Lunch Strategies (sparkpeople.com)
Lunch Strategies for Work
The Best Choices When You Don’t Have Time to Pack — By Rebecca Pratt, Staff Writer
If you’ve read “Fun and Filling Lunches To-Go” then you already have some great ideas for packing a healthy, filling, and tasty lunch. But some days, packing your own meal isn’t an option. When you’re not able to brown-bag it, don’t let that excuse derail your healthy diet! Instead, make smart choices:
- If your only option is fast food, pick a broiled chicken breast sandwich, but skip the high-fat sauces. Or, try the salad bar, but keep portions of dressing, cheese, and high-fat meats (like pepperoni) under control. Limit mayonnaise salads, including coleslaw, potato, egg and chicken salads. Beware of all-you-can-eat “deals” that will sabotage your hard-won healthy choices.
- For appetizers, avoid the crispy, creamy, and cheesy, and go for to broth-based soups or fresh fruit cups. Better yet, pick a healthy appetizer (a thin-crust veggie pizza, for example) as your entrée.
- In choosing an entrée, look for keywords: grilled, steamed, poached, and broiled. Order with special instructions such as light on the sauces or butter, sauce on the side (so you can control the portions), or simply no sauce. “Cajun” or “blackened” items usually make good choices, because they are spicy, but low in fat.
- Keep portion sizes realistic. You may even find it helpful to ask for a to-go box with your order so that you can divide your food immediately after it comes, thus avoiding the temptation to continue nibbling after you’re really full.
- Try to avoid vending machines. If it’s your only option (or you’re just tempted beyond belief), choose the healthier items: wheat crackers, pretzels, yogurt, string cheese, or dried fruit. If there are no healthy choices—take the initiative! Survey your fellow workers, then submit a respectful request that machines include at least a few healthy items.
Article created on: 8/10/2005
Shane said,
February 21, 2007 @ 5:26 am
Hello Evelyn, we spoke on Monday morning about JuicePlus. I think you made some valid points on your post. It is a struggle, even from the male point of view to eat the right thing regularly. In order to curve my cravings I started keeping health food literally on me, such as Nature Valley Nutri-grain bars, even the generic kind is good. Healthy eating has to become a lifestyle just as poor eating has become a lifestyle for so many. In order to develop that healthy lifestyle we must taste different foods. You can’t start craving healthier foods if you don’t taste it. You love your favorite food because you tasted it first. One more thing to add, stay away from TRANS FATS. It is a fat that no one should ever eat. Even the fast food places are looking for alternative cooking fats.
Administrator said,
February 25, 2007 @ 5:26 pm
There are several suggestions in the article that I agree with and have adopted as well. However, when I absolutely HAVE to eat on the run and am on a tight budget (which tends to be often), I find a Wendy’s where I can eat relatively healthy by ordering a small chili, a salad, or a baked potato from the $0.99 menu. No, its not something you can eat while driving, but what harm is there in sitting in the parking lot (or get this, going inside!!!) for a few moments to enjoy your meal? Can’t we take a few minutes out of our lives to SLOW DOWN!!??
Also, one restaurant that I have found (tsk, tsk) that won’t give you 1/2 of your meal portion in the beginning when requested is Biaggi’s. I have been there on several different occasions and asked for my meal to be halved, and they won’t do it! They say that they will package up the remaining when I am ready! Mind you, everything on their menu is saucy, buttery, or rich in something that isn’t probably the healthiest - but aren’t we being taught to control PORTION SIZES along with this nutrition adjustment thing?
So, on that note I most definitely agree with you Shane, that carrying healthy snacks with you at all times will allow for a better outcome in your daily nutrition. -ejf