Favorite healthy lunch that isn't salad?

[dancingirl21]

I need more filling healthy lunches.  Ideas that aren't salad?

[Deleted]

::watching this::

[Susie]

I'm on a kick right now of making a big pot of chili on the weekend, and bringing it for lunch in screw top Ziploc containers. It freezes well too. I make the chili with ground sirloin or ground turkey, various beans, tomatoes, jalopenos, etc., and I usually bring some plain 0% greek yogurt to put on top after I heat it up at work.

[oreos]

My current favourite lunch is a big pan of roasted chicken/turkey/beef sausage, sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts or green beans.

I chop 4 sausages into roughly 3/4 inch chunks, chop a couple medium sweet potatoes into similar size chunks and then toss both in a pan with tons of brussel sprouts or green beans. I drizzle everything with olive oil and garlic and then stick into a 400* oven for an hour. This gives me three meals, usually and is warm and filling.

[mbcdefg]

I like grilled chicken in a pita with lettuce and tomato, and topped off with homemade tzatziki-ish sauce ... a mix of plain Greek yogurt, diced cucumbers, lemon juice, and spices (salt and pepper, dill, garlic powder).

Or a bento-style lunch with lots of little nibbles ... fruit, vegetables, hummus, crackers, cheese. If I bring a sandwich I find myself getting sick of it before I finish it.

[havarti]

Greek yogurt with bananna, berries and maybe some granola.

[raangoli]

Oct 21, 2014 12:13:35 GMT -5 havarti said:

Greek yogurt with bananna, berries and maybe some granola.

This is usually my breakfast, but I sometimes switch it up and have it for lunch instead.  :Y:

[Deleted]

Soup
Spanakopita - I make one in a pie plate with phyllo cut into ribbons and piled on top.

[mrshandy]

Homemade soup. I have a whole collection of recipes. We usually do Paleo/Whole 30 recipes for this.

[Deleted]

I alternate between packing a sandwich + fruit, buying lunch in the cafeteria and packing leftovers. My leftovers are by far the healthiest and most filling. I just ate beef stew with a ton of vegetables in it. Try meal planning for a week and purposely cook double the amount of servings you,need so you can have some for lunch.

[mbcdefg]

Oct 21, 2014 12:27:08 GMT -5 cuadrado said:

I alternate between packing a sandwich + fruit, buying lunch in the cafeteria and packing leftovers. My leftovers are by far the healthiest and most filling. I just ate beef stew with a ton of vegetables in it. Try meal planning for a week and purposely cook double the amount of servings you,need so you can have some for lunch.

I try to bring leftovers, too ... because not only am I not spending money on a takeout lunch (which is usually upwards of $10/day), but my dinner leftovers are usually healthier than the takeout options near me (burgers and fries, creamy soups, Chinese food, etc.). And when I go out to buy lunch I'm more likely to buy something like a soda or a piece of chocolate with it.

[tine]

I eat a pb sandwich with a banana most days. Cheap and healthy.

[sa]

I usually eat leftovers now, but when I went into the office I often packed a sandwich - lean turkey, whole wheat bread, lettuce tomato, with a yogurt (never non-fat - not filling enough), one or two pieces of fruit and a granola bar. I always felt pretty satisfied for the rest of the day.

[dancingirl21]

Leftovers are a good idea but not always feasible. My H has a very active job and he has a huge metabolism. The guy eats non-stop and doesn't gain a pound. Because of this, he either always finishes everything I make for dinner (even if there is a lot) or he takes the leftovers.

Good suggestions!

[Deleted]

This week I made turkey meatloaf muffins with veggies (mushrooms, peppers, onions). I bring 2 and they are really good and I just add a veggie.

[wavepool]

Soup. Make a bunch that's high in veggies, some beans/lean meat, broth based, and freeze it in small containers so you can have it more than one week. Hardly any work for lots of meals!

[xokell2]

Ground chicken with stock, spices, and veggies. Ground chicken is much less dry than regular chicken breasts imo.

[abramos]

I make enchiladas or lasagna on the weekend and then we have those for lunches and dinners. You can add an apple as a side and you have a meal!

[abramos]

Oct 21, 2014 12:34:41 GMT -5 tine said:

I eat a pb sandwich with a banana most days. Cheap and healthy.

That sounds really good right now.

[aurora]

We usually eat leftovers, so as long as our dinners are healthy, so are our lunches.

[mbcdefg]

Oct 21, 2014 12:53:24 GMT -5 xokell2 said:

Ground chicken with stock, spices, and veggies. Ground chicken is much less dry than regular chicken breasts imo.

This is a good recipe that calls for ground chicken, although I just use finely diced chicken breasts. And using the lettuce wraps makes it good for those avoiding carbs, plus butter/Boston Bibb lettuce is cheap: damndelicious.net/2014/05/30/pf-changs-chicken-lettuce-wraps/

How about mini chicken pot pies baked in a muffin tin? Pop them out, freeze them, and pull them out for lunch when needed.

White chicken chili is very tasty: www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/patrick-and-gina-neely/white-chicken-chili-recipe.html

[Deleted]

I use bento/compartment type containers so I can get a variety of stuff. Today I had quinoa enchilada bake, carrots, hummus, and grapes. I always keep easy stuff on hand, cut fruit and veggies, cottage cheese, crackers, granola, trail mix, and hummus for the sides. For the main entree...on Sunday I make some sort of cold salad or an entree that tastes good cold and we eat it throughout the week, sometimes I use leftovers, and sometimes I just make a wrap or sandwich. Lately I've taken to wraps with lettuce, chicken, avocado, chipotle mustard, peppers, and buffalo jack cheese.

[magdala]

Another vote of soups. Some favorite recipes:
www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/harvest-sweet-potato-soup
www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/jim-s-potato-soup
www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/VEGETARIAN-NEW-ENGLAND-CLAM-CHOWDER-1214260 (Although I tend to use 1% dairy milk and low fat dairy sour cream)
www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Red-Pepper-Soup-Shots-51117500 (Although I don't serve it in shots)

The soups (not the chowder) freeze really well too so I will make a giant batch and freeze in one cup containers to grab and go.

[Deleted]

I LOVE this mexican quinoa and it freezes well. I sometimes make a double batch just to freeze for lunches. I like it topped with avocado and cheese.
www.annies-eats.com/2012/11/05/mexican-quinoa/
Before I became gf, I liked tuna and triscuits for lunch.

[mlvmd]

I often do two pieces of Ezekiel bread with a vegan veggie burger with avocado, lettuce and tomato. I also like plain Greek yoghurt with bananas or blueberries and chia seeds and Swiss muesli.

I also like veggie pasta with grilled zucchini and squash and smoked turkey with some Parmesan.

[audette]

I do a lot of soups. Easy to make in large batches, easy to make healthy (whatever your current definition of "healthy" is - high protein? low fat? high fat? whole grain? all can be accommodated in soups). A lot of soups are easy to freeze, and pretty cheap to make, too, and there are infinite varieties, so you can make up a few different soups and have a different one from the freezer each day of the week...