Homemade Lunch for Work

M.J.M.C

Hi

I'm looking for any advice on what is best to make for lunch to bring into work.
Currently going to the gym 4 times a week and wanting to loose weight.

I know diet is a major part of this. I make my own lunch and bring it into work with me and stick it in the fridge.
Looking for ideas on how to improve this lunch.

Currently lunch would be
2-Weight Watcher yogurts
1-Brown bread sandwich with ham and cheese, but trying tuna now
1-Nutri-grain bar

Later in the day I would have a Banana and an Orange

I can eat anything so any suggestions I am open to,however things that don't have to be heated up etc, (limited facilities in work) I often eat my fruit before leaving work to try and give me some energy for the gym after work.
I often find I have no energy on the way home / towards the gym, so any tips to improve this would be great.

I am interested to try bringing in homemade salads

Thanks

TommyKnocker

Things I have for lunch in work are

• Ratatouille and chicken/steak/turkey/salmon/tuna (heat Ratatouille in microwave (available in work), leave meat/fish cold)
• Salads (large selection of mixed leaves, mixed peppers, scallions, red onion, grated carrot, cherry tomatoes, green beans etc, couple of walnut halves with EV Olive oil, balsamic vinegar and ginger dressing, Meat or fish as above.
• Stirfrys (eaten cold like a salad)
• Steak & Eggs (4 eggs soft boiled, removed from shell and mashed up in a bowl, to which I add some spring onion and cherry tomatoes and sliced mixed peppers. (Eaten cold)

Ratatouille I will make on a Sunday and make enough for 1 or 2 lunches through the week. Salads and stir frys I prepare the night before while I am cooking my dinner and leave in fridge over night. Of course you bring the salad dressing in sepeately and add it at the last minute. Steak & eggs both cooked the night before. I use fillet steak

RedXIV

Is there no way to get a hot lunch if you want to eat healthy?

Gummy Panda

RedXIV wrote: »

Is there no way to get a hot lunch if you want to eat healthy?

Make chilli then microwave the next day.

Buy those small bags of steam in a bag veg and have some meat in a lunchbox. In the microwave and hot food.

M.J.M.C

I could use the microwave in work

So you think having more of a dinner heated is better than say a salad?

pauldoo

Gummy Panda wrote: »

Make chilli then microwave the next day.

Buy those small bags of steam in a bag veg and have some meat in a lunchbox. In the microwave and hot food.

Are the steam in a bag veg nice?

Gummy Panda

pauldoo wrote: »

Are the steam in a bag veg nice?

Yep. Tastes nicer then boiled for me.

Mellor

RedXIV wrote: »

Is there no way to get a hot lunch if you want to eat healthy?

Of course there is. Two suggestions were stir fry and steak and eggs.
I imagine TommyKnocker eats his stirfry and steak and eggs cold as it's handier for him.

Think about it logically, eating it cold doesn't change its nutritional value.

pauldoo wrote: »

Are the steam in a bag veg nice?

Yeah, very tastey. They cook pretty quick and tend to not go as mushy as boiled.

M.J.M.C wrote: »

I could use the microwave in work

So you think having more of a dinner heated is better than say a salad?

The only difference between grilled chicken with steamed veg and cold chicken with salad is the temperature

TommyKnocker

Mellor wrote: »

Of course there is. Two suggestions were stir fry and steak and eggs.
I imagine TommyKnocker eats his stirfry and steak and eggs cold as it's handier for him.

Think about it logically, eating it cold doesn't change its nutritional value.

I eat steak rare and so I cook my steak rare in the evening. Reheating steak in the microwave firstly over cooks the steak, and secondly makes it tough. Eating cold steak is just the same as eating left over roast beef cold Eggs are delicious hot or cold and as Mellor said, nutritionally whether hot or cold the meal will be the same.

M.J.M.C

This is kinda going off topic a bit

I was looking for suggestions for healthy lunches you could bring into work...

westies4ever

pasta - make it the night before and let it cool. stir in some chopped sundried tomatoes along with some of the oil from the jar and some cubes of feta cheese. you can stir in some rocket and peppers etc as well if you want. healthy and filling.

M.J.M.C

westies4ever wrote: »

pasta - make it the night before and let it cool. stir in some chopped sundried tomatoes along with some of the oil from the jar and some cubes of feta cheese. you can stir in some rocket and peppers etc as well if you want. healthy and filling.

Thanks westies4ever

Today I brought in a salad with tuna.
Someone above said to steer away from pasta and rice and breads no?

westies4ever

must of missed that but i probably should have been more specific - use whoelgrain rather than white pasta and you're fine. if you want to put chicken etc with it for protein as well. it keeps me filled up for the afternoon, keeps me away from snacking and means i don't feel the need to eat rings round me in the evening time.

M.J.M.C

Great idea thanks

Any suggestions for something before I leave work, I normally run low on energy when I leave work.

I go straight from work to the gym.

I usually have a banana or an orange

cocoemma

Hi, I'm on a diet too.. and I have.. an orange in the morning and an apple 30mins before lunch, the then have a low cal knorr soup chicken 39 cals and two slices of brown wholegrain bread, a ww yogurt and a kiwi.. I then have an apple and an orange 30mins before I finish work and then when I get home have an apple again before my dinner to fill me up and so I'm not starving. Plus i drink 3 to 4 litres of water a week and work out three times a week (just getting into that now), I lost two pounds so far, a pound a week.... hope this helps with ideas

westies4ever

cocoemma wrote: »

Hi, I'm on a diet too.. and I have.. an orange in the morning and an apple 30mins before lunch, the then have a low cal knorr soup chicken 39 cals and two slices of brown wholegrain bread, a ww yogurt and a kiwi.. I then have an apple and an orange 30mins before I finish work and then when I get home have an apple again before my dinner to fill me up and so I'm not starving. Plus i drink 3 to 4 litres of water a week and work out three times a week (just getting into that now), I lost two pounds so far, a pound a week.... hope this helps with ideas

wow! fair play - I would be eating the curtains off the windows on a diet like that!

Sangre

westies4ever wrote: »

wow! fair play - I would be eating the curtains off the windows on a diet like that!

Do not follow that diet. Aside from the fact it is probably unsustainable as the calories are so low. It is extremely low in protein (almost non-existant) and good fats and very high in carbs/sugar.

westies4ever

yeah i was thinking it was a bit low on the protein - all that aside, i just couldnt do it - i cannot concentrate on ANYTHING when i'm hungry.

cocoemma

Sangre wrote: »

Do not follow that diet. Aside from the fact it is probably unsustainable as the calories are so low. It is extremely low in protein (almost non-existant) and good fats and very high in carbs/sugar.

OMG SORRY... I make sure I have my protien in the evenings, I have eggs and chicken in the evenings along with potatoes, brown pasta or brown rice and more veg or salad, I never got into dinner I was just giving my lunch and snacks.. I also have a good breakfast too should have mentioned that in post I don't want to swing someone the wrong way.. basically I eat every couple of hours..

I have alot a fish and red meats too (my da 's a butcher )

Sangre

Apologies, I didn't realise that is just what you ate in work. Could probably do with a bit more protein during day and some food fats (if you don't get them already) imo.

cocoemma

Sangre wrote: »

Apologies, I didn't realise that is just what you ate in work. Could probably do with a bit more protein during day and some food fats (if you don't get them already) imo.

It's grand.. yes i do agree more protein during the day.. you see i want to lose about 2 and half stone (to be happy) and the last two weeks i've really been making an effort, before i'd just eat the soup and a yogurt and no fruit at all so to me thats alot (you see my evenings was my problem i LOVE chocolate) the fruit i find is keeping me full enough during the day, i do sometimes have beans and toast or ww salmon or tuna or ham.. but ive just decided this last while to have the soup i do find it filling not only because it's a liquid but it lasts the soup is chicken but i'm sure it's doesn't matter it's still processed.. other then chicken for lunch would else would you recommend protien wise for lunch

PS if i only ate wat i had for lunch and snacks i would literally be climbing the walls HA HA HA HA HA

King of Kings

mackeral fillet (smoked and cold) , spinach, tomato, pepper, 1/2 avacado.

in a lunch box with a fork

RobAMerc

today for lunch I have - turkey meat loaf ( takes 3 mins to prepare and 30 mins to cook ) - beetroot - 3 breakfast mushrooms ( roasted with butter nom nom) an egg and a pickled gerkin.
I also have 3 plums and an orange for snacks plus about 6 cups of coffee. ( btw I am trying to cut fat not lose weight. )

jaggiebunnet

Steamed broccoli with chicken or fish - the food of kings I tells ya !

pauldoo

Gummy Panda wrote: »

Yep. Tastes nicer then boiled for me.

Tried them last night, they're not bad, wonder if they loose much of their nutrition from being preprepared

bubbleking

wholegrain pasta +
oven baked chicken breast cooked with extra virgin olive oil along with mushrooms and brocholli

throw in a lunch box and enjoy

Oisinjm

I find that brown pasta with tuna thrown in along with all the oil included to be really tasty. The oil stops it from being dry and I find it really nice cold. I know others who find it incredibly boring though

Mellor

RobAMerc wrote: »

cut fat not lose weight. )

cut fat = lose weight

pauldoo wrote: »

Tried them last night, they're not bad, wonder if they loose much of their nutrition from being preprepared

They'd prob be better.
Frozen quickly so prob keep more nutrients than veg you pick up in the shop, frsh veg isn't all that fresh.
and microwaving like that keep more nutrients than boiling

Steaming is the best btw

RobAMerc

Mellor wrote: »

cut fat = lose weight

Exclusively ? - I should have qualified it - I am cutting fat and building muscle = gaining weight. ( At least that's where I hope its coming from ! )

Satanta

I try to make enough of whatever dinner I am having in the evening to bring into work the next day.
I make a spag bol (wholewheat spaghetti and steak mince) one night a week. Same with a Chicken Curry (I use basmatti rice because brown rice sucks worse than anything else in the word). Another evening I have on the bone chicken breasts with veg and potato. You get the idea

RobAMerc

right - because I am feeling generous I am going to share a fab recipe with you low carbers that I've had today.

1 - get a courgette and your peeler. give it socks till you have what looks like loads of tagliatelle and very little courgette left ( leave out the core )
2 - stick a good nob of butter in the pan with lots of finely chopped garlic and a handful of 1/4 rd cherry tomatoes an basil if you have it - fry for a bit ( before garlic burns )
3 - add the courgette - keep frying till they courgettes soften
4 - lob in a few slugs of balsamic vinegar and toss it all till the vinegar has heated through.

serve - you'll thank me for this one lads.

M.J.M.C

King of Kings wrote: »

mackeral fillet (smoked and cold) , spinach, tomato, pepper, 1/2 avacado.

in a lunch box with a fork

Thanks that sounds great

bubbleking wrote: »

wholegrain pasta +
oven baked chicken breast cooked with extra virgin olive oil along with mushrooms and brocholli

throw in a lunch box and enjoy

Gonna give this a shot tomorrow - cheers for the reply.

Oisinjm wrote: »

I find that brown pasta with tuna thrown in along with all the oil included to be really tasty. The oil stops it from being dry and I find it really nice cold. I know others who find it incredibly boring though

Satanta wrote: »

I try to make enough of whatever dinner I am having in the evening to bring into work the next day.
I make a spag bol (wholewheat spaghetti and steak mince) one night a week. Same with a Chicken Curry (I use basmatti rice because brown rice sucks worse than anything else in the word). Another evening I have on the bone chicken breasts with veg and potato. You get the idea

This is a great suggestion, it also saves time which is great


Thanks for the replies

Ki ki

RobAMerc wrote: »

right - because I am feeling generous I am going to share a fab recipe with you low carbers that I've had today.

1 - get a courgette and your peeler. give it socks till you have what looks like loads of tagliatelle and very little courgette left ( leave out the core )
2 - stick a good nob of butter in the pan with lots of finely chopped garlic and a handful of 1/4 rd cherry tomatoes an basil if you have it - fry for a bit ( before garlic burns )
3 - add the courgette - keep frying till they courgettes soften
4 - lob in a few slugs of balsamic vinegar and toss it all till the vinegar has heated through.

serve - you'll thank me for this one lads.

Mmmm, tried this tonight and it was delish! Forgot the balsamic but it still tasted sooo good without. Will try it with next time (is now to soon...?)

Mellor

RobAMerc wrote: »

Exclusively ? - I should have qualified it - I am cutting fat and building muscle = gaining weight. ( At least that's where I hope its coming from ! )

Well yeah pretty much exclusively.

Cutting fat = losing weight
Gaining muscle = gaining weight

If you are trying to do both at the same time then what ever do you more of decises if your weight goes up or down. Also, you can't really know exactly what you cut/built unless you have accurate befroe and after BF%

RobAMerc wrote: »

right - because I am feeling generous I am going to share a fab recipe with you low carbers that I've had today.

1 - get a courgette and your peeler. give it socks till you have what looks like loads of tagliatelle and very little courgette left ( leave out the core )
2 - stick a good nob of butter in the pan with lots of finely chopped garlic and a handful of 1/4 rd cherry tomatoes an basil if you have it - fry for a bit ( before garlic burns )
3 - add the courgette - keep frying till they courgettes soften
4 - lob in a few slugs of balsamic vinegar and toss it all till the vinegar has heated through.

serve - you'll thank me for this one lads.

O love garlic and tomato based dishes, and balsamic goes on everything.
But unsure about the courgette. Looks more low everything than low carb. Needs chicken, i'll report back

RobAMerc

Mellor wrote: »

Needs chicken, i'll report back

yea - the courgette is a pasta replacement, so I'd normally have something protein based after or with it.

nice_guy80

I'm no chef, but...

most days I'd have

homemade green leaf salad, cucumber, chopped tomatoes (sometimes with scallions, diced spuds) all in a tupperware. I even put mayonaise on it some days as a treat!!!
and a wholegrain brown bread sambo - soya spread + two eggs/tuna/salmon/chicken.

for snacks in between at work I try to limit it to a few ryvita multigrain with philidelphia, a handful of nuts (cashews or peanuts etc) and fruit.

D'Agger

Would normally have some mushroom soup and a ham/cheese sandwich but just went for my weekly shop there and stocked up on salad items for the week.

Basically bought:

• Ham
• Salami
• Chicken Slices
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Lettuce
• Mixed peppers
• Celery
• Coleslaw

Looking forward to eating a big plate of it tomorrow