When I first went went full-time with my practice and quit my "day" job, I got out of the habit of packing a lunch. I was mostly out seeing clients in the AM and after dinner, so I only really needed to pack snacks on-the-go. This January, I took a short-term teaching contract at a local community college and with teaching 4 classes back-to-back and my office hours, snacks just weren't going to cut it!
I wanted to share with you my essentials for packing a healthy lunch, basics to keeping the nutrient balance, and how to prep smart!
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| My fancy new collapsible container! |
Essentials
Lunchbox - I prefer the insulated varieties and definitely go with boxes/bags that have a handle since I carry a lot of work bags.
Ice Packs - I like the gel ones versus the harder packs. The gel makes it easier to mold around my containers.
Reusable Containers or Mason Jars - I love using the short mason jars for my soups, stews, and fresh fruit since they don't spill! I did buy a collapsible container for my leftovers; however, I didn't think about how large it was when I bought it. It is awesome, but doesn't fit in my current lunchbox. So, make sure you have your lunchbox specs before buying a fancy new container!
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| Baby carrots for the win! |
Nutrient Balance
When I pack my lunch, I always think of PCV - protein (lean), carbohydrate (high-fiber), and veggie (usually non-starchy) for the main fare. I also pack some extra veggies, fruits, and bars for my snacks/sides. I never know what food mood I will be in (i.e. crunchy, sweet, savory, soft), so I like to have a variety to choose from. Side note here, having a backup plan is key! You never know if you will hit traffic in a work commute, if you need to hang around for questions from staff, or if lunch ends up getting pushed back. Be prepared for when life gets crazy so you stay on track and fuel your body with good-for-you foods.
Prep Smart
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| Peanut butter balls for snacks! |
I won't lie, I rely a lot on portioned unsweetened applesauce cups, no-sugar-added dried fruit (mango and prunes are my favorites), and baby carrots for my lunch/snack staples. I have been trying to spend more time on prepping the larger parts of my meals versus the snack/side items to save time.
I usually carve out about 30-minutes of time on Sunday nights to prep for the week. This means peeling oranges and portioning them into containers, putting baby carrots in containers, scooping out hummus, and pulling applesauce cups from the bottom of the fridge to the top. Whatever will make my night before prep easier the better!
I also make a lot of my lunches from my leftover dinners. I highly recommend batch-cooking grains (i.e. brown rice and quinoa) and even your proteins (like tofu) to make into easy meals. I have been trying to make more of my own snack bars/power balls versus buying them since it has gotten pretty costly. I like making these peanut butter balls 1 day and eating them all week for snacks!
I also make a lot of my lunches from my leftover dinners. I highly recommend batch-cooking grains (i.e. brown rice and quinoa) and even your proteins (like tofu) to make into easy meals. I have been trying to make more of my own snack bars/power balls versus buying them since it has gotten pretty costly. I like making these peanut butter balls 1 day and eating them all week for snacks!
I hope this gives you some tips to packing a healthy lunch! Have a great rest of your week!
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| Bean salad with carrots and hemp seeds + orange + dried mango + sweet potato chips! |
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