Lunch is, for many, the first “real” meal of the day, so it’s important to make it healthy and filling. (Also important? Checking out last month’s article, “Make Breakfast Great Again,” to rediscover the importance and benefits of starting your day with a good breakfast!)
The days of brown bagging or lunch pail meals are over. It is time step up your lunches and make them a balanced, refueling part of your day. When to eat your lunch is often dictated by a scheduled break or when consumed your last meal. Going long periods without any kind of food leads to lack of focus or energy and restlessness or anger also known as getting “hangry”.
The first thing you have to do to make your lunch more satisfying is actually setting aside time for yourself to enjoy it. Often times we allow work to take over and neglect to sit down and enjoy our meal. Savoring a meal and taking time to enjoy it instead of shoveling it back in under five seconds will prolong the feeling of being satiated, reducing the urge to eat more between lunch and dinner. Instead of consuming your lunch quickly, spend more time to enjoy it and have the energy to stay focused and put forward quality work.
Buying your lunch every day can add up. The cost of a sub or deli sandwich can easily get you a loaf of bread, lean deli meat, a head of lettuce and a tomato. Below I will outline how to make a great sandwich. You can save yourself a lot of time prepping the night before or on the weekend. Tomatoes have a shelf life of approximately a week and cucumbers 1-2 days so plan accordingly.
The king of lunches, the Sandwich:
- 2 slices whole wheat bread (after that everything is optional based on tastes)
- Green leafy lettuce or baby spinach (higher iron, calcium content)
- Tomato
- Cucumber
- Mayo, mustard (sweet, classic yellow or spicy)
- Pickle
- Cheese (Swiss, cheddar, provolone, Havarti)
- Avocado
- Bacon
- Salt/pepper
To avoid a soggy sandwich line the two slices of bread with lettuce to create a moisture barrier. Stack the slippery vegetables, tomato, cucumber, pickles, avocado, then deli meat and condiments in the center. Fold one-half on the other and bring it in a Tupperware to save on waste. ENJOY!
