Easy healthy lunch ideas

amother

Wed, Jun 19 2024, 1:51 pm

Looking for ideas for healthy lunches that take 5 minutes or less of advance prep.

I have access to a milchig toaster oven and microwave at work.

AlwaysCleaning

Wed, Jun 19 2024, 1:58 pm

1. Define healthy - carb free? Balanced? No sugar/fruit? High protein?
2. Most healthy foods take time to prep.....unless you buy already checked and chopped veggies, roasted veg, washed lettuce, prepared tuna/egg salad etc.
If you plan accordingly and use some dinner leftovers then you can quicken the prep time.

Some ideas of lunches I like:

Quinoa W roasted veg and feta
Salad topped with Deli or leftover chicken/meat
Tuna melt on whole grain/12 grain bread
Protein pasta with fruit on the side
Greek yogurt with a kind bar and a fruit

amother

Wed, Jun 19 2024, 2:00 pm

AlwaysCleaning wrote:

Balanced, whole grains, no sugar.

Thanks for the ideas!

amother

Papayawhip

Wed, Jun 19 2024, 2:01 pm

Prepare at home

Salmon with grilled veggies
Tuna and corn
Rice cakes with cheese or turkey slices
You can make oatmeal packets at work

This is what I usually do… asside for today. Today I’m eating cheesecake from shavuos! 😳

amother

Bergamot

Wed, Jun 19 2024, 2:03 pm

It's hard to prep a healthy lunch in under 5 minutes unless you're just grabbing a yogurt and a piece of fruit.

Do you have a little extra time on Sundays to prep meals for the week? My teenagers take turns making lunches on Sundays for them both to take for the next few days. They like making grain bowls of various types. They use one of the following as a base: farro, freekah, wheat berries, quinoa, kamut, rice, beans, chickpeas. Then they usually roast or saute some veggies, although some are just chopped and left raw, and maybe some herbs. They make some kind of dressing or sauce to bring it all together and then package it up in individual portion containers to take for lunch.

amother

Wed, Jun 19 2024, 2:05 pm

amother Bergamot wrote:

This is a really good idea, thank you.

I struggle with organization but I should try this.

amother

Clover

Wed, Jun 19 2024, 2:08 pm

Avocado Toast
I'm eating it right now and it took about 5 min to prepare. If avocado is ripe, then it takes really quick to cut it open and mash the avocado

gingybread

Wed, Jun 19 2024, 2:30 pm

It kind of stinks that healthy food takes a long time to prepare, and lunch options tend to be more limited than dinner options because it has to be packed.

What I've done in the past is prepare a giant bowl of salad in the beginning of the week and then take a little each day. I will also add in a protein the night before (hardboiled egg, tofu, feta, tuna). If you don't dress the salad and keep it covered in the fridge, I find that it lasts and tastes fine. I usually do a leafy base, some quinoa or lentils, and other veggies (pepper, cucumber, tomato, hearts of palm, red onion, you get the idea).

amother

Vanilla

Wed, Jun 19 2024, 2:38 pm

When boiling pasta, I like using WW, & add frozen brocolli to the pot for a quick veg addition.

Cottage cheese either sweet with cut up fruit & nuts/seeds.
Or savory, cut up veggies raw or roasted, nuts/seeds, if you enjoy vinegar (great for blood sugar) can add.

amother

Broom

Wed, Jun 19 2024, 8:59 pm

Easiest is taking your leftover supper from the night before. You can buy ready made spreads and crackers, some companies make them in mini sizes- chumus, tuna, techina etc and add in veg that don’t need prep like Persian cucumbers, baby carrots or grape tomatoes.
There are also ready made tuna cans mixed with grains or salad.