whitney4126

ham0216 said:

Fruit to snack on throughout the day.. I try to keep KIND bars or Lara Bars always on hand, as well as water. I really love Amy's frozen meals when I'm in a hurry.  She specializes in organic, gluten free, etc., and they're actually really good!  I'm also a big salad person & try changing it up as often as I can (greek, garden, etc.). Lately I'm obsessed with Panera Bread & found the knockoff recipe online for their Mediterranean Veggie... My new addiction. 

https://www.loriesmississippikitchen.com/2012/07/copycat-panera-bread-mediterranean.html

Hope some of this helps!

OMG!  The Mediterranean veggie sandwich is my favorite sandwich on earth, but what all is in it has been mysterious to me.  I am definitely going to try this.  Thank you!

ham0216

@whitney4126 You're so welcome! It's mine too.. and my addiction is breaking the bank haha, so I finally found the recipe. The jalepeno hummus is easy to make, but they also have it for sale at Publix And the only place I've been able to find the peppers is from igourmet.com - Hope you enjoy.. I've already ate like 3 this week!

KayNatural

I usually pack leftovers from dinner the night before or make a nice salad.  When I have to eat out I "try" to opt for healthy alternatives such as Jason's Deli...

drae86

i try and make a few meals on sunday to last throughout the week for both DH and I: typically some type of casserole, chix salad, pulled bbq chix (for flat breads or swich) chop veggies and store them in small indivdual containers etc. It helps alot! Otherwise I'd end up at the amazing and cheap deli 2 minutes a day ordering a turkey reuben every other day!  Also helps for when I am exhausted after work (and maybe a workout) to just come home pile food on a plate stick in microwave and eat. and not having to make dinner for dh when i'm not in mood. keeping plenty in the fridge helps. Also made cabbage rolls for the first time with my FIL and we individually packaged them and froze em. So just take them out the night before and bring with - soooooo good!

Kelmaz323

I'll make a big pot of soup on Sunday and eat that throughout the week. Also summer salads, chicken wraps, fruit, veggies w hummus.

Shanadoll

I have been obsessed with avocados lately and have been making this "salad" for lunch:

Avocado

Chickpeas

Pasturized Feta

A little bit of olive oil 

Balsamic

It's sooooo yummy!! 

nickielachickie

Judging by your use of lazy regarding lunch I'm guessing it's not lack of food ideas but not having the time to deal with preparing it.

I agree with PP - cook extra for dinner the night before and have it for lunch the next day too.  use the extra protein and toss on a salad for lunch the next day.

Buy pre-portioned and prepared items - cheese sticks, cut up fruit, cut up veggies, single serving trail mix packets, granola bars, yogurts, etc.  Spend the extra money - you'll eat it and it will be worth it.  

Also - if you have space keep a can of soup as a backup at work.  It helps.  I have a soup, a granola bar, a trail mix packet, a couple apple sauces.  Just in case.

wpatx

I already posted this on the salad thread, but I am so obsessed with it, that I figured I would share with you as well  I have literally had this every day for lunch for the past 2 weeks since first discovering it, and it is the best and super easy (I am really lazy when it comes to lunch, so anything I do has to be easy).

If you have a Trader Joe's, bonus points, because I can direct you to the exact items I purchase that make things even easier!  I purchase one package of each thing at the beginning of the week, and it lasts all 5 days (goat cheese, dressing and candied walnuts obviously last longer).

It's just:
-Baby spinach - Trader Joe's brand bag: $1.99
-1 or 2 Cold baby beets cut up in slices: $2.29 (super good for you during pregnancy)
-candied pecans: $5 (can't find a link)
-crumbled goat cheese (I think it was about $3 or $4)

-raspberry vinegarette: $3
-3 or 4 small slices of chicken (I buy the precooked white meat at TJ's and it lasts the whole week)

So good and covers a lot of areas, and the beets turn the salad and chicken a pretty shade of pink!

nickielachickie

@wpatx

I. Love.  Beets/Trader Joe's.

I am super spoiled to have Trader Joe's in town.  I love that their store brand is GMO free.  I wish they sourced more locally but during the summer I tend to hit up the local farm.

They have frozen organic pizza crusts that are par baked that are actually really good.  I like a thinner crispier crust and they are great.

Sometimes their pre-made or frozen foods are a hit or a miss but it's fun to try them out.

I also love their ice cream...and it's hormone and antibiotic free  

I feel like a Trader Joe's groupie.

whitney4126

@crystalangel79‌ that sounds do good!

@wpatx‌ I have kind of a fear of beets. They are one of those (few) foods that I think I hate, but honestly I'm not sure I've ever actually tried. The rest of the salad sounds good, and I'm sure the beets are what ties it together. I may have to face my phobia.

teenybean

I've been eating the low carb tortillas (high fiber) with a smear of hummus, deli turkey (yes I heat it to steaming prior) with lettuce as a wrap sandwich for the last couple of days, very tasty and pretty doggone healthy! I always keep a variety of salad fixins at the ready and make a different one daily. On hand I generally keep (but they don't all go into one salad): tomatoes, carrots, celery, olives, cheese cubes, avocado, mild pepper rings, marinated artichoke hearts, sliced pickled beets, won ton strips, pecans, raisins, and a couple of different dressings for the week. I also keep lots of cut up fruit for me and the kiddos, my kids are fruit eating machines, but they like carrots and such and will often have a finger salad minus the lettuce. But I really miss eating sprouts...I know people differ in their opinions of food safety, but I keep them out of the house while pregnant, too tempting.

wpatx

@whitney4126 I honestly can't even tell you what the beets taste like, because mixed in with the salad, it doesn't really stick out to me.  I mostly include them for the nutrition.  So, I always make sure not to get too close to them while I cut them, or try them plain, because I'm worried I won't like them, and then I'll be able to pick the flavor out in the salad easier.