Need some lunch suggestions

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-19-2004
Need some lunch suggestions
3
Tue, 07-26-2005 - 10:23pm
I am on my way back to work and I got a tad bit burned out last year. I mean about lunch. I take my lunch to school I really do like it that way. BUT!!!!! I need some suggestions, ideas, and maybe even recipes for lunch. I saved money and calories but I do not want it to get to be like a "punishment". Thanks.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-17-2003
Wed, 07-27-2005 - 9:06am
My lunches are pretty boring. I do left overs from dinner a lot. The rest of the time I do sandwiches with whole wheat bread and tuna or healthy choice lunch meat, Baked potato with fat free cheese, boco burgers cooked in microwave, or a salad topped with those tyson chicken strips or tuna(I love the lemon flavored ones.)If all else fails I do a weight watchers frozen dinner and fruit.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-25-2005
Wed, 07-27-2005 - 12:19pm

I Know exactly what you mean about how bringing lunch from home ( especially a healthy, low calorie lunch ) can feel like a punishment; many times I have brought a lunch from home that was healthy, yet yucky, and I ended up down at the cafe eating all of the high fat stuff.. not good!

I know it sounds oversimplified, but what I try to do is ask myself what I would order if I could go to the cafe every day, and then I try to make home-made, healthier versions to take to work.

I tend to like Hot lunches, so I like leftovers like casseroles and soups. I also like to bring sandwiches, but nice ones, made on pita bread with really good lunch meats. ( the old, flat, plain meat on plain bread doesnt look too appetizing )

As for portable things, I take hard boiled eggs, bananas, mini pudding cups, etc.

None of my ideas are revolutionary, and I run out of "fresh" ideas all the time, so I am interested to see what others say, too. :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-06-2004
Wed, 07-27-2005 - 12:51pm

I know what you mean about lunch. I'm starting over again and they have not gotten boring yet- but I know that the loop cycle isn't far off.

Lean cuisine
Lean pockets
Cottage cheese and tomatoes with Crazy Jane's mixed up salt.
A Bruschetta thing if you have a toaster oven- chopped tomatoes, onions etc and a little feta cheese on top. This makes people way jealous!
English muffin with peanut butter
Fruit and Nut mix and veggies
Ready made Turkey meathballs from the store with veggies on the side
String cheese and fruit or veggies
Strawberry shortcake

When I buy lunch I love sushi and bean/tomatoe based soups.

Weight Watchers has a recipe for a sandwich I love: Pan Bagnat

2 very ripe tomoatoes, one 8 oz. loaf of day old french or italian bread, 1/3 cup shredded part skim mozzarella, 1/4 cup chopped leaf parsley, 2 scallions thinly sliced,
2 T white wine vinegar, 2t extra virgin olive oil

Halve the bread, scoop out the inside bread and tear into small peices, dice the tomatoes (it says to discard the pulp) Mix these with the remaining ingredients, put mixture back into bread and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, refrigerate overnight.
This makes 4 servings.
222 Calories, 6 g fat, 2g sat fat, 34g carbs, 3g dietary fiber, 8 g protein.

The scallions can get a little smelly so I substitute cucumbers and sometimes I use capers instead of parsley. If you want to figure out the calories you can put a little leftover chicken, ham or turkey in there.