How to Take an Easy Healthy Lunch to Work

Instead of stopping for fast food every work day for lunch, how about taking a healthy lunch with you to work? You know it is better for your health and waistline to eat several small healthy meals a day. There's no complicated recipes needed and it's cheaper too.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. A healthy diet requires protein, fiber from fresh fruits and vegetables and small amounts of simple carbohydrates and healthy fats and oils. Legumes and whole grains provide all of the above. You can get protein from a cheeseburger but that is extremely high in saturated fats. There are better alternatives. By choosing healthful foods to take with you to work you can mix and match what you take and have some good-for-you sweet treats as well. A small cooler with an ice pack will keep your lunch fresh from your home to the work refrigerator or until lunch time.
2. Protein sticks with you better than the empty calories of processed foods. A small amount of good lean protein will fill you up better than a bag of chips or candy bar. Eggs are excellent sources of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, especially if they are organic or from vegetarian-fed hens. One or two hardboiled eggs sprinkled with seasoned salt is excellent for the protein portion of your lunch. You might also try beef or chicken jerky, cooked lean chicken or fish eaten cold with soy sauce or seasoned salt. Nuts like walnuts and almonds or roasted soy beans (make sure they are roasted in a healthy oil, or dry roasted) are very good for you and high in protein. String or cheddar cheese is another excellent source and can be tasty combined with an apple or some whole wheat crackers.
3. Fresh fruits and veggies supply simple carbohydrates and fiber to fill you up. An easy way to get a good portion of your daily requirements is by taking along a banana, apple, grapes or pear. Baby carrots, celery or sliced seedless cucumbers with seasoned salt make a tasty addition to lunch. Peanut, almond or soy butter dabbed on apples, bananas and celery add protein and texture. Dried fruit is sweeter and has most of the benefits of fresh fruit. Fresh or canned fruit mixed with cottage cheese or yogurt makes a very simple, satisfying lunch.
4. If you have a sweet tooth, there are healthy ways to satisfy it at work. A peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat or flaxseed bread. As stated, fresh or dried fruit either alone or with yogurt. Ready-made fruit smoothies or probiotic yogurt drinks are both sweet and good for you. Soy milk with vanilla or honey or even chocolate milk drinks are better for you than soda pop or a candy bar. Trail mix with carob or peanut butter chips, honey roasted nuts or yogurt covered raisins are sweet and satisfying.
5. There are many healthful, quick lunches you can make if you have a microwave available. Vegetable or bean soups. Look for frozen dinners and snacks in the health food section of your store like veggie cakes and ethnic meals high in whole grains and vegetables. Microwavable whole grain and oatmeal cereal packets, especially with chopped fresh fruit are an excellent choice.

Tips & Warnings

• At the beginning of the week, fill small zippered bags with healthy nuts, roasted soy beans or dried fruit for grab and take-along snacks for the whole family.
• Drink lots of water and try to cut down on soda. If you need the taste, try cold herbal teas instead.
• If you wean yourself away from unhealthy, empty calories in chips and processed or fast foods you will find them too salty and fatty after a while.
• Be careful of many protein or meal replacement bars as they can be chock full of fat, sugar and calories. Learn to read the labels.