I need some ideas! My lunches are starting to bore me and food boredom might lead to bad choices...

I eat 1200 calories a day (light meals with 3-4 healthy snacks between). The big limitation is that I am a clean eater (no processed/boxed/canned foods), no sugar, very little in the way of grains. I have one of 4 things for lunch every day, and it is getting booooring. For the past 15 months, I have had one of the following for lunch: a) tuna salad on celery b) homemade vegetable soup c) plain yogurt w/ fruit or d) veggie salad and small piece of cheese.

So, within those confines, can you come up with any new ideas to spice up my lunches? in advance!

Since soup's already on your list, I'd suggest that though change it up. There a billion types of soups. Add or subtract the veggies, add pasta and / or beans, chicken or turkey, etc. It might still be soup but you could be having different flavors every time you eat it.

Kinda the same thing with the salad, change up the veggies, add fruit, change the dressing, add nuts or other crunchy items, etc.

I think even in the limited amount of calories you are allowing for the meal you could have some variation.

Different soups is a great idea!

My favorite lunch now is leftovers from dinner. I just make a little extra or make sure I leave some for lunch the next day (usually a smaller portion than what I am having for dinner). I think I've saved money (i used to be a lean cuisine or soup girl) and learned which meals are even better the next day so I can make a few lunches out of those!

Do you have a food dehydrator? Experiment with raw cuisine. So good, so healthy, low cal and very clean eating. Try making some onion bread (more like a tortilla, actually) and turn it into a wrap with hummus and sunflower sprouts. Sunflower sprouts are very delicious and high in protein.

Onion bread

2 1/2 lbs sweet onions, peeled
1 cup ground sunflower seeds
1 cup ground golden flax seeds
1/2 cup olive oil
3 oz. Nama Shoyu

Put onions in food processor with 's' blade and process until small pieces, (but not mush). Put in mixing bowl with the other ingredients and mix thoroughly. The flax will absorb liquid. Smooth onto teflex sheets* about 1/4" thick and place in dehydrator for 5 hours, turning over for another 3-4 hours or until dry and crispy. Either break into pieces or cut with a pizza cutter, and store in refrigerator in an airtight container.

*If you don't have an Excalibur dehydrator, any type will do - just use natural unbleached parchment paper instead of the teflex sheets.

I tend to do the same thing every day. I find chicken in all its various forms works well.

I'll often make BBQ chicken Sunday night for dinner and I make enough to carry me over. So for me:

Butterflied (or just 1/2 a breast) butterflied chicken
Small portion of carb (fruit, quinoa, etc.)
Vegetables (I use frozen and nuke them at work with a little water)

Also:
Taco salad made with turkey meat

That's about it. I'm pretty boring.

I also do green smoothies for lunch quite frequently. Add 1/2 a bag of baby spinach and whatever frozen fruit you like (I like frozen bananas and pineapple) to a blender with some almond milk and maybe some plain greek yogurt. Delicious.

Another delicious meal is roast veggies with beans and quinoa. Get a big pan of chopped veggies (I like bell peppers, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, onion and brussels sprouts), drizzle with olive oil and a bit of salt & pepper. Roast at 375 until they veggies have reached your desired level of tenderness.

For the beans, either simmer your own dried beans with whatever spices you like (tastier than canned), or use drained and rinsed canned beans.

Prepare quinoa per package directions (very easy, just simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the little "tails" of the grain pop out -- about 15 or so minutes).

Layer quinoa, beans, then veggies in a bowl. Dig in! YUM

I love spicy things for lunch! I take my protein (chicken, turkey, bison) and grill it then top with hot sauce (I love gourmet hot sauces...most are 0 calories!) Then I eat it along with some sort of salad or homemade cucumber pickles. It is a nice pick me up in the middle of my day.

3 oz chicken breast cooked in 2 TB of salsa (or make two full breasts with 1/4 c. of salsa) 140+10 calories
1/2 c raw or cooked carrots 30 cal
1 c raw or cooked broccoli 20 cal
Total 200 cals
Add 15 grapes (or baby banana, etc) for 50 cals

Most veggies can be interchanged for the same caloric value.
Most fruit can be interchanged for the same caloric value.
I make a super garlicky salsa - mmm!!!

This really fills me up and I'm good for the afternoon.

Large salad with different veggies and your choice of dressing? Add some protein also

I'd do a shrimp salad with lettuce, tomato, onion, 1/2 oz of cheese, and a light dressing- delicious and filling I think the calories were over 300 but mine were very large so you can adjust accordingly

I'm a huge fan of soup and often eat different types all meals of the day, so I second that one! I'm not sure how clean you eat, but I'm semi-clean (I use boxed broth and canned tomatoes, soy sauce, and other convenience items).

Online recipes that I particularly like:

Spicy Tomato Blue Cheese Soup (I switch out cream for evaporated skim milk) Link

Sun Dried Tomato Soup Link

Roasted Broccoli (I added a T or so of Romano cheese to my bowl before serving) Link

Split Pea with Ham (I switch out hock for smoked turkey neck) Link

Chicken and Lentil Link

Nothing can beat broth, some noodles (tofu noodles work too) and veggies. Sometimes I go more Asian and put a bit of stir fry, hoisin, and/or sriracha into the broth.

When possible, I like to use veggie broth, but only because it's more accommodating for sharing. Trader Joe's broth has 140mg of sodium per serving which is far less than I've seen for purported "low sodium" brands.

If you have a microwave then take a stuffed bake potato. My son has been doing this and loving it. Make it at home, top with your low cal favorites and nuke at work. a very filling lunch or dinner.

Cook and freeze. I make several different entrees, portion and freeze them. I also don't eat canned, processed foods...I make everything from scratch. It takes a day or two of cooking for about 2-3 weeks worth of meals...but it's worth it and I never get bored. Click my link below if you want recipes and/or pics!

I do a big bowl of snap peas with egg whites and soy sauce (though that may be a no-no) a lot!

Three quick ideas:

1. 3 tbs hummus, 2 tbs baba ghanoush, 2 tbs tzaziki, 1/2 ww pita, 1 bell pepper, 1 carrot (or sub cucumber for one of those veggies). I love dipping dippers in hummus, yogurt and baba ghanoush- something about lunch being hands on excites me haha. I cut my hummus and baba ghanoush way back on the oil and used fat free yogurt for the tzaziki. I can't remember if the total lunch was exactly 250 but it was very close; you can modify slightly if you need to stay exactly there.

2. Surfnmom mentioned a baked potato, which are wonderful. I'd suggest also a sweet potato, which are lower in carbs and higher in beta carotene and other nutrients. Top with a little butter and cinnamon and sugar (or substitute, whatever floats your boat) and yum! You may even have some calories left over for some fruit salad on the side.

3. Taco salad: shredded cabbage, homemade salsa (roast tomatos, peppers, and onions until slight charred, dice and mix with cilantro, salt, and lime), with a pinch of cheddar cheese, cilantro, and a few tbs of refried (or whole) pinto beans on top. Dash a bit of Tapatio or Tabasco sauce on top.