Packed lunches for grown-ups - ideally weight loss friendly

[JimmyGreavesMoustache]

Can anyone help me break out of my cheese and pickle sandwich rut?

I'd like ideas for lunches - ideally that can be eaten cold, as the only microwave is miles away, and I'm often away from the office at lunch time. Also I'm a planning on going on some sort of diet ASAP, so anything that helps in that respect would be good.

Salads?
Cous cous is nice cold with chopped tomatoes, spring onions, feta...
Little gem lettuce as wraps, fill with fajita chicken or tuna mayo

I often just have a box with salad bits in so hummous, sun dried tomatoes, chunks of cucumber etc

I make a salad of leaves, beetroot, feta, tomatoes with a olive oil/balsamic vinegar dressing. Sometimes with a tin of sardines as well. I use old 1kg Clover tubs. One day I took the tub of Clover by mistake

Chickpea salads are my current fav. With roast veg and feta is the bomb.

I like couscous salad too - I mix it with chopped tomatoes, cucumber, spring onion, leaves - what ever I have, really. Then I tip in chopped chicken breast, smoked salmon or tuna, or perhaps just some feta cubes. I take a little pot with a quick dressing - usually just balsamic, lemon juice and salt and pepper. Very filling and usually keeps me going till dinner.

cheers for the suggestions - they all sound nice
i think i just need to make a bit more effort
roast veg would be great - i might do a big tray over the weekend

Yes if you make a roast veg salad it will last a good few days in the fridge so only need to do once or twice a week

Couscous with roast veg and a mackerel fillet. Or bake a massive batch of savoury muffins and pop them in the freezer. Just grab one and a piece of fruit/carrot sticks etc

Frittatas keep pretty well overnight. And they're delicious!

Or tuna salad: tuna, celery, spring onions, green peppers, bit of salt and pepper.

I like a puy lentil salad with a bit of vinaigrette to dress. You can pretty well chuck in whatever you have - sometimes just a grated carrot and a bit of ham, or some tuna and green beans. Roasted veg would be nice. Great way to use up leftover roast. Also, canellini beans with tuna, red onion and either green beans or asparagus. Also with vinaigrette.

Because I'm lazy, I find those packs of ready prepared lentils quite handy for knocking up quick lunches. One pack will do you two days.

Spanish omelette is lovely in a lunch box, if you cba to make it the night before.

I often just take oatcakes, cheese, carrot sticks etc. Or one of those mini hoummus pots.

I usually only get about 20 mins for lunch, and salad takes too long to chew! :)

Cook pasta the night before (farfalle or penne, not spaghetti :)) then in the morning, mix with cherry tomatoes, cubes of ham or left over chicken, small handful of basil, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It keeps very nicely until lunch.

I also add a teaspoon of Philadelphia when I am not on a diet.

I like a box of nibbles, a bit like a bento box.
So a couple of BBQ chicken fillets, cucumber sticks, garlic stuffed olives, sliced peppers, hummous to dip, a slice of melon and some apple slices sandwiched together with mascarpone cheese.

I often make up a big batch of this - it's full of flavour but pretty healthy too :) www.eatdrinkcook.co.uk/winter-salad-roasted-vegetables-bulgur-wheat/