Healthy Lunches

Benefits of Lunch A midday snack or lunch is important to re-energize your mind and re-fuel brain and body. Midday can be a time where concentration and focus begin to decline. With a small lunch or snack, this will steady blood sugar levels, increasing energy and boost work productivity. A re-fuel can also keep metabolism in check and prevent the body from periods of starvation mode, which can be caused when there are large gaps between meals, thus throwing metabolism into all sorts of unwanted directions!

Important for Kids too! Lunch is just as important, if not more, for kids than adults. Most kids receive one meal per day at school with a few other snacks. It is extremely important for them to get a well-balanced lunch. This is the only true meal they receive to re-fuel and power them through the rest of the day. According to ChoiceUSA.net, school lunches make up one third to one half of a child’s nutritional intake for an entire day and is essential for helping children succeed in school as well as grow and develop successfully and healthfully.

Brown Bag Tips Packing a power lunch with healthy and nutritional foods is a must! Remember, not all calories are created equal get the most out of the mid day food fuel. Avoid too many pre-packaged foods which contain little to no nutritional value. Opt for more fruits and vegetables. Mix complex carbohydrates with lean protein. Keep it balanced and hit all 5 food groups; fruit, vegetable, lean protein, whole grains and dairy.

Making Healthy Lunches Meal preparation can take time, but can be done in the beginning of the week to help make for easy on the go, cost effective and healthy lunches. Think about using leftovers and add a few more ingredients to make it a whole new meal. Take leftover meat and vegetables throw them into a flavorful wrap or brown rice bowl for a tasty new meal the next day.

Do NOT Skip Lunch DO NOT skip Lunch; skipping a meal can turn your appetite to full throttle by the time dinner rolls around. Not only does this lead to low work production and poor concentration during the day, but it can lead to overeating later on and can increase the amount of poor nutritional food choices.

Basic Salad or Wrap Recipes Southwestern: Half a can of low-sodium black beans, rinsed 1/2 red bell pepper, diced 1/2 cup corn 1/2 cup diced chicken breast, lean steak or shrimp (great use for dinner leftovers) Dressing: light sour cream, fresh lime juice, two finely minced green onions and a dash of hot sauce Fruit & Nut: Handful dried cranberries Handful walnuts Handful sliced almonds Sliced grapes Dressing: apple cider vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil and Dijon mustard Asian: 1/4 cup shelled edamame Shredded carrots 1/2 cup chicken breast, lean steak or shrimp (great use for dinner leftovers) 1/2 avocado, diced Dressing: Soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice and a dash of chili oil or hot sauce Lettuce wraps: Combine a variety of raw vegetables --- think sliced red bell peppers and cucumbers, diced zucchini, finely chopped cauliflower and minced green onions --- and marinate overnight in red-wine vinegar, chopped fresh herbs, salt, pepper and a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Place the vegetables in Bibb lettuce leaves and fold up like a taco.

Sources http://www.livestrong.com/article/449208-why-is-lunch-so-important/ http://www.livestrong.com/article/491777-skinny-girl-lunch-ideas/