Hi, friends! I’m republishing this post from a couple of years ago with updated photos and combination ideas and my recent FB live video!
I’ve made many many many lunch mistakes in my life. Let’s review some of them, shall we?
When I was in grad school I ate an almond butter and banana sandwich on a sandwich thin with a side of carrots almost every single day for lunch. Not surprisingly, I was hungry .5 seconds later given the lack of protein in that meal.
When I worked at WIC, I took a salad EVERY single day to work. I took them so often that even looking at a salad kind of grossed me out. Not to mention, my salads were gross diet food. They usually had some sort of protein and a calorie free dressing. Not surprisingly, I felt foggy headed in the afternoon and overall miserable given the lack of sustenance in that meal.
When I worked at the gym, I got a little bit better at balancing out my meals, but working 70 hours a week meant I often relied a little too much on quest bars for “fuel.” That was until I started realizing my coworker with never ending energy brought an easy “finger food lunch” to work she called the adult Lunchable, almost every day. Finally, a lunch that was filling enough, gave me energy, and the best part is it only takes less than 10 minutes to prepare!!!!! I ate this pretty much the entire year I was there, and I never got sick of it because the combinations are endless!
On Tuesday I did an FB Live video with all kinds of adult Lunchable combos and what to think about when purchasing ingredients. Watch that below (but don’t mind me removing the cat SEVERAL times from the counter and continuing to prep food… you don’t have to eat it, Mr. Hungry does, he told me he doesn’t mind cat fur it’s great protein) And don’t forget you can catch me live every single Tuesday at 10 am!
Meal Prep 101: Pack A Healthy Lunch In 10 Minutes
Here are the combos from the video:
Combinations Above From the Video:
- Smoked Turkey + Celery + PB + Apple (unpictured)
- Lemon Turkey + Cherry Tomatoes + Cheese
- Ham + Nuts + Hummus + Snap peas
- Cottage Cheese with Avocado + mini sweet peppers + Plantain Chips
My favorite combination is grass fed deli meat bison (Whole Foods), cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado. I love to wrap the bison around the avocado slices, it is absolutely DELICIOUS! Below are a few pictures from when I used to work at the gym of lunches I actually took with me!
What’s your favorite “adult” Lunchable combination?
What was your favorite Lunchable as a kid?
I never did care for the pizza ones, even as a kid I could sense that wasn’t really food. However, I LOVED the classic turkey, cheese, and cracker combo.
Looking for more Meal Prep Tips? I’ve got a ton more resources:
I’m working on tagging my meal prep friendly recipes. Find those here!
How to Create A Meal Plan You Will Actually Stick To
Simple Meal Prep Tips (to get you started)
How to Make Ahead Portable Protein Shakes
I did a review on My Favorite Lunch Bag
Meal Prep 101: 4 Tuna Salad Recipes You Need To Know How To Make
How to Grocery Shop for a Whole Month
Also, every Sunday I post a new healthy meal plan to give you ideas! –> Sunday Meal Plans
I make lunchables like this as well! My favorite combo is a fruit (usually grapes or strawberries), a veggie (cherry tomatoes, carrots, cucumber), a grain (crackers or a tortilla) and a protein (turkey meat or cheese). Its so fast and easy to pack!
Emily @ Zen & Spice recently posted…Baked Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup
fast and easy = on track, am I right?
I take plantain chips or cucumber slices instead of crackers, and pile cheese and meat on top.
Olives have healthy fats in them.
Sushi rice and nori wrappers with shrimp and Julianne veggie strips.
Cute idea! Haha, when I was a kid, I LOVED the pizza ones!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine recently posted…I Understand The “Runner’s High”
ha ha ironic since now your GF! Thanks!
Totally a great idea! Id go for any of these combos over the kid’s “lunchables” anyway! So much better and fresher! Nom noms!
athletic avocado recently posted…Banana Cinnamon Cranberry Muffins with Maple Sunbutter Frosting+ Sunbutter Review!
all grown up is so much better right?
Love this idea – pinned! I want that bison with a slice of avocado now, please 🙂
Marisa @ Uproot from Oregon recently posted…Freezer Green Chile Black Bean Burgers
Sooooo Gooood! Thanks girl!
Love this idea! I always begged my mom to buy lunchables as a kid! The only bad thing was that I’d be hungry not too long after eating one. These are obviously way more filling!
Rebecca Clyde recently posted…Battling Breakfast
Seriously! The only time I was ever allowed to get one was during field trips ha ha!
((whispers))
my nine year old may now officially be an adult 🙂
CARLA recently posted…2015’s word is silence.
Lucky Kid!!!!!! 🙂
This post came at the perfect time! I get to eat lunch at home every day, but my husband has to take his with him. He is stuck in a serious sandwich rut, so I was looking for some new ideas for him. Thanks for sharing!
Aw you’re welcome Lauren! Hope you find some fun combinations for him!
I’ve been packing my husband’s lunch for a few years now.
I give him a fruit snack of grapes, an apple, or sliced strawberries.
Lunch is a sandwich:. Roast beef, sliced thin cheddar cheese and Dave’s spicy pickles on whole wheat.
Or turkey with cream cheese and cranberry sauce on a croissant
Or pastrami with Swiss and sauerkraut on dark rye bread. Thousand island dressing and spicy mustard…..
All kinds of ideas!
Absolutely! Mix and Match and go!
OMG…. I cant believe that I have never thought or heard of this….. I love lunchables and I normally just use crackers and I never even thought to use veggies. My son will also love this. A simple switch from crackers to Cucumber and I have an even better snack or lunch for both of us. Just brilliant…..
Can’t wait to hear how it goes! Glad you got a new idea!
Recently got put on a low-carb, high-protein diet, and have gotten into meal planning. I got stumped on finding enough LCHP lunches that I don’t have to heat up before eating, so I’m really happy to find these and try them out! Thank you!
I’m glad you found it helpful Maggie!
I watched your video. Really good info girl!
Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious recently posted…This Is Life 5
You are the best thanks!
I love lunches (and dinners) like this, I always call them picky plate meals. Great combo ideas!
Emily @ Pizza & Pull-ups recently posted…It’s almost time to party! + Plank it out workout
LOVE that! picky plate meals ha ha
Here in Japan everyone uses the bento boxes and it’s so perfect for lunches.
Bethany recently posted…Friday Faves and I need some ideas…
I love this! I never had them as a kid but my sister has lunchables all the time and I’m always wanting one, but bigger! I live your ideas!
Patrick@looneyforfood.com recently posted…Whipped Egg Whites and Massive Oatmeal Recipe
These adult lunchables almost make me want to get a job outside of my house! Almost…
Anne|Craving Something Healthy recently posted…Cool Cucumber Celery and Avocado Soup {Recipe ReDux}
it’s good I teach two days a week so I can bring stuff like this and remind myself how nice it is to be at home the other days… I also eat the lunchables at home… 😉
I do a pretty similar thing each week for my lunch! It’s kind of the key to ensure that I eat well-balanced, healthy meals throughout the week. If I leave it to the last second, it doesn’t happen so much.
Bobby A. recently posted…The Beginner’s Guide to Finding The Right Crossfit Minimalist Shoes
same here!
I BAG UP SOME PLANTAIN CHIPS. IN MINI BOWLS I PUT SOME SALSA, 2 OZ CHOPPED GRILLED CHICKEN, AND 1-2 OZ SHREDDED CHEESE. I GRAB A WHOLLY GUACAMOLE 100 CALORIE PAC, AND I HAVE A GOOD LUNCH WITH PROTEIN, FATS, AND VEGGIES. SOMETIMES I AD A LITTLE BLACK BEANS AND LIME INSTEAD OF THE CHICKEN. I ALWAYS LOVED NACHOS. THIS COULD BE DONE WITH TORTILLA CHIPS OR CORN CHIPS, BUT I TRY TO AVOID GRAINS
SOUNDS YUMMY!