Fruit
Carrots
Granolla
Nuts
Celery
Cheese
H2O
Some candy just for sweets

Here's what I do, most of the time, in different combinations:

Cheerios for breakfast – we have a public fridge where I keep my milk. Never had a problem with other people using it
Morning snack: cabbage wedge, carrot sticks, banana, apple
Lunch: precooked/reheated brown rice, red beans; slice of bread with peanut butter; celery with peanut butter; salad (lettuce, spinach, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, hard boiled egg – usually with yolk removed – and spray dressing
Afternoon snack: fruit, cabbage, carrot sticks, nuts/granola; raisins

It can be tricky to get enough protein. I'm having to add in yogurt somewhere. Probably lunch time. I've had a few days where my protein intake was pretty sorely lacking.

It all depends on what you have available as far as storage at work. Like I said, I have 2 possible public refrigerators at my disposal. I called dibs on one of the crisper drawers, so no one else bothers my food. (Either that or they're turned off by all the green.) If you don't have a fridge available, I don't know what to suggest. A cooler would probably keep everything cold enough at your desk (or wherever you need to keep it) as long as you have one of those ice things in it.

healthylazy.tribe.net/thread/...eeb91de6

healthylazy.tribe.net/thread/...eeb91de6

Great thread, thanks for bringing it up. I'm trying to save money by not going out to lunch every day and I have a hard time coming up with ideas. This has all been very helpful!

I learned this from Jennie Craig: frozen dinners. Added benefit: it taught me portion control. I wouldn't say the JC frozen meals are all that healthy compared to some other brands, like Amy's, but the idea is a good one and I still bring frozen dinners for lunch along with a salad that I make fresh the night before and then all I have to do is toss the container in my bag as I walk out the door. I try to keep the calories for the frozen lunches below 250 Kcals and for dinner below 300 Kcals.

Cut up mango/strawberries/some juicy-type fruit with unflavored yogurt for a mid-morning snack. Low fat popcorn, fruit, broth based veggie soup for a pm snack. And I get everything done the night before mainly because I am a zombie in the morning and the carpool LEAVES at 7am. Yikes!

Thank you all for your ideas! Keep them coming! At work I have access to a refrigerator, microwave and toaster oven. I am thinking of some quesadillas: corn or wheat tortillas with shredded cheese (like a sandwich and place them in the toaster over for about 10 mines) with some homemade salsa: tomatoes, onions, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, some seasonings.

Mmmm just reminded me, speaking of yoghurt I dscovered:

Rachel's Organic Coconut Yoghurt

I wanted to go out without time for large breakfast so I threw in some oats and honey and the rest is history! Oats + yoghurt = Bliss!

Its fun trying different flavours of natural yoghurt mixed with various crunnchy stuff: nuts, oats...granola that was mentioned somewhere ^^

:)

I keep peanut butter & crackers and a supply of grape nuts (for yogurt) at my desk. Hard boil a bunch of eggs, they'll keep in the fridge for a few days and just take a couple/ day. I also have a fruit bowl so I bring fruit once/ week or so for snacks. For me it's a lot easier to have a supply of goodies than have to worry about it every day :)

For lunch I usually eat leftovers. I make a point of making large portions for dinner so I have luch for the next day.


Lee Ann's spaghetti sounds good!! I might have to make some for dinner tonight! LOL!

I used to live on the healthier trader joe's frozen stuff, but am really trying to limit my carbs and eat much healthier.

The biggest thing I've found is taking the time once a week to do a big prep. I chop up salad and munching veggies and some fruit up on Sundays. Then I can easily grab a handful out of several tupperwares to make a salad in a minute or two. If it's too time intensive then I'll just end up eating crap - so have really tried to make it very easy for myself. I've also been packing my lunches the night before, since I don't have enough time in the morning.

So here's what I have at work today:

Breakfast: cup of sliced strawberries mixed in a cup of trader joe's fat free greek yogurt (add splenda to sweeten)
Lunch: found a mulit-grain brown bread at TJ's that tastes pretty good and is very low carb / calorie / fat -so I have turkey & veggie sandwich and a big green salad with Newman's low-fat Asian dressing
Snacks: 2 low-fat string cheese sticks, and a cucumber

Take the chicken breast you made last night and chop it up in your salad. I'm a big fan of making extras so I get a few meals out of my effort. TJs also has that killer Mediterranean hummus that I always keep around the house. Makes a yummy sandwich with veggies or just with some whole wheat pita.

lite popcorn, carrots, peanuts & rice cakes.

If you like sammitches but are avoiding carbs, use lettuce instead of bread. Its especially refreshing this time of year too. Lettuce goes nicely with your standard deli stuff, but is particularly yummy with things like tuna salad & egg salad.

yummy healthy snacks: snap peas, those litttle tiny cherry tomatos (they even have the heirloom babies now at TJoes) with some sea salt sprinkled on, the 100 calorie yogurts, brown rice cakes with cheese slices, apples with the low cal caramel dip or some baby edam or gouda cheese, any fresh fruits.

Another idea...make a bucket o'salad at the beginning of the week & if you have fridge room at work, just keep it around. I take mixed herb salad, basil, carrots, snap peas, garbanzos, mushrooms, green & red peppers & whatever else tickles my fancy, chop it all up and then mix a very simple dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a little water, a little soy & whatever spices I choose. Oh, and most importantly, that mixed nut thing also at TJoes that has slivered almonds, pinons and pepitas.

Bon Apetit