No need to stress about healthy lunches as you start 2022, we’ve got you covered with ideas for the office, working from home and keeping the kids full at school.
It’s important to get the right nutrients in early to power you through the day and the good news is that these simple-to-prepare lunches can also be light on your “Januworry” pocket.
Make sure your fridge and grocery cupboard are stocked with nutritional items because if you don’t have the right ingredients on hand, chances are you will nip out to buy chips, a pie and maybe a fizzy drink or sugar-laden juice.
Stock up on fresh fruit and veg, whole-grain crackers, tortillas, and wraps, and lean protein like tuna, chicken breast, good quality ham, and eggs. Keep “good” fats like cheese, hummus, nuts, and peanut butter (or other nut butter), and items to make sauces such as hummus, pesto and plain yoghurt.
Sauces and dressings make all the difference between bland and brilliant, so don’t skimp on prep time for these.
Grain or rice bowl
Grain or rice bowls are a health-wise choice because you can toss in a variety of ingredients – including veggies – to switch up flavours. Make a big pot of couscous, quinoa, or rice on a Sunday, then portion them out into individual containers for the week. Add texture with sweetcorn, chickpeas, or cannellini beans.
Tortillas and wrap
There is so much you can do with tortillas and wraps! Short on ideas for fillings?
You can do so much with a rotisserie chicken, and leftover chicken. Shred it into bite-sized pieces and:
- Mix with thinly sliced red cabbage, grated carrot, and fresh coriander, then add tang with sriracha or other spicy sauces and a dash of lime juice.
- Chop in gherkins to make the classic chicken mayo, but lighten the dressing by using half mayo, half plain yoghurt (this also works for tuna).
- Add curry powder and a spoon of chutney to plain chicken mayo (skip the gherkins), then add sliced apple and a few toasted flaked almonds to make a coronation chicken salad wrap.
- Swap out the apple for grapes or sliced mango for a tropical twist to your chicken wrap
Serve a taste of Greece with chunks of feta cheese, cucumber, tomato, and a few sliced destoned olives. Add a tablespoon of garlicky tzatziki instead of Greek salad dressing. To make this a vegan option, use beans in place of feta, and hummus in place of tzatziki.
If you need something more substantial, stir-fry a batch of steak strips then add to the vegetarian Greek wrap.
Cottage cheese, raisins, and thinly sliced celery are another light and crunchy combo, and you can jazz up a basic BLT by adding chunks of avocado to your bacon, lettuce, and tomato wrap.
Make a quesadilla by toasting two tortillas, sandwiched with cheese and other fillings of your choice. Slice like a pizza and pack for lunch.
Sushi in a jar
Make sushi-on-the-go by cooking sushi rice, adding rice vinegar and sugar, and letting it cool (the instructions for sushi rice should be on the packet). Layer a mason jar with the rice and slices of avocado, cucumber, sesame seeds, nori (if you like it), and soya sauce to taste. Add slivers of smoked salmon for extra depth.
Egg muffin
Most shop-brought, and even homemade muffins are high in sugar and carbs, and low on protein. Enter the egg muffin, where you fill muffin cases with a mixture of eggs and veggies and bake in the oven until the egg mixture is cooked through.
They are so much more interesting than plain ol’ boiled eggs – although there is nothing wrong with them: add to lettuce, tomato, and cooked chicken or turkey for a Cobb Salad, for example.
Omelette in a mug
Pre-mix your omelette with filling of your choice – cooked bacon, ham or cheese are good – one egg and a tablespoon milk and put it in a container. Spray a microwave-safe mug with cooking spray then come lunchtime, add your “omelette” and microwave for 1 minute, or until cooked through.
Lettuce cup
Cut the carbs by using lettuce leaves as the “bread” for sandwiches. This works well for tuna, and chicken mayo or bacon and tomato are a great combo (low-cal BLT anyone?).
Good healthy lunch ideas are like gold as they can re-energise you to tackle the afternoon’s tasks. And where a pie and chips will leave you feeling sluggish, that could lead to a mid-afternoon slump, good nutrition will help to keep you full and focused until supper time.
Add in a few handfuls of dried banana chips or other dried fruit for a mid-afternoon snack. Let’s get ready to wrap and roll!
Date Published: 14 January 2022
