What Can I Eat for Lunch?
I hear this question at least a few times a day from my clients. We know what consists of breakfast and dinner foods but what are some healthy easy options for that in between meal?
Since I was recently blogging for the SELF Eat Like Me column sharing my lunches for this week seemed apropos. It IS easy to eat healthy when you are short on time.
Since I have been busy all weekend preparing for a workshop I am teaching later this week and organizing my power point presentation it did not leave much time so here’s what I did. I needed a break at 5:30 so I timed how long it took me to organize and “make” my lunches for the week. Here’s what I did:
My “lunch” bag for this week contains:
- 5 Fage (Greek) 2% small yogurts
- 5 Bags of a mixture of cashews, sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and raw peanuts (about 1 ounce in total)
- 1 sandwich size bag of miniature cherry tomatoes I bought at the Farmer’s market yesterday
- 1 quart size bag of pea pods and carrots also from the Farmer’s market
- A few pink lady apples
- 1 large bag of mixed cut up cheese – truffle, Fontana, gouda
At work I already have homemade peanut/cashew butter I made with the Vita-Mix  that I have for snacks in the afternoon.
It took me about 20 minutes to “assemble” my lunches for the week.
A lunch for me this week would look like this:
1 yogurt with 1 bag of the mixed nuts/seeds mixed in, about 1 ounce of the cut up cheese, 1-2 carrots, some of the pea pods and cherry tomatoes and a few bites of the apple.
Other weeks when I have more time I might make tuna/chicken/egg salad to take in addition to other fruits/veggies I munch on with my lunch. Lunch does not have to be a big “event” but rather a transition meal between breakfast and lunch.
Eating healthy lunches for the week can be easy simple and take less than 20 minutes to prepare – negating excuses of not having the time to prepare a healthy economical meal.
What are some healthy easy options you enjoy for lunch?
June 27, 2011 @ 4:04 pm
Hi Susan – great post – this type of post is so very helpful- practical. I can use this everyday! I have your peanut butter/chocolate cookies in the oven – from your SELF blog- love ALL those posts too – hope you won!
Feeling good this summer – have been back on your advice (the circle game) and am down in weight and have more energy.
If I drop 10-15 pounds I will be right where I want to be – with your info I know I will get there and stay there.
My goats are producing really well – milking 16 – so lots of yogurt, milk, cheese and light on the sugar ice cream. By the way – how are you at making ice cream – maybe a new post? The veggie garden is full and strawberries/raspberries abundant.
Thanks again for the consult – your book is my best friend these days 🙂 actually most days!
June 28, 2011 @ 3:59 am
Thanks Greg – glad things are going so well and thanks for the update! Good idea about an ice-cream post. Glad the lunch one was useful!
July 20, 2011 @ 8:35 pm
Do you mean a transition between breakfast and dinner? If so, I like that thinking – make it not a big event. Often at work it is a big event for people and then all we do is come back and sit! For myself, a guy, would this type of lunch provide enough calories?
July 21, 2011 @ 4:13 am
Yes – that is exactly what I mean. This may not be enough calories for you (or a man) – you might need to add some chicken or cottage cheese or a little more protein. Thanks for asking Greg