Packing the Perfect Lunch

Since we’re still in back to school month, I haven’t missed the bus on blogging about packing lunches. Not that this only applies this month… Packing your lunch (and snacks, for that matter) is a great way to ensure a tasty, healthy meal that will keep you going strong until the dinner bell rings.

I’ve been packing my lunch for sometime now. Having food allergies can really limit my options when eating out and a lot of times there are either no options or very limited options for me to choose from during the work week. If that wouldn’t deter me, the fact that eating out is so dang expensive would! I didn’t realize how much money you save by packing your lunch until I started doing so. I think we get a warped sense of “expensive” when we’re constantly eating out. “Only $9 for lunch?! What a bargain!” PSHHH – I can pack my lunch for like a week with nine bucks!

The real trick to packing lunch is planning. Let’s be honest, you have like 100 pins saved with amazing, healthy lunches that you still haven’t made. It’s time to break that cycle. I promise that packing your lunch doesn’t have to be time consuming or hard. For me, it’s usually take some kind of salad and then something salty or sweet to finish my meal. While I often buy whole ingredients, you can definitely save some time and a few steps by buying precut or pre-portioned items.

Below are some building blocks for creating the perfect lunch bag. These are just some of my favorites. Use the grid to create a delicious salad, sandwich, or bento box style lunch.

Build a Better Lunch
Protein	Fruit	Vegetable	Complex Carbohydrate
Hard boiled eggs	Seasonal fruits	Bell Peppers	Popcorn
Cheese cubes	Apples	Carrots	Quinoa
Nuts or Seeds	Grapes	Spinach	Brown Rice
Hummus	Clementines	Zucchini	Butternut Squash
Peanut Butter	Pears	Summer Squash	Whole Grain Pasta
Chicken breast	Peach	Mushrooms	Spaghetti squash
Ground turkey	Plums	Celery	Pita bread
Beans or Lentils	Berries	Broccoli	Whole Grain bread

Ok, the lunch base has been covered but we all know that when 3 o’clock rolls around a lot of us are riffling through our desk drawers and purses hoping to find enough change to get something from the vending machine.

Since you’ve already jumped onto the planning ahead bus, why not throw a quick snack into your bag, too?

When it comes to snacks, I want something I can reach into my pantry for and throw in lunch bag as I jot out the door. When I know I’ll be having a late day or a long commute home, snacks are a MUST. Hangry is a real thing, my friends, and I do not handle it well. You all know my love of popcorn and while I love using my stove top popper, some days I just need something that’s already made and portioned for me. As with any product now, there are lots of pre packaged popcorns to choose from but SkinnyPop is one of my favs. It’s a great choice for those of use with food allergies, as its made in a facility that is completely nut, egg, and dairy free. With only 3 ingredients, all of which I can pronounce, and 150 calories for almost 4 cups of popcorn, Skinny Pop is at the top of my list for snacks. Check out their website to see all of their fabulous flavors.

If you’re looking to balance your snack and take it to the next level, pair this healthy whole grain with a some kind of protein or even better create your own trail mix with SkinnyPop, sunflower seeds, and banana chips!

Happy Packing!

Cheers,

Danielle