![]() Cheap and Healthy Brown- Bag Lunch Ideas (for Grownups)Taking a healthy lunch to work is one of the simplest ways to trim your budget. Most people think nothing of spending $1. Beyond the cost savings, most meals packed at home are healthier than foods at restaurants. When we eat out, we're often faced with whopper portions and fattening extras - - like the french fries that routinely come with sandwiches. ![]() Does lunch time make or break your diet? These 7 quick-n-easy lunch recipes will. But when you pack lunch at home, you can control your portions and choose healthier ingredients. Still, unless you're willing to eat the same peanut butter sandwich day in and day out, it's easy to run out of ideas and fall back into the restaurant rut. So Web. MD asked the experts to recommend healthy, creative lunch ideas that are not only cheap, but easy to prepare. ![]() ![]() What Makes Up a Healthy Lunch? First of all, make sure your lunch is balanced, experts recommend. Lunches that include some lean or low- fat protein along with carbohydrates will keep your body fueled for the afternoon, says Connie Diekman, RD, president of the American Dietetic Association. Choose lean fillings like sliced eggs, tuna fish, cheese or lean meats. Then jazz up your sandwiches with assorted greens, fresh basil, sprouts, sliced cucumbers, onions, and/or tomatoes. But sandwiches are far from your only option when you're brown- bagging it. Last night's dinner, hard boiled eggs, vegetarian wraps, cereal - - anything you enjoy at home can be packed up and eaten for lunch. In fact, you might want to make extra food for dinner so you'll have leftovers to bring for lunch, experts suggest. Add some carrot, celery, and pepper strips for a hearty and satisfying lunch. To take this idea a bit further, try cooking in bulk. ![]() On the weekend, make a big pot of chili, soup, or rice and beans and freeze into individual portions that are ready to take to work in a flash. Convenience foods can also make quick and easy lunches. Canned soups and frozen meals can be inexpensive, especially if you stock up when they're on sale, and all you have to do is grab one when you're running out the door. Pair these portion- controlled items with a side salad or piece of fruit to provide enough calories to keep you feeling full. Easy Lunch Ideas. American Dietetic Association spokesperson Angela Ginn- Meadow, RD, says planning ahead is essential for quick lunch assembly. ![]() ![]() And bring coffee in a to- go mug instead of stopping at your favorite coffee shop. Got a sweet tooth after lunch? Have fruit, a few pieces of hard candy, or a few low- fat Graham crackers or vanilla wafers. Keep Your Lunch Healthy and Safe. Don't forget: Lunches that include meat, fish, poultry, or dairy need to kept refrigerated. Toss your lunch in the refrigerator at work. If you don't have access to refrigeration, invest in a lunchbox, Thermos, reusable plastic containers, plastic baggies, and ice packs to keep your lunch at the proper temperature. Sources. SOURCES: Connie Diekman, MEd, RD, director of university nutrition, Washington University, St. ![]() ![]() Louis; president, American Dietetic Association. Angela Ginn- Meadow, RD, spokeswoman, American Dietetic Association. ![]() All rights reserved.
Paleo To- Go! Packed Lunch Ideas for School or Work. Keep good food portable with these Paleo packed lunch ideas for school or work! I carry Paleo To- Go meals whenever I leave home. Thinking Outside the (Lunch) Box. Put your kids to work. Have them pack their own lunches.It’s more affordable to take my own food and I know what I’m eating is safe. Here’s over 7. 0 dips, salads, soups, breads, veggies and entrees to make a variety of packed lunches for school or work. Enjoy! How to Pack Your Lunch. For soups and stews, you need a good insulated container to keep food hot until lunch time. Just heat up your food in the morning and package it up to go. This one will keep food hot for 5 hours ’til lunchtime. For adults, if your workplace does not already have a toaster oven, ask about getting one. You can split the cost if the boss won’t pay for it. This large Bento box works fine for me. It’s leak- proof and measures almost 7 by 9 inches. I use an ice pack under it, but remove the ice an hour or two before eating. For other chilled food, these stainless steel containers are also leak- proof. Check out these freezable coolers – you don’t need an ice pack with them at all. Pretty clever and they come in lots of colors and sizes. Paleo Packed Lunch Ideas. Here are some helpful tutorials for packing balanced lunches. If you have young children or grandchildren these can give you some great ideas. Use the principles in these posts with the other recipes provided below for endless combinations! For adults, just scale up the portion sizes as needed. Vegetable Roll- Ups and Wrappers. Here’s my tutorial on using vegetables as roll ups and wrappers instead of bread. These look great and are easy to vary. Good for party finger food too. Paleo Breads and Crackers. Use the bread recipes to create healthy Paleo sandwiches. The crackers are great with pate, Paleo hummus, or chicken salad. Recipes for all of those are further down the post. Cold Dishes and Salads. Hearty Paleo Hummus Dips. Make one of the cracker options from earlier in the post or chop fresh crunchy veggies like celery, carrots, bell peppers, and cucumbers to dip. Meat Dishes To- Go. These meat dishes can work one of three ways: 1) eaten chilled 2) warmed in the morning and kept in an insulated container until lunch time or 3) packed cold but heated up in your toaster oven at lunch time. Some of these would also work well cold in a sandwich! So many possibilities here. Packed Lunch Soups. These hearty soups are perfect for packing in your insulated container to stay hot until lunchtime! Snacks, Dessert Bars and Bites. Want some snacks or dessert bites to go with lunch? These will satisfy your sweet tooth without overloading you with sugar. Some use gelatin or collagen too. Get some great food ready to share and be proud of yourself for committing to healthy food. You CAN do this, and feel like a winner too!
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