Thread: Any ideas for packed lunches?

Hi

I'm new to this forum. I've been going to Slimming World classes for 6 weeks now, and have been doing Extra Easy.

Most of it is really easy, but the area where I am struggling is what to do for packed lunches. Any ideas for free packed lunches on Extra Easy?

No idea about EE, I just do green days. I take fruit, carrot battos and philly light dip, Boots shapers bar, 2 Alpen light bars, and whatever else I might want/need. (Syns vary)

Hiya, you could try jacket potato with either tuna or cottage cheese and ham, with a side salad. i really struggle for lunch ideas too!

Baked potatoes are difficult to take for lunch, as they are either raw, or would be cold! I can buy these in the works canteen, but it gets very boring having the same thing all the time.

I have tried taking pasta with tuna and vegetables. Without bread it's really difficult to know what to have. The amount of bread I can have on EE is so limited it's not worth it. I prefer to use some other form of carbs. I've also tried cous-cous, which is good, but you do get sick of it.

I've thought about making some SW chips, bringing them in to work cold, and heating them in the microwave - has anyone tried this? Would they taste OK?

I also sometimes take a variation on spaghetti bolognese, but with rice instead, and heat this up when I get there. It's so cold I need something hot and with carbs.

I don't really like Alpen bars or anything pre-processed - I prefer to make it myself.

What do other people have? I've looked on the SW website receipes, but there is very little about packed lunches.

I'm hoping it will be easier in the summer when I can have salads, but this time of year I need something more filling and hot.

Annie

You can have light supernoodles which can be made in the microwave at work.

Also rice with veges is nice - you can have this hot or cold. Mini quiches from the recipe section are good.

ASDA pitas are 1 healthy extra B so you can take one to work with a salad. I have a salad everyday but you can mix it up with different meats, adding different salad, hard boiled egg, new potatoes, try different FF/low syn dressings

There are some really nice looking quiches in the recipe section that you could bring in?

Muller light yoghurts, fruit and other free picky things also are good, even if your main lunch is the same if you mix these things up it seems different.

I'm the same as you Annie. This is not the weather for salads!

I always take pasta of some kind mixed with veg, savory rice mixed with veg or leftovers from the day before! Not sure how these work on EE though as I stick with green days.

Originally Posted by pesty

You can have light supernoodles which can be made in the microwave at work.

Also rice with veges is nice - you can have this hot or cold. Mini quiches from the recipe section are good.

ASDA pitas are 1 healthy extra B so you can take one to work with a salad. I have a salad everyday but you can mix it up with different meats, adding different salad, hard boiled egg, new potatoes, try different FF/low syn dressings

There are some really nice looking quiches in the recipe section that you could bring in?

Muller light yoghurts, fruit and other free picky things also are good, even if your main lunch is the same if you mix these things up it seems different.

I had not thought of pittas - I must have a trip to Asda. I'm not sure I have ever tried supernoodles - what are these like? Do they come in different flavours?

Annie

You could also try the Mug Shots. The noodle ones are great. The roast chicken noodle one is free and the thai noodle one (orgasmic!) is only a half syn. They are really thick and filling and you just put in a mug and add boiling water, stir and stand for 5 mins and ta da, instant hot food. I love them.

Originally Posted by GayleH

You could also try the Mug Shots. The noodle ones are great. The roast chicken noodle one is free and the thai noodle one (orgasmic!) is only a half syn. They are really thick and filling and you just put in a mug and add boiling water, stir and stand for 5 mins and ta da, instant hot food. I love them.

I've never seen these - where would I find them?

Annie

Originally Posted by Annie82

I had not thought of pittas - I must have a trip to Asda. I'm not sure I have ever tried supernoodles - what are these like? Do they come in different flavours?

Annie

I think you get mug shots from ASDA aswell, i havent tried them myself but have heard really good things!

Supernoodles come in all different flavours, i really like them, you have to make sure you get the low fat ones though as the full fat are 6.5 syns each.

Mug shots are great. They are with the packet soups etc in the supermarkets. Most of the noodle ones are free on gree (and I guess EE) I like the sweet and sour ones

I bulk up chilli con carne with peppers, extra tomatoes and kidney beans with rice or jackets (mince as a hex b on a green day) - all are free on extra easy and don't use up your hex b!

Home made tandoori chicken is another one - totally free on a red or EE day and great hot with rice etc or cold with salad.

If you have a microwave any leftovers are possible though! I am like you Annie and would rather avoid anything processed in favour of homemade whenever possible! Its been challenging on my cooking skills, but would def recommend the saucy secrets book and the curry feast for inspiration (as well as the recipes on this website!)

Well, I've tried the mug shots, and they are very good. The first one I had was sweet and sour, and I just made it in a mug. However, it was so good, I thought it would make a good base for sweet and sour stir fry, so at the weekend I stir fried some pork, and added half a packet of Mug Shot at the end. It was good.

I've yet to try the supernoodles - I'll give these a go next week.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Annie

I have been buying frozen chicken breast slices from Aldis' which are 100% chicken and great value. I defrost these overnight in some tikka powder.

I make up some plain cous cous with some veg stock and add some onions and slice baby tomatoes.

Pop it all in a lunch box and is filling and easy to eat from room temp.

xxx

make some syn free soup, try putting potato in it for carbs so you don't miss having a roll with it.