Does any one have have any suggestions for lunch at work. Currently i have been eating mixed tuna sandwiches on GF bread with some mango or banana, but i need to expand my horizons and find some diversity! I also have a pea protein shake throughout the day, which isn't pleasant tasting at all!
Thanks people! 
Eek! Pea protein shake doesn't sound very appetising!
Are you able to plan ahead the night before work?
My favourite to take to work is a big Quinoa Salad made with quinoa (a healthy, high protein, low fat, gluten-free grain available from health stores and many supermarkets) cooked like rice but takes less time.
To the cooked quinoa I add pretty much whatever I have in the fridge - chopped tomato, green beans, celery, apple, cold chopped ham/bacon/chicken, chopped sugar snap peas or cold cooked peas, herbs and seasoning. Sometimes I go Med and add toasted pine nuts and basil, sometimes Moroccan with sultanas, fresh coriander and lemon juice. Versatility keeps it interesting.
Takes 15 mins to prepare the evening before.
Home made soup is great to take to work too. This week I cooked up a big pot of mulligatawny made with the sunday roast leftovers and it was flippin delish, even if I say so myself.
I think I would prefer a fresh smoothie than your protein shake! To be honest, I advise my clients not to have any 'concentrated' forms of macronutrients such as protein. Complete foods are understood better by your body - confusing your digestive system is giving it more work to do and it has less energy to concentrate on healing.
Do you have a hand blender? It's super-quick to whizz up a smoothie with banana, almond milk and some chopped spinach in there (you won't notice the spinach taste!). Add half an avocado for a fantastic natural nutrient hit.
hope that helps?
Andrea
Left overs!! they are the best. Especially if you have a microwave at work.
Andrea has great ideas too - quinoa is amazing. if you don't want to fork out for it you can use rice instead.
What kinds of things do you normally make in the evening? Quite often it's easy to adapt regular food to make things for lunch. Tuna sandwiches can get dull after a while and that pea thing - why are you doing it to yourself?!!
One thing that is great to invest in is a little cool bag. I have one that use everytime I go out and I load it up with a box of stirfry and rice (made the night before/leftovers), bananas, 9bars (seed bars that you can find in the freefrom or cereal bar aisle), a slice of homemade cake and a carton of innocent smoothie.
Egg fried rice is a great thing to have in the fridge as it lasts for a couple of days and you can fry veg up the night before and add it in. If you want to know how to make it please ask.
I take any leftovers or have cold veg (green beans, salad, cucumber etc), lettuce, eggs, cold chicken (with or without spices) mixed together with a salad dressing, soup. I certainly don't do protein drinks and always have a bag of fresh non-salted nuts on me in case I need extra energy or a nakd bar. Soup is also good.
There is also corn, lentils, quinoa, potato for salads or warmed up.
Lots of possibilities.... It just takes time getting the imagination into action and getting organised.
Paul why don't you post this question up on our facebook page you may well get more responses.
Simple lunches:
- pasta - you make in the morning or the night before
- salads
- Rice pouches + home made curry
- soup
- stir fry that you microwave
I like a salad a lunch time. It's full of rocket and other mixed leaves with red onion, tomatoes, peppers, avocado, cucumber, and I make my own dressing with olive oil (usually garlic infused) lemon juice and a half teaspoon on honey with salty and pepper all shaken furiously in a cleaned out empty jam jar.. I have either oily fish or diced choritzo on top..
for carbs I have popcorn or GF oatcakes to nibble on throughout the day..
I usually either have a rice salad or gf pasta salad with onion celery peppers cucumber and sometimes either tuna or diced chicken or a very big beetroot salad. No quinoa for me as I have to have both a GF and a low protein diet.
Rice cakes and peanut butter? Very little effort and quite filling. I have that or gf crackers with pate and watercress. I also make a cake most weeks and take a slice of that.
I'm definitely a soup fan - we don't have a microwave at work, but I have invested in an executive Thermos flask! #geek
Potato salads are good to get the carbs in, particularly with the nice new potatoes in the shops now.
Have you tried Vietnamese rice rolls for something more exotic? You can get the rice wrappers from some supermarkets or asian grocers - they are super easy to make. I fill mine with leftover stirfry from the night before.
I have also been known to make a GF quiche to take in cold, or a big thick potato omelette - they slice pretty well and survive being wrapped in foil.
Savoury muffins are good too - try making with cheese, roast vegetables or bacon in.
Hi Paul, On Sunday I usually make up the following dish and it lasts me 3-4 days:
Plain boiled rice usually 8-10 oz cooked makes enough
1 pepper (any colour) deseeded and chopped finely
bunch of spring onions finely chopped
6 small tomatoes, again finely chopped
small can of salad crisp sweetcorn
add any cold chopped veg of your choice
Mix up 4 tablesppons of mayonnaise, 2 of good olive oil and a lemon, squeezed.
add the mayo into the rice mix.
Add any meat of your choice - mine are usually cold cooked chicken or a small tin of tuna.
Enjoy!
Any Ideas
Festive season work events and eating at banquets?
Immunologist at Addenbrooks
