BrownBagging It

[Scarlet]

I am just wondering do other people take their lunch to work and if so what do you bring with you? The place near my work only sells sandwhiches and their salads are tasteless to say the least.

Any ideas for lunch? Besides a traditional chickensalad as I bring that sometimes but it's boring.

I am not on Atkins so can have between 15 to 20 carbs per meal.

[black57]

My favorite low carb shop makes the best roast beef and cheese lettuce wraps. They also make tortilla wraps. It is funny to see non-low carbers look at my food and drool ( I love it ). If I am making my lunch, I will take a bologna sandwich made with Orowheat lc bread, lettuce and mayo. I will include some strawberries, lc yogurt or sugarfree pudding.

[deirdra]

I make a pan of spinach/cheese/whatever quiche, cut it into servings & freeze in zipper bags. Then I can grab one in the morning & it is defrosted by lunch time. I like them cold or reheated.

I alway make extras when I cook so that there are always leftovers to grab. I package them in single serving sizes. I keep bags of cooked pork, chicken, beef etc. left over from roasts in the freezer (regular baggies inside a large freezer bag). I can pull one out the night before & put it in the fridge (or nuke to defrost quickly) and have it with salad or veggies.

[MyJourney]

We have a fridge and a microwave, I dont know if your office does. On Friday I brought 2 hard boiled eggs, spinach salad some yogurt and blueberries. Sometimes I bring tortilla wraps or a leftover chicken leg from the night before. Leftovers usually work well although usually I will prepare something that morning.
My favorite is a tandoori chicken wrap with raita.

I am on Atkins so my lunches are significanly lower in carbs than yours are.

[Marcia Mae]

I usually go home for lunch, but if I can't I will usually bring a Dannon Light and Fit Carb and Sugar Control smoothy (4 carbs) half of a sandwhich made with Light Italian bread (6 carbs) loaded with meat and cheese. I also cook a couple cheese chips and break into bite size pieces and put into a sandwhich bag. I will also throw in some macadamia nuts, in case I am really hungry, but I usally don't finish these. I usually have the same lunch everyday.

[kallyn]

I don't work, but sometimes I pack lunch for my hubby.

He generally gets at least 3 items from the following list:
*sandwich made on LC bread
*salad (if a sandwich is included too, the salad is basic. if no sandwich that day, I'll put meat and cheese and nuts and a wee bit of fruit in the salad) w/ dressing packed separately so it doesn't get soggy
*raw veggies with ranch dressing (baby carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes...pepper strips...)
*one portion of nuts
*LC yogurt or sugar-free pudding or sugar-free jello
*baggie of LC fruit (berries usually)
*a veggie side if we have some leftover (for example, steamed broccoli w/vinaigrette, steamed green bean salad w/vinaigrette and cherry tomatoes, sauteed kale, etc)
*every once in awhile I make midget half-cupcake size no-bake cheesecakes using gelatin, and those pack pretty well too
*half a cup of plain yogurt with a quarter cup of the lowest carb granola I can find

[Hybrid]

I make a big bowl of chili and nuke it. I also use deli meat (oh no!) and cracklins.

I also love pork rinds with hazelnut butter. Nobody steals that. (They do steal deli meats).

[Nancy LC]

Do you have a refrigerator and microwave at work? If so, your options are endless.

[Citruskiss]

How about a salad made the night before or in the morning...

I ate this particular salad a lot when I didn't have time to mess around with lunch...

Handful baby spinach leaves
1/4 to 1/2 cup thinly sliced English cucumber
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
2 cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan or asiago cheese

I'd put the salad (without tomatoes) into a ziploc bag or tupperware type container, quarter the tomatoes and put them into a separate container. Also took along a can of tuna, and some Newman's Own Oil & Vinegar salad dressing. At lunch time, just added the tuna, tomatoes and dressing to the salad, tossed it around, and voila - instant lunch.

This meal is low-calorie, low-carb and very satisfying. Also pretty healthy too, with all that spinach, olive oil and so on. You could substitue canned salmon for the tuna, and end up with an even healthier lunch, with lots of omega-3's added to the mix. Another nice touch to add to salad is a couple of tablespoons of sliced raw almonds - gives some crunch, fiber and healthy fat.

[Mousesmom]

I have a salad with some kind of protein, strawberries, LC yogurt, cut up veggies, flax muffins, LC wraps, tuna salad, hard boiled eggs, cut up meat and cheese, left over LC lasagna, twice baked cauliflower, chili or mockaroni.... The options are endless.

Good luck, Julie

[Fialka]

My lunches are...

On weeks when I'm really rushed, cottage cheese or a frozen omelette.

If I have time to cook...

Kielbasa with sauerkraut (we live in an area with good European butchers)
Slow cooker bbq pork w/ veggie like green beans
Slow cooker roast beef w/ veggie
Taco meat with cheese, sour cream, and salsa
Greek salad with feta and olives and grilled chicken
Sandwich lettuce wraps
Jamaican jerk pork chops w/ sour cream and veggie
Hamburgers
Meatloaf--sometimes with olives and feta in it

F

[zorra_1]

WOW! These are some great ideas...

I know it's been mentioned, pieces of cheese, but I've found those little indivdually wrapped cheeses to be a lifesaver...a nice combo of protein and fat to help with my snacking habit!

[teresa35]

I pack tuna with the mayo in a seperate container, or salads - I keep salad dressigns at work actually! It works...or left overs from the night before.

[lf9312]

I also have a microwave and fridge at work. I usually cook my lunch the night before and just bring it with and heat it up. Any where from a sandwich to a steak. Well, I don't eat sandwiches anymore I am on atkins and it is wonderful!

[Parrotxoxo]

I buy chicken wings at Sam's Club, the 5 pound bags, cook them all in the oven with Franks red hot sauce , then throw 6 -8 of them in zip lock bags, i have lunch all week.

[miss24]

Being prepared is huge to this success at Atkins, HUGE.

I make my meals every morning, bought tupperware, and eat throughout the day. Made it a habit...so I have no excuse and am less tempted to have moments of "well I have to eat soemthing..."

If you want to do it right, ya gotta make adjustments...don't even leave a smudge of room for problems to sneak up on you...like being hungry with nothing to eat!

[medalian1]

I think I'm spelling it wrong, but I usually eat cheddar worst for lunch ~ work (1 pk = 6 dogs, which lasts 3 days).

[gryfonclaw]

Heck, I scramble some eggs and cheese together in the microwave. It turns out very nice. (Usually) I eat this everyday.

[Hismouse]

I just love the wing thing, I have been eating salami and cheese for breakfast this week eggs just turn my tummy yuck this week. And leftover salad is good to. I find if I make the night before for dinner and pack it up for lunch the next day it stay fresher than waiting till everyone has had there share and 45 min later packing it. Was wondering is the low carbcleaver fruit ok if your eating just meat and cheese and 1/2 cup of the fruit.

[rachelratz]

I eat a big salad everyday for lunch. One day its turkey, the next tuna, etc. I put all kinds of green veggies in it plus chedder cheese. About 3 days a week I add eggs.