Lunch Ideas/meals on the go for a Newbie
checkout eggface's blog (she's Shelly on here) but her blog is "the world according to eggface". she regularly does posts called "a day in my pouch" - she had RNY. She often does bento box lunches - several little containers - a wealth of lunch ideas on that blog!
at your stage - 2oz of turkey and a slice of cheese was a typical lunch, or a pouch of tuna (seriously, those flavored pouches of tuna got me through my first two months).
I have lots of little containers that i've picked up randomly at TJMaxx and use an insulated bag with a freezer pack to carry my food to work. Most of them are about 1/2cup size or so but I have one that I love that is long and narrow and has one end divided off. Since with chicken breast I still need some sort of sauce or dip or it is too dry, I put 2.5oz of chicken breast is the large section and some sort of "moistening agent" in the smaller part. Today it is plain nonfat greek yogurt with Penzey's Fox Point seasoning (sort of like a ranch dip) with chicken breast that was cooked with buffalo sauce. I also typically pack a snack for later in the day (especially on days where I'm going to the gym after work before I head home). Today I have a half ounce of pork rinds and a tablespoon of hummus.
My staples are eggs, lunchmeat, and cheese, with some vegetables spread throughout. I'm nearly 5 weeks out from surgery, so we're pretty close in amount of time. I'll take you through my typical day (obviously don't do anything your doctor/dietician tell you not to!)
Breakfast is usually a single egg, scrambled or cooked overeasy, and a single piece of the jimmy dean turkey sausage, with a wedge of laughing cow cheese on the side. I usually can't get all the way through the wedge of cheese.
Meal 2 is a lunchmeat roll up of some kind. My current favorite is two rolls of 1.5oz of turkey, each has half a piece of string cheese, a bit of avocado, and sometimes a touch of low-fat mayo. I hold it together with a toothpick and pack it in a rubbermaid container and stick it in the fridge if its at work.
Lunch is usually a protein shake. My doctor said with how little i'm eating, it makes sense to still do at least one protein shake in a day to make sure i'm hitting my protein goal (60-80g is what he recommends)
Meal 4 I like to do some white chicken chili or turkey chili, i can get about half a cup in. Sometimes I'll put it over some riced cauliflower and top with a little cheese. Same rubbermaid container
Meal 5 is usually another lunchmeat rollup. Aside from my turkey one above, I like to just do 1.5oz of ham with a piece of cheddar rolled up in between. Its good cold or hot.
Dinner i'll do some chicken salad or do this faux pizza I figured out how to make. lay down some triscuits, put some ground turkey on top that's been rolled around in some low fat marinara sauce. Top with cheese and maybe some black olives. It ends up being a lot and I don't usually fini**** but its REALLY good for those times when i'm missing "normal" food.
There's this like 40 piece Rubbermaid container set you can find pretty much anywhere at grocery stores or wal-mart or Target, its been my jam. There's all different sizes including small ones, and its enough to take to work and throw stuff in the fridge and also store the stuff I make (chicken salad and such) in the fridge at home
(edit to add the following)
Another good dinner I've made is 2oz (by weight) of boiled chicken over top some riced cauliflower with some steamed veggies. Once I get the chicken in (I do this first to make sure I get get protein) there's not a TON of room for the rest, but its a good way to get some veggies in. Top it with some low sodium soy sauce or teriyaki sauce and that makes it pretty awesome
