Healthy Lunch Ideas

The most easiest time to deviate from our healthy diet plan is the lunch time. Since we are too busy with work and at the same time our body starts craving for energy in the form of food, we usually resort to the most unhealthy and easily available food, i.e., junk food which is deep-fried, high in carbohydrates, fats, sugar, etc. This food not only contributes to weight gain but can also lead to some health problems like heart disease, diabetes, obesity, etc. Therefore, it is essential that we amend our eating habits and switch to foods that are healthy and high in nutrition. To do this, one has to take out time from their busy schedule and eat healthy lunch in order to control weight, manage stress and maintain energy levels in the body to perform rest of the day's work.

Healthy Lunch Ideas

The first step is to check whether your lunch is balanced or not. A balanced lunch is one which includes some lean or low-fat proteins along with carbohydrates, whole grains and fibers, beans, nuts, and vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables. So if any of these nutrients are missing, first incorporate them in your lunch meal.

If you are fond of sandwiches which are also easy to make, use a variety of whole-grain breads, pitas and wraps to make them more nutritious and healthy. For stuffing, go for lean fillings such as sliced eggs, tuna fish, cheese or lean meats and if you want to have vegetarian sandwiches, stuff them with assorted greens, fresh basil, sprouts, sliced cucumbers, onions and/or tomatoes.

Another easy lunch idea is to pack and take leftovers from your previous night meal. They are not only easy to pack but also healthy and delicious. Especially, leftovers of a black bean, brown rice and salsa dinner casserole, garnished with shredded cheddar cheese can serve as a healthy and satisfying lunch meal.

One of the best ideas for weight loss is to opt for low calorie, nutritious and healthy foods when you are hungry. Instead of having chocolate bars and other high calorie foods, you can feed yourself with a fresh and yummy fruit salad consisting of pineapple or melon cubes, orange and kiwi slices, or a handful of berries.

Healthy Lunch Recipes

Artichoke & Ripe Olive Tuna Salad

Ingredients

• 1 (12 oz) can chunk light tuna, drained and flaked
• 1 cup chopped canned artichoke hearts
• ½ cup chopped olives
• ⅓ cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 ½ tsp chopped fresh oregano

Preparation

Take a mixing bowl and combine tuna, artichokes, olives, mayonnaise, lemon juice and oregano. Your salad is ready.

Dill Egg Sandwich

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp reduced-fat cream cheese
• 1 tsp whole grain mustard
• ½ tsp chopped fresh dill
• 2 slices thin whole grain rye bread, toasted
• 1 large hardboiled egg, sliced
• 2 tomato slices
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Preparation

In a mixing bowl, combine together cream cheese, mustard and ½ tsp chopped dill. Spread this mixture over the toasted bread and then top each slice with egg, tomato, salt and pepper. Cover with the other slice of bread and your healthy lunch sandwich is ready.

Spending some amount of time at the beginning of the week to plan and organize your lunch meal for the entire week can benefit with great returns in terms of energy and vitality. Hence, don't skip your lunch no matter how busy you are, else you will be robbing yourself from essential nutrients and vitamins. Try to incorporate the aforementioned lunch ideas in your daily routine and you will surely feel and see positive changes in yourself.