The FastDay Forum

Hi all,

I have had a break from 5:2 for a few weeks due to outside pressures but this week I'm back on it, albeit a little slowly with just 1 fast day planned (Thursday).

My problem is lunches at work, it was easy in the summer when fruit and 10cal jellies were perfect but now the days are shorter and colder and the canteen (subsidised and everything £1.60 for a cooked meal) beckons, I need some good lunch ideas fast. Preferably ones I can prepare in advance as I'm not great with mornings, getting up and dressed is about all I can manage before leaving the house.

Can anyone help please?

Can you batch make some soup and freeze in single portions, then microwave at work ?

I currently do this as its nice to have something warm to eat (I don't drink any hot drinks!), and filling

I just eat in the evenings on fast days, having coffee for lunch. Could you think of doing the same?

Cook a piece of chicken breast and a portion of rice the night before when preparing your supper. Add salad ingredients to your rice with a little oil and vinegar. Serve cold. You are good to go. Also tinned tomatoes with prawns and chilli or smoked paprika ,garlic, onions. Prepped night before, warmed through In microwave for lunch.

I have done the soup idea too, it's great for a cold day and very low in calories. On days when I couldn't make soup, I've just bought a can of crushed tomatoes (make sure you buy a brand that has really yummy tomatoes). You can just add some garlic, basil, or spinach for a little flavor. Fast, easy and satisfying

What is lunch? Oh, you mean that one hour break when you take a walk or read a book somewhere, ok

Welcome Back
For my fasdays I also only eat evening meal, but occasionally life interferes and I've had small salad but I'm also thinking vegetables in soups + stews a good idea + spiced up.
Good Luck Sue.

The Soups here on forum are beautiful and walk to get a coffee would be a thought or take a book to a nice spot with some packed low cal snacks carrot and celery sticks to nibble on

All the best

I only eat an evening meal on fast days. But, for spead I would go for a low cal soup, either heat up at work or take it hot in a flask. I do find that packet soups work really well in a flask. You just put the boiling water in the flask with the powder, give it a good shake and 4 hours later its turned into a really yummy soup. the extra 'steeping' seems to help the texture and flavour.

Alternativly, throw some frozen veg into a ziplock bag, a piece of cooked chicken or fish into another and heat in the works microwave. It really depends on how many calories you are allowing yourself for lunch. A 100kcal soup would seem to be a good idea.

Thanks for all the responses. I'm really looking forward to getting back into it.

I tend to eat at my desk which makes life a little more complicated. I need to get into soups,I don't know what it is but I find them a little unsatisfying. I would prefer to only eat an evening meal on fast days but I just can't do it when I'm working.I'll definitely try the rice salad thing though, that sounds lovely thank you.