The Perfect Packed Lunch

Easy, convenient, quick, healthy, and filling: the perfect packed lunch.  Too often we focus on only a few of those adjectives and end up with a brown paper bag full of 100 calorie snack packs and mini Diet Cokes.  This will start your day crappy and end your day crappy - I promise.  Go ahead and throw in your white flag and let me do the work on this one.  Keep reading and you'll be a professional lunch bagger (dreams do come true!) in 5 minutes (or however long it takes you to read this post).

You need to stay full throughout the day to avoid confusing your metabolism.  High fiber foods, protein, and healthy fats are going to be your best friends here:

• Whole Grain Bread - Always use whole grain bread on sandwiches.  The fiber from the whole grain takes longer to digest, leaving you full and satisfied for a longer period of time. 
• Other Whole Grains - Popcorn, Rye Bread, Oat Bran Muffins (watch the sugar content), and Bran Flakes.
• High-Fiber Fruits - Bananas, oranges, avocado, strawberries, apples (with skin), pears (with skin), raspberries, and raisins.  
• High-Fiber Veggies - Artichokes, spinach, cauliflower, peas, broccoli, carrots, sweet corn, brussel sprouts, and baked potatoes (with skin).  
• High-Fiber Legumes/Nuts/Seeds - Lentils, black beans, sunflower seed kernels, almonds, pistachios, and pecans.
• High-Protein Foods - Tuna, chicken, turkey, lean beef, non-fat yogurt, reduced-fat cheese, reduced-fat milk, cottage cheese, eggs, nut butters, beans, and lentils.
• Healthy Fat Sources - Avocado, eggs, nuts, salmon, etc. See a more extended list on the Fat: Good Versus Evil post.

Hopefully you're beginning to understand what's important and what to look out for when filling your baggie.  Don't forget to pack snacks.  Grazing is not a bad thing when you're munching on the right stuff.  


The DD's Perfect Packed Lunch (complete with snacks):

• Veggies & Dip - carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower.  Dip: 1/2 of a non-fat Greek Yogurt, onion powder, garlic powder, and dill to taste (use a generous amount of all).
• Tuna Sandwich - a half or full can of tuna, 1 generous Tbsp of fat-free cottage cheese (mixed with tuna), 1/4 of an avocado (sliced), 1/4 of a tomato (sliced), 1 leaf of Romaine or Spinach, 2 slices of Food for Life Genesis Bread, 1 slice of Reduced-Fat Swiss Cheese, and 1 Tsp of Dijon Mustard. Pepper to taste.
• 1 Pear
• 1 cup of Coffee (optional)
• WATER (lots of it!)
• Snacks (eaten before and after lunch to keep your metabolism in check):
• Remaining Greek Yogurt with 1 Tbsp Raisins
• 1 Banana with 1 Tbsp Natural Peanut Butter
• 1 Bag of 100 Calorie 94% Fat Free Popcorn

*TIP:  Feeling full and energized throughout the day starts with breakfast!  Take the same advice as lunches and eat a filling meal right when you wake up.  This make take some adjusting if you're not used to eating in the morning, but it is well worth it in the long run.  Try oatmeal with fruit and nuts, toast with fruit and nut butter, or eggs with toast and tomatoes.  Smoothies are also a quick and easy way to get your fill in the morning (recipes are on the way!).


Happy packing!


Bottle It Up - Sara Bareilles