Healthy Lunch Ideas - Pack a better lunch today!

Want some healthy lunch ideas? It's easy to start packing your own lunch. You will save money - think of how those takeout lunches drain your wallet. Five dollars here - seven dollars there. You will eat more variety - lunches don't have to be a plain pb&j - one day you could be eating dumplings, the next day vegetable hummus wraps, the next day mini meatloaf. You will save time - how much of your lunch break does it take to head to a take out joint and order? Instead why not spend that time taking your lunch outside and sharing with a friend. You will whittle your waist - that is if you want to - it's not hard to pack a nutritious and healthy lunch that keeps you satisfied for many fewer calories than eating out.

Lunch boxes aren't just for kids! But packing a healthy back to school lunch for your child to replace the cafeteria a few times a week is important to prevent childhood obesity, provide your kid a nutritious lunch, and most importantly start lifelong healthy habits. Believe me, packing a lunch is easier if you start early.

What's in your lunchbox?

Do you have the gear?

I have a drawer full of bento (Japanese lunch boxes), tupperware, fit and fresh, lock and locks, to help me pack the ultimate lunches. Somehow I never seem to have enough of them! If you are packing a lunch everyday, you can upgrade - investing in a Mr. Bento or a Laptop Lunch system may seem a little pricey (they run between thirty and sixty dollars), but will save a lot of time and energy in the long run.

Do you have a stash?

Packing lunches every day is hard when you have to start from scratch. You can certainly get by packing leftovers every few days, but it helps to have some key pre-frozen items to pop in your lunch without having to think about it. Think: frozen meatballs, frozen dumplings, frozen single rice portions, applesauce, yogurt, cheese cubes or bonbels (those red wax cheese wheels) to name a few.

Do you keep track of ideas?

It helps to keep a journal of healthy lunch ideas, (or really healthy meal ideas in general) to keep track of what you are eating, how you (or your kid) likes the lunches you have packed, and to give you ideas when you open the fridge with a blank stare and can't remember what you had decided on. Taking notes from websites, cookbooks, and restaurants, I like to keep a running tally of things I want to make in my little moleskin notebook.

Are you eating enough fruits and vegetables?

In order to get your recommended servings of fruits and vegetables, you really need to start boosting your consumption of these healthy foods at lunch time! Eating fruit in a variety of forms - fresh and dried, is a good way to get some variety. You can easily pack a salad by popping some lettuce and vegetables in a plastic bag, and packing a separate container of dressing to pour and shake later.

Don't forget the snack! Even if I pack a balanced lunch, I find myself getting hungry around four thirty pm on a regular basis. Having a small bag of dried fruits and nuts is a good pick me up.

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