I need help with lunch ideas. I was banded 9/22 and this is my first week on regular foods. I am having a hard time finding a decent lunch. I have had chicken salad all week with 1/2 hard boiled egg white. Blah. Im bored with that. I am afraid to do left over dinner bc the micro will dry it out. I can get chicken breast down for dinner but chew it to mush. I dont know if i could tolerate the dryness. I can still only eat between 1/4 to 1/2 c then i am full. I am trying to stay low carb. Anyone got any low carb high Protein lunch ideas? Im tired of the same stuff.

J

Banded 9/22

Jin, of late I have been eating a wrap. I make it with half a Flatout Light Flatbread, light Miracle whip, brown mustard, 2 oz of deli sliced turkey or chicken, shredded lettuce and mild banana peppers. It makes a pretty large wrap and fills me up for sure. Sometimes I add some laughing cow cheese or a couple of tomato slices, just whatever I happen to have on hand. I am staying under 50 carbs a day, and this has fit right in with that. Good luck.

Bromo, i have had those wraps prebanding. They are good. I will have to try that. Thanks!

I have to take lunch to work so i make a few meals at the beginning of the week and freeze em for lunches. I make meatloaf balls. I just make my regular meatloaf mix but i make small balls and put em in the baby muffin pan then bake em, i bake em about 15minutes on 400. cook em to about 150 degrees and take em out they will be very moist. I have only had 1 fill so not any restriction yet. I take 4 balls and about 1/2 a cup of cottage cheese with tad bit of grape jelly and i also take about 1/2 cup applesauce in case i get hungry. I lso make a butternut sqaush at the beginning of the week and divide it into 4 or more containers and take that in if i dont want cottage cheese or applesauce. I make jimmy dean sage sausage pan fry u know. then i mix it with prego and a but ton of italian seasoning and divide it up and freeze it. i dont have any Pasta with it. i t is basically just meat sauce. sometimes i make tuna salad also take along the cottage cheese or applesauce. This week i am tired of the same old same old so i am also looking for some good low carb ideas.

Please Please Please try eating a wrap at home before you take one for lunch. Wraps are considered a banders friend .HOWEVER I can not eat them at lunch time. They will not go down. I do better with a wrap in the evening. Yes my band is tighter in the early part of the day. I just wanted to give you that warning. Lunch is a hrad time me me alos.

Good Luck!!!!!!!!

Libby, yes!!! For sure. I told myself a long time ago that the first time i tried any bread product it would be at home--just in case. I would rather pb and slime in the comfort of my own home. Lol. Thanks!

J

Trader Joe's Turkey Chili is easy to eat and way tasty. i add in a little low fat cheese and/or sour cream for extra protein (and tastiness)

I make my wraps with Bibb lettuce. They are great and almost carb free.

That's a great idea! Hadn't thought of that. I also get these premade cobb salads at publix - they are 2.49 and include the dressing - usually no more than 11 carbs for the whole salad. I have checked out some nurtrition websites for food that isn't high in carbs - Zaxby's kid meal iwth coleslaw instead of fries is pretty low carb and calories and yesterday we went out for a coworkers lunch at Longhorn. I ordered cheese stuffed mushrooms and a side of asparagus (pricey but good). I still have half for lunch today and total it's about 342 calories. I probably would have got off a little less with broccoli, but since everyone else was splurging on carbs, I thought I'd treat myself to the asparagus.

I make my wraps with Bibb lettuce. They are great and almost carb free.

I just about always take leftovers. When I don't its tuna fish, cottage cheese, chicken salad with grapes in it, string cheese. I've purchased canned chili and will do some of that, 3 bean salad is good.

The meatball idea sounds great! i need to try that, and I love the wrap idea also. i haven't done wraps yet.

I too get tired fast of tuna or chicken salad. I've recently made a pot of both chicken tortilla soup and taco soup and then froze it all in 8 oz containers so all I have to do is grab and go...since its in small dishes, it doesn't take long to thaw and heat in the microwave. Sometimes I'll buy the pre-cooked chicken breasts or fajita meat and eat it cold mixed with canned black beans and some salsa, then maybe heat it just a moment and sprinkle with cheese. I've also made regular meat loaf that my family likes and froze it in small portions for me to take for lunch; add veggies or salad once I heat it up. Always looking for more ideas, thanks for posting!!

thinking i am going to make my own version of this recipe and freeze it for lunches.http://www.lowcarbluxury.com/recipes/recipe-combo17.html

A year in...down 98 lbs, 6.5cc's in my band..nothing goes down in the morning so no breakfast. Lunch is sometimes difficult as well. I do Wendy's chili a lot, throw in some cheese and in place of sour cream, use Greek yogurt to up the protein. I can't do wraps, or lettuce, so I try to just have a protein for lunch..turkey hotdog with some homemade chili, rollups (lunch meat and cheese rolled up). Hamburger patty with cheese melted on top. I can't do leftovers either, but I've found that while I'm cooking dinner, I make myself a few for work that aren't completely done (hamburgers and chicken) so that when I do microwave it, its not all dried out and tough.

Gotta be careful that early in the day and in the workplace! I eat tuna salad or egg salad, there's Krab salad and pasta salad at the hospital salad bar, or soup! I stay away from bread or tortillas that early in the day!

Libby, yes!!! For sure. I told myself a long time ago that the first time i tried any bread product it would be at home--just in case. I would rather pb and slime in the comfort of my own home. Lol. Thanks!

J

Stupid question......What is 'pb and slime'? I haven't had a fill yet, and I'll admit I'm abit scared by this comment! haha

I can't do wraps either, most carby stuff won't go down without getting stuck. I take to work Morningstar veggie burger or Morningstar turkey griller, I usually have chobani Greek yogurt with it. Homemade chili, salad with chicken, meatloaf muffins, or mushroom pizza