I’m a person who needs to eat about 500 calories a meal in order to feel full and be held over for any amount of time beyond two hours. I’ve always been a natural “grazer”, which means that my blood sugar relies on regular injections of nutrients and sustenance in order for me to be of any use to myself or others. When I’m on empty, my mood gets awful and I become flighty and air headed.
So, I’ve concocted some very easy, readily available at the grocery store, meal ideas that are easy to take with you to work and even easier to make because you don’t have to cook at all!
I’m big on prepared meals for lunch. We have a microwave at work, so it’s super easy to pop something in the microwave and have it ready in minutes. I always recommend trying to eat warm or hot meals, as they always tend to hold you over longer than a cold sandwich and some potato salad, or other meals that don’t involve heat.
I’m going to tell you which Lean Cuisines I like the best and how they hold me over, and what I add to them. Oh, there’s also a “Smart Ones” in the mix because they make the best veggie lasagna.
The veggie lasagna, as I said, is from Smart Ones. It’s called Lasagna Florentine, and is a hearty little slice of a veggie lasagna with chunks of tomato, carrots and zuccini in it which help add to its fiber content and its filling abilities. Since it’s not quite 300 calories, I put about two tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese on it as well, to add flavor and a bit more heartiness.
Parmesan cheese is actually very low in calories, clocking in at 20 calories a tablespoon. Since this still does fill me up, I usually will pop a veggie in too. I love the Green Giant single serving veggies. One of my faves is the buttered peas, which come in a low fat butter sauce. Even with the veggie, this meal comes in at 500 calories or less.
Another favorite is the Lean Cuisine fish dishes. I LOVE the lemon pepper fish and the tortilla crusted fish, which I add a Green Giant single serve veggie to as well. Fish is very filling, even in small portions, so this one also holds my big appetite over for four hours.
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