I have always made up a lunch to take to work, mainly for financial reasons. It was tedious to make up and unexciting to eat, mainly consisting of a sandwich or a dry salad on a good day. By the end of the afternoon I was often bloated, uncomfortable and lacked energy. That was always my weakest point, often leading to poor nutritional choices. I’m sure we’ve all reached for the biscuits as our sugar levels have dropped!
Preparing food the old fashioned way—at home in your own kitchen—doesn’t have to be time consuming, complicated or expensive. With our simple guidelines, taking a few minutes to prepare quick, healthy and delicious lunches will give you more control over what you and your family are eating, help you master your blood sugar levels to avoid getting too hungry and save you money too!
The ideal lunch should provide a mixture of vitamins, minerals, fat, carbohydrates and protein. The carbohydrates and fat provide the energy which helps keep our blood sugar level - the body's fuel system which draws on glucose (sugar) – stable.
Why should we maintain a balanced diet by healthy eating? It can:
- give you vitality and energy
- help you stay at a weight that's right for you
- boost your immune system
- improve your sports performance and fitness levels
- delay the effects of ageing
- keep you active and fit into old age
- help beat tiredness and fatigue
- protect teeth and keep gums healthy
- enhance your memory and ability to concentrate
- minimise the risk of serious illnesses like heart disease, certain cancers, osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes
Fab lunches
It only takes a few minutes to make up any combination of the following healthy lunch ingredients:
avocado
edamame/ green beans
chickpeas
red cabbage in cider vinegar
quinoa (Tesco and Merchand Gourmet sell their own ready-made quinoa)
couscous with a squeeze of lemon
hummus
tzatziki
tzatziki
pesto
tomato/ pepper/ cucumber red onion/ spring onion
spinach/ lettuce
pumpkin/ chia/ flax/ sunflower seeds
beetroot/ courgette/ cauliflower/ carrot grated
flatbread
Protein sources - boiled egg, goats cheese, chicken, turkey, salmon or mackerel
Add a simple dressing of cider vinegar and olive oil dressing (1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil), you just need to remember that a little bit of dressing goes long way. Chilli flakes and/or black pepper will add extra heat if desired. Recipes for pesto, tzatziki, hummus and flatbread are available on the ‘side recipes’ on our blog.
Dessert...yes really!
natural, Greek or soya yoghurt with cinnamon, berries, nuts or seeds
coconut/ almond/ soya milk with chia seeds and berries
Tips for making the change and staying with it:
- Stock up with a variety of foods from the list.
- Prepare batches of grated vegetables, quinoa, couscous, hummus, pickled red cabbage or pesto at the weekend.
- Make extra portions when you’re cooking dinner in the evening for leftovers the next day.
- Buddy up with a work colleague or friend - you are more likely to keep motivated with mutual support.
- Ditch the junk and get rid of sweets, biscuits, crisps and other unhealthy snacks. The less you’re tempted by junk food, the healthier you’ll eat.
- Make time for meals. Try to have 30 minutes each day to eat a healthy meal. You’ll come back refreshed and re-energised.
- Plan your meals. If you know you’re going to eat a meal and two snacks at work, plan ahead. If you’re prepared it will help you avoid getting too hungry and indulging on unhealthy junk food.
- Start each day with a full bottle of water and make an effort to drink water often starting first thing in the morning.
- Choose balanced snacks with a combination of carbohydrates, healthy fats, and lean proteins to boost your metabolism, increase energy, and feel fuller longer, for example peanut butter and oatcakes or a handful of almonds.
- Soup is an excellent dish for lunch because it is warming, nutritious and low in calories.
Nowadays, I choose to prepare my own lunch for nutritional reasons. Making positive changes to this important meal of the day will help you - just like it did me - feel your best in no time at all. What woman doesn’t enjoy receiving compliments about their weight loss? Moreover, I feel full of energy, my cravings have subsided, I have fewer mood swings and am free from regular headaches too. As a self-confessed ‘foodie’, I certainly don’t feel deprived in any way at all.
Bon appetit!
Alison x
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