Find appealing lunches that will support your goals toward health
This busy, fast paced life we live in creates a challenge of what to do for lunch. Do you like so many of start out the day with great goals for how we will eat—what we will eat and what we will not eat and then find yourself away from home and feeling ravenous? Is the temptation great to grab the box of crackers the kids left in the car, or make a quick stop for fast food—just this once or grab just one of those doughnuts left in the break room? Or perhaps you truly withstand the temptations to eat something inappropriate for lunch and then find yourself overeating at dinnertime?
The trick to solving this problem is planning. When you are prepared, you will enjoy healthy food which makes you feel better mentally and physically. As your habits toward a good lunch are solidified, your confidence grows by leaps and bounds, and you will enjoy watching the tape drawing tighter as your belly fat melts away!
Three of my favorite lunches for days I’m not doing one meal a day are salads in a jar, turkey or ham roll ups, or leftovers from dinner the night before—one of my favorites I will share below!
Salad in a Jar—Your imagination is the only limit!
When I know I have a busy week ahead, I will set out some canning jars—the type that have a lid and a ring. I love either the pint-sized jar or a three-cup jar either with a wide mouth.
Start with the salad dressing in the bottom of the jar.
Second layer: high-water content ingredients such as tomatoes and cucumbers
Third layer: harder veggies such as: cabbage, peppers, edible pod peas, onions, broccoli, cauliflower. Also, in this layer put protein: chicken, beef, ham, hard boiled eggs, bacon.
Top layer: sprouts, greens
Leave space at the top of the greens for a folded-up paper towel.
Put on the lid and the ring. I have had these salads last in the refrigerator for 5 days. Lunch can be made a week ahead! They can all be the same or you can vary the veggies and dressings!
Leftovers make a fast lunch.
Or instead maybe planned overs? When you are fixing dinner, plan for extra for lunches.
Lettuce wraps…
Lettuce can hold any sandwich or salad ingredients to your delight. If your favorite sandwich is ham and cheese, roll up the ham and cheese slices, add mayonnaise and mustard and voila! A simple and delicious lunch.
Other fillings to consider for your wraps:
• Chicken, tuna, or egg salad
• Asian flavor by combining cooked ground chicken with green onions, shredded carrots, chopped cucumber all sprinkled with coconut aminos
• Assorted grated or chopped veggies, small cubes of cheese with mayonnaise and mustard.
Colorful and creative food will cause you to be very willing to pass up the offer for fast food! All you really need to do is put your creativity to work and plan ahead! Your lunches will be so tasty, you will be looking forward to eating! Make your food colorful and appealing.
