On work days, I have found out that if I don’t plan my lunch, I am tempted to go out and get fast food. While at 8am I think I will choose a healthy grilled chicken salad with no dressing, I can guarantee I will forget that when I am hungry and in a hurry at noon. My order will be full of bad decisions and include dessert.
If I make my lunch and bring it with me, I always eat better and feel better afterward. No afternoon slump and no guilt weighing me down. If I don’t bring a satisfying lunch I will be tempted to get fast food on the way home.
There’s no way around it; if you want to stay on track with your health goals, packing your own lunch is the way to go.
Figuring out what to make for lunch every day is already tough, but it gets even more complicated when you realize you won’t be near a stovetop or microwave come lunchtime (or have been disallowed from using yours after someone microwaved fish in there…). We have a microwave available at the newspaper so I can heat up things if necessary. I generally take a little bit of several things to eat in between helping customers. I change up what I bring so I don’t get bored with lunch.
You don’t need anything fancy, but a few simple tools can make packing lunches a whole lot easier. A roomy (so you’re not cramming everything in), insulated bag for long days in the office. I have several reusable ice packs to keep food cold all day. I use divided containers with lids to keep the amounts reasonable. Small containers for dips and dressings keep you from using too much and from making a mess. If you take the whole bag, you will eat the whole bag. I’ve learned that if lunch is easy to pack, it actually gets done.
The easiest way to pack a cold lunch (without overthinking it) is to use this simple formula:
Protein: chicken salad, tuna, eggs, deli meat
Carb: wraps, crackers, pasta, bread
Produce: fruit or veggies
Extra: cheese, dip, or something sweet
Mix and match what you have on hand, think adult Lunchables, and you’ve got a lunch that actually satisfies. Here are some recipes that I like to make and take for lunch.
Cold Taco Pasta Salad
Ingredients
16 ounces rotini pasta
1 pound lean ground beef
1 ounce packet taco seasoning
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
Half of a green bell pepper diced
Half of a red bell pepper diced
4 green onions chopped green parts only
1 15 ounce can sweet corn, drained
1 15 ounce can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 ½ cups Catalina dressing
Tortilla strips for garnishing
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water if you prefer and cook the pasta according to the package directions. *Don’t overcook it, we want it to be al dente or still have a little bite so it holds up with all the ingredients. Drain the cooked pasta and rinse with cold water. Tip: spread it on a rimmed baking sheet to cool faster. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and cook the ground beef until no longer pink, crumbling as it cooks. Drain the grease if needed. Add your taco seasoning and a few tablespoons of water, just like making tacos. Cook on medium for 5 minutes until combined. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. In a large bowl combine the cooled noodles, cooled ground beef, tomatoes, peppers, green onions, corn and beans. Add the dressing and toss together gently until all combined. Cover and place in fridge to chill for at least 2 hours. Before serving top with tortilla strips.
Pinwheel sandwiches
Ingredients
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. ranch seasoning
8 (10”) flour tortillas
8 oz. sliced American or cheddar cheese
1 lb. deli-sliced baked ham
1 lb. deli-sliced turkey breast
16 butter lettuce leaves
Directions
In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise and ranch seasoning. On a clean surface, lay tortillas flat. Spread each tortilla with 1 tablespoon mayonnaise mixture. Place 2 to 3 slices cheese on bottom two-thirds of each tortilla. Top cheese with ham and turkey. Top meat with 2 to 3 lettuce leaves and tightly roll up. To serve right away, slice into 1” rounds and arrange on a platter. To make ahead, place seam side down on a baking sheet and refrigerate up to 6 hours. Slice when ready to serve.
Tuna Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped dill pickles
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
8 oz. elbow macaroni
2 (5-oz.) cans solid white Albacore tuna in water, drained
1/2 cup spicy mayo
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 scallion, thinly sliced, for garnish
Directions
In a medium bowl, stir together onion, carrot, pickles, lemon juice, sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside. In the meantime, in a medium pot over medium heat, combine macaroni, 2 cups water, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently, until pasta is al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain immediately and let cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir together tuna, mayo, paprika, and pepper. Fold in pasta and pickle mixture until well combined, then top with eggs. Garnish with scallion before serving.
