Quick, Easy Lunches

What you can pack without a lot of prep

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By Greg Hottinger, BiggestLoserClub.com Nutrition Expert

Q: My relationship with fast food is a love-hate one; I love to hate it and hate to love it. I have tried packing lunches and will take them with me and still end up in drive-thru because my stuff just never looks good. Are there things that are good choices to make?

A: My job is to encourage you to make healthy food a higher priority in your life, however that looks. While many think that healthy eating requires a lot of time, it really doesn't. It just requires some thought as to where you'll be and what you can bring / order. While Subway has healthy options, most people also add on the cheese, mayo, chips, and drink. If you're disciplined, you can order healthy at a handful of fast-food places.

How about looking thru the lists below and thinking about what you could pack with you as you go through your day (think about using Tupperware, a thermos, a cooler, ziploc bags to make these work):

Quick and Easy Protein

• Beef Lunchmeat (roast beef), 2 oz; (100 calories)
       --sandwich, or added to salad
• Best Turkey Burgers, 1 serving; (111 calories)
       --sandwich; or as burger; look for frozen turkey burgers; read label
• CARL BUDDIG, Smoked Sliced Turkey, light and dark meat, 1 package; (114 calories)
       --sandwich; or with crackers; added to salad
• Chicken Breast, no skin, 3.5 oz; (108 calories)
       --with salad; with rice; chopped added to pasta sauce
• Chicken-Vegetable Soup, 1 serving; (109 calories)
       --with crackers; or with toast
• Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), 1/2 cup; (114 calories)
       --added to salad
• Creamy Hummus , 1.5 serving; (93 calories)
       --as sandwich; with crackers; with salad
• Egg Salad, 1 serving; (92 calories)
       --as sandwich; with crackers; with salad
• Grilled Salmon Burgers , 1/2 serving; (108 calories)
       --as burger
• Honey-Roasted Turkey Breast, 1 serving; (109 calories)
       --as sandwich; with crackers; added to salad
• Hummus, 1/4 cup; (104 calories)
       --as sandwich; with crackers; added to salad
• Minute Omelet , 1 serving;; (103 calories)
       --with toast
• Peanut Butter, smooth style, 1 tbsp; (95calories)
       --as sandwich; with crackers
• Pork Tenderloin, 2 oz; (98 calories)
       --added to salad
• Shrimp, cooked, 4 oz; (112calories)
       --with crackers and cocktail sauce; added to salad
• Split Pea Soup , 1 serving; (118 calories)
       --with crackers; or with toast
• Tomato-Lentil Soup, 1 serving; (112 calories)
       --with crackers; or with toast
• Tuna Salad, 1 serving; (96 calories)
       --as sandwich; with crackers; added to salad
• Tuna, Canned in Water, 1/2 can; (96 calories)
       --with crackers; added to salad

Quick Foods List

• Instant soups - just add hot water
• Instant oatmeal - just add hot water
• Sandwiches (PB &J, turkey, chicken breast slices, roast beef, tuna, egg salad, veggie burger - avoid cheese and use light mayo or mustard)
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Baby carrots
• Hummus
• Energy bars, like TLC Granola or Kashi GoLean
• Apples
• Bananas
• Oranges
• Nuts, pack in a plastic baggie to limit portion
• Canned pineapple
• Canned peaches
• Low-fat cottage cheese
• Low-fat yogurt

Courtesy of BiggestLoserClub.com