Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work
With many of today’s professionals, there’s never enough time to get things done. In fact, things can get so busy, many have taken to eating lunch at their desks.
While there are a variety of health and productivity reasons why this is not a good idea, sometimes you “gotta do what you gotta do.”
If this scenario describes you and you want to stay healthy, read on!
For starters, it’s important to avoid the temptation of ordering fast food delivery or making frequent trips to the office vending machine (unless it’s one of those healthy food vending machines).
Instead, you can better ensure nutrition - and save money - by packing a healthy lunch and some healthy snacks to munch on during the day.
There’s no shortage of healthy lunch recipes out there, which you can find on sites like eatingwell.com, allrecipes.com, and foodnetwork.com.
Instead, we’re going to discuss what constitutes a healthy lunch, as well as provide some healthy lunch ideas to get you pointed in the right direction.
Tips for a Healthy Lunch and Healthy Snacks
1. Know the Components
According to the Harvard Medical School, a healthy lunch should include the following:
- Lean protein – e.g. grilled chicken, garbanzo or kidney beans, tofu, low-fat cottage cheese, or hard-boiled eggs
- Whole-grain carbohydrates – brown rice, whole-grain bread, whole-wheat pasta, or quinoa
- Fresh produce - leafy greens, vegetables, and fruit
- A small amount of healthy fat – nuts, seeds, and oil and vinegar
In terms of portions, they recommend a meal of roughly 50% produce, 25% protein, 25% whole grains, and a small amount of healthy fats.
2. Keep Healthy Snacks on Hand
As WebMD writes, research is beginning to debunk the notion that snacking throughout the day boosts metabolism and makes you lose weight. However, they say that healthy snacks can help keep your blood sugar at the proper level, while preventing you from getting hungry to the point where you’re likely to overeat.
The key, they warn, is keeping portions under control as well as choosing healthy snacks:
- Fresh fruit
- Fresh vegetables with a healthy dip like hummus
- Whole-grain crackers paired with low-fat cheese
- Trail mix
- Nonfat Greek Yogurt
3. Choose Sweets Intelligently
In another article, WebMD concedes that some people simply have a sweet tooth after a meal. That’s ok, provided that portions are kept to reasonable levels and you choose sweets like low-fat graham crackers or vanilla wafers, a few pieces of hard candy, or (better yet) fresh fruit instead of a candy bar.
4. Practice Proper Food Safety
If you’re packing a lunch for the day, many hours will pass between when you leave for work and when it’s time for lunch. Naturally, you want to resist the urge to store food in your desk.
The USDA describes temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit as the food “danger zone” where harmful bacteria can grow. Instead, follow FDA food safety guidelines, which include properly refrigerating food below 40 degrees until it’s time to eat.
5. Be Creative with Healthy Lunch Ideas
Eating the same salad every day can get boring. This makes it harder to resist the urge to eat fast food.
Thankfully, anything from sandwiches to soup to smoothies can meet the Harvard Medical School guidelines provided earlier in this article.
If you want inspiration, the Mayo Clinic provides dozens of easy lunch ideas and healthy lunch recipes here.
6. Use a Standing Desk
As we’ve mentioned in other articles, Psychology Today has written that stepping away from your desk for lunch and short breaks can actually help boost productivity. But if you’re going to be chained to your desk, it’s best that desk be a standing desk, so that you can maintain healthy movement as you work (and eat).
We suggest installing a Stand Up Desk Store standing desk converter or a full-featured sit to stand desk. For maximum comfort, ergonomic desk accessories such as a floor mat and active sitting chair can enhance function and comfort.
We hope you found these healthy lunch ideas for work helpful!
