Burrito Bowl with Cilantro Lime Rice |
Each meal that we eat is an opportunity to fill our body with nutrients that give us energy, fight disease, and help our body’s systems to run smoothly. I don’t think anything that we eat should be a waste of that opportunity. Most of us probably eat 3 to 5 times a day. Take inventory of those meals and make sure you aren’t wasting valuable opportunities to feed your body nutrients.
Chicken Sausage Medallions |
For many folks, there is a lot of peer pressure associated with lunch. Sounds kind of funny to say that to a bunch of adults, but it is true. I spent years working with folks and thinking I needed to eat like they did. Unfortunately, that was years spent eating burgers and then diet type frozen meals. All of which just made me fatter and sicker. How many of you spend lunch with business associates or associates from organizations that you volunteer for? Many times the lunch meal is not a choice that we make, but one that is made for us. You go to a meeting and it ends with lunch. Hmmmm………..just what is in this sauce that I am eating? Start acting like a person who has allergies……..even if you don’t have allergies. Ask questions and really know what is in your food. Once you find out………….you’ll know when you need to pack your lunch and eat before or after the meeting. Don’t put yourself in a situation where you are forced to eat bad food on a regular basis.
Now to the kiddos. Some schools do OK with preparing lunches, but many do not due to limited budgets. Those lunch ladies do the best they can, but they can only work with what has been given to them. Much of what has been given to them is processed. Rather than fresh fruits, you see wilted peaches in a ton of syrup. My oldest spent most of his life thinking he hated peaches because he thought they were all “mushy”. I also found out that my kids would come home hungry because they didn’t like some of the things on the menu and they would just throw it away. Sure it is easier to send our kids to school with a couple of bucks than it is to make their lunches, but these are the same kids that we spend tons of time running them around to their activities and bending over backwards for. Keep bending and make their lunch…………..or teach them how to make their own. Check out my Pantry Essentials to see how I stock my kitchen to make lunch making easier. I also post daily pictures of the lunches I pack on my Facebook page. I am also working on a round-up of all the lunches on Pinterest.
Applegate Turkey and Ham with Whole Wheat Crackers |
Take back lunchtime and fill it with lots of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean proteins. It will help to eliminate that 2:00 crash we all hate and as a nice side-effect reduce your waistline as well. There is nothing wrong with being healthy. Be a trendsetter in the group you eat with. Instead of eating out, get together with your packed lunches and share recipes. Be that good peer-pressure your friends need.
Don’t forget you can join us on Facebook for more fun and support along the way. You can also follow us on Twitter @Jugglngrealfood if you are interested in learning more about the Real Food Movement. You can also follow our boards on Pinterest.
Gaye @CalmHealthySexy says
Packing lunches is really an important strategy for us. If I don't get lunches ready the night before, it's likely that we'll end up with a frozen dinner or Subway for lunch. I try to cook a lot of extra dinner most nights, then package it for lunches. I also cook chicken breasts and have them on hand for tossed salads with chicken.
My husband loves my leftovers for lunch. It is just as easy to cook a lot of whole wheat pasta as it is to cook just a little bit. If I cook more, then I have a couple of lunches without any extra prep time. I need to get better at having extra chicken ready to go.
Great ideas here!! I need to start doing this at night so that I don't get too lazy in the morning and end up buying unhealthy food on campus:(. Thanks for sharing at The Owl's Skull!! Alice @ http://theowlskull.blogspot.com/2013/03/hop-around-blogs-tonight.html
Welcome! I hope you come back often. I make lunches at night. Makes my mornings easier and I pack better. Early in the morning, I'm not hungry for anything.
I work from home and find it harder to stick to healthy lunches that way! It was a lot easier to pack and realize that it was m only option….now I have tons of options! We now eat only organic and try to be better about our decisions so i can't get into too much trouble! THANKS for sharing my party!
Have you tried packing a lunch like you used to do? I'd be curious if that would help with eating at home. Maybe give it a try and let me know how it works out for you.
So true! For several months now, I have been focusing on my lunch. Focusing on lunch ahead of time helps me to make better decisions. Lately, I have been cooking enough healthy food on the weekend to eat during the week. It also saves money. I really enjoyed visiting your blog!
Awesome! You have learned the secret to eating healthy all day. I spend more on organic food, but it is so much cheaper than eating out all the time. I really need to get more cooking done on the weekend, but these kids keep me hopping. When I do get things prepared on the weekend, it seems the week goes much smoother.
When I worked away from home I packed a lunch every day usually salad, a protein and a piece of fruit. Thank you for sharing and joining in the fun at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop xo
I meet the most interesting people at your blog hops Katherine. Thank you for hosting them. Have a great week.