This shop, Lunch Ideas for Work, has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NourishWhatMatters #CollectiveBias
Do you ever have a hard time coming up with lunch ideas for work? I work from home and at one time I was pretty much eating a salad every single day. Bor-ing! Don’t get me wrong, it was great for a while and then I started dreading lunch. I guess it really is true that variety is the spice of life!
Because I didn’t look forward to lunch, often times I would find myself staring into the fridge with a blank expression on my face wishing that something to eat for lunch would magically appear. Sometimes I would just work through the midday meal and that’s not good, either.
Finally, I realized that enough was enough and I needed to shake things up a bit. So I made a list of what I truly wanted for lunch. You knew that was coming, right? I’m the queen of list making!
Before heading to Target to stock up on lunch items, I listed my criteria:
- Lunch needs to be options made with organic ingredients
- Protein Packed Options
- Full of Flavor
- Easy to Prepare
With grocery list in hand, I headed straight to the frozen foods aisle and found a new, culinary-inspired LEAN CUISINE® MARKETPLACE Mushroom & Spring Pea Risotto.
Risotto for lunch? Yes, please! Lunch should be special, don’t you think? With so many Lean Cuisine options, I realized that lunch no longer had to be boring. Plus, at $2 each at Target, and a coupon for $1 off of 5, I saved money, too.
I decided to stop eating and working at the same time and to stop standing up and eating too fast. So I’ve set aside a lunch hour.
Lunch Ideas for Work
Here are a few more things I’m doing to make lunch special:
1. Step away from the workstation.
I’ve found that I work smarter after a nice lunch. Instead of the dreaded afternoon slump, I’m more alert. That means I have to step away from my workstation and take a break.
2. Create a simple, yet pretty, table setting.
I have a small table in front of a window in my great room. It’s perfect for lunch for one (or two) and I can look out the window and see the beautiful sky and trees while I eat. No more paper plates for me.
3. Add a bowl of fruit or a veggie to complete the midday meal.
Strawberries and blueberries are my favorites, but apple wedges or a side of veggies are great options, too. Fruit and/or veggies pair perfecting with Lean Cuisine.
I also make sure I have my favorite beverage – sparkling water – with a slice of lemon for flavor and color.
Lunchtime is no longer boring. Yippee! I actually look forward to taking a break, looking out at the gorgeous view from my window and enjoying all the new innovations that Lean Cuisine offers, like higher protein, gluten-free, and organic options.
Here’s another favorite of mine -LEAN CUISINE® MARKETPLACE Ricotta Cheese & Spinach Ravioli.
Which Lean Cuisine is your favorite?
23 comments
I hear you on the lunch dilemma! For a while, almost every day Iade pasta for lunch because the kids love it. I was stumped for ideas! Then at times, I’d feed them but skip eating because I was tired of it. I am always complaining to my husband about how I am not a creative lunch person. So far this year, though, we’ve only had pasta about 2 times. I haveade a list and we are trying different things. I love how bright and cherry your lunch ideas look. Hope you stick to it:)
Thanks, Zan! There’s nothing like a hot lunch during winter.
I absolutely need a variety of hot lunches as well! I also just discovered the Marketplace line and I absoutely love it for lunches now–hubby does too! So perfect for the busy, crazy days! My favorite so far is the Sweet & Spicy Korean Style Beef, it’s sooo good! From the comfort line I also love the Roasted Turkey! Yumm!
They are all so good and I have my freezer stocked with all my faves.
I will have to try these because there are times as a work at home mom that I can’t find time to cook for my adult daughter who shows up at lunch time, nor for myself.
Finding time to have lunch at all is sometimes almost impossible! Glad there are easy, fast, healthy options like this!
I love a lot of things from Lean Cusine! I have so many options, they taste great and they’re easy to make.
I love Lean Cuisine! I have my own stash at work. They are delicious and healthy which is exactly what I need with my buys work schedule.
I definitely need more variety in my lunches. I have the same old sandwiches every single day. These meals sound great.
These look great for lunch! I would love to be able to fit a lunch into my day at the office but it rarely happens. Maybe with these I could get a few moments to eat.
It’s so important to step away from the busyness of the day to relax and refresh. I had no idea that Lean Cuisine had risotto! It’s one of my favorite meals, and we’re trying to eat healthier, so I sort of wrote it off. Can’t wait to try it!
The Lean Cuisine meals are an awesome idea for a healthy lunch. Some of these I have not tried so I will have to pick them up. The mushroom spring peas and risotto sounds so good. Yummy!!
It is delicious! I’m loving all of the new marketplace Lean Cuisine meals.
I need to take a purposeful lunch break like you do. My food is normally healthy (yesterday I had some cucumber, rice, grilled veggies and chicken) but I never take a moment to eat. I’m always shoving it down LOL I LOVE the new Lean Cuisine options – the gluten-free ones ROCK!!!
I had the terrible habit of just shoving something down in a hurry OR skipping lunch all together and then being SO hungry at dinner time.
I’ve been seeing these Lean Cuisine boxes around for the past week or so, and let me just tell you, I’m smitten. The box itself is beautiful and along with the food that both looks and sounds good – I’m definitely going to remember to pick a few up to keep in the freezer for easy lunch options when I get busy!
Taking a healthy lunch can be so hard! That mushroom risotto looks amazing, I am going to need to get it for lunches!
My husband and I always have the same boring lunch every day lol. These organic meals look great! I will have to pick up a few.
What a great idea to create a nice setting for work lunch. Got to take care and pamper ourselves, righ?
Those look delicious. I think the ravioli would be my favorite variety.
I hate to prepare food other than dinner! This is why I eat so poorly during the day. Like you I work from home so last week I did a little meal prep and made salads ahead of time for the week and it really helped. I was able to grab my salad and eat. These lean cuisines may work, no prep and no work on my behalf, just what I need!
Love all your ideas! I often eat on the go, not always great choices, will definitely follow your advice!
Drinking lemon water is part of my morning routine. However, I’ve never thought of trying sparkling water with lemon. That quinoa recipe looks delicious!