How to Pack a Healthy Lunch

Posted on September 7th, 2009 by Marck

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The packed lunch has come a long way since the banana, sandwich, and juice drink you used to bring along when you were a kid. Many people today bring packed lunches to save on money, and also to savor the goodness of your own lunch made at home. Here are some tips to help you pack a healthy lunch.

Why Pack Lunch?

While there’s almost always a cafeteria open to serve your lunch needs and cravings, there are many advantages to a packed lunch:

Cost. Packed lunches are less expensive than eating out every day for lunch.
Convenience. Packed lunches are relatively easy to prepare. If you can make a sandwich, you can make just about any kind of packed lunch.
Flavor and nutrition. Fast-food restaurants are present everywhere, but they do not provide the same taste and health benefits as lunches cooked at home.

Lunchboxes and Containers

While kids like lunchboxes with cartoon characters on them, they don’t land a very good impression on other people if you’re older. While a classic metal lunchbox can make for a really efficient food container, you can do well with plastic lunch boxes that you can buy from any department store. Most of these lunch boxes come with separate trays and containers for different meals, as well as a sealed tumbler or bottle for your drinks.

Lunch Ideas

Any lunch is only as tasty and healthy as what you put in it. Here are some flavorful and healthful lunch ideas:

Meals

Leftovers. Cuts left over from roast, barbecues, braises, or other dishes are excellent for lunch, especially when accompanied with brown rice or healthy home-made french fries.
Sandwiches. The sandwich is the most common and the most popular packed lunch in many offices and schools. Try to vary the fillings in your sandwich, and use whole-wheat or rye bread for more fiber.
Vegetarian fare. Tofu, vegetables, mock duck, and other dishes sauteed and kept hot in a heatproof container are a great departure from the traditional lunches made with meat dishes.

Fruit

Banana. The banana is a venerable fruit that has always found itself in almost every lunchbox in the United States. Bananas are very healthy and keep well for a few hours.
Apple. Apples are very nutritious, and they also keep very well. The natural sugars in apples also help you feel energized for the rest of the day.
Citrus. Vitamin C, which is found in many citrus fruits like oranges, tangerines, and grapefruit, can help strengthen your body and boost your resistance to illnesses.

Drink

Many nutritionists agree that water is the best way to quench your thirst and replenish your body’s need for water, but you can also add fruit juices to your lunch box.

Packing a healthy lunch can help you save money as well as keep yourself healthy. With these tips, you can save a lot of money in food costs and save yourself the trouble of health problems.