Lunch Smarts
Whether eating at your desk, in the company cafeteria or in a school lunchroom, lunch is a must. By midday, your body needs refuelling to get you through the afternoon with renewed energy and vigour.
Homemade lunches are half the price of restaurant meals and offer infinite variety and control. What you pack for lunch is as important as eating it. That brown bag should contain a minimum of one serving from at least three of the four food groups: lean protein (meat, fish, chicken, low-fat cheese or alternatives, such as lentils or chickpeas); complex carbohydrates (bread, grains, pasta or other starches); greens, cooked vegetables and/or fresh fruit; and yogurt, milk or other dairy products.
Be creative with leftovers. For a great salad, toss together leftover cooked vegetables and/or pasta, raw vegetables, leftover cooked meat or chicken and a vinaigrette.
Don't forget leftover casseroles or hearty soups. If your office doesn't have a microwave, these can be brought to work in a wide-mouthed vacuum bottle.
