# Healthy Lunch Ideas



## kyles (Jan 1, 2005)

Ok folks, one of my big challenges in lunch at work. We have the BEST cafeteria in the world, however I can only get there two days a week as I work late and it shuts early. These two days are fine as they offer a range of healthy choices.

On the other three days I will need to start bringing my own lunch, as the choices on offer in the coffee shop are less than healthy. I have access to a microwave. Also we have an endless supply of cookies and chocolate at work, it will help if I can either take an alternative to share, or just for myself.

Thanks in advance!  8)


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## SierraCook (Jan 1, 2005)

Here is a list of some of the things that I put in my lunch

1/4 cup of any kind of nuts.  My favorites are cashews.
mixed veggies - celery, radishes, cauliflower, broccoli
1 oz. of jerky - I prefer beef, but they have salmon, etc.
Small containers of yogurt, applesauce, jell-O, cottage cheese
Cheese - mozzarella and swiss are good they have less fat then other kinds
Fruit - I am not a fruit eater, but I try to eat a piece a fruit a day
Dried fruit - cranberries, apple rings, pineapple, cherries, etc.
Salami - Sometimes I treat myself with a few slices of salami
Chicken breast with a 1/2 cup brown rice
Mixed green salad with cherry tomatoes, feta, cheese, green onions, and favorite dressing
Spaghetti sauce with whole wheat spaghetti

I will try to think of more later.  SC


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## Barbara L (Jan 1, 2005)

Do you have a refrigerator at work?  If not, you could carry a small cooler.  Salads offer so many different options (check out the salad threads for some ideas).  Also, you could bring healthy soups (you can make big big batches and freeze individual servings) and heat them up in the microwave oven.  When you, or Colin (I hope I remembered his name right!), make meals that either freeze well or would be good the next day for work, make more than enough for that meal and have the left-overs at work.  If you have a day off and nothing else to do (I know, I know!  But sometimes it might happen!), cook some healthy meals to freeze in serving size portions for later.  Hope this helps!

 Barbara


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## Audeo (Jan 2, 2005)

Sierra and Barbara, you two ROCK!!!  What great suggestions!

Keep them coming!


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## Lifter (Jan 2, 2005)

You might want to take a look at canned salmon and tuna, as a salad...low-cal, protein, has those valued Omega 3 things...(packed in either water or vegetable stock!)

Smoked salmon?  (If you have no issue with the nitrates!)(But deliscious!)

Making the salad?

Green onion, or better, red onion or scallions (fibre, traces)

Celery (extra low cal, fibre)

Chopped black olives (taste, appearance, "good" fats)

Red/green sweet peppers (fibre, vitamins, taste, appearance, "crunch")

A dab each of mayo and sour cream, to add as a "mixer" and not leave you feeling "totally left out" of anything "good"

A dash of lemon juice, a drop of hot sauce, if you like it...

Today, by itself, tomorrow, stuffed in a hollowed out tomato, some fresh ground pepper to "crown" it...or in a smally green/red/yellow "sweet pepper" if you prefer...

 A piee of fruit to go with that?

A small handful of almonds, as a "snack"?

Alternate with fruity yoghurt?

Celery sticks with cheese whiz, maybe with raisins ("ants on a log", for kids!)

Cucumber slices, carrot sticks, radishes, pepper slices, green onion, or leeks, broccholi, cauliflower with "light" dipping sauce?  (Gotta be something good to touch off the benefits you "KNOW" you are getting!)

Slices of cold roast beef or low fat ham, smoked chicken, turkey, etc...(these are not so high fat as others would have you believe!)(nor so crammed with chloresteral!)

Switching to "Omega 3" eggs (chickens fed on flax seed, increases the Omega 3 fatty acid in the eggs...lets you have that "fix" once a week or so!)

"Granola" style (Muslix?) breakfasts?

1% milk (skim may detract from weight loss, I forget the chemical mechanics why this is so...)(but calcium does, apparently, help!)

My thoughts, anyways!

Go for it!

Lifter

7, or better, 12 grain bread slices with margerine?


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## kyles (Jan 3, 2005)

Thank you all, all your tips were useful. I really like your detailed ideas Lifter, I shall get organised for the coming week. I have never seen Omega 3 eggs in England, my dad used to buy them in Australia. I buy free range eggs from my farmers market. I love chickens and can't bear the thought of them being couped up.


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## Lifter (Jan 3, 2005)

Three weeks, Kyles, M'Dear...and I want to hear back from a "lot less of you"!

Should be able to shave off 4-5 lbs in that time!

Lifter


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## htc (Jan 3, 2005)

my lunches:

spinach salad
sandwich using whole wheat bread
sliced cucumbers w/ tuna salad
carrot sticks
cheese sticks
soup of any kind (preferably home made, if not Pacific brand)
home made chili
salad rolls
vietnamese cole slaw
curry
fajitas (no wraps, just veggies and meat)
nuts & dried fruit
sugar free pudding/jello


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## robbdj (Jan 4, 2005)

My current fav lunch from home is some uncooked rice noodles, tsp or so of olive oil combined with alot of garlic.  Just boil the water in the microwave, pour over the rice noodles and let site for a few minutes until cooked the way you like them.  Drain them, and slather with your garlic, olive oil combination.  I think we figured this out to be about 230-250 Cal lunch.  And it's really filling.


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## kitchenelf (Jan 4, 2005)

Lots of lunch ideas here Kyles Lunch Suggestions

One of my favorite snacks is to mix 6 oz. 2% or 4% cottage cheese with about 4 oz. of fat free flavored yogurt (I use Bryers but don't know if you can get it there) - another favorite is 1 orange and 2 hard boiled eggs, another is 2 cheese sticks and an apple, yet another is a Rye Crisp cracker with a couple slices of deli turkey and a piece of low fat Swiss - take a look around the site at the above link - some good suggestions there and some GREAT suggestions by others here!!!!!


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## amber (Jan 6, 2005)

kyles said:
			
		

> Ok folks, one of my big challenges in lunch at work. We have the BEST cafeteria in the world, however I can only get there two days a week as I work late and it shuts early. These two days are fine as they offer a range of healthy choices.
> 
> On the other three days I will need to start bringing my own lunch, as the choices on offer in the coffee shop are less than healthy. I have access to a microwave. Also we have an endless supply of cookies and chocolate at work, it will help if I can either take an alternative to share, or just for myself.
> 
> Thanks in advance!  8)



I think it would help if you tell us all what type of foods you like, and then maybe we can come up with a lowfat version for you, this way your getting the foods you love without feeling deprived.  As far as chocolate, take some lowfat pudding cups, or sugar free jello ( I think you call it jelly there, my hubby is english too lol).  Im not sure about a substitute for cookies, but there is someone on here that just posted the other day about making cookies for a school function so perhaps she can come up with a lowfat version cookie?  Her post was either in general or in desserts forum.

On edit, it is PA baker that makes cookies. I hope I'm not putting her on the spot here, but she does make lovely cookies.


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