People who pack their own lunches have more control over what they eat, tend to eat healthier, and save money at the same time. Dining on a packed lunch has also been shown to aid in weight loss and weight management.

The following are some lunch ideas and recipe links:

Raw vegetables (carrots, celery, jicama, red peppers, peapods, broccoli, cauliflower) and hummus

Salad (lettuce, spinach, or kale) with raw or cooked vegetables, beans or lentils, and salad dressing on the side so the lettuce won’t get soggy, or Black Bean Salad, Kale Salad, Broccoli Cranberry Salad, Cauliflower Salad

Almost any leftovers from dinner, cooked vegetables, brown rice, whole grain pasta, lentils, quinoa, cooked chicken or salmon, baked yam or sweet potato, soup, Rice Beans and tomatoes, etc.

Fruit – apple, banana, orange, pear, berries, etc., or a fruit salad

Almonds or other nuts or seeds (in limited amounts for portion control)

If you don’t already pack a lunch, try it once or twice a week. You just might get into the habit of it! An easy way to get started is to make an extra serving or two of something you are already going to make, then pack your lunch when you are putting the extra food into storage containers. Your lunch will be ready to go into your lunch box, cooler or brown bag in the morning, when you pre-plan and pre-package your food the night before.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis