Make a Filling, Healthy Lunch in Five Minutes

Last week Beth shared a post about what she typically packs for lunch, and I realized that I’ve been meaning to do the same kind of thing.

I bring my lunch to work the majority of the time, eating out maybe once a month, if that, and usually just when coworkers invite me to lunch and I have a longer break than usual. I hate the idea of grabbing something like a sandwich or yogurt on the go when it’s so easy to make and home.

When I spend more time cooking, I like to bring a container of whatever dish I’ve made for the week, like a soup or stew. But these days, when I’m not cooking as much, relying on some easy staples make up my lunches.

Lately, this is what I’ve been picking up each week at the supermarket:

• nut butter
• plain yogurt
• granola bars
• bread
• hummus
• celery or another easy-for-dipping vegetable
• fruit, especially bananas and apples

I try to stick to as much organic food as possible, though that doesn’t always happen. And again, down the road when I have more time, I want to get back into making my own bread, granola bars, and hummus. But all in good time, right?

Those items turn into:

• container of hummus with celery sticks on top
• peanut butter and honey or peanut butter and banana sandwich
• container of yogurt topped with a crumbled granola bar
• apple

Of course, the five minutes it takes to make lunch doesn’t include shopping time, but once you have a list and stick to it for a few weeks, you’ll know exactly which aisles to hit up, pick out your items, and be ready for those quick lunches.

Hydrating’s another big one. Since I’ve been working retail, a friend recently asked me if I’m drinking enough water, since I’ve mentioned that I get headaches sometimes. When I first started, I would bring one water bottle and refill it as the day went on, never keeping track of how much water I drink.

After a week of doing this though, I decided to bring all three of my water bottles, already filled with water, to work. I figure, our well water’s free and tasty, so why waste the company’s money on their water dispenser bills, and waste the resources that go into bottled water? And this way, I know by the end of the day exactly how much water I’ve had. It’s like a benchmark for the day.

Not to mention, making lunches from home is also cheaper (a post on my frugality, coming soon), healthier (even if you use store bought products, you know what’s in them more than in a restaurant or take out meal), and better for the environment (ever notice how much waste there is when you pick up a coffee, pastry, and sandwich on the go?).

So find a reusable bag, pick out your lunch items, try packing the night before, and you’re good to go.