Healthy lunches

[Choccy84]

I've noticed that a lot of my calories at lunch are 'wasted' on bread. I usually have a big submarine roll but started using mfp today and the roll alone is 290 calories!! I don't like salad but I need some healthy lunch ideas please! I work in an office and we have a microwave.

My lunch at work is usually a mug of soup (on a good day, homemade vegetable, on a lazy day a tin of weight watchers chicken noodle because the cans are just the right size for my mug), some fruit and perhaps a cereal bar. I used to have weight watchers bread, but decided to cut it out and haven't missed it.

I now just cut back and have an open sandwich with one small 35g slice of wholemeal bread, 50g rye bread or half a bagel. Initially though I had a lot of weight to loose and I wouldn't have managed if I hadn't eaten two slices of bread or a whole bagel.

I think the key is TASTE and protein so you feel full and satisfied.

I am having homemade mackerel pate tomorrow with veggie sticks and a few rye crackers. (whizzed together smoked mackerel, low fat crème fraiche, capers, gherkins and lime juice).

It is not the lowest cal meal in the world (the crackers work out at 100 calories, the veggies maybe 50, but the pate is around 250), but it is so flavoursome and protein-packed that I have never had an urge to have an afternoon snack after eating it.

Also often do the same with homemade hummous, etc.

Sushi is nice? Again, easier to make at home than you might think.

I make stuff, give it to the kids for their afternoon tea, then have it the next day for lunch. Makes it seem less of an ordeal than just doing it for myself.

I eat ryvita instead of bread. Crunchy, filling , 1/3 of the calories.

I make extra at dinner time and freeze the leftovers in single portion pots. Risottos, pasta bakes, stews, quinoa pilaff etc. I also make up a big batch of soup at the weekend to use up any veg wilting in the fridge.

I've just made a big pan of ratatouille that I'm planning on having for lunches this week. Can be eaten on it's own or with a cooked chicken breast or something.

Ryvita is great as is M&S crispbread