Life can be really busy sometimes, can’t it? We tend to rush through our day, and we just do not have the time to stop and eat a healthy lunch. In those cases, we usually tend to grab something not so good for us from the fast food restaurants or we get something from the work cafeteria that may not be what we need to help with our weight loss journey. Those foods can be packed with sodium, cholesterol, excess fat, and sugar. And the portion sizes they give could feed you for a few days!!
How in the world do you handle lunchtime with this new healthier lifestyle you are living??
You can start by packing your own lunch! It saves you time and money, you get the nutrients you want in the portions that are correct, and you know exactly what is going in your food! Here are a few tips to help you with this task:
1) Start planning your lunches for the week early. Make sure that healthy choices are in the refrigerator and pantry. If you need to make extra purchases, then do so! You can add this task to your weekly preparation time. This makes you more relaxed and focused on making the best meals for yourself.
2) Use a colorful lunch bag, a cooler bag with the ice packs, or something to help make preparing your lunch fun! If you have different colored lunch bags, alternate them to give yourself something to look forward to each day. Cute containers will put some enjoyment in the preparation task, also. Enjoy the process – do not dread the task.
3) Ensure that you pack a protein, a healthy carbohydrate, a beverage, and fruit for dessert (if you wish). This way, you are getting the correct balance of nutrients that you need to power through your afternoon. Proteins like chicken, fish, turkey, tofu, or beans are great choices for lunches. Healthy carbs include vegetables that have been lightly steamed, or a nice salad with light dressing. Excellent beverage choices include herbal tea or green tea, or water with a splash of fruit juice, and any type of fresh fruit is a great dessert option. You can search online recipe databases for additional ideas. Oh, and dinner leftovers make EXCELLENT lunches!!
Here are some sample meals you can use for future lunches that are easy to prepare, delicious, and full of nutrition:
- Turkey wrap on whole wheat tortilla with lettuce, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and cucumbers with dijon mustard, broccoli slaw, water
- Black bean soup, spinach salad with carrots, celery, mushrooms, and light dressing, hot tea
- Grilled salmon filet, steamed kale, corn on the cob, peach green tea, granny smith apple
- Baked chicken with Mrs. Dash seasoning (southwest chipotle flavor), brown rice, green beans, water with lime juice, strawberries for dessert
- Chicken fajitas (chicken tenderloins baked with cumin, chili powder, and lime, cooked with sliced onions and sliced bell peppers) with chunky salsa, water with lemon juice, tangerine for dessert
