What are your favorite "healthy" lunches?

[Gabes_mommy]

I love the healthy dinner thread - I got so many good ideas, so I thought I should start one about lunches.

I eat lunch at my desk everyday so I am looking for new ideas for tasty, easy to prepare, healthy lunch options.

Thanks so much!!!

 

[anniemae]

One of my easy healthy lunches is veggie hummus on whole grain bread with slices of cucumber (I like the seedless cukes) and shredded carrots and baked potato chips.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I like to make a really yummy Texas Caviar (there's about 1 million variations on the Internet, I just found one with ingredients I liked) and bring in baked Tostitos (or bake my own). It is so good!

I try not to eat very much meat (mainly 'cause I can't afford organic) so I'll eat cereal for lunch a lot of times or organic creamy tomato soup with half of a peanut butter (well, I use almond butter) sandwich on whole wheat. I try to keep my calories about 400 for lunch (250 for breakfast, 400 for dinner, and 300 [150 each] for two snacks), when I'm trying to lose weight. Usually a couple hundred more if I'm maintaining. Also, it all depends on how much I'm working out. Ok, now I'm way OT .

 

[LindaR]

I try to cook healthy stuff all the time. Since I am an empty-nester, I still cook for two....and take the leftovers as lunch.

I LOVE salads! Dark leafy greens with tomatoes, cucumbers, boiled egg, sometimes some boiled potatoes (very filling), and topped with cooked baby shrimp or chicken breast.

Today I am having green chile stew w/chicken (not beef or pork) and a whole wheat tortilla.

Yesterday was turkey breast on multigrain bread w/mustard.

The easiest thing is still cooking for two when its just only me. Two meals taken care of at one time.

Tomorrow will be baked cod, risotto florentine, and mixed vegetables (leftovers again!)

 

[castleview]

Tuna sandwich on multi-grain bread with a side of tomato soup. I use very little mayo in the tuna - maybe 1/2 TBSP per can. I put about a cup of diced celery in it and that makes up for lost moisture.

and

Chopped chicken breast (easiest from leftovers or Trader Joe's precooked chopped chicken) with 1 cup celery, 1/2 TBSP mayo and 1 tsp. of basil (goes a long way in flavor). Mix it up and put it over some lettuce.

 

[LuvOrlando]

My favorite is 1 Purdue Perfect portions Italian seasoned chicken breast with lettuce on a Pepperidge Farms Deli flat with a dollup of lite Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing.

My second current favorites are either Swiss Chard with a can of chick peas or Escarole with a can of Cannelini beans. Saute some onions and garlic in oil then add the beand and saute about 5 minutes or so then tear up the pre-soaked greens and put them on top in the frying pan or large pot to wilt, maybe 10 minutes. But these need to be eaten the same day or they get bitter.

Third favorite is roasted peppers by themselves or with a chicken breast with or without a salad. Roast cored red peppers upside down in a muffin tin until blackened. Drop peppers into a store size doubled paper bag and shake for a bit, the steam will loosen the skins. Then peel off the skins and drop the shredded peppers into a bit of olive oil and garlic, the are so delicious with a mild sweetness. For dinner I put some fat free cheese on top of the baked chicken with a layer of spinach and the roasted peppers on top of that

 

[bookgirl]

I premake a big soup.

Beef (often the morningstar crumbles which have less fat then ground beef), broth, whatever veggies, either fresh, canned or frozen, and sometimes lentils or rice. I also like chicken, broth, veggies, rice or pasta. I make a huge pot, eat some that night. Then let the rest cool.

Then I take the small round reusable ziplock containers. I fill them about 3/4 way full. Usually 5 or 6 servings per pot. I then freeze these. When I need a quick lunch I grab one from the freezer, let it sit on my desk in my lunch bag for the morning and then nuke it for 3-5 miuntes at lunch. Very quick, easy and frugal. Just remember to make water/broth based soups, load up on the veggies and use lentils/brown rice/smart pasta for the most health benefits.

I take a few crackers or a slice of wheat bread and it's a really nice lunch. I also take fruit juice/fruit, and some kind of dessert (cookie or pudding) to round out the lunch.

eta: I've taken hummus and cucumbers on wheat for lunch as well, but it didn't seem to stick with me, as well as Peanut Butter or veggie soup. Don't know why. Hummus is a favorite for my snacks. Either with cucumbers/bread or on crackers/celery-carrot sticks as a dip.

 

[barrett7890]

a quick easy one is cous cous salad

portion of cous cous, various chopped veggies (sroing onion, peppers, tomato, cucumber etc) and a splash of non fat dressing

cami
x

 

[Jennasis]

MCDonald's...with a Diet Coke.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

eta: I've taken hummus and cucumbers on wheat for lunch as well, but it didn't seem to stick with me, as well as Peanut Butter or veggie soup. Don't know why. Hummus is a favorite for my snacks. Either with cucumbers/bread or on crackers/celery-carrot sticks as a dip.

I love, love, love hummus! I just can't bring it to work in it's original container or I'll end up eating all of it .

I also wanted to add I bake potatoes and make a broccoli and cheddar soup on Sunday nights. I eat the potato with the soup poured over it sometimes for lunch (although I usually only do half of a potato if it's a big one) throughout the week.

 

[Minnesota!]

I love salads!

I just had one with field greens, shredded carrots, shredded cabbage, frozen peas (starting to thaw), a little shredded cheese, some cottage cheese, and a Tbsp of my fave Ranch dressing.

mmmmmm.

I also love taking a whole wheat tortilla, melting some cheese in it, and then adding my home made salsa to it. I use habeneros in my salsa so it has a GREAT kick to it.

 

[JVL1018]

I usually eat turkey on whole wheat, but my favorite lunch is leftover grilled chicken, chopped up with some BBQ sauce, and added on top of a salad with black beans, some corn and chopped tomatoes. I usually heat the chicken, but everything else is cold.

 

[redlight]

1 peanut butter sandwich and a bunch of baby carrots (or fruit).

 

[crazelion]

Today I had ham sandwich on wheat bread with lettuce and tomatos with mustard. I had apple slices too.