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Need EASY meal ideas please! Also easy lunch ideas without salad involved.


MellieG

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Leftovers make good lunches. Always cook extra whenever possible so you've got stuff to reheat for later -- or if you're really not feeling up to cooking, most everything can be eaten cold. If you're baking a potato or sweet potato, bake more than one. if you're grilling some chicken, grill all the chicken, or grill it and some hamburger patties or other meat. If you're roasting vegetables, roast two pans of them at once. If you hard boil eggs, do a dozen at a time. That way there's always food in the fridge to take for lunch or to eat for dinner if you're not feeling like cooking something from scratch.

 

If you're very low energy and crashing as you try to cook dinner, there's a distinct possibility you're not eating enough food the rest of the day. Be sure your meals follow the meal template. That means 1-2 palm size portions of protein (the length, width, and depth of your palm), 1-2 thumb-size servings of fat or the equivalent amount of olives, avocado, or nuts listed on the template, and 1-3 cups of veggies. Additionally, most people feel best if they include a fist-sized serving of starchy vegetable at least once a day. Drink approximately 1/2 oz of water per pound of body weight, so if you weigh 120 lbs, drink at least 60 oz of water. And don't forget to salt your food.

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Keep the following in your fridge - that way you'll always have at least something to eat when you cannot possibly cook:

 

-Hard boiled eggs 

-Aidel's chicken and apple sausage

-Veggies you can eat raw (carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, red peppers) - try to chop them up on a day off to save more time

-Dips for said veggies - guacamole, baba ghannoush/eggplant dip (most stores sell compliant brands - or you can make your own), or paleo ranch dressing 

 

Use your weekends. Either make enormous portions and package into smaller containers so you always have one ready for dinner or on the go, OR, individually cook lots of meats and chop vegetables so cooking and prep is easier during the week. If you get home and all you have to do is throw five things in a skillet without chopping, that is pretty easy! :) My fav one-skillet/pan meals are: 

 

-Bratwurst or sausage, peppers, onions, Italian seasoning (I usually like to cook these in beer - during w30, I use a splash of apple cider)

-Chorizo, potatoes, salsa, tomatoes, onion, with chipotle powder and cilantro

-Sweet potatoes, carmelized onion, red pepper, ground turkey, breakfast sausage seasoning

-Ground beef, shredded cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, and curry powder or berbere seasoning (add water or chicken broth while cooking the cabbage so it doesnt burn)

-Ground chicken mixed with sundried tomatoes and basil, canned tomatoes, and potatoes 

Potatoes take a while to cook - after chopping, partially bake them in the oven. Will save you time in the skillet later in the week. 

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My "oh-crap-I-have-to-pack-a-lunch" go to is a couple links of Aidell's chicken apple sausage, bag of baby carrots, and either an avocado or a pack/jar almond butter (I'll serve it out at work). I also throw in my bag whatever veggies/fruits are also sitting in the fridge - snap peas, apples, berries, radishes, bell peppers, etc. I've also in a pinch thrown a few whole, raw eggs in a to-go container. When I get to work I crack them and scramble them in the container. A couple minutes in the microwave and you have scrambled eggs. They are not exactly what I'd call a delicacy, but they're food!

 

My easiest dinner is throw a pound of hamburger in a pan. Toss in whatever veggies I have on hand, even a bag of frozen broccoli if that's what's there. Toss in whatever spices or herbs sound interesting. In 20 minutes, dinner! Round it out with a microwaved sweet potato or some sliced apple.

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Keep the following in your fridge - that way you'll always have at least something to eat when you cannot possibly cook:

 

-Hard boiled eggs 

-Aidel's chicken and apple sausage

-Veggies you can eat raw (carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, red peppers) - try to chop them up on a day off to save more time

-Dips for said veggies - guacamole, baba ghannoush/eggplant dip (most stores sell compliant brands - or you can make your own), or paleo ranch dressing 

 

Use your weekends. Either make enormous portions and package into smaller containers so you always have one ready for dinner or on the go, OR, individually cook lots of meats and chop vegetables so cooking and prep is easier during the week. If you get home and all you have to do is throw five things in a skillet without chopping, that is pretty easy! :) My fav one-skillet/pan meals are: 

 

-Bratwurst or sausage, peppers, onions, Italian seasoning (I usually like to cook these in beer - during w30, I use a splash of apple cider)

-Chorizo, potatoes, salsa, tomatoes, onion, with chipotle powder and cilantro

-Sweet potatoes, carmelized onion, red pepper, ground turkey, breakfast sausage seasoning

-Ground beef, shredded cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, and curry powder or berbere seasoning (add water or chicken broth while cooking the cabbage so it doesnt burn)

-Ground chicken mixed with sundried tomatoes and basil, canned tomatoes, and potatoes 

Potatoes take a while to cook - after chopping, partially bake them in the oven. Will save you time in the skillet later in the week. 

These are all really great suggestions!

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I usually do meal prep on Sundays and then cook things that taste better fresh (like most proteins) the night of- and have the leftovers for lunch the next day.  I will make mayo once or twice a week and use it to make a number of different sauces. The sauces are great to add some quick flavor to even boring leftovers.

 

Things I always keep in my house:

  • Hard boiled eggs
  • Mayo
  • Prosciutto 
  • Avocados
  • Plantain Chips
  • Canned Tuna
  • Compliant Chicken Sausage
  • Frozen Turkey burgers
  • Prepared chicken (usually coconut crusted chicken tenders)
  • Raw veggies
  • Prepared potatoes (hash, roasted, fries- changes each week)

Some quick & easy meals using the above:

  • Egg salad
  • Tuna salad with plantain chips, inside an avocado
  • Avocado egg salad
  • Turkey burger topped with Fried egg and mayo-based sauce with potatoes
  • Deviled eggs, prosciutto, plantain chips, raw veggies, "ranch"
  • Potato hash with chicken sausage and eggs

Whole 30 is all about meal prep. I'd rather spend half my Sunday cooking and have quick and easy options all week.

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Day 8 - and still VERY low energy and crashing when I try to prepare dinner.  Any strategies and EASY meal ideas would be appreciated!  Also, Lunch ideas without salad would help.  Thanks!

You've been given some great ideas here for meal prep, but what are you doing NOW to improve energy levels?

Are you including at least a fist sized serving of starchy veg per day? Are you leaving that starchy veg (& fruit if you're eating any) until later in the day? Are you eating enough fat? Are you drinking a half ounce of water per pound of body weight? Are you getting enough sleep?

All of these things will also help to improve things for you...

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