One of the regular questions over on our Facebook group is for Slimming & Weight Watchers Friendly Lunch Ideas. Successful lunches on a slimming diet are all about planning!
Our plan-tastic website, www.pinchofnom.com is full of recipes and ideas to help you stay on track, whether you’re at home, at work, or out and about.
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Be prepared
You can prepare and take lots of things to fill you up at lunchtime. With the right container or flask, you can take your healthy lunch with you.
A little preparation ahead of time can keep you beautifully on track for a great day. We’ve collected a few ideas for you here.
Storage
Sistema make a great range of containers and items to make it easy to transport your food when you’re out and about.
I use this fab little Sistema Cutlery Setwhich is pocket-sized and comes in a neat little carrying case – perfect for work, lunch or sports. You get a knife, fork, spoon and even a pair of chopsticks!
These SistemaCLIP IT Containerscome in a set of 10 and are really handy to take a portion of food for lunch, or just to store in the fridge. They are fridge, freezer, dishwasher (top rack) and microwave (without lids) safe.
Soups
If you want to take soup with you to heat in the microwave, this Sistema Microwave Soup Mugis ideal. With clip seals and a steam vent, it can go directly from fridge to microwave.
Our soup recipes will give you a tasty, warm and filling option for lunch, whether you choose to heat in a microwave or take it hot in a flask.
If you’ve batch cooked in advance, it’s an quick and easy lunch.You’ll find all our soup recipes here.
One of my favourites is the Carrot and Butterbean Soup!
If you don’t have access to a microwave for lunch, or if you’re on the move, you can take a hot meal with you. Heat the food at home and pop it into a food flask such as this one by Thermos, available from Amazon.
I love this Thermos Dual Compartment Food Flask! It has two separate compartments, one pod keeps food hot for up to 7 hrs and the other keeps food cold for 22hrs. It comes with a built in spork (a spoon/fork combined) and a has carry handle too.
Out and About
I always take lots of slimming friendly supplies when I’m out and about. It may look as though I’m catering for several people, but as it’s all healthy food, I can make absolutely sure that I don’t go hungry!
Our Sweet Chilli Chicken with Rainbow Saladis great for a packed lunch when you’re out and about.
An insulated lunch bag is a great way to carry all this food around.
If you pop a couple of frozen ice packs in, your food will stay fresh and cool for hours. I prefer a cool bag with one larger compartment so I can fit several containers and a couple of drinks, too.
One of my stand by foods to take in a packed lunch are Sausage Rolls. They’re perfect to satisfy those midday munchies!
I don’t know abut you, but I like to have plenty of vegetablesprepared when I’m away from home.
A bag or container full of chopped up fruit or veg sticks etc removes the temptation to grab a chocolate bar or other calorie laden snack. These zip seal storage bags are ideal to just grab and go!
Salad – Not just lettuce!
Salads, including pasta salads, are a really good way to stop the tummy rumbles through the day.
Whenever I take Orzo Primavera to work, I’m asked for the recipe! It’s the dish I also take if we have a contribution lunch, and everyone loves it!
Another favourite is Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella Salad, for it’s fresh taste and colourful meal appeal! Basil is one of my favourite flavours, and the combination of basil with tomato and mozzarella is soooo good!
For a pretty substantial lunch, why not try our Pea, Pickle and Bacon Potato Salad? It’s delicious to eat cold and it will satisfy the hungriest appetite!
Another really filling lunch choice would be our BLT Pasta Salad. This will keep in the fridge for up to 48 hours, so can easily be prepared in advance a couple of days ahead.
I tried this for the first time recently and it certainly won’t be the last! One of the quickest salads to prepare, made using cans of tuna and mackerel and a bag of salad. Couldn’t be simpler!
Batch Cooking and Leftovers
If you’re super organised, batch cooking is a great way to prepare for meals away from home. These 3 Compartment TupperwareContainersare available from Amazonand are great for preparing meals in advance to store in the fridge or freeze.
I’ve made a batch of our Mexican Chilli Beef and used these containers to freeze a couple of portions for another day.
You can also take leftovers from last night’s evening meal. If you make a recipe, and you have a portion or two left, pop in into a food storage container and store in the fridge overnight.
You’ll be the envy of colleagues when you pull your container of Campfire Stew out of the microwave!
Ideally, you should take it to work in a cool bag and if possible, transfer to a fridge. Pop into the microwave, heat through thoroughly and enjoy.
One of my absolute favourite meals if I have a portion leftover is Pasta Bolognese Bake. It’s so quick and easy to reheat in a microwave and will keep you full until your evening meal!
I’ve made so many recipes from the website and taken an extra portion to work. It’s good to know that you’re on plan whilst enjoying a delicious, filling lunch.
I usually add some extra veg to the 3 Compartment Tupperware Containers to have too too!
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