Work lunches getting a little boring????

Need some ideas for preparing speedy yet satisfying meals to bring to the office? Look no further. Check out our best time-saving tips, as well as a few of our favorite lunchtime recipes.

We've also included ideas posted on our Message Boards—recipes real users have found and loved. They're quick, creative and make saying "no" to those leftover muffins and doughnuts in the boardroom a piece of cake.

Ready, Set, Cook
Here are some handy preparation tips, plus recipes for when you're in a hurry:

Stock up.Buy precut vegetables, or prepare your own and store them in the fridge (keep in plastic bags or containers, and add a touch of water to vegetables like carrots and celery to retain crispness). Then you'll have easy, last-minute additions for wraps, salads and sandwiches. Try Roast Beef Rolls.

Roast Beef Rolls


sandwiches

POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 2
Preparation Time: 8 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Fill out this wrap with easily layered foods such as spinach, Boston lettuce, radicchio and fresh basil leaves. Or add some zest with diced roasted red peppers.

Ingredients
2 Tbsp relish, onion
1 Tbsp fat-free mayonnaise
2 medium tortilla, flour, fat-free
4 oz deli-style roast beef, thinly sliced
1/2 medium tomato(es), sliced or 6 cherry tomatoes quartered

Instructions
In a small bowl, mix together relish and mayonnaise; spread over tortillas.
Top each with 1/2 of roast beef and tomatoes; roll up and enjoy.

Plan for leftovers.
If you're having baked chicken on Monday night, cook a few extra breasts for use in a low-fat chicken salad sandwich Wednesday and a grilled chicken salad on Wednesday night. Try Chicken and Chile Wraps.

Chicken and Chile Wraps

main meals
POINTS® Value: 6
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 5 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Roasted chiles, fresh chives and creamy avocado top these quick-to-assemble wraps. They beat plain grilled chicken sandwiches any day!

Ingredients
1 small poblano chile
1/4 cup reduced-calorie mayonnaise
4 medium whole wheat tortilla(s)
1 cup romaine lettuce, chopped
12 oz cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
2 Tbsp chives, fresh, minced
1/2 medium avocado, sliced

Instructions

Place chile over stovetop flame; char on all sides, about 5 minutes (careful not to burn hands). Remove chile from flame and place in a paper bag; close bag and set aside to steam for 15 minutes. Remove chile from bag and remove blackened skin with your hands, under running water. Core, seed and chop chile; set aside.

Spread 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise over each tortilla and top each with 1/4 cup of lettuce. Arrange 1/4 of chicken in a strip down the center of each tortilla; top each with 1/4 of chile, chives and avocado.

To serve, fold the bottom third of each tortilla toward the middle. Then fold the left side to the center and the right side to the center; serve. Yields 1 wrap per serving.

Notes
To make this zesty wrap in minutes, substitute a small can of roasted mild chiles for the poblano chile, a cup of baby salad greens for the romaine and refrigerated, cooked chicken strips for the roasted chicken.

Shred away.
Already shredded, low-fat cheese adds quick protein to bagged salad mixes and makes homemade pita pizzas a snap to prepare. Try Cobb Salad.

Cobb Salad

light meals
Was POINTS® Value: 13
Now POINTS® Value: 6
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Cobb salad can be a weight-loss nightmare. But make our simple substitutions and you'll enjoy the same flavors for far fewer calories.

Ingredients
8 cup romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 pound deli-sliced turkey, cut into thin strips
1/4 pound low-fat Swiss cheese, cut into thin strips
1 large tomato(es), diced
8 slices cooked crisp turkey bacon, crumbled
2 large egg(s), hard-boiled, diced
1/2 cup fat-free blue cheese dressing

Instructions
Arrange lettuce in 4 salad bowls. Evenly divide turkey, cheese, tomato, bacon and egg among bowls.

Spoon 2 tablespoons of dressing over each salad just before serving.

Chef Tips
We renovated Cobb Salad by:
Swapping low-fat Swiss cheese for regular and using lean turkey bacon instead of pork bacon.
Cutting back on the amount of fatty ingredients such as cheese, egg and dressing.

Try potluck.
Dice up any leftover cooked chicken, meat or fish and cooked or fresh vegetables from dinner to whip up creative "garbage" salads and wraps for lunch during the week. Try Cajun Chicken Salad.

Cajun Chicken Salad


light meals
POINTS® Value: 2
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 12 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Here's a tip: Once a week, take inventory of your vegetable drawer amd make a potluck salad out of the veggies you have. For a complete meal, top it with grilled tuna or chicken.

Ingredients
4 cup lettuce, mixed, leaves
1 cup snow peas, trimmed
12 medium cherry tomato(es)
1 cup yellow tomatoes, pear-shaped
3/4 cup celery, sliced
1/4 cup shallot(s), chopped
1/8 tsp Cajun seasoning, or to taste
10 oz uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 Tbsp diet Italian salad dressing

Instructions
Place lettuce in a serving dish and top with vegetables; set aside.

Sprinkle Cajun seasoning over chicken and broil, grill or barbecue it until cooked. Slice chicken into thin strips.

Arrange warm chicken over salad and drizzle with dressing.

Keep basics handy.
Already cooked rice or pasta stashed in the fridge can be turned into quick, delicious lunches when tossed with cheese, vegetables and your favorite light dressing. Try our Kid-Friendly Pasta Salad.

Pot Luck Pasta Salad (Kid-Friendly)

side dishes
POINTS® Value: 2
Servings: 12
Preparation Time: 30 min
Cooking Time: 15 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

This colorful salad has something for everyone. If you're short on time, buy the ingredients already cut from a salad bar and use your favorite bottled fat-free Italian dressing.

Ingredients
4 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, corkscrew shape (about 1 1/2 cups)
4 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, macaroni shape (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
2 1/2 oz olive(s), canned, sliced, black (about 10 medium black olives)
1 medium green pepper(s), chopped (about 1 cup)
1 medium sweet red pepper(s), chopped (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup grape tomatoes, or other small tomatoes, halved (about 10 tomatoes)
1 medium yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse pasta with cold water; drain again and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, prepare salad dressing by mixing together oil, lemon juice, oregano, mustard, salt, black pepper and garlic; set aside until ready to use.

In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta with vegetables; pour in dressing and toss thoroughly to coat. Cover and chill about 2 hours.

Yields about 1 cup per serving.