Fast, Easy, and Healthy Sack Lunches!
Every morning I have to decide what food is going to provide me with fuel to get through my work day. I start out with a heart healthy breakfast of either a fiber rich cereal or oatmeal, I take my multi-vitamin, I drink my first glass of water, but then I am left with more decisions to make. I must pack my lunch, and somehow have to predict how I will be feeling, what fuel I will be needing, and how exactly what I put into that sack will affect the rest of my day.
For those of you who do not know, I am currently working as a nanny for twin girls who are 21 months old. I love them, but they are a handful. No matter how energized I am feeling in the morning hours, by the afternoon I am exhausted after caring for them and chasing them around. No, it is not a job for the weak! But everyday, around the time of 11:30 I get to sit down with them, and as they eat their well balanced meals, I do my best to get one in to.
My sister, who is also incredibly busy, asked me for ideas today for her lunches, as she regrettably sometimes just does not eat lunch. Sorry sis, but that is a bad idea. It will leave you feeling weak, even more tired, and will ultimately make your body sense that it needs to go into starvation mode, which will make you store more nutrients then what you need and slow down your metabolism.
So here are some fast, easy, and healthy meal ideas to tuck away in your briefcase, backpack, or in my case, “Nanny bag.” (Believe me, you should never have to go through another drive-thru as you will feel quite satisfied by what you can bring from home!)
1. Whole wheat tortilla with humus, cucumbers, sprouts, carrots, tomatoes, and either kidney, black, or garbanzo beans. (Substitute or add any veggies of your liking). The beans will provide you will an excellent source of protein, and this is fiber rich so it will keep you feeling fuller longer.
2. Turkey or chicken breast sandwich on a multi-grain bread, loaded with veggies. Please, skip the mayo. Mustard is a good substitution!
3. Soup! This is great on days when you wake up in the morning and the skies are nothing but grey. I love to keep our pantry loaded with low-sodium, nutrient dense soups. Healthy Choice makes some good options that are not only good for you, but are easy to travel with.
4. Make yourself a TLT: (Cannot take credit for this original idea): Heard of a BLT? Of course you have. Well this is a much healthier option that your heart will thank you for! Tofu, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. Remember, Tofu can be eaten right out of the package, or for a flavor burst, can be baked and seasoned with any herbs and spices of your liking. I love lemon herb tofu!
5. Fruit, yogurt, and granola – you can mix a non-flavored Greek yogurt that will pack in the protein, with a blend of berries, kiwi, pineapple, or really any fruit of your choosing, and top it with a low-fat granola that will surely keep you feeling satisfied throughout the afternoon.
Good side dishes to pack? Fresh fruit, granola bars, whole wheat crackers and cheese, Greek yogurt, celery or carrot sticks. Each week I try to buy one piece of fresh fruit for every lunch. I hate to see food go bad, so this helps me make sure I eat it every day. I also love to make up a big salad on Sundays and then eat off of it for the week. Mix in some beans into that salad and that can be your main dish right there! Avoid heavy dressings…learn to love the true tastes of natural foods without covering them up with artificial ingredients that will weigh not only the food down, but you down too. :)
Of course this is only the beginning of many different healthful lunches that you can pack. Please ask if you would like more ideas! Each suggestion can easily be made gluten free, or can be altered to suit other allergies as well.
Also, I am huge on snacking! Never let yourself go more than three hours without having a snack, or else your body will think it is going into starvation mode, which is not good for weight management or blood sugar control. Try to keep these snacks under 200 calories.
Remember…You can pack such a good lunch that all of your co-workers will be drooling and will be devastated that they opted for the yucky Taco Bell.
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