March 10 is National Pack Your Lunch Day
Did you pack your lunch today? You are in good company - today, March 10, is National Pack Your Lunch Day! We all look forward to our lunch break – a time to rest and get refreshed for the rest of the day ahead of us. But how often do you spend most of your break time starving, waiting in line to purchase food because you didn’t have time to pack a lunch?
The pros and cons of packing a healthy lunch
Pros:
- Able to sit and enjoy your meal for 20 minutes and can still have 10 minutes to go on a refreshing walk before it's time to go back to work
- Healthier: More likely to meet nutrient needs with less fat, sugar, and sodium
- Less costly and less time spent waiting for food
Cons:
- Bored of packing the same lunch all the time
- May not have the right containers or enough variety of food at home
- Takes planning and time to prep your lunch
Get a head start on packing lunches
Packing a lunch does not have to be a daunting task, but it does take planning! If I can get a head start on packing lunches the day before, then the morning, and day, runs much smoother.
I usually pack 2-3 snacks such as yogurt, homemade muffin, and a fruit. I’ll also pack a healthy balanced meal that includes at least 3 food groups. The easiest choice for me is to pack leftovers from dinner the night before or I may grab something like:
- A homemade soup (like something I might have frozen a couple months ago) with 3-4 rye crisp breads and 2 tbsp natural peanut butter or sliced cheese
- Mixed green salad with leftover salmon fillet or a small can of salmon/tuna with chopped peppers, cucumbers and sprinkled with pumpkin seeds and whole grain toast and peanut butter.
In celebration of Nutrition Month, I have decided to share one the featured recipes on Cookspiration: Spiced Yogurt Chicken Tikka. Making this for dinner means I can enjoy leftovers for lunch.
This recipe provides four food groups in one meal. The recipe is also:
- High in protein
- High in vegetables including nutritious red peppers, tomatoes, and green vegetables
- Has anti-inflammatory properties thanks to the spices
Adding one can of chick peas will help increase the high soluble fibre content in addition to the brown rice! With recipes like this, every day can easily be National Pack Your Lunch Day!
Editor's note: Cookspiration was created by the Dietitians of Canada to inspire everyone to cook any time, day or night! Recipe ideas are served up to suit your mood and what you're doing based on the time and day. Check out the Cookspiration website or the Google Play or App Store app.
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