Healthy Lunch Options

With our hectic lifestyle, we do not even have the time to have breakfast let alone pack a healthy lunch. Most of the time we grab a sandwich or burger from the local diner which is loaded with high fats and cholesterol. Eating lunch from a diner or fast food joint everyday can eventually make you gain some extra pounds and also lead to various health problems. Taking a packed lunch from home, lets you control the portion and choose healthier ingredients. You might think that packing lunch is time-consuming and you won't have the time, but with some time management and proper planning, it is possible to have healthy lunch options on the go.

Healthy Lunch Options for Work
Some good and healthy lunch options are sandwiches and rolls as they are very easy to make and you can combine different ingredients to suit your taste. It has the perfect combination of carbohydrates, fats, proteins and vitamins. You can make the sandwich more versatile by including different fillings and by switching to whole grain and rye.

Chicken Thai Rolls

Ingredients

• 4 flour tortillas
• 4 iceberg lettuce leaves
• 1 cup red bell pepper, sliced thinly into strips
• 1 cup shredded roasted chicken
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
• ¼ tablespoon paprika powder
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• ¼ cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Method

In a small bowl, add the mayonnaise, lime juice, paprika powder, grated ginger and crushed garlic and whisk everything until it is well combined.

Now spread ½ a tablespoon of this mixture on the tortillas and add one iceberg lettuce leaf, a bit of the bell pepper strips and ¼ of the shredded chicken. Add a sprinkling of chopped coriander leaves and roll the tortilla and secure with a toothpick. Make the other tortilla rolls in the same way.

Turkey Reuben Sandwich

Ingredients

• 8 slices rye bread
• 4 slices of low-fat cheese
• 1 ½ cups roasted turkey, thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons fat-free thousand island dressing
• 2/3 cups sauerkraut, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons mustard paste

Method

Lightly spread mustard paste over the bread slices and place 1 cheese slice each on 4 bread slices. Now arrange the sliced turkey over the cheese slices. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of sauerkraut and 1 tablespoon of the fat-free thousand island dressing. Arrange the rest of the bread slices over the turkey filling and your sandwich is ready.

Healthy Lunch Options for Kids
Kids like to have some variations in their lunch boxes and generally do not like to eat vegetables. Try to use leftover meat and chicken from the previous days dinner to create healthy sandwiches and burritos. You can also include fruits like apples, oranges and grapes in their lunch boxes. It is a challenge to create healthy lunch for kids as they are quite fussy eaters but if you give them different varieties of food, they are sure to enjoy their lunch. Here are some tasty and healthy lunch ideas for school.

Potato and Tuna Patties

Ingredients

• 500 g potatoes, chopped into quarters
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• ½ cup fresh corn kernels
• 1 can tuna
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons coriander, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup salad leaves, washed
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Salt, to taste

Method

Cook the potatoes in a pan of water until they are cooked through and tender. Transfer the potatoes into a large bowl and mash them with the help of a fork. Cover the bowl with a cling film and place it inside the refrigerator for an hour. After an hour, remove the mashed potatoes from the refrigerator and add the flaked tuna, carrot, celery, chopped coriander, egg yolk and corn kernels. Mix all the ingredients together until everything is well combined. Season the mixture with salt and freshly ground pepper. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and shape them into patties. In a small plate, place the breadcrumbs. Gently place each tuna patty into the breadcrumbs and coat well. Now heat a bit of oil in a frying pan and shallow fry the patties until they are golden brown.

Strawberry and Cream Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 slices whole wheat sandwich bread
• 1 tablespoon cream cheese
• 4 strawberries, thinly sliced
• ½ tablespoon honey
• ¼ tablespoon orange zest

Method

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, orange zest and honey and mix well. Spread this cream cheese mixture on the bread slices and arrange the sliced strawberries on one side of the bread. Place the other slice over the strawberries and your sandwich is ready.

If you are looking for healthy lunch options for weight loss, have a serving of low-fat yogurt and opt for fruit juices instead of fizzy drinks. Also choose whole wheat breads and whole wheat pastas and stir clear of mayonnaise and fattening salad dressings. Learn to use leftovers smartly to make tasty and nutritious lunch.