Lunch Ideas

[Sweetfudge]

I eat at home every day, but I just don't feel like there's anything to eat. Normally I go from something mexican (nachos, burritos, salad, tostadas)...to chili, baked potatoes, maybe a pizza. But I feel so bored with food these days. Especially at lunch. I'm okay with dinners, usually, though. Any ideas would be great!

[Carriefaith]

I usually have left overs for lunch. I purposely cook extra food at dinner for my lunch the next day. When I don't cook dinner like tonight for example, I'll eat Thai Kitchen Spring Onion Soup, salad with gluten-free dressing, or lots of different fruits. Maybe try smoothies for lunch? They can be really filling, especially if you have 2 glasses!

What nacho chips do you eat? I've found that most brands don't aggree with me.

[FeedIndy]

I also usually use leftovers. I plan extra for dinner and reheat for lunch. You can also do that with "investment cooking" in mind-cook a lot of one thing and make it something different the next day. i.e. Fix a whole chicken dinner one night, then make chicken salad for lunch. Roast beef for dinner, beef stew for lunch. I also missed something so simple-Peanut butter sandwiches but the cost of the bread just wasn't worth the taste (and I don't have time to make my own). I have started eating peanut butter on rice cakes. I forgot how yummy that could be!

[Guest cassidy]

Leftovers are definitely good.

I try to make a big dish of something over the weekend and then freeze it in individual portions, then I have my own frozen dinners when I want them. I have done lasagna and mexican casserole with beans, rice, salsa, corn tortillas.

Sometimes I just eat cheese, apples and yogurt.

If I was home I would make pasta. I found pacific chicken broth in individual serving sizes. I put rice or pasta in with that and add some cheese and make some easy soup.

Lundberg makes some rice and risotto with sauces that are good. I add cheese to those and have it with a salad.

[peasoup]

I take packed lunches most days so it's mostly cold stuff I can take in a box: I have rice salad a lot, normally brown rice (cold-I cook extra the night before) with a tin of tuna or sardines, some cashew nuts and peas and sweetcorn. Or buckwheat with chopped up gluten-free sausage and peas. Quinoa cooked in veggie broth with cold salmon and a tomato (or some peas mixed in!). Or pasta salad, usually buckwheat pasta mixed with salad cream and tuna and cucumber/sweetcorn.

When I'm eating in I have jacket potatoes a lot - there are hundreds of toppings you can put on them, tuna, cheese, coleslaw, leftover bolognese, corned beef, baked beans, chilli, bacon, sausage, cottage cheese, brie cheese, egg, prawns, avocado ratatouille, sardines or any combination of the above.

I have leftovers sometimes (but often I eat my leftovers for dinner the next night - I'm only cooking for one).

[dionnek]

I'll do cold rice or quinoa salads (mixture of any veggies/nuts/dried fruit and fresh parsley or cilantro), or I make wraps with corn tortillas or brown rice tortillas (like these better), turkey and cream cheese or hummus and anything or cream cheese and salmon - really anything goes! Also, if I make twice baked potatoes I make a bunch since it takes so long to bake and then freeze them individually, so all i have to do is pull one out and heat in microwave for about 50 seconds (if defrosted - longer if still frozen). I also eat Amy's frozen gluten-free meals (the brown rice bowl and teriyaki bowl are the only ones I like though).

[Jestgar]

I cook on the weekends and make a bunch of stuff that I freeze in individual sized portions. Right now in my freezer I have: chicken and rice soup, wild rice and quinoa stuffed peppers, mexican casserole and some other mexican -type thing of chicken meat seasoned and rolled in corn tortillas with a little bit of cheese. I also have little packets of frozen salmon and some white fish that cook up pretty quickly since they're small.

[peasoup]

What are twice baked potatoes?

[Sweetfudge]

omg, twice baked potatoes are the best food on earth! you bake your potatoes in the oven, when they're done, you pull them out, cool them, then half, and scoop out the insides. mix the insides in a bowl w/ some milk and cheese and butter, then put back in the skins, and bake some more until the cheese is melty. SOOO GOOD!

[emcmaster]

All I ever eat is leftovers! I make big batches of several different things on the weekends - stuff like soups, stews, casseroles - and freeze all into individual portions. At the beginning of each week, I take out 15 or 20 random containers and eat on that all week.

[Guhlia]

Mission corn tortilla sandwiches. You have to add mayo, ranch dressing, or mustard to make them good, but they are oh so delicious! I do sweet bologna, cheese, and mustard; turkey, cheese, and ranch dressing; ham, cheese, and mayo; peanut butter and honey; peanut butter and jelly; tuna salad and cheese; fish sticks and tartar sauce (homemade fish sticks, of course); and any other type of sandwich you can think of. Quick, easy, satisfying....

You could also make a large batch of chicken nuggets (or fish sticks) using Kinnikinnick's crispy coating mix. You don't have to use egg or anything to make the coating stick, just cut the chicken up, dredge it through the coating, then bake. It's really simple and a delicious lunch or snack with Ore-Ida fries or a salad.

I like leftover pasta for lunch. I make a huge pot of Tinkyada and then I add different sauces to different containers. I'll have macaroni and cheese, pasta alfredo, pasta marinara, etc... They all taste like totally different dishes, but they only took 20 minutes to make all of them. These also make great side dishes for lunches.

Instead of making chicken breasts, try cooking a whole chicken instead. Make the leftovers into things like chicken salad or marinate some in olive oil, cheese, and herbs.

Potatos are great for side dishes at lunch time. You can easily cook them in the microwave, then top with cheese, bacon, sour cream, butter, whatever you like... It only takes about 6 minutes to make and it goes great with chicken nuggets or a salad.

Oscar Meyer's hot dogs are gluten free (all of them, I think, double check labels). I eat the hot dogs without any bun, dipped in ketchup. It's not gourmet, but it's better than being hungry. It's a nice change and it goes great with some leftover macaroni.

I make chicken and cheese biscuit sandwiches. The recipe is in Incredible Edible Gluten Free Food for Kids by Shari L Sanderson. They're nothing more than biscuits stuffed with canned chicken and cheddar cheese, but they are absolutely delicious for lunch or breakfast. I make large batches of these and freeze the leftovers. They are fabulous when you're in a hurry. They can also be made with other meats like turkey, tuna, sausage, etc.

Some Progresso soups are gluten free.

[Sweetfudge]

Thank you all for the great ideas! I think I just need to put in more preparation time, cuz I'm always waiting until I'm hungry, then there doesn't seem to be anything to eat, and I get frustrated and hypoglycemic sick. I'll have to start freezing more!

I like leftover pasta for lunch. I make a huge pot of Tinkyada and then I add different sauces to different containers. I'll have macaroni and cheese, pasta alfredo, pasta marinara, etc... They all taste like totally different dishes, but they only took 20 minutes to make all of them. These also make great side dishes for lunches.

I make chicken and cheese biscuit sandwiches. The recipe is in Incredible Edible Gluten Free Food for Kids by Shari L Sanderson. They're nothing more than biscuits stuffed with canned chicken and cheddar cheese, but they are absolutely delicious for lunch or breakfast. I make large batches of these and freeze the leftovers. They are fabulous when you're in a hurry. They can also be made with other meats like turkey, tuna, sausage, etc.

Guhlia, does your mac and cheese taste creamy? Or is it just cheese on top of pasta?

WHere do you get the recipe for the bisquit sandwiches. I haven't had pigs in a blanket since I was a kid, but lately I've been craving them...would this recipe w/ hot dogs work?

I also have another question. I have a meat log (like a sausage) and I haven't opened it yet. I've kept it in the fridge, but it says on it, best if used by June of this year. How long do those things go past exp. date? Would it still be good?

Thanks again!

[dionnek]

For the twice baked potatoes, after you bake them and take out the pulp, you can mash it with anything (combo of cream cheese and chives, butter, sourcream, garlic powder, parsley, chopped cooked broccoli, etc.). My favorite is cream cheese (I only use about a tablespoon for 2 potatoes) and some steamed chopped broccoli and a little salt. I"ve also done it with sour cream and shredded cheese (bacon is good here too). Anything goes! I also just did this with sweet potatoes (someone on this board I think suggested this) - mashed with brown sugar, little butter, cinnamon, and then when you bake it again sprinkle pecans on top!

Another thing I just had for dinner that was INCREDIBLE and easy was the Nuovo sweet potato gnocchi from Whole Foods (in the refrigerated section with the cheese) with Bertolli vodka cream sauce (rare splurge) poured over it. I think you could use any spaghetti or pesto sauce on these. Yum! Oh yeah, and I foiund that I really like Amy's tomato bisque (low fat) soup - I never liked tomato soup before but this is yummy.

And I wouldn't eat the sausage if it expired 5 months ago, but that's just me - I don't eat anything after the expiration date.

[angst2amity]

Wild Garden just came out with travel tubes of hummus - good hummus! Awesome to squeeze some on Mary's Gone crackers. No need to refrigerate.

[Sweetfudge]

dionnek thx for the potato ideas! i'm gonna try that cream cheese and broccoli mix tonight! sounds very yummy