Healthy Lunch Tips and Ideas for Busy People
Most of us that are working and going into the office everyday and working long hours, don’t have the time to cook extravagant meals at the end of each day, much less thinking about how to have a healthy and filling lunch everyday. It can be easy to get into the habit of getting takeout everyday, but with just a few simple tips and tricks, we can make it easier to make busy workday lunches healthier and less stressful and time consuming to make.
Here are 9 easy lunch and workday snack ideas:
Always try to have some good bread, sourdough or multigrain are great, as well as some sandwich ingredients you like. For example, I like to try to have avocados, tomatoes and lettuce, a good deli meat as well as a yummy sauce. My favorite is some sort of chili mayonnaise. These are quick and easy to put together for a healthy workday lunch. You have your healthy fats, whole grains, and some protein and veggies.
Do you like cucumbers, grapes, berries, mangoes…? Put some in a container with some dark chocolate, if you like to have as a sweet desert. These are great sources of vitamins, minerals and magnesium to get you going throughout the rest of your day.
Put some trail mix in your bag. This is the easiest way to get your healthy fats and omega-3’s without crashing and reaching for the dreaded vending machine at work.
Take some time on your weekend, or whenever you have a little bit of time to do some meal prep for the week. Do you know you will want sandwiches and a side of fruit for lunch this week? Great, go ahead and pack some of that in small containers so that they’re ready to grab on Monday morning and you won’t give it another thought.
Yogurt parfait! Buy yourself those big containers of full fat yogurt, either plain or vanilla. Put some in a jar with some sliced strawberries, or any fruit of your choice as well as some healthy fats. This can be muesli with chi seeds, some nuts, or hemp seeds. If you need more protein for satiety, or if you have an active lifestyle, add in some protein powder of your choice. This is a great choice that will keep you full all while getting in your fats, fiber, protein and vitamins. The probiotics from the yogurt will also keep your tummy happy and your brain sharp for work.
Bring some leftovers to work with you. If you make a dinner the night before with an extra portion or two, bring some to work with you. Easy workday dinner tips coming soon!
Easy overnight oats. Put some oats in a jar or sealable bowl with either enough milk or water to cover the oats. Add in some honey, protein powder if you wish, chia, hemp, flaxseeds, fruit of your choice or some yogurt on top as well. Let it sit overnight in your fridge and in the morning, all you have to do is grab it and go.
Meal prep a healthy rice bowl. This might sound complicated and you might say you don’t have time, but if you meal prep some rice, preferably brown, and some protein like chicken or fish, on the weekend, or when you have more time, the rest is easy. Simply add your rice, some chicken, some sliced cucumbers, sliced cabbage, and a sauce of your choice over it all. If you meal prep and slice your vegetables ahead of time, all you have to do is grab a little of each and add to your bowl. Can also do any variation of this that feels easiest and yummiest to you.
Can make a super simple crunchy salad. Again, you can meal prep and slice some lettuce, cabbage, carrots, corn, cucumbers and throw in some hemp seeds, drizzle of olive oil, vinegar and honey and some salt and pepper. For some protein, add in nuts and seeds, or pre-prepped chicken or tinned anchovies or sardines. And in less than 10 minutes you have yourself a yummy lunch.
These are all great options for when you’re too busy to even think about anything outside of work, or you live somewhere that doesn’t have the option of healthy takeout. Do a bit of meal prep throughout the week and you can easily put together a quick midday meal that will keep you full, give you energy, and all while giving you the healthy fats, proteins, vitamins and fiber you need to stay healthy.
Stay tuned for tips on busy weeknight dinners.