When your job is #1, your body doesn’t have to be #2. Here are 8 healthy lunch ideas to help satiate you and steady your blood sugar so you stay focused, fresh and fit.
- Hearty Homemade Salad. Grab your leftover roasted veggies (think: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, fennel, etc.), add to a bed of greens, and top with protein of choice—ideally whatever you have leftover from the night before (grilled chicken, a can of chunk light tuna, 2 hard boiled eggs, or ½ cup of beans). Drizzle with olive oil & lemon or dressing of choice. Done.
- Easy Chopped Salad. Chop up ½ an avocado, 1-2 hardboiled eggs, and cherry tomatoes. Squeeze some lemon juice on top to prevent browning of the avocados.
- Skinny Bagel. At the deli, request your bagel “scooped out” (removing the soft insides to save you 100 calories), ditch the top half, and add a generous helping of tuna salad. Eat it open-faced and enjoy every crusty/creamy bite. Keep some raw carrots and tomatoes stashed in your office fridge to round out the meal.
- Soup & Sandwich on the go. Order a vegetable, bean or broth-based soup (avoid noodle-based, cream-based, bisques, and chowders). Get your half sandwich open-faced and make sure there’s a source of protein (like sliced turkey, fish, hummus, cheese, or meat).
- Greek Yogurt Parfait. Top 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt with frozen berries, a small handful of almonds or peanuts, and cinnamon. Seal and go.
- Veggie Omelet. Whip up or order a 2 to 3-egg omelet filled with as many veggies as you want (mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, asparagus, onions). Optional: melt in a slice of cheese. If you must have some toast, eat just ½ a piece at the end as a treat.
- Egg sandwich. Order any egg sandwich, (ideally with some tomato or spinach if it’s available), and eat it open faced. Pair it with an apple or side of mixed berries.
- Slow burning smoothie. Blend ½ avocado, 1 cup spinach, ½ banana, 2 Tbsp peanut butter, ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk and a handful of ice on high for 1 minute.