Bringing Lunch

[rockundergirl]

I need some ideas for bringing lunch to work.
I'm doing this more to diet then save money so healthy only
I don't have fridge at work , only a microwave.
I don't eat seafood of any sort
and I want monday -friday lunched to cost under 40 dollars.
What do you think?

 

[js]

I need some ideas for bringing lunch to work.
I'm doing this more to diet then save money so healthy only
I don't have fridge at work , only a microwave.
I don't eat seafood of any sort
and I want monday -friday lunched to cost under 40 dollars.
What do you think?

If you do not have a fridge at work, I would recommend purchasing an insulated lunchbag or an ice pack that you keep in your freezer the night before, or both.

I bring my lunch into work 95% of the time.
I bring salads a lot and yogurt.
When my dh goes foodshopping he purchases all my salad stuff.
I keep it on the counter after unpacking and make my weeks worth of salad right then and keep in the fridge at home and take a container every day.
This helps A LOT!

You can make sandwiches, egg salad comes to mind since I also bring this in. Sometimes on a sandwich and sometimes in my salad.
We have a fridge at work so I keep my dressing in there but you can put in a small tupperware and bring with you. As you can see, salads are big with me LOL

I bring in fruit for my snack after lunch. You can also bring in leftovers from the night before as long as you purchase the insulated lunchbag or freezer pack (I use the freezer packs for my son for school) and have an insulated bag for baseball season drinks. Having a microwave, you can do anything.
Even the WW or Lean Cuisine. Good luck!

 

[Perditamarie]

This is my favorite:

individual tub of hummus cost: $5.99 for 12 at BJs
sandwich flat bread (multi grain 100 cal) cost: $4.00 for double pack at BJs
slice of jalepeno cheese cost: $3.00
yogurt cost $7.99 for 18 (3 varieties)
sparkling poland spring water cost $7.99 for 24

these supplies make at least 12 lunches, but I do run out of cheese sooner.

I keep in my insulated lunch bag w/2 blue ice blocks. I usually bring some kind of granola bar for snack and a sweet for after lunch as well....usually cookies.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I take my lunch to work everyday and have lost 51 lbs since August! Since I work in a preschool classroom, I usually end up eating my lunch standing up. I need to take things that are portable and easy to eat.

I buy either sandwich thins or 80-calorie wheat buns. Each day, I make a sandwich with turkey or ham and low-fat cheese, or a Boca burger with low-fat cheese. I usually have a bag of pretzels or baked potato chips. It's cheaper to buy the large bags and portion them out into baggies. I buy the single-serve bags if I find a good deal. Later in the afternoon, I have a low-fat granola bar. Lately, I've been taking 90-calorie Fiber One bars. I save my fruit and veggie servings for when I get home since they're messy to eat and require a lot of chewing (except bananas - I sometimes take those). When our kids bring birthday or holiday treats, I stay away from them. A cupcake won't make me happier than seeing the number on the scale creep downward!

 

[MSSANDRA]

That is a pretty nice budget to work with. Maybe consider grilling up some chicken on the week-end and doing small packs for the week?? Some type of low fat protein is very important. A handful of nuts with your salad. I agree a really good insulated lunch bag is a must. Do you have your own office?? Might be worth purchasing a small freg for it.

Lots of raw veggies and fresh fruit with low fat dips. Low fat crackers, sugar free pudding or jello cups, pasta salads, any healthy left overs.

 

[disykat]

I was going to suggest an insulated lunch bag as well. When I work full time I rarely use the fridge at work, it's just easier to keep stuff in my bag. My yogurt etc. is always still cold at lunch. If I'm taking anything from the freezer I don't add an ice pack and it's still frozen.

I often take lean cuisenes etc. that I buy on sell for less than two dollars a piece. Add some fruit and also a yogurt or fiber bar for a snack later and I'm good. It should be really easy to keep it under $3 a day, much less $8!

 

[bdcp]

People, OP said NO FRIDGE, so most suggestions wouldn't be safe to eat or very good after a few hours. How about peanut butter, microwave meals that don't need refrigeration, canned tuna, canned pasta, chips, fruit and if you can take a cooler/insulated bag, then sandwiches of any kind as long as they can be kept cold, yogurt, leftovers, etc. But it won't be as cold as it would in the fridge.

 

[gate_pourri]

This may not be too helpful for you, but I am going to give you my experence. I try to bring lunch to work (and breakfast too. I take an antacid every morning and cannot eat for 1hr after taking = after I start my way to work), so I eat breakfast and lunch at work. I am HORRIBLE about buying lunch.

I try to bring lunch both for health reasons (like to loose a few pounds) and money. I figured, between breakfast and lunch, I was spending at least $400 a month! It is too much and not very healthy.

For me, I found out whatever I bring HAS to be appealing and has to mimic what I can buy. I can't have a boring sandwich or canned soup. I won't eat it... and will instead be more likely to join coworkers who go out. I work in the Chicago loop, so there are hundreds of restaurants within walking distance. I cannot count the number of times I 'brought' lunch, but went out and bought something anyway (can we say peer pressure???)

This week I did really well: so far I am 4/4. I bought left over Chinese one day and bought a fresh BLT salad from Walmart ($3) one day. The other 2 days, I brought Fresh soup from the Polish store ($2 each).

Another issue, if it is food that will expire if I don't eat it that day, I am more likely to eat it. A can of soup or a frozen meal, I am more likely to 'put away' for another lunch. At this moment, I have 3 cans of soup on my desk. From lunches in January.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Every few weeks I make a large pot of black bean soup or cream (really low fat milk) of broccoli and freeze in individual glad serving bowls with lids. If i'm staying local that day, I bring one in. I have a fridge, but even if I didn't it would keep through lunch. Microwave for 90 seconds and voila.

 

[lisam427]

i eat very simply for lunch. my lunches are usually dinner leftovers , fruit, yogurt . i back them up the night before in containers and toss my food in an insulated bag in the am. i also buy campbells soup or what ever is on sale and eat it with fruit, turkey sandwich or a salad.

 

[cheriemek]

I started bringing my lunch a few years ago, and have saved many dollars and calories. I make a sandwich with Weight Watchers bread and some deli meat, and add a 100 calorie snack and some fruit. I bought a Vera Bradley lunch bag on Ebay!

 

[HeatherAnn23]

I do weight watchers, and I am horrible about packing my lunches! I pack lunches for both of my kids every night, but by the time I get to mine I just don't have the head for it. A couple of years ago I started bringing Healthy Choice soups to eat at work. I'm allergic to MSG, so they were one of the few options. Now I eat Healthy Choice and Progresso Light soups, and eat a Dannon Light yogurt everyday. I'll suppliment with carrot sticks or apples, but basically I eat the same thing every day - soup and yogurt. I have many friends who tease me and laugh at how boring my lunches are, but it really doesn't bother me - I get my variety with dinner. (and I've lost 42 pounds )

 

[disykat]

People, OP said NO FRIDGE.

Which is why almost every post addressed that issue.

 

[kristenrice]

I have no fridge at work either. I work a 14-hour shift IN an ambulance so my lunchbox is all I have. I do have access to microwaves at the hospitals and gas stations so I can have a hot meal once in a while. Here is what a typical "lunch" is like for me:

1) Frozen entree like Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice or Smart Ones
2) A cup of Greek yogurt
3) 100-calorie sandwich thin with turkey, spinach, tomato and honey mustard
4) Pre-portioned serving of reduced fat potato chips
5) 100-calorie granola bar
6) 1 cup of Special K red berries (I get a carton of skim milk from the hospitals)
7) 100-calorie Vitamuffin (double chocolate from Vitalicious)
8) Instant Oatmeal packet (especially the ones with almonds and cranberries)

All total, it comes to about 1100 calories. Before work, I eat 2 turkey sausage links scrambled with two egg whites and a half cup of chopped spinach (about 110 calories) and a 100-calorie Multi-Grain VitaTop from Vitalicious.

My daily calorie goal is about 1350 calories so that I can lose a pound per week. This keeps me within that range and, as you can see, it is a LOT of food. I can freely graze from my lunchbox all day and not worry about overindulging. My food stays well-chilled (nothing thaws) for my entire shift using a large ice pack.

HTH!

 

[disneychrista]

canned tuna.

She also said she didn't eat seafood of any kind but you mentioned tuna.

 

[yupikgal]

Here's some ideas that you can bring in an insulated tote:

1) Apples, Frozen Grapes, Sliced Pears, Frozen Mango
2) Yogurt that you can mix the fruit with
3) Low fat String Cheese
4) Low fat Triscuits/Wheat Thins
5) Salad made with Spinach, Grilled Chicken, grapes, pecans & low cal dressing
6) Pita pocket with grilled chicken slices, tomatoes, red onion & tzatizki cucumber dressing
7) Couscous salad with chopped sauted veggies (zuchini, tomatoes, greek olives) with an olive oil dressing
8) Homemade soups like split pea, chicken/rice, chicken tortilla, lentil chili with either turkey hamburger or meatless with onions, peppers, celery
9) 100 calorie popcorn (snack)
10) Bottled water

 

[averill94]

During the winter months I make one big pot of soup per week. You can have that once or twice then I freeze some. You can even freeze it in individual containers so it is already to grab and go.

I really try making the soup so I know exactly what is in it in terms of fat and sodium (especially the sodium!).

I have been getting some great recipes that are pretty healthy from:

skinnytaste.com

if you like potato broccoli cheddar soup try it from this site but make sure you double threcipe because it is so delish!

Good luck!

 

[pezheadmeg]

Get a good insulated bag and some ice packs! It'll make a world of difference!. I'm a huge fan of prepping ahead of time. I'll slice up peppers for the week and individually portion them out. There have been a lot of weeks where I'll grill up chicken or turkey burgers then container them in the fridge. Chop that up add some pasta, cheese, and dressing and I have a different lunch with the same base every day.

Also if you have the microwave leftovers are easily doable. I'm working multiple evenings next week. I have planned out 2 nights of frozen PF Changs to reheat up already.

 

[cindycastle30]

I use a tupperware insulated lunch bag, the thing is huge and it came with 3 containers. It was $35 but my husband made me buy it since it could actually fit containers in it. I have been using it every day at work for 3 months. I follow weight watchers so I try to keep everything low points.
Things that I bring:

frozen berries-they thaw by breakfast and I mix in a 4oz container of yogurt
individual cabot 50% less fat cheese slices/buy at sams $10 for 30, eat one of these with 6 saltines
carrots and celery with homemade dill dip- I can eat a huge serving for super low points
1 stick of beef jerkey-good for protein and something salty
banana/apple slices/grapefruit
can of diet coke
reusable water cup

If I stick to these simple things I actually pack them, bring them and eat them, which is half the battle with packing your own lunch for work. I hate having bought something for work lunch and then not using it or not eating it at work. Totally have to keep it simple for myself.

 

[dawson5]

Hubby usually takes in leftovers and keeps them in an insulated lunch bag before he bought a fridge. Now he keeps waters, yogurt and carrots in there and brings the leftovers.

With that amount allotted for your lunches, can you maybe put away the extra that you don't spend toward a small fridge? Hubby bought one at ABC Warehouse for $70 and it had a $10 MIR. It's an Avanti (? never heard of it but it does the job). Just so you can have the option to keep something at work for a "just in case" time?

I think I am also going to invest in some small tupperware containers and freeze leftovers that are more than one serving, so in a pinch he can just pull something out of the freezer (he will eat leftovers the next day but refuses to go two days even if it's something he likes). We have a different situation though, he has to watch his fat and salt intake. A lot of the easily made foods are high in one or both of these items.