If you're not going in a specific diet but want to eat healthier, what are you taking for work lunches next week?

[NorthernGirlie]

I usually cook a chicken then make white bread sandwiches with it for the week (and another, family meal)

I want to eat healthier but without the pressure.

I've seen chopped filling bagels etc online and fancy trying that. I need to try a better alternative to white bread.

Not much time at work to heat soup etc up.

Crackers , cheese and cuppa soup..probably not very healthy but I always lose weight having crackers instead of bread 😊

I think poster means that they were being good for breakfast and then bad for lunch with the white bread. It does make you sluggish

I WFH.

I often eat leftovers for lunch but if I am meal prepping lunches, I cook beaten seasoned chicken breasts, and cook a little of cubed sweet potato's in air fryer.

Build a salad with chopped chicken & sweet potato plus whatever salad bits you have.

Soup is good. I make a batch in the holidays and freze in Lakeland soup bags flat in the freezer, pull one out overnight, decant into microwave lidded mug in the morning then microwave in the staffroom although I find it's a rush to heat it, let it cool and then actually eat it and go the toilet etc all in 30 mins (realistically 20 by time I actually get to staffroom)

Leftovers from the previous night are always good.

I also buy ready cut up bags of sweets potato and butternut squash, air fryer then with some seasoning and chilli flakes then pop in fridge. Can be added to couscous or I like those microwave grains (microwave at home then split into 2 and eat cold at work) sometimes I add those ready cooked salmon fillets if they are reduced! Or those heck chicken sausages are low fat and nice

Dahl also good. Sometimes I take a pitta to dip in.

I've focused on trying to remove as much UPF from my diet, I don't feel guilty about sugar, carbs or full fat, but trying to pad out meals with more veg.

My lunches next week will likely be salmon, and broccoli, avocado on seeded bread, boiled eggs on home made naan, and basically whatever left overs I can pull together.

Yes but you need to overeat by 3500 calories to gain a pound, and two slices of bread isn't going to do that. Even 7 days a week.

I do find that white bread bloats though.

When I'm trying to lose a few pounds, I skip breakfast ('intermittent fasting'), literally nothing flavoured until lunchtime (I believe the principle allows for black tea or coffee, but not flavoured teas. I have hot water as don't drink tea of coffee).

I also try to reduce my UPF consumption, so I no longer buy 'normal' sliced bread, but I buy Jason's sourdough which is UPF free. If in the office, I tend to bring in leftovers from the night before, a soup (batch cooked at weekend), or a salad (but an interesting one!). My default was to buy a sad meal deal most days when in the office, but understanding UPFs has helped me reduce my consumption of these.

If I've worked out in the morning so need to eat, I have full fat Greek yoghurt (I have the Yeo Valley one), a variety of fruits and some mixed seeds. Or if not worked out, I'll sometimes take this into work for pudding. When WFH, my go to lunch tends to be a poached egg on sourdough with smashed avocado (or a quick guacamole if I've got the stuff in).

I also try to follow the Zoë principle of 30 different plant based foods a week for healthy gut microbiome - my yoghurt/fruit/seed creation can total about 10 in one go!

I have to say, when I was 'good' about reducing my UPFs, I really did feel better in myself.

I take two food flasks each day, one with porridge for breakfast and the other with soup or a stew or even leftovers for lunch. I batch cook when I have time and freeze individual portions. Aldi have some nice flasks on sale at the moment.

You're probably also feeling tired because you're not taking a break. Teaching all day and through your unpaid lunchtime is exhausting.

Have a look at ambitious kitchen on facebook - lots of idea for really interesting salads that include chickpeas/quinoa etc so they're filling and nutritious.

I'm making one tomorrow that has roasted squash, spiced roasted chickpeas, kale etc, and I'll put some crumbled feta in as well.

I'm very similar to you, also fitting in intervention and revision sessions through lunch so not much time to go and heat things up!

I tend to take a leafy Greek salad with feta, olives, sometimes sun dried tomatoes. Small pot of dressing/ tzatziki/ houmous to add when I get there. I've got round glass lidded bowls from IKEA that are much nicer than tupperware boxes. Also do cous cous or chickpeas with roasted veg.

I take natural yoghurt to have in the morning with either a handful of granola/ berries/ seeds. I sometimes don't have it until break or even after lunch but I'm not really a big breakfast person!

I've just had a mooch round Tesco - stopped to look at lots of things I wouldn't usually buy thanks to you guys!

I'm going to treat myself to some glass tupperware from Amazon as I have a voucher.

I do actually have a lunch flask - will dig that out. I'll also have a look on Ambitous Kitchen so thank you for that recommendation 😋

I bought wholemeal pitta, baby spinach, spring onions, radiahes and cooked chicken and used some leftover homemade coleslaw to make a finely chopped filling. It was delicious!

Will definitely take those some days (maybe not the baby spinach as it's all stuck in my teeth!

Yes, I'm sluggish from exhaustion - I'll pretty much be teaching from 9am-4.30pm when I go back. I'm working on my escape plan.

Simplest would be Switch to decent bread ? Add in some fruit or carrot sticks - minimal changes for big improvement ?

Looking for ideas too, but at the start of the week we often roast loads and loads of veg then just add couscous for lunches.

Heat homemade soup and take in a thermos. Or a sachet of miso soup made in a cup. Even those Itsu Miso noodle pots if you have a kettle. With fruit I find it filling enough for a lunch.

I often make soup on Mondays with the end of the previous week's veg plus any stock if we've had a chicken. I make enough for at least one lunch for me.
I make a chopped salad with lentils or other pulse , and a mixture of chopped veg and salad leaves , nuts , olives etc This usually lasts 2-3 days .
My other standby is Greek yoghurt with some granola, nuts , frozen berries and anything else appropriate.Almost no preparation for this and I always have the ingredients.

What about couscous? I’m making a batch of couscous, roasted vegetables and feta for my work lunches next week. It’s one of my favourites, I use this gousto recipe:

www.gousto.co.uk/cookbook/vegetarian-recipes/roasted-rainbow-veg-with-feta-couscous

Oh and I am also a teacher and only have cold lunches!

Lettuce wraps! Iceberg is easiest
yuk sung-
Finely chop up cooked chicken, spring onion, 1 clove garlic, bit of ginger (or use the ready chopped frozen) mushrooms, carrot, celery, and either peanuts or cashews. Can do this in food processor
Heat in wok add a slug of soy sauce and a splash of rice wine or dry sherry. Toss together until well mixed and then you can put in fridge, put in lettuce before you take to work or take mix and put in lettuce when you are there

Chili con carne and red pepper also goes well in a lettuce wrap as does brie, chopped apple and chutney, also a coronation chicken type thing goes well in lettuce.

@NorthernGirlie Thats a great start with the pitta, but pile in the protein as well, it will keep you fuller for longer and keep your energy levels up

Because its a pocket ( I warm mine in the toaster first to puff it so easier to open without splitting) you can add stuff you wouldn't add to a sandwich , like cold lentil Dahl which is high protein , or some bean salad

I actually like weird concoctions like cold omelette and tinned tuna with onions and chillies :)

For me its about packing the veg and protein in. As a PP above, I often do a tray of roasted veg - aubergines, courgettes , onions and peppers, and use that in a couscous , or again as a filler to a wholemeal roll with a cream cheese

Bread makes me feel blurgh , which is why when I do have it I just have wholemeal , its more filling so I eat less of it

Do Fage yogurt, a handful of nuts and berries and a drizzle of honey for breakfast and then use wholemeal or rye for your lunch.

I always take fish when I'm in the office and have eggs when WFH, so for next week:

M - Tin tuna, salmon slices, cottage cheese, tomatoes, beetroot, grapes
T - 3 x eggs, ham, banana
W - Tin tuna, prawns, cottage cheese, tomatoes, beetroot, grapes
T - 3 x eggs, salmon, banana
F - Tuna & cheese salad wrap (Friday treat!)

I also take nuts, protein yoghurts and protein puddings to have as snacks.

I don't mind eating the same food every day for lunch, so my go to is a Greek salad: sometimes I add tuna, a boiled egg and walnuts for extra protein. Then I make sure I have snacks like banana, or grapes in case I'm hungry.

I also like a home made soup, normally with lentils and home made bread to make it more filling. It is so much easier if you can find a way to take in hot food/ heat your food.

Home made soup.
I am out and about in my car so heat it up in the morning and put it a small thermos then can eat healthy on the go