Healthy work lunches and snacks

[Englishrose223]

I am fat and miserable. I feel so uncomfortable. I swore to myself I wouldn't have another fat summer feeling awful and here I am. I think work is a sticking point for me, often find myself not taking anything and ending up with a high calorie meal deal and unhealthy snacks. I do 8 or 10 hour shifts. Have a microwave at work. Help would be so appreciated please. Thank you

Rice cooker has been the best investment in my household, I cook brown rice, long grain, jasmine, basmati, short grain, all pulses (soy, lentils, beans) and porridge in the rice cooker.

Me too - a small one is about £30 from Lakeland. I do part rice and quinoa and some sesame seeds in at the end. A Japanese-style mixed rice with chicken or prawns and vegetables all in there would be great to take into work to heat up. So easy.

I also have a small one - Tsuki from Yum Asia. It’s advertised as for two people but it’s enough for us (family of four, kids are not teens yet). It has a ceramic pot so no Teflon or other coating with PFAS.

I love making a big batch of dhal, then when I reheat add mango chutney & some yoghurt on the side. I never follow a recipe just chuck it all in, prefer it to standard soup, much more filling for me

Yes, I've got a Yum Asia one too. It's honestly the best thing I've ever bought. If I lived alone I'd barely use anything else.

Boiled eggs are a good "filler" - I sometimes have a couple with a snap pot of low sugar and salt baked beans plus an apple or banana.

Tuna and mixed bean salad - can use the tinned mixed beans to make this - I usually add a bit of lemon zest and chopped parsley.

I often make this for supper and then have left overs for lunch with a tomato and spinach salad. https://www.cleaneatingwithkids.com/leftover-salmon-frittata/

I generally take fish for my lunch:

1 full tin of tuna (with a spoonful of low fat mayo)
Small packet of smoked salmon
Half a tub of cottage cheese (has to be Longley Farm though!)
1 Babybel cheese
Cherry tomatoes
Grapes

I'll also take a protein yoghurt & strawberries for 4pm(ish)

I'm then ready for my tea at 7.30pm and will have a proper meal then, the same as DH and the kids.

I made a batch of Mexican Caviar this week and have been taking that in - loads of recipes online and takes all of 10 mins to make and lasts in the fridge well. Its basically a dip for tortillas but I just took a couple of crackers - and ate the rest with a spoon. So filling as full of protein and lots of raw veg

I also make up a pasta dish now and again using low fat cheese and sweet chilli sauce for the creamy dressing, adding hot smoked salmon flakes , or chicken , diced peppers, sweetcorn, peas

Overnight oats are another go to. I always have a bag of frozen berries in the freezer so easy to put together in the morning and come lunch its defrosted

Soup is another reach for. Soups are really easy to make if you keep it easy. I will stick a tray of veg in the oven when cooking the weekend roast ( nowadays I air fry them ) - lets say tomatoes and red pepper, seasoned with whatever ( Im a chilli freak ) leave it till soft, and slightly charring, then tip the lot into a saucepan ( including escaped juices ) cover in water and a stock cube, simmer for 20 mins , cool slightly and in with the hand blender - Soup :)

I find that I start to flag an hour before the end of shift and if I dont eat something then its all to easy to grab a cake ( I work in a restaurant/coffee shop so all to easy to scoff something very high fat/high sugar), so I take in a lo bar to have with a cuppa

DH takes left overs. When there are left overs, instead of piling up the plates with more, I put in a container and freeze. If we get a rare chinese, theres always too much and its all too easy to pig out "to finish it up " . No Longer, when Im serving up I serve up one for the freezer. When I make curry, I bulk it out with veg so theres loads of "left overs" same with stews. Bottom drawer of the freezer is filled with freezer meals and he just grabs and goes

No longer are our lunches meal deals or hm versions off. Ive lost weight, hes maintained. Previously he would take a couple of sandwiches, crisps and chocolate and I would eat a lot of toast as it was easy to keep a loaf in work