https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 28 Aug 2026 02:08:19 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1669050 Fri, 30 May 2014 12:57:26 +0000 regberadaisy 1669050@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@TemperanceBrennan: same! I've been doing it for 10 years and rarely forget. It's just habit now. . . </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1669022 Fri, 30 May 2014 12:43:51 +0000 gingerbebe 1669022@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Amy's bean, rice, and cheese burritos are sold in 10 packs at Costco for not very much - its a lot cheaper than the Amy's meals. You can keep them in the work freezer and nuke them.</p> <p>You can also have warm meatloaf sandwiches, which are really filling. For instance, you can make a turkey meatloaf on the weekend, slice it up, and bring it in with a loaf of bread. You can heat up a slice of meatloaf and slap it between 2 slices of toasted bread and maybe some cheese for a hearty meal. Or you can keep a bag of frozen meatballs, cheese, and a jar of sauce at work with some french rolls and make yourself a meatball sub! I'd probably keep some carrot sticks or fruit at the office too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1668691 Fri, 30 May 2014 11:02:30 +0000 DillonLion 1668691@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lion: @yoursilverlining: @T.H.O.U.: thank you!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1668547 Fri, 30 May 2014 10:23:46 +0000 yoursilverlining 1668547@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love soups/chowders for lunch with a salad. </p> <p>I do a LOT of salads, but super filling/hearty ones. I like to make quinoa or pasta salads, and have them over a big bed of spinach or kale or some other “meaty” green that will fill you up more than lettuce will. The spinach helps offset the carbs too because you don’t need to eat as much pasta salad to be full; but it’s nice to have some pasta sometimes. I also add a half breast of grilled chicken (or other meat or avocado or egg) on top for the protein. </p> <p>My favorites are:</p> <p>Chicken salad (with grapes and walnuts)</p> <p>Tuna salad</p> <p>Greek (pasta or quinoa with feta, greek olives, red onion, cucumber, grilled chicken, etc.)</p> <p>Southwestern (with black beans, roasted corn, avocado, cilantro, peppers, grilled chicken, etc.)</p> <p>Caesar (similar to Greek but with Caesar dressing)</p> <p>The other bonus of combining your “pasta salad” over greens is you don’t need to add any additional dressing to the greens, just toss everything together and it’s flavorful enough, so you save some calories there. </p> <p>Warm ideas: make a big pan of something like enchiladas or lasagna or burritos and then freeze it in smaller portions and reheat. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1668535 Fri, 30 May 2014 10:18:44 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1668535@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know you said no salads but if I have a good salad with lots of toppings (grilled meat, shredded cheese, veggies, crunchy toppings etc) it's really good. We pack them up Sunday night in Mason jars. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1668413 Fri, 30 May 2014 09:50:54 +0000 Mrs. Lion 1668413@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I used to make a lot of this (and variations of it). I would proportion for the week in Tupperware and put it in the freezer. It would thaw by lunchtime, and then I could just microwave for a minute or two.</p> <p><a href="http://www.hellobee.com/2014/02/26/quick-and-easy-pasta-and-veggies/" rel="nofollow">http://www.hellobee.com/2014/02/26/quick-and-easy-pasta-and-veggies/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1668411 Fri, 30 May 2014 09:50:15 +0000 DillonLion 1668411@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@TemperanceBrennan: I do that a lot, but I don't like having to worry about remembering to grab it in the morning. It doesn't help to have lunch ready to go and left at home! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1668385 Fri, 30 May 2014 09:45:57 +0000 pinkcupcake 1668385@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do you like quinoa? I make this recipe often with different veggie combinations (sometimes with chicken or light Italian turkey sausage). It's easy to make in bulk so you can eat it throughout the week: <a href="http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/quinoa-with-peppers-and-beans/904f6944-c75a-4d28-b4a5-08998324db75" rel="nofollow">http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/quinoa-with-peppers-and-beans/904f6944-c75a-4d28-b4a5-08998324db75</a></p> <p>You might also try pasta with kale sautéed with garlic, onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms. My lunches were usually pretty boring - I typically brought it whatever was leftover from the night before :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1668243 Fri, 30 May 2014 09:10:14 +0000 hotchildinthecity 1668243@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Mine are similar to @blackbird. I do a ton of meal prep on sundays and cook up lots of veggies and meat. Also sweet potatoes are a good quick side. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1668224 Fri, 30 May 2014 09:05:45 +0000 LuLu Mom 1668224@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I make a big batch of grilled/roasted veggies and eat that all week. I usually eat leftovers or a wrap/sandwich. I also do canned soup, but you could make a big batch of homemade and freeze in individual portions? </p> <p>Tuna melts are easy to do at work if you have a toaster oven. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1668156 Fri, 30 May 2014 08:51:59 +0000 TemperanceBrennan 1668156@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This might not be the exact thing you are looking for, but the game changer for me was to make enough at dinner the night before for leftovers the next day. You don't have to think about something additional to pack, and you don't have to buy extra groceries. We use an online meal planning service, so we never have to think about what we want to eat. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1668155 Fri, 30 May 2014 08:51:54 +0000 blackbird 1668155@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My hot lunches are a leftover meat (grilled chicken) and a steamed or roasted veggie, and sometimes brown rice on the side. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1668153 Fri, 30 May 2014 08:51:45 +0000 DillonLion 1668153@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: yum!! Oh that foil trick is a great idea </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1668150 Fri, 30 May 2014 08:51:40 +0000 regberadaisy 1668150@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always do dinner leftovers. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1668145 Fri, 30 May 2014 08:51:23 +0000 septca 1668145@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I do warm salads. Is that weird? I start with cooked wheat berries or barley and add roasted vegetables, some fresh mozzarella, sometimes tomatoes, then dress with a pesto-based vinaigrette. SO yummy. </p> <p>I also really like soups, and can't imagine getting sick of it. :wink: Maybe you need some new recipes? Happy to share some of my faves. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1668143 Fri, 30 May 2014 08:51:04 +0000 DillonLion 1668143@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@avivoca: oh love that combo! Thanks for reminding me.</p> <p>@babyjmama: I Do like those Amy's meals. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1668139 Fri, 30 May 2014 08:50:12 +0000 looch 1668139@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Is it for stuff you can make there? I also prefer a warm lunch, I eat sandwiches when I am desperate.</p> <p>A friend of mine introduced me to Italian tuna salad, which is tuna packed in oil. She adds olives, capers, sundried tomatoes, etc and eats it with crusty bread or crackers.</p> <p>I actually found a can of tuna packed in oil with sundried tomatoes added in the regular grocery store, with the usual suspects. I haven't busted it open yet.</p> <p>If you have a toaster oven, you can wrap any sandwich in foil and heat it up for melty goodness. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1668132 Fri, 30 May 2014 08:49:22 +0000 doodlepoodle 1668132@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I bring a lot of sandwiches. A lot. </p> <p>My boss buys the Aimee's brand of frozen meals but I think they're kind of pricey? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1668122 Fri, 30 May 2014 08:48:14 +0000 avivoca 1668122@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like black beans, corn, and rice. It microwaves nicely and is filling. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/healthy-inexpensive-work-lunches#post-1668102 Fri, 30 May 2014 08:46:03 +0000 DillonLion 1668102@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Need to restock the office kitchen with lunch stuff. What do you keep on hand at the office? I am over baked potatoes and soup.</p> <p>Would prefer suggestions for warm things. Salads do not do the job for me. </p>