If you're feeling shit after sandwiches and hot dogs, presumably in bread rolls, you could be gluten intolerant.
IANAD.
Or you could be having too large of a meal!
this is what i struggle with.
I make big batches of lentil or chickpea curry, freeze half, eat the unfrozen during the week, then next week do a different recipe, freeze half, eat the unfrozen half, then thaw the first variety I made, and so on, so I have a constant flow of frozen and different curries.
You can also just thaw one if you can't be assed to cook that week, too.
To make em into a lunch, I usually make rice and a coleslaw or other quick prep veg so you get some nutritional variety up in that batch
Black coffee.
Actually, that's breakfast. I just drink water at work and eat when I get home. After the first few days, my body adjusted. I don't get hungry at work anymore.
Seems to actually work yeah. My girlfriend doesn't eat dinner, only lunch. She says her body adapted to it almost completely. Only sometimes is she extra hungry and then for a proper reason, like doing physical work for hours or something.
I think it's very healthy to just eat less. We eat more then we need, almost all of us.
Coffee is a superb natural appetite suppressant. I usually have a cup of coffee, a glass of milk, and a cup of unsalted peanuts around breakfast time. Keeps me pretty full most of the day.
If I've had a cooked dinner the night before I'll have that for lunch the next day.
My partner and I have done meal prep on weekends in the past as well. That can work well if you have the space to keep food frozen for a week or two.
This right here. Because I suck at cooking I usually get 2-3 HelloFresh or other meal prep kits with recipes, then eat on them for dinner that night and lunch the next day. Pretty healthy to boot.
If I'm at home, udon noodle soup: just vegetable stock cube in a pot of water, boil it, chuck the noodles in, chuck in whatever you want to put in the soup (I just chop up tofu and one vegetable of my choice), boil for a few mins, and it's done. Put Laoganma on to serve. Obviously use whatever other noodles you prefer if you have a preference other than udon. Takes like 15 mins total and it's so simple for something that's an actual full meal. I don't take it with me when I'm on the go though, as it's hard to carry a bowl of noodle soup with you.
For something you can take with you on the go, I've been making this vegan smoked tofu carbonara recipe lately. You'll still need a microwave to heat it up once it's lunchtime, unless you want to eat cold spaghetti for lunch, but it's really tasty, especially the tofu.
Udon broth is also available premade and is very quick and easy to make from scratch.
Try avocado and hummus sandwiches, nutritious and tasty.
I make a chickpea/garbanzo bean spread:
(1) 15oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (I also take the skins off but that's optional) (1) tbsp of Nutritional yeast (.5) tsp garlic powder (.5) tsp onion powder (.5) tsp salt (1) tbsp lemon juice (.5) tbsp dijon mustard (.5) cup of mayo (any mayo works)
Optional: 1 nori sheet (seaweed adds a fishy flavor)
Instructions: smash everything together with a fork in a bowl until mixed or use a food processor/blender to puree, it should have the consistency of a cheese spread or dip. Serve on anything and keep refrigerated for up to 5 days
I was about to comment this one. Its one of my fav lunches cause its so easy to make. The name I have for it though is 'chickpea of the sea' because its similar to tuna. My recipe is similar except I like to add onion and pickles to mine. Also I usually use some Old Bay seasoning instead of salt.
Damn I'm gonna try the old bay next time! Thanks
I cook large batches of stew every now and then, freeze in 2 or 3 portion packages. Then each sunday I prep some carbs, defrost and pasteurize stew and put it all together. Boom! Lunches ready to go into the work microwaves.
Not sure if you work from home, but if so, canned chicken can go a long way. You can make quick quesadillas, chicken salads, make rice the day or morning before and mix that with some sautéed canned chicken with olive oil and seasonings of your choice.
Another quick go to for me is gluten free nuggets and chicken patties. IMO they’re even tastier than the other common options. A little pricier though but well worth it.
Canned chicken is a go to, but also whenever I go to Costco in the weekend I get a roasted chicken and debone it for the same purposes.
Rice + microwave frozen stir fry veggies + teriyaki sauce is a halfway decent and quick lunch.
Canned chicken over rice is my favorite poor food. Usually I mix the chicken with mayo and spread it over rice cakes. One can to 3 rice cakes is a full meal.
When I still worked my favourite lunch was ramen. I had square plastic clip-top boxes, perfect shape for ramen blocks. Pop in the ramen, sprinkle with the seasoning packet (or seasonings of your choice) and top with whatever veg you have to hand. Sugarsnap peas, baby corn, spring onion (scallions), zucchini, greens, shredded carrot, bell pepper. If you have cooked chicken, add a slice of that. Clip the lid back on.
At lunchtime, open the box, add boiling water to cover the ramen, close the box again and wait for three minutes or so for the ramen to cook. I guess access to boiling water might be tricky in the US - in the UK our staff canteen had a boiling water dispenser for tea-making.
some things that worked for me and advice
If you are not very active at work, and you have the flexibility to shift your breaks, try taking a bunch of shorter breaks and start working on preparing side dishes like you are cooking for a holiday or a family gathering.
Food can last ~2 weeks in the fridge. For me, if my food variety feels repetitive, it is because my cooking needs some work. I can eat the same thing every day easily, if the food is really good.
Here's the thing, "healthy" and how you feel is complicated and likely has to do with IBS to some degree. You likely have many very poor quality options available, but are not looking at the ingredients in detail. Like the oil used is a major factor in how you feel just under the surface of most people's awareness. Unhydrogenated oils may make an enormous difference, as will either sticking to grass fed dairy or eliminating dairy all together.
I was 350lbs and lost all of it down to below 190lbs while riding and eventually racing bicycles. At around 3500-4000 calories per day, a lot of subtle problems become much larger and require attention. Processed industrially produced foods are universally terrible. Almost everything in the center isles of an American grocery store are garbage to avoid. Only eat things that look like how they grew.
All you need to do is shop for nice containers to use for all stages of cooking and transport. This is the "convenience" conditioning we were all trained to forget as dumb little American consumers.
The healthiest person I ever worked with in a bike shop back office was an Olympic athlete. He never ate "meals." He came to work looking like a tupperware salesman. He ate small amounts of a bunch of different side dish like foods he made in their own small containers. His diet shifted to exactly what he was doing physically each day and he was amazing on a bike.
"Meals" are the primary problem. How much you eat at one time determines a whole lot. Your body does not keep cycling that glucose through your bloodstream. It does a few laps and turns to fat. Then you have low blood sugar until your next pie hole infusion. All your muscles can deal with that except for your brain. That one requires glucose only, and so you feel bad when it is resource poor.
The solution is to eat more often, but far less, and things that take time to break down as they will provide more glucose over longer periods of time. Processed means predigested; means the nutrition info is garbage. It will go through you quickly and that will inevitably lead to low glucose for the grey goo. I cook several large casserole dishes full of meat and veggies every 8-12 days.
How much you eat at once and how often is the most important factor. Second is the micro nutrient density. Third is isolating IBS factors.
I'm someone who doesn't mind repetition/eating leftovers.
So I would swap between leftovers, and then my quick lunch would be 2 hardboiled eggs, some babybel or string cheese, and then some kind of fruit.
Minimal cooking, easy clean up, easy to take with you.
2 eggs, 2 cheese, and a banana is surprisingly filling.
Came here to say hot dogs. 🌭 looks like you’ve got that covered. 😉
Usually a protein, veg, and rice. Could be chicken, or chickpeas, with beans and rice, perhaps. Just that rice bowl variation.
My dirty dirty secret: I get lunch at a McDonald’s near the office where I work once or twice a week. Double quarter pounder with cheese.
I love that and I’m not ashamed to say that. 😅
Cup of noodles is easy and light
OP said they want to eat a little healthier, not a little less healthily.
We don't spend 16 hours in the fields anymore, a cup of noodles is fine
Missing the point.
Leftovers or salami+cheese+almonds. It's yummy, satisfying, and can survive a few hours out of the fridge.
I just pan fry eggs, chicken, shrimp, or fish with onions and garlic. Chop some tomatoes in and eat with rice. It's alright
I’ve been into making adult lunchables. I’ll have some deli meat with crackers and cheese slices, mixed nuts, fruit and hummus. It’s easy to prep, cheap and fun.
Not really that cheap, but when I have the household to myself during WFH, a typical lunch consists of a wedge of blue cheese with some added apricot marmelade. I can finally stink up the house with my eclectic taste without anyone complaining.
I make a week of lunches all at once. I have 12 hour shifts so it's kinda breakfast and lunch that I snack on through the day. I get everything from Aldi so it's pretty cheap too.
Baby carrots, honeycrisp apple, light string cheese, yogurt, and a sandwich containing lunch meat and cheese and mayo. Recently, I started fridge pickling jalapeños for my sandwiches too, and that was the right call. I have this pretty much every day. I was broke af when I was younger, so eating the same thing every day vs maybe not getting to eat... I learned to really appreciate getting consistent meals even if it's not something different very often. It's not for everybody and I understand if this doesn't sound remotely appealing to you lol.
keep some washed fruit around i like to have some oranges or a bowl of grapes or something at my desk to pick on over the course of the day. sometimes ill make oat balls or just keep some sunflower seeds out too for extra protein
I have a sandwich on whole wheat bread with some cheese, one pickle and a conservative amount of mayonnaise spread on the side that touches the pickle. Its been the same on average 3 times a week for 2 years.
I've been drinking a Soylent shake for lunch at work for probably two years now. It's very convenient, nutritious, and you can have it at room temp or chilled. If you buy it by the case, that amounts to a cheap and healthy lunch. Yes, I find it quite filling.
Edit: Also it comes in different flavors. The ones I remember are strawberry (my favorite), vanilla, chocolate, banana, and mint chocolate. They also have high-protein and caffeinated varieties.
Another edit to clarify my own experience: I've been drinking the shakes for lunch for about 2 years but I've been enjoying Soylent for longer than that. I've included a scoop of the powder in my breakfast for the past 10 years. My doctor is quite happy with my health and my last blood work results (June '23). I only share this because someone has a problem with my suggestion of Soylent and claims it's not good for you. So there is my own experience, for what it's worth. YMMV.
Not necessarily specifically a lunch, but a consistent midday meal that I have is a sort of fruit-yogurt-granola bowl. The fruit is just maybe a cup of assorted berries, then 3/4 cup of plain yogurt, then 3/4 cup of homemade granola — consisting of various nuts, raisins, oats, etc. and some maple syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla extract mixed in for flavor.
For breakfast I eat an avocado toast — whole avocado, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice mixed together into a paste and spread on a piece of toasted whole-wheat bread — and scrambled eggs — I melt half a tablespoon of butter, or so, in a pan, and briefly sautée a tablespoon, or so, of diced red onion, them add two eggs into the pan, which I scramble in the pan for 30s, or so, then season with salt, and pepper on top.
My favorite thing to do is mix diced veggies (green onion, sweet pickles, green pepper, arugula) with hard boiled eggs or flaked tuna, then add diced cheese (mozzarella, cheddar or feta). You can also add grapes, raisins or nuts or sunflower seeds, whatever you like.
When you're ready to eat, mix all of it with a spoon of cream cheese, and put all of the mixture inside a pita bread. It's pretty awesome and satisfying.
I have been addicted to making ramen eggs (ajitama) for lunches lately. I eat one or two eggs over rice with some furikake or toasted seaweed and that's all I need to power through the day. You could pair the dish with more veggies or a miso soup if you're feeling fancy. The nice part is making half a dozen eggs squares me away for the week, so I hardly have to think about what to do.
Another dish I like is Korean steamed eggs (gyeranjjim). It takes not even 10 mins to cook on the stove. Making rice takes longer, and you can make a lot of rice to reheat later in the week. I would cook the eggs fresh each day though , I'm not sure how reheating them would go. The broth that goes with the eggs keeps me fuller than I ever expect.
Baba ghanoush is so tasty when you make it yourself. This requires more effort up front to roast the eggplant, but the dip is good all week. I eat it with carrots, cucumber, cauliflower, and some pita chips.
Regular tuna salad or this chickpea "tuna" salad is always easy to whip up. I always have celery, pickles, and bread on hand so if I'm feeling up for it, I crack open a can of tuna or chickpeas for an easy lunch.
On Sundays I do lunch prep for the days in office. A few slices of deli meat and block cheese for a nice flavor. Then a pile of raw veggies and a small container of dipping sauce. I prefer sliced bell pepper and green onion with ranch dressing, but you can do whatever veggies you prefer (for example spinach, sugar snap peas, carrots). I always feel great after that lunch; grains like bread or chips always made me feel lethargic.
I take it into the office in a plastic bento box to keep everything from jostling around, and the sauce goes in a smaller reusable container separately.
I eat Subway for lunch usually, we have a decent local one and I know the owner. Not necessarily because all the food is delicious, but it gets me to eat veggies like banana peppers and olives that I wouldn't normally eat. One footling will make 2 lunches for me.
Microwave basmati rice and Trader Joe’s microwave yellow tadka dal. Addicted to it right now. Sometimes I’ll slice up half a beef sausage or Polska kielbasa, fry that in a pan for a couple minutes and throw it on top along with some sriracha sauce.
Cook rice in rice cooker with two eggs, when it's done I peel eggs and chop up some carrot/cucumber and eat it with Sriracha mayo. Impossible burger on a bun with Sriracha mayo and cucumber and corn chips on the side. Left overs, which are usually pretty good. Sometimes cheese pizza rolls.
5 min in the morning making, a sandwich, usually ham or turkey, and 2 sticks of string cheese.
Healthy.... Not the best but definitely better than a hot dog or burger. Especially with whole wheat bread and not going overboard on condiment.
I normally eat omelette and rice for lunch, with rice pre made from the night before but you can always quicken with packet rice if you don’t have the time to cook rice and pre mix eggs to quicken the preparation time and just add the seasonings you normally add to the omelette.
Salad wraps are daily lunch for me. Goes a bit like this, but it's really a loose recipe with whatever I have in the fridge.
Salad/cucumber Tomatoes Bell pepper
I started doing this when I couldn't taste anything with COVID and needed something with texture. Never stopped.
Tuna salad in a Romain lettuce bowl. Some broccoli and almonds or walnuts on the side and a sparkling water
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