Is lunch time a problem for you ? Do you find it hard to plan and end up grabbing something from the local shop or café ?
Be prepared!
• Start planning lunches at dinner time.
• When your making dinner make extra for lunch the next day, put on an extra breast of chicken for yourself or kids lunches or make extra stew or Bolognese to have with a baked potato and salad.
• Make a pot of soup on a Sunday that will last for a few days.
• Roast an extra-large chicken or joint of meat on Sunday to cover lunches for all the family on Monday and Tuesday.
• Have lots of store cupboard items that are handy for lunch like tins of tuna, salmon etc.
• Make sure you always have some protein to fill you up and prevent cravings in the afternoon.
• Get a nice lunchbox that you enjoy filling ! and fill it the night before to save time.
Out for Lunch ? You need to choose wisely!
• Choose from the salad bar rather than ordering a sandwich.
• Choose salads without mayonnaise and ask for some on the side (1tsp).
• Pesto, chutneys and dressings are other options to add flavour to your salad.
• Stick to 1-2 slices of bread a day. Wraps have similar calories to two slices of bread.
• Chose soups but watch out for ‘cream of ‘soups
• Don’t forget the protein or you will be craving something sweet later on. Eggs, lean ham, chicken, fish.
Try some of these options for lunch this week !
Leftover lunches (ideal for the office)
2 tbsp Bolognese with a small baked potato/sweet potato and mixed green salad
2 tbsp curry with a small baked potato/sweet potato and mixed green salad
Cook potato in the microwave for 5-10 mins add curry or Bolognese and heat for 2 mins.
Sandwich options
Open rye bread sandwich (1 slice) with half an avocado mashed, 1 sliced tomato and 5 large prawns or left over roast chicken.
Open rye bread or spelt sandwich (1 slice) with tomato chutney/relish (1tsp) chicken breast sliced, 1/4 cucumber sliced and 1 tomato sliced.
Hummus wrap
Serves 1
Small wholemeal wrap (childs) or gluten free wrap with hummus 100g, 1/2 pepper, shredded lettuce, 4 sundried tomatoes, 4 chopped olives.
Lettuce wraps
Serves 2
4 leaves iceberg lettuce, 2 cooked turkey/chicken breasts, sliced, 1/2 cucumber, cut into long strips, 4 spring onions chopped, 2 large tomatoes sliced, 200g hummus, sprinkle of paprika.
Layer ingredients onto lettuce leave and wrap with another lettuce leaf.
Salad options:
Chicken and mango salad
Serves 2
2 breasts of chicken cooked
2 cups of cooked quinoa or basmati brown rice (approx. 200g)
1 red pepper chopped
½ mango chopped
½ red onion
2 handfuls of mixed lettuce leaves or baby spinach
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
2 tbsp lemon juice
Method
Combine all ingredients except chicken, add lemon juice and stir through. Slice chicken breast and add to salad.
Quinoa is an alternative grain which is gluten free and a good source of protein, calcium and iron. Cook as rice for 15-20 mins rinsing well with cold water first. Add some stock while cooking for extra flavour.
Green salad
Serves 2
Large bunch of mixed greens
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsps. Lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2 tbsp pumpkin/sunflower seeds
Salt/pepper to taste
Mix dressing ingredients together and add to salad. Toast the seeds at a high temperature in a dry pan for 3-5 minutes, sprinkle over the leaves.
Baked sweet potato
Srves 1I small sweet potato baked in the oven for 45 mins (or 5-10mins in the microwave) served with a tin of sardines (in tomato sauce) and mixed green salad
Smoked mackerel salad
Serves 1
1 smoked mackerel grilled served with squeeze of lemon and mixed green salad, chopped tomato and half of chopped pepper.