I need some lunch ideas.
I usually use 3-4 points for breakfast, and since I'm only allowed 20 points per day... I'd like a lunch for 5 points or so that will FILL ME up. Sometimes I eat those frozen meals (WW, or Healthy Choice) and I feel so hungry afterwards! I also find myself CRAVING sweets after I eat them. Not sure why....
I dont' mind a little cooking. But I'm looking for easy, and relatively cheap. I love turkey sandwiches but not everyday, so the turkey goes bad. I also love soup. Got any recipes? Any other "cheats"????
Help would be appreciated, as I'll be at the grocery store tomorrow!!

I don't eat a lot of the package frozen meals either as they usually leave me "wanting" and they don't hold me for the long term. If you choose to use them, make sure you add a salad and veggies to help bulk them up. For the sweet urge, I usually splurge on whatever in season fruit there is at the time. Right now strawberries are everywhere (but at my local grocer but that's 'nother story) and fresh pineapple is still inexpensive and readily available.

My solution for lunches are to make large dinners and freeze individual portions. I may not want them this week but I usually eat them within a month of cooking and freezing. I also try to have the WW veggie soup in the freezer. A stand by for "Oh my gosh, I didn't plan lunch today, what should I take to work" is a baked stuffed potato. We have a microwave at work and I cook the potato (rub it with my 1 t of olive oil to help with my daily oil requirement). let it sit for a minute or two. Pop it open. Spray it with butter, layer veggies all over the top and put 1/4 c of 2% shredded cheese over the top. 3 pts for the potato and 2 pts for the cheese - very very filling and I find it holds me pretty well until either a piece of fruit to take away the sweets urge or until dinner. I'm not much of a sandwich eater but I did have a deli ham sandwich today piled with lettuce and tomatoes on Aunt Millie's Fiber for Life bread (1 pt for 2 sl) I had a salad and a banana with it - 6 pts which included the salad dressing for the salad

My typical lunch is boring, but it works for me!

Ham or turkey sandwich made with Hillshire Farms Deli Select lunch meat (keeps a LONG time) on Wonder Lite bread (whatever flavor I have this week...Italian, Sourdough or Wheat) 2 points total

Baby carrots 0 points

Strawberries or one of those little bitty bananas 1 point

It's only 3 points total!

Sometimes I'll add 1 points worth of baked chips or baked cheetohs, or the Hostess 100 cal pack of chocolate cake, also 1 point. Lots of food for only 4 points.

Thank you for the suggestions!

Laura, why did you say you use the oil to help with your oil intake? Do you NEED oil?

Yep, you need oil. Part of the 8 healthy guidelines is to have healthy oil in your diet EVERY DAY! This can be done by putting it on salads, cooking with it, topping your popcorn with it, or any number of other ways. You need to get it in there!

ohhh do I ever have some great ideas! (that's 'cause the gals I sit with at lunch always ohhh and ahhh over my lunch and they stare at theirs with disdain!). It does take prep time either at night or in the morning, but I sure think it's worth it! I LOVE food, so I don't want to feel like I'm on the dreaded D I E T!!! This is lifestyle right?

ok.... Ideas

1 whole grain pita (worth 2 points) - cut it in half ( D ) so you have 2 pockets. Measure out a 3 point chicken breast that you bbq'd the night before (or, I cheat and have picked up whole roasted chicken at the local supermarket and have picked all the meat off -- like pulled chicken), stuff your pita with the chicken that has been mixed with chopped peppers (red, yellow, orange), chopped mushroom, chopped pickle, chopped spinach (you get the idea) and stuff into each half. TOTAL 5 points

1 whole grain pita (2 points) sliced in half (so you have 2 circles) - top each with marinara sauce (1 point), put chopped veggies (your choice) on top and split 1/3 c low fat mozarella over both and broil (these can be made in the a.m. and eaten cold --- some people love "cold" pizza). You have 2 mini personal size pizzas that are very filling. TOTAL 5 points

Veggie soup (0) + 1/3 c mozzarella (2) heated in the microwave until piping hot. Dessert 1 small apple chopped and sprinkled with cinnamon (2). Total 4 points.

Low fat tortilla (whole grain -- Flat Out Wraps equal 2 points and are a decent size) filled with 1 small tin lemon dill tuna (2 points) with shredded lettuce, sprouts, chopped tomatoes (or whatever type veggies you like) TOTAL 4 points

Mixed greens, peppers, mushrooms + 1/4 c low fat feta cheese (cut in small cubes) (2 points) + Newman's balsamic dressing (1 pt) TOTAL 3 points (this makes a HUGE salad...and is very filling!) I have added 1 tbsp mixed nuts on top and added those points (still under 5 points total)

Most nights I make enough dinner to carry over for lunch the next day. If I bbq chicken, I'll make an extra breast so I can use it for a wrap or a great salad. Whenever I make extra protein (i.e. steak, chicken) I weigh it out and put it in a baggie and write the points value on the outside. That way, the night before I take it out and put it in the fridge to defrost a bit (making it really easy to make those really nice thin slices the next morning) for wraps and salads.

Good eating!

THANK YOU!!


So...what is HEALTHY oil?

I eat a lot of salad.....I take a big plate and fill it full with lettuce, and then add other cut up veggies. I do add some moz cheese and some ff dressing. I love it because it takes me forever to eat it, and I usually feel pretty full. Some other things...Morning Star gardenburgers. They are 2pts a piece and REALLY good. Or a piece of lite Laughing Cow cheese spread onto lite whole wheat bread (instead of lite mayo...the cheese is only 1pt!) with turkey/ham/or roast beef, tomatoes and lettuce.

You are a fellow NYer? Where in NY are you?

Healthy oils include polyunsaturated oils and fish oils (omega 3/omega 6 oils). Olive oil and canola oil are your prime GOOD examples. Palm oils/coconut oils are VERY, VERY, VERY BAD! Oils in fatty fish, such as salmon are GOOD examples. Bacon fat, unfortunately, is BAD! Try this link for more information:
http://www.healthy-oil-planet.com/

I love taco soup made with ground turkey......very filling and only 1.5 pts per cup! I'll eat two cups with a PB&J for 3 pts for a total of 6 pts and have a filling lunch (along with 0 pt veggies). I plan my lunches on Sunday and prepare my lunch the night before each work day.

Jazzynurse - I love the suggestion of Taco Soup with a PBJ sandwich - sounds like a great combo lunch. I'll have to do that one soon. I think I have the stuff to make the taco soup in the house, so that will be made this weekend and broken up into containers for the freezer

Hi there!
I know a few of you from another thread!
I like my own version of a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch.
I use butter spray (0 points) on two sliced of lite bread and then I buy the Kraft or Borden's 2% American cheese slices that are individually wrapped. I grill it in a frying pan and it's really quite satisfying.
One of my favorite lunches, lately, is also to have a Boca Burger on a lite English Muffin (one point) or I have found lite wheat hamburger rolls made by Country Kitchen that are one point as well. With the 2% American cheese, a roll or E. Muffin and the boca burger, it is only 3 points. I add pickle and ketchup and it is really not bad at all!
I like to make up the Weight Watcher's garden vegetable soup that is in the week one booklet and quadruple it. If I am going to go to the bother, I'm going to make it in quantity. Then, I freeze it in individual portion sizes. I can microwave the garden veggie soup and have it with my grilled cheese and it's really a low point, but fairly satisfying lunch.
I also cook extra whole wheat pasta when I make pasta. I enjoy microwaving that for lunch and have canned diced tomatoes and Parmesan cheese over top of it. That is always nice for a quick lunch.
I make tons of salads as well and enjoy cut up cheese, turkey, ham and things like that over top. I enjoy chick peas and kidney beans as well with my salads. I will then have oil and vinegar with this and get in my healthy oils for the day.
I have also found that my local grocery store sells rolls that are called "Mele Hada" rolls that are really good and are only 2 points each. My WW leader recommended these when she asked what we were missing/crazing at a meeting and I told her that I missed Italian Bread. Wow, I can has this really nice crusty roll for only 2 points and it's truly wonderful! I dip it in Olive Oil that I have added some garlic, a bit of salt and better and some parsley leaves to. It feels like I am eating out! I may have a vegetable with it and perhaps some leftover meat from an evening meal.
Hope those suggestions are helpful.

oil req. is TWO tsp. not 1

Can someone post the recipes for the taco soup and the ww soup? I can't find my week one book, (I think my sister might have it).

I love these ideas.

My lunches are a bit unconventional.
My favorite one right now is 1/2 pita whole wheat, 1/2 c cottage cheese and fruit (usually a pear) and then I have some carrots and celery that I keep prepped in the fridge. I love to dip the pita into the cottage cheese. Plus it is a great source of protein, so I don't feel hungry.

Here is the one I have Raindancer:

Taco Soup

1 lb ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped
1 package Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 can each: pinto beans, chili hot beans, corn, stewed tomatoes and one can Mexican style stewed tomatoes
Brown the meat and onions, drain. Add in dressing and taco mixes. Then, without draining, add all of the other ingredients. Simmer 1 hour. Make 12 - one cup servings.

Nutritional Info
• Servings Per Recipe: 12
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 134.2
• Total Fat: 3.0 g
• Cholesterol: 26.7 mg
• Sodium: 791.1 mg
• Total Carbs: 18.7 g
• Dietary Fiber: 4.1 g
• Protein: 11.0 g