FitSugar

Speak Up: What's in Your Lunchbox?

FitSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:30:56 -0700

I'm in a lunch rut. For the last week I've been eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and an apple. I usually make a big dinner the night before so I can bring the extras with me to work but I've been having a lot of guests over, which equals no leftovers.

I'm in desperate need of some lunch ideas and would love to hear what you take with you to work. What healthy lunches do you pack?

How Often Do You Bring Your Lunch to Work?

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:47:44 -0700

Eating out can be hard on the wallet and the waistline. I try to bring my lunch to work, usually leftovers, every day. While that's the goal, I probably only meet it three out of five workdays. What about you?

You Asked: Same Thing For Breakfast and Lunch Every Day?

FitSugar — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 05:50:35 -0700

Dear Fit,
For a few months now, I've been eating the same thing for breakfast and lunch every day. For breakfast, I eat Greek yogurt with half a cup mixed fruit and a cup of high fiber cereal. For lunch, I eat a big salad, topped with some kind of lean protein like grilled chicken, fish, or tofu. I do mix it up and eat different things for dinner. I get made fun of a lot at work for my "boring" diet, but it got me thinking, is there anything unhealthy about eating the same thing every day? I've just gotten into the habit, and I love that I don't have to think about it.
- Healthy or Unhealthy Hannah

Greek yogurt and high fiber foods like cereal, fruit, and veggies are excellent ingredients in a healthy diet. To find out if the way you're eating them is doing your body good, read more.

Although yogurt and a salad are very healthy foods, I'd try to mix it up a little bit. Not only is variety the spice of life, but nutritionally speaking, it also allows you to get a variety of the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients you need. You don't have to go crazy with a new food for every one of the 21 meals you'll have in a week, but mixing it up just a little will excite your taste buds and help you obtain more of your RDI. For breakfast, go for oatmeal, nut butter on toast, or eggs. For lunch, eat your grilled chicken with steamed broccoli and a cooked whole grain such as quinoa. Or have baked tofu on a sandwich, or make some veggie and bean soup. Do a little planning on Sunday, so you won't have to stress about it during the week.

5 Lunchtime Calorie Savers

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 05:30:00 -0800

Sandwiches, soups, and salads are all great lunchtime fare. If you pay attention to what you're eating and how you're ordering your midday meal, you can save yourself some serious calories. Here are five food swaps to save yourself some lunchtime calories.

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Healthy Habit: Lunch on High Fiber and Lean Protein

FitSugar — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 05:30:00 -0800

If eating healthier is one of your goals for 2009, you might want to reconsider your lunches. Nutritionist Alexa Fishback, author of The Daily Fix, has a way to make your mid-day meal work for you. Stay tuned for upcoming nutrition tips from Alexa and be sure to enter our Get Fit For 2009 giveaway for a chance to win a personalized nutrition plan created by Alexa, along with many other amazing goodies.

Here's Alexa's lunch advice:
When it comes to our midday meal, many of us choose whatever is most convenient or perhaps forgo lunch altogether as a tactic to save calories, time, or money. Others build up a ravenous appetite (often because they have skipped breakfast and/or a midmorning snack) and jump fork-first into a midday calorie trap. Here are a few tips to navigate some common lunchtime scenarios:

Stuck in the conference room for a lunch meeting? Discretely peel away the cheese from the pre-made turkey sandwich and grab a mustard packet instead of mayo; drink a bottled water instead of a soda, and opt for the fruit salad over the cookies. While it might not be your favorite meal ever, wouldn't you rather save the calories for Saturday night?
Working at your desk through lunch? Plan ahead. Pop open a can of Amy's Organic lentil soup and heat it up in the office kitchen. Then pair with some whole wheat crackers and an apple. Not too shabby for a quick lunch.

For two additional lunch ideas, read more.

Eating out? Order a salad loaded up with lettuces and other nonstarchy veggies, a portion of lean protein (grilled chicken breast, tuna, or chickpeas), and a portion of unsaturated fat like avocado or nuts to add a creamy flavor. Ask for a vinaigrette dressing on the side and enjoy your meal with a multi-grain roll.
Stay-at-home mom eating at home? Toast a couple slices of whole wheat bread to bring out the nutty flavor, spread a tablespoon of natural almond butter on each piece, and top with either banana or strawberry slices – yum.

For more tips, check out all of Alexa’s Healthy Habits or pick up her book, The Daily Fix.

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Five Ideas For a Healthy Lunch

FitSugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 05:00:12 -0700

I've found that if I don't make my lunch ahead of time, I end up picking up something quick, and it's usually not the healthiest. Can you relate? If so, here are five quick lunch ideas you can prepare the night before.

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Food Review: Healthy Choice Minestrone Soup

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:00:00 -0700

While shopping the other day, I noticed the Healthy Choice Minestrone Soup in the microwavable bowls were on sale. Since soup is one of my favorite lunchtime meals, I decided to give some a try. I especially love tomato based soups, so I was excited to taste the minestrone soup. To see what I thought about the soup as well as the nutritional information, just read more.

Overall, I really enjoyed this minestrone. As with most canned soups, I don't love the sodium content, but 470 mg is not horrible in comparison to other soups out there. The taste was good and the texture was hearty (basically each spoonful I ate was full of veggies, beans, and pasta). The veggies were not mushy and neither was the pasta. The soup looked exactly like it did on the packaging, which is impressive to me as well since you never know what you're going to find once you lift that lid. The microwavable bowl and flip top made this lunch an easy, healthy, and inexpensive one. I was worried that the soup would leave me feeling hungry in an hour, but there is enough fiber and protein that I was satisfied long after I scraped the bottom of the bowl.

Due to the sodium content, I would not eat the soup daily, but it's a great option when you need a quick, cheap lunch at work. I would definitely keep a few of these in my desk so I am not tempted to jump on the burger and fries bandwagon with the rest of the office.

Nutritional Information:
Serving size: 1 cup
Calories: 200
Calories from fat: 20
Total Fat: 2 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 5 mg
Sodium: 470 mg
Total Carbohydrates: 40 g
Dietary Fiber: 5 g
Sugar: 9 g
Protein: 7 g

Healthy Eating Tip: Start a Lunch Club

FitSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:00:00 -0700

When you're trying to watch what you eat, brown-bagging it at work is a huge help. But let's face it: Not everyone has time to pack a lunch every night or morning before work. So why not start a lunch club at your office? It will help you eat better and encourage your co-workers to do the same.

Recruit a few of your officemates to join the club; anywhere from two to six members is a great start. Each week, assign each person to bring an ingredient for sandwiches or a smart salad. One person brings lettuce, or someone buys a loaf of bread, another member provides cold cuts, and so on. Then, every day, you can toss up a big salad to share, or let members make their own sandwiches with the provided ingredients.

If you want to get fancier, take more of a potluck approach. Have each person bring a different dish each day - anything from pasta salad to stir-fry - that everyone can eat for lunch. That way, each person only has to worry about lunch once a week.

Do any of you do this? If so, please do share your tips in the comments.

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Healthy Eating Tip: Salad Dos and Don'ts

FitSugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 08:00:00 -0700

In the warmer months of Spring and Summer I often opt for a cool crisp salad for lunch. If you find yourself eating more and more salads as the weather gets warmer and warmer, then use these salad bar tips for the dos and don'ts of keeping that salad easy on your waistline.

Do make your own salad (if possible).
Don't think that the pre-made salads are always going to be healthy.
Do get the darker leaf greens, like spinach, romaine, or arugula.
Don't fill your bowl with Iceberg lettuce - it offers little to nothing nutritionally.
Do load up on fresh veggies.
Don't load up on grilled veggies - grilled veggies at a salad bar are often coated with butter and oil.

I've got more tips for keeping a salad healthy so read more.

Do get a simple olive oil and balsamic dressing on the side.
Don't drench your salad in a creamy dressing - even low fat creamy dressings are loaded with sodium.
Do throw a few raw nuts on top.
Don't throw a salad on top of your salad - tuna, egg and chicken salads are loaded with mayonnaise.
Do add a protein like ahi tuna, hard boiled eggs or baked chicken breast.
Don't add bacon bits as your protein.

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Do You Brown Bag It and Bring Your Lunch to Work?

FitSugar — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 03:00:00 -0700

When you are trying to eat healthy, and especially if you are counting calories, it really helps to pack your own lunch no matter if you are eating at work or school. This however takes some pre-planning and a few extra minutes in the morning, both of which can be hard to come by. Not only is it a great way to save money, bringing your lunch to work ensures that you are eating healthy fare (if you pack healthy fare!) without hidden calories. I bring my lunch most days, but how about you...

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