Lunch is one of the most important meals of the day as it will greatly benefit your productivity through the end of the workday. Eating good and healthy lunches will give you the energy you need to stay alert and focus on tasks that you need to accomplish before the end of the day. However, given the very busy lives that most of us live, having the time to plan and prepare a healthy lunch every day is almost impossible.
We tend to rush through our day and so we’re tempted to quickly grab food on the go which may not be really good for our health. Foods from fast-food restaurants, nearby groceries, or from the work cafeteria may not be what our body needs to stay fit and healthy. These foods are usually packed with sodium, sugar, cholesterol, and excess fat, and the portion sizes could be more than what is required.
Even when we decide to make healthier choices with our lunch, it becomes uninspiring and not so enjoyable after some time because it’s very hard not to lose imagination when it comes to healthy lunch ideas for months or weeks.
So where do you start?
I’d say that the first thing is to recognize the importance of a good lunch in the grand scheme of things. Once we truly come to appreciate the place of a healthy lunch in our daily lives and how it greatly impacts our productivity in a day, then we would keep making the effort to eat healthy and nutritious meals every other day of the week. Whenever we eat a healthy lunch, we tend to be less fatigued and much more able to focus for the rest of the day.
Another benefit to packing your own lunch is the savings. Packing your own lunch saves you time and money. You also get the nutrients you want in the portions that you need them, and you know exactly what is going into your food. It could be that the cost implications may not be a problem for you especially when you can afford to eat out always, however, there’s another way to look at the cost savings motive. Let me illustrate this by putting two very important questions to you;
- First – What’s the price you pay for eating unhealthy processed junk food? (Beyond the monetary value)
- Second – What’s the price you pay for eating healthy home-cooked meals? (Also beyond the monetary value)
When you carefully consider the answer to these two questions, you will find that the cost savings from eating healthy lunch goes beyond what you spend at the moment but also what you save from costs you can avoid in the future.
Now that we know why it is important to pack healthy lunches, let’s talk about a few ideas that’ll help get you going on how to get it done.
- Start by planning your lunch early for the week: Make sure to have those healthy choices of food already in your refrigerator and pantry. Get more supplies if you need to, this way you’re more relaxed and focused on making the best meals for yourself.
- Use a cool, colorful lunch bag to make lunch preparation more fun for you: You can also get a few or more of these bags in order to give you something else to look forward to each lunch day.
- Make sure to pack a protein, a healthy complex carbohydrate, a beverage, and some fruit for dessert: This will help you achieve a correct balance of nutrients in your meals. Proteins like fish, chicken, turkey, or beans. Healthy carbs like lightly steamed vegetables, or salads with an avocado dressing. Good beverage choices will include herbal tea or green tea, or better still water, and any type of fresh fruit will serve as a great option for dessert
Other examples of good food options to pack include; tuna wraps, sandwiches, hard-boiled eggs, nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pecans (unsalted, uncooked, with no extra ingredients), and pre-cooked sweet potatoes. Do not pack up food that is rich in carbohydrates, because too many carbs into your diet only make you feel sleepy. You can also include some of your favorite mid-morning snacks into your lunch packs. Maybe that would serve as extra motivation to make you want to pack your own lunch every day.
Lastly, if you’re unable to pack your lunch in a day and are left with the option of buying, then you should choose a place that makes one order instead of pre-packed. With “to order” options, you can request more healthy options like tomatoes, pickles, and onions.
Above are a few tips on how to go about packing your lunch for each day and also a few options on healthy foods to pack, however, you should note that the possibilities are endless and so you might need to do more research online if you want more ideas on how and what to pack for lunch.
Start packing healthy lunches in the coming week and bless yourself with better health.
Remember, healthy eating equals active living!
Don’t settle for anything less than your best life yet!
With Love and gratitude as always, Xo!
You can visit the link posted here to purchase from the numerous options of cool, colorful lunch bags available on amazon to help you get into the habit of packing your own lunch every day.
Disclaimer: Please note that I am not your doctor while I am a health coach by profession. This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice nor does it establish any kind of medical relationship between you and me. I will not be held liable for any damage resulting from or related to your use of this information.
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