What are some healthy lunches for at home or to pack?

What are some healthy lunches to eat at home or to pack for work or for going on a car trip?  When we go on car trips, we usually bring along a picnic lunch.  Just recently I went away with my two daughters and one daughter brought our picnic lunch.  Lean deli meats, whole grain rolls, fresh fruit, some greens for our sandwiches and some sides of egg salad and potato salad.  My husband and I also pack our lunch when we go on road trips.  This week we ate our picnic lunch on the way to our destination.  Sandwiches of whole grain bagels, lean deli meats, fresh fruit, whole grain chips, yogurt and milk.  So much healthier than any Fast-Food restaurant meal and often less time consuming.

What are some healthy lunches you can pack or make for yourself at home?  Eat This, Not That! asked some dietitians about healthy lunch options and here are some of their suggestions. 

1.  Pack an adult or child “lunchable” meal. So popular with kids but adults can also enjoy their own “lunchable” and much healthier than most pre-packaged “lunchables’ you can buy. 

• Cheese – choose a favorite cheese.  Mozzarella part-skim cheese is a good choice as it has less saturated fat than other cheese. Or, instead of cheese include some yogurt and get some healthy probiotics.
• Whole grain crackers – a great way to add some whole grains to your day.  Choose Wheat Thins, triscuits or other whole grain crackers.  Not a fan of whole grains?  Then try some RITZ crackers made with whole grain.  Not 100% whole grain, but you are getting some.  For a kid, choose some whole grain Goldfish.  An easy way to add whole grains to a child’s lunch.
• Fruit or vegetable – add some grapes (cut up for small children), apple slices, slices of green or red pepper, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, cut up fruit salad- strawberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, kiwi fruit.
• Nuts – a handful of nuts is such a healthy choice. Nuts add protein, some fiber and a heart-healthy fat.  

Make your own "lunchable".  (Cut up grapes for small children.)

The nuts and cheese will add protein and some fat, both of which will help you fill full longer.

     2. Salad with all 5 food groups – a lettuce salad can leave you hungry so make a salad from all the food groups. 

•  Dairy – include some goat cheese or other cheese for the dairy group.  Note:  that people who are lactose intolerant can usually enjoy some cheese, especially hard cheese, as hard cheese is pretty low in lactose.
• Grains – add some quinoa or farro – both are whole grains
• Fruit – some fresh apple slices, raisins, strawberries or orange slices
• Vegetable – use a Spring mix or other mix of greens.  Lettuce is not very healthy so choose some darker greens like spinach for the salad.
• Protein – choose some lean meats – turkey or chicken or some nuts like walnuts for the salad

Eat This, Not That! has a recipe for Warm-Kate Quinoa Salad that has all the food groups. 

3. Soup and Sandwich – one of my favorite lunches when I eat at Panera is the half sandwich and soup combo.  But you can easily make a sandwich and soup lunch at home. 

•  Soup – tomato soup is quite healthy. In fact, cooked tomatoes like the tomatoes in soup are even healthier than raw tomatoes.  Why?  Cooking actually increases the antioxidant, lycopene, that is in tomatoes.  Choose a vegetable soup and you add a vegetable serving and a good mix of different vegetables to your day.  

• Sandwich – choose a whole grain bread, bagel or those 100 calorie bagels or bagel thins.  Or a whole grain English muffin.  Cheese and lean meats like deli turkey, ham or chicken are good choices. Skip the luncheon meats or the pre-packaged meats like bologna, or salami as these are considered “processed meats” which may increase cancer risk according to the World Health Organization. I like fried egg sandwich with melted cheese.  I “fry” the egg in a heart-healthy oil like Safflower or Corn oil, add some real American Cheese (not cheese food) and serve on a toasted whole grain English Muffin.  Make a tuna fish salad sandwich or just a plain PB&J.          

4.  Scrambled Eggs and Tortilla Wrap – kids may like this as it is easy to eat.  Choose Whole Wheat Tortillas.  Scramble some eggs with cheese like pepper jack cheese, or black beans.  Add some veggies like mushroom, onion, green or red pepper, or diced tomatoes.  Serve in the tortilla wrap.  To balance the lunch, add some fresh fruit such as apple slices, grapes (cut up for small kids), sliced pear or other fruit. 

      5.  Open-faced avocado sandwiches – my daughter likes to make these and serve them to guests.  Fry 2 eggs, or hard-boil some eggs.  Spread some real butter on whole grain bread.  Add a slice of cheese, like Swiss cheese, the fried egg, some avocado and top with another bread slice.  Then grill the sandwich on the stove until each side is golden brown.  

Need more lunch ideas?  Eat This, Not That! has over 70 more healthy lunch ideas for you to try. Some of their lunch suggestions are great for those wanting to lose weight. 

If you are returning to work, taking road trips, or eating at home, take the time to pack and eat a healthy lunch. 

Sources:  lunch , Wheat Thins , triscuits , RITZ crackers , Goldfish , Warm-Kate Quinoa Salad , lycopene , World Health Organization ,  healthy lunch, Scrambled Egg Burrito         Image Sources:  Homemade lunchables  , Egg burrito , Avocado Toast

Scrambled Egg Burrito (adapted)

Ingredients:

2 tsp. olive oil (a heart healthy oil)

2 c. Chopped broccoli – or add some black beans

3 scallions, sliced, whites and greens separated

¼ tsp. salt  - use iodized salt

Freshly ground pepper

Cook eggs, scallions in oil, add broccoli.  Serve in a whole grain tortilla.