Lunch on the Go: How to Plan the Perfect Meals during the Week
We live in a fast past world where time is something we don’t have a lot of. Between work, family and any extra activities it can be hard to sit down at lunch let alone have the time to make one before running out the door. Bringing a lunch can lead to eating healthier and leave you feeling more productive throughout the day. Here are some great tips for lunch when you are on the go.
Menu
The first thing you need to do is plan what types of food you would like to eat at lunch. If you work at an office, you may want to avoid messy food to reduce the risk of spilling. Many of us end up eating lunch while we are continuing to task so finger foods may be a great option. Keep lunch in mind when you are also planning dinner. An easy solution is to make enough at dinnertime to have leftovers for lunch. After you have your menu, it’s time to shop!
Shop
When you are shopping for your completed lunch menu, keep an eye out for additional items that may fit in your planned meals. Fruit and nuts are a great addition and can also be a healthy mid-day snack. Though it is tempting to buy the pre-packaged already portioned items to save time, it is cheaper to buy in bulk and split the portions up yourself.
Prepare
The most important thing to do for a successful lunch on the go is to prepare them ahead of time. If you are running late in the morning or have a busy scheduled at night, you will have a peace of mind that your lunch is done and ready to go. Cut up or separate anything that needs to be portioned out and place in separate containers. This way when you are putting your lunch together the hard part is done and all you have to go is grab a container to drop in your lunch for the day.
Store
If you’re worried that some of the food you just prepared might go bad, just freeze them! There are many foods that you can freeze once they are prepared. These foods will thaw out by lunch and still be cold and crisp. Peanut butter and sliced lunch meat sandwiches are great to freeze. Any additional ingredients such as lettuce and tomatoes can be packed separately to keep them fresh. Just add them to your sandwich base at lunch and you have a delicious meal in minutes.
Fruits and vegetables are perfect to freeze for lunch. If you love to add toppings and dips just freeze those along with your fruits and veggies in a separate container. They will thaw out and be ready to eat by lunchtime and you will have a healthy meal to keep you going for the rest of the day.
Do you have any tips for planning the perfect meal? Share your favorite tips in the comments below.
Image Credit: savvysugar.com
