One of the most common problems we face, not just as kids, is what we should take for lunch. Today, I’m going to list some of my favorite healthy lunches. Some rules of thumb to follow when trying to pack healthy lunches are:
- Eat mostly whole foods
- Avoid fast food
- Avoid artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, and preservatives
- Choose whole grains
- Add fiber wherever you can
- Pay attention to the ingredients in sauces and dressings
If you have a microwave, dinner leftovers are a fantastic and easy way to not only save money, but always be prepared for lunch the next day. When you make your healthy dinner, simply make sure you make enough that everyone that needs a lunch, can take some leftovers the next day.
Some of my favorites:
-Vegetable Spaghetti: Spaghetti squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and other veggies of your choice.
-Beef roast with potatoes, carrots, and cabbage
-Teriyaki chicken stir fry with rice and vegetables
-Steak and homemade sweet potato fries
-Lemon roasted salmon with sweet potatoes and broccoli
-Air fryer chicken thighs and roasted potatoes and vegetables
-Hamburger, zucchini, and potato stir fry
When Building a well-balanced lunch it’s important to remember you want a protein, a carb, a healthy fat, and a serving or two of fruits and vegetables. This will ensure that you’re satiated until you get home. For kids you can always cut fruits and veggies into fun shapes to make them more interesting and fun!
Cold Lunches:
-Romaine salad, veggies, grilled chicken, and a vinaigrette dressing
-BBQ chicken salad with beans and corn
-Chicken burrito bowl
-BLT wrap
-Asian chicken and rice lettuce boats
-Lunch meat and cheese roll ups with a side of veggies
-Quinoa and chick pea salad with veggies
Sides and Snacks:
(Pro-Tip: build your own lunch by picking a fruit, veggie, carb, and protein option from the list below)
-Veggies and humus
-Apples and peanut butter
-Celery and peanut butter
-Mandarin oranges
-Banana
-Peaches sprinkled with cinnamon
-Blueberries and Raspberries
-Chocolate dipped strawberries
-Fruit salad
-Almonds, cashews, pecans
-Side salad
-Applesauce
-Hard boiled eggs
-Carrots and dip
-Broccoli and dip
-Greek yogurt and granola
-Granola bar
-Raisins
-Pumpkin seeds
-Pickles
-Popcorn
For more ideas, to learn more about nutrition, or help implementing new healthy changes in your life, book your health coaching session today 717-660-2320.