Packed Lunch for work

blizeH

I really want to start eating a lot healthier food, but would also like something that's quick and easy so I don't slip back into the routine I'm currently in! My current line up of lunches consists mostly of:

1) Coronation/tikka/piri chicken sandwhich filler in a white roll
2) Nutella in fresh white bread
3) Cheese and lettuce in a white roll
4) Crisps in a white roll (need to cut this out!)
5) Quorn ham and cheese in a white roll
6) Quorn chicken wrap with salad and salsa

Usually accompanied by a piece of fruit, a yoghurt and a whole load of sugary granola.

I'm thinking I can make easy improvements by:

a) Switching out the cheese for lettuce, peppers, spring onion etc
b) Ditching 1, 2 and 4 from the 'menu' above!
c) Going from white rolls to wholemeal/granary, or trying wraps/pita
d) Having a lot more Quorn with various spices

But beyond that, I'm struggling for ideas... annoyingly there's no easily accessible microwave here so having things like warmed up pasta aren't an option.

I'd be very grateful for any suggestions, thank you

lilian1977

Cold pasta/cous cous/rice/new potato salads are a great one, you could even have the cous cous one warm as you make it with boiling water and a bowl so no need for a microwave.

Cheese isn't a bad ingredient - just limit it and make sure you have lots of salad too.

CCP

Grated cheese mixed 50/50 with grated carrot, stuck together with some low fat mayo or salad cream is pretty good, as is grated cheese with chopped pepper, tinned kidney beans and some sweet chilli sauce. I figure that the extra veg content has got to make it healthier than just cheese. (I love cheese, too, as you may be able to tell. )

Most pasta dishes are just as good cold - I tend to make extra for dinner and take the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Lulabelle06

I make a houmous type dip, chop olives and feta and then have it with pittas. pack of 6 wholemeal pittas are under £1(i think) olives jar in asda is £90 and feta is about £1 and then i just use a tin of chickpeas to make the houmous with which are under 50p i think so £3.50ish and its a whole weeks lunches and then i use my extra pitta for something a little more decadent(!) on the weekend. I rotate this with ryvita(boring sorry!) and phili.

SpikyHedgehog

I'm happy to eat cold leftovers, so will happily sit at work eating cold stew & dumplings, or curry & rice...

What about hummus instead of the choc spread? & some home made cheese scones instead of granola?

vanoonoo

have you tried any of the veggie pate/spread type things from healthfood shops? I like those on finn crisp original crackers at lunchtime and you can spread it quite thin so a tube goes a long way. the tube is a bit like a tom puree or toothpaste type tube

BAGGY

The deli near where I used to work did a mix up of red cabbage, carrot, onion and mature cheddar grated and bound with low fat dressing - creme fresh? or maybe mayo. It was one of their best sellers and could be spread on a wrap if you get bored of bread.

BAGGY

Oh, and it sometimes had raisins or apple in too.

RAS

Drain a can of chickpeas, well.

Make a main salad by dressing and adding any of the following

1. Chopped onion (best just before eating IMO)
2. Olives
3. Chopped tomato (ditto on just before eating and reduce the amount of vinegar to allow for the acid juice).
4. Chopped pepper
5. Small saladings - corn salad, rocket, land cress, bitter cress etc.
6. Possibly quartered onion
7. Cooked veggies like french beans or sweetcorn.

Racheldevon

You appear to be eating a huge amount of processed food, including the quorn products.

As a first step swap your white carbs for wholegrain/wholemeal equivalents to increase the fibre in your diet.

Make sure you're eating enough protein and dairy products each day.

I'm veggie and take lots of left overs to eat that i've made from scratch, but I have a microwave at work. Could you consider taking something you've made in a themos to keep it hot - i'm not sure how hot it would be by lunch though.

What about things like oatcakes topped with humous, cucumber, salad etc, humous and avocado sandwich with salad leaves, making couscous salads etc up but include seeds/pulses.

The BBC good food website has lots of good ideas and vegetarian recipes.

You could make a tart or quiche and take a slice to work with a salad you've made, this would do you several lunches.

Consider eating some protein alongside your fruit, you can buy nuts in their natural non granola state fairly cheaply if you look out for deals. Or you can buy omega 3 seed sprinkle mixes and add to your yoghurt etc