What's for lunch?

[jennylou]

What are you taking to lunch these days? I'm sick of ordering out, but nothing sounds good - so please inspire me. :)

[houseblend]

Ugh. I have this problem, too. My usual stand-bys are:

PBJ
Ham & cheese (sometimes on a hamburger bun to "spice" things up)
Pita pocket filled with veggies (peppers, onion, lettuce, carrot strips, dressing)
BLT wrap

[andrew&shannah]

Since the weather has turned cold, I have been making/freezing lots of different kinds of soups and bringing them in. Chicken Noodle, Taco Soup, Bean, etc.
The taco soup is great because I can have it as a soup, make it into soft tacos or nachos, etc.

I also make stuffed shells, lasagna or ravioli and put it into individual serving containers to bring. I prefer to just freeze the ravioli uncooked and cook it at work (just fill a bowl with water and boil it for 4 minutes...easily done in a microwave) but that is just me.

I tend to keep items on hand to put together tacos or a salad too (grilled chicken, mexicorn, salad mix, shredded cheese) so I can easily throw it together that morning.

ETA: Macaroni and CHeese is another one we keep around for lunches too. I put it into ramekins and freeze it.

[nic]

sandwiches:

turkey
ham
roast beef
grilled chicken
I use lots of different bread to keep it interesting.

All different types of salad with pita bread.

Soup- chicken noodle, corn chowder, chili

Ravioli, Rigatoni with broccoli, a little butter and parmasean cheese, Macaroni and cheese.

[mortiz]

I'm a big leftovers person. I pretty much always make extra the night before so I have something to bring to work. Today I brought in my pasta from two nights ago. I never eat out and can not order in since I work on a military base and no one delivers here. If I don't have any leftovers I generally make a big salad or go to the cafateria next door and get thier salad bar.

[mgrace]

I usually bring leftovers to work. If we don't have leftovers, then I make a sandwich or a salad. I try and add lettuce or spinach, onions and other veggies to the sandwich so it isn't too boring. I always throw in an orange or other fruit, granola bar, yogurt, applesauce or fruit cup and on occasion some cookies. I usually snack on those throughtout the day.

[Amuse Bouche]

Leftovers. I'm also on a diet, so I've been making a lot of grain based salads. This week is quinoa with curried yogurt and mango -- I got the recipe off of epicurious. Last week was bulgur wheat with chick peas, scallions, mint and feta cheese. They tend to hold up better than lettuce-based salads.

[bethnjim]

I made a roast beef yesterday in the crockpot for dinner. Today for lunch I had open faced hot roast beef sandwich with the leftovers. It was YUMMY!!

[looch]

Ugg, i need ideas too. I don't eat deli meat except for roast beef, so i am somewhat limited in sandwiches. I do like to bring leftovers, but I am running out of ideas.

[TracieB]

My "usuals:"

-spinach salad with light laughing cow cheese, cherry tomatoes, almonds and olive oil/vinegar dressing (sometimes I stuff this in a whole wheat pita - yum
!)

-Vegetarian chili (I have a really good recipe if you want it! I usually freeze a bunch and bring it in on and off for about 2 weeks (how about those prepositions?! Sheesh!)

-When I wasn't on Phase 1 of SBD, I would do the typical elementary school lunch of PB&J, an apple, and some string cheese

-Amy's Organic burrito (so tasty!)

-Smart Ones Santa Fe beans and rice

-Lean Cuisine Vegetable Eggroll

Those are my usual lunches... yum!

[jennylou]

Ugg, i need ideas too. I don't eat deli meat except for roast beef, so i am somewhat limited in sandwiches. I do like to bring leftovers, but I am running out of ideas.
I'm pregnant, so lunch meats are out here. Those are the only ideas I had!

Keep the ideas coming, thanks!

[laura]

I am so burned out on sandwiches!

I usually take a combination of smaller snacks, but for the week I take some combination of:

* pita bread and hummus (roasted red pepper is my fave!)
* yogurt and granola (1 serving each is still healthy & I try to get high protein granola)
* apples, bananas, and/or grapes
* 100 calorie snack packs: usually some kind of snack mix or cracker + some kind of cookies - I know these are "processed", but sometimes I am craving a sweet/salty snack and the small portions good for my self control
* sometimes FF pudding
* roasted veggies, sometimes w/ a tiny bit of rice (I love rice!)

I know there are more things, but I'm blanking at the moment - I am still reflecting on my delicious chicken curry from lunch today. ;)

[jennylou]

mmmm, chicken curry!

[sublime311]

How about a loaded baked potato? You could really make it as big and yummy as you want! You could add broccoli and cheese or sour cream and chives. You could crumble some turkey bacon on top for some added protein. Also, Campbell's makes a decent microwavable chili bowl - you could pour it on top of your potato. If this sounds good, you should start off the potato by microwaving it partially in the morning before work - it'll save you some time at lunch.

If you're watching your carbs, you could do a sweet potato instead - though, I just like it with butter and salt and pepper.

Homemade mac and cheese is pretty easy and could be done in the morning (unless you REALLY like it baked, you could just cook it on the stove top).

Bean burrito with veggies like tomatoes, onions, and lettuce would be yummy and easy, too.

In the low-carb recipe thread these is an AWESOME minestrone recipe. It freezes REALLY well and if you prepackage it into serving sizes, it would be easy to pair it to any meal that doesn't seem like enough (like a salad or sandwich).

Not really great for you, but quesadillas are pretty easy to do in the microwave. You can even have a chicken quesadilla if you buy the pre-cooked seasoned strips (usually in the meat cooler at the grocery store). You could also do nachos in the microwave with corn chips, shredded cheese, and some veggies for toppings. You can also add beans and seasoned ground beef or the above mentioned chicken strips.

ETA: Ok, so after looking at all the other recommendations, it's obvious, that I posted from the "not so good for you" category! Oh well, it's nice to be naughty every now and then!

[laura]

Yum - baked potato! Ingenius and so on my list for next week!

I also do quesadillas, but usually leftovers. They are so easy to make a big batch in advance for the week, though - not sure how they freeze? I just cube chicken and saute it with some salsa, add a tiny bit of cheese, put between 2 tortillas and brown on both sides. Yum!

Now I'm hungry again!

[mgrace]

Ugg, i need ideas too. I don't eat deli meat except for roast beef, so i am somewhat limited in sandwiches.
Just throwing some ideas out: peanut butter, tuna, egg salad, cheese and veggie or chicken salad.

[jennylou]

I bought some lean cuisines this weekend, with the idea of bringing them to work. I'll pair them with a salad and bring some fruit for a snack. Of course, if I can manage to cook at night, I'll bring some leftovers instead of the LC. That's if I can cook - and frankly, an avocado sandwhich sounds easier and yummier. :)

[looch]

Hey mgrace, do you have a suggestion for a veggie sandwich? All i can think of is hummus, grated carrots and grated cucumber. What else can I add?


Here's my latest list of food ideas:

-cooked grapenuts and fruit compote, reheated with a splash of milk
-poached shrimp and grape tomatoes
-lasagne roll ups
-spinach and feta pita pockets
-pb and j on a whole wheat english muffin
-cheese and tomato sandwich
-chick peas and ground chicken curry
-eggplant and chick pea curry
-avocado blt (from the avocado thread)
-chicken noodle soup

[jennylou]

looch - how about doing your own sub sandwich? Different bread - but same idea, right? Tomato, lettuce, pickles, cheese, black olives, mushrooms, cucumbers, oil/vinegar (added right before so as not to make the bread soggy) and salt/pepper?

[ronspumpkin]

Today I brought a big flavorful salad. Regular salad blend of lettuce and spinach topped with red onion, tomatoes, cucumber, feta, dried cranberries, honey toasted nut salad topping and roasted chicken with a white balsamic dressing. Sooo good. I usually make them the night before and put the dressing in a zip-loc bag and toss it in the salad container.

[looch]

excellent suggestion. i didn't even think of that. I can put the dressing on at work!

[ronspumpkin]

Yep! And that way, the lettuce doesn't get wimpy!

[mgrace]

Ooh, just thought of another one if you have a microwave at work--veggie burgers.

[sublime311]

If you have a toaster at work, a BLT would be pretty easy. If you don't have a toaster, you could pre-toast the bread at home.

[Missy2U]

If you have a toaster at work, a BLT would be pretty easy. If you don't have a toaster, you could pre-toast the bread at home.

That's my today lunch. Mostwonderfulhusband cooked up the bacon this morning - then he put it all in a long tupperware, with some lettuce, tomato and mayo (he put that in a little jar) and put some toast in another baggie. I added a bag of pretzels, some olives, and a baggie full of malted milk balls - I wish it were lunchtime now! :D

[mgrace]

looch, the suggestion about the sub from jennylou sounds yummy. I used to eat a lot of turkey sandwiches on huge pieces of wheat bread with lettuce, sprouts, black olives, mushrooms, cucumbers and onions. Something like that minus the turkey? You could sub the hummus for the turkey.

I made a salad for today's lunch--mixed baby greens, carrots, oranges, hard boiled egg, feta cheese, sunflower seeds and low fat roasted red pepper dressing.

[thelittlebabu]

- Toast two slices of bread.
- Spread BBQ sauce on each slice.
- Put on the bread: 1 slice swiss cheese, 2 slices roast beef, 1 slice swiss cheese, 1 slice roast beef.
- Close sandwich, microwave for 45 seconds.
- Open sandwich, slop on cole slaw, close sandwich.
- Load up on napkins.
- Eat.

Edit to add: Curry tuna salad is good, too. Mix together: Tuna (in water, not oil), miracle whip, chopped green onions and yellow curry powder. Make it as yellow as you like. Raisins in moderation are okay, although I leave them out usually.

[lil_geek]

If there is a thread like this, please direct! I tried to search to no avail!

What do you have for lunch? MOST specifically people who take their lunch to work.

My new job is on a university campus and the selection is not great (in quantity OR quality)... and in the 6 weeks I can feel the pounds comming on. I'm not looking for super healty ideas only, just anything you take to work. I have access to a fridge and microwave (shared by about 30 people). I hate lunch meat sandwiches and have a larger then average appatite for someone my size!

:)

Standbys
Leftover pasta
Salad with some meat of some kind
leftover fajitas

[KarenS]

I'm a big fan of Progresso soups. They now have pull top lids and can be heated in the microwave. Yummy. When I worked at a contract I used to keep a couple of cans in my desk as a "backup" lunch.

I also make my own "hot pockets" type lunches using the Pillsbury pie crust and lots of healthy fillings - veggies, chicken, and so forth. These can be baked and then frozen and heated up in the microwave.

Tuna or chicken salad in a pita pocket (keep the salad in a small container in the fridge until you're ready to make it up - that way the pita doens't get soggy.

I'm also a big fan of veggies and hummus and/or edamame as a lunch meal. You can buy a big bag of edamame to stash in the freezer and microwave it for 3-4 mins. Yummy.

Some kind of homemade rice bowl works too. Stir fry some chicken and veggies and put them over brown or white rice. Microwave for a few minutes.

Kashi waffles are really good for lunch - a little peanut butter or apple butter on a waffle is filling and pretty healthy, and the waffles can be heated in the microwave.

One thing that helps us - even though I work at home - is to make lunches once a week or so and keep them in the fridge or freezer. That way I'm not tempted to just go downstairs and rummage thru the fridge. I have a set lunch to eat.

Karen

[ysolde]

The old stand-by: Maruchan Instant Lunch noodles (290 calories) and a Diet Coke.

[Katy]

I merged for you so hopefully, you'll get some good ideas.

[Rosebud]

I'm all about salads lately. I just had a spinach salad with feta cheese, turkey and orange slices in balsamic vinaigrette. I use those little plastic dressing cups and put one of them in my salad container until it's time to eat. That way, the lettuce doesn't get soggy.

[Missy2U]

I wanted to add that you can find Banquet Frozen Dinners (http://web.triaddigital.com/walmart/cn_banquet400/cn_banquet.asp) on sale at many groceries for 10 for $10. I just stocked up on about a month's worth - keep them in the freezer, then when you bring them to work, they're fine to sit out until lunchtime - then nuke 'em. $5 a week for lunch seems like a good deal to me! :D

[chefker]

Today's lunch - half of a Monte Cristo sandwich on challah French toast. So.freaking.good! :)

It's funny, I'm not a big sandwich gal--normally my lunches consist of Trader Joe's soup or a Lean Cuisine--soooo boring....but I'm getting back into sandwiches, for some reason. I'll peruse the thread here for some more lunch ideas. Frozen entrees for lunch are just getting to be so boring!

[vee05]

Thai Chicken salad with a honey lime dressing! Heavenly!