I ask myself this question everyday. I am on a tight budget and trying to be healthy. Usually at work I keep string cheese, yogurt, cereal, and english muffins on hand for breakfast. Lunch is a little more difficult. I never have leftovers from dinner. Wouldn't matter how much extra I make - The midnight eater gets it. I keep a loaf of bread, canned soup, and occasionally frozen entres. I try to avoid them due to high sodium content and I dont find them very filling. I buy bags of frozen vegetables and eat that by itself for lunch. I find I can eat a mountain of vegetables for the same calories as a lean cuisine. I have fresh fruit and sometimes keep salad stuff here. Pretzels to snack on. Sandwhich meat and cheese are too expensive and again, too much sodium. Right now I'm eating a can of steak and potato soup and a piece of buttered bread. Perfect for a cold rainy monday. But summers coming and I wont want soup. What are some other things I can keep at work for lunch?
I always kept nuts, instant oatmeal, granola and juice boxes in my desk and a few slimfasts in the fridge.
In the summer time, I love fresh tomatoes cut up with cottage cheese. It usually gets me pretty full. I keep low sugar/sugar free instant oatmeal in my desk and have that for breakfast; I keep trail mix for snacking or bring an apple and have some peanut butter on it; fresh cut up veggies or grapes. I bring a bottle of water and refill it during the day. I usually eat lean cuisine for lunch, but do bring leftovers from home when I can.
Salad mix, rolls and canned chicken or tuna
Bag of ready meals with the vegetables and pasta - family bag can serve 2-3 hot lunches
Pizza
Sandwiches
I take canned soup or homemade soup a lot.
I also like to buy a 4 pack of croissants and make tuna& diced apple & mayo salad & put that on them. Yummmmy. The diced apples give it crunch and sweetness.
Of course, there's always the vending machines.......
I keep low sugar oatmeal or lite & fit yogurt at work for breakfast and bring a bananna for a mid morning snack.
Lunch, I typically bring chicken noodle soup or chili. I make a big batch every few weeks and freeze lunch size portions. Sooo easy to grab and go. If I don't have that, I usually grab a chili from Wendy's or Subway...both cheap and very filling. Plus gets me away from my desk for a few.
Sometimes I will cut up 3-4 days of lettuce and other salad fixings on a Sunday. This allows me to open up zip lock bags and put the fixings in a bowl and go. No after work effort.
Other snack ideas, peanut butter and apple, peanut butter and crackers, grapes, oranges, veggies and ranch.
I cook up extra chicken specifically for taking to work. Then I will take tortillas, or salad fixings or both. Then throughout part of the week make a salad or a taco. Generally just grilled or baked chicken that can be used in various ways. Sometimes I buy the pre-grilled chicken to take, but it is more expensive.
I work with several health nuts, so together we often bring edamame to steam, Vita top muffins (not cheap though), nuts, natural peanut butter, hummus and we all share.
I usually bring my lunch for work. I love to bring just regular ham, turkey and cheese sandwiches. As fo my desk. LOL I have a whole drawer of food. I have granola bars, fresh fruit (orangs and apple), chips, chocolate, botted water, dole fruit cups, chex mix and two choc. chip cookies. MMM
I bring a lunch every day. However, I do keep a few snacks available. Here are some ideas...
yogurt
a can of tuna
a jar of peanut butter
instant oatmeal
dried fruit
a potato - you can put it in the microwave for a baked potato
a block of cheddar cheese and some crackers
carrot and celery sticks
I worked with a woman who would bake tons of potatoes at a time and then keep them in the fridge. She would just cut them up into chunks and dip in ranch dressing. I was like GROSS! But then I tried her's once and it was good! Cheap and filling! (not sure about healthy!!!). I don't really have any ideas because I would just pack my lunch when I worked in an office so I didn't keep anything at work. Good luck!!!
