LUNCH = EASY

People I talk to eat relatively healthy dinners. I've discovered that most have trouble with food during work hours. They tend to snack on whatever happens to be available at their jobs and have lunch at whichever fast food restaurants are closest. Following are some simple tips to help you survive your work hours by eating healthy meals that are super fast to prepare...and inexpensive.

1. I've mentioned this before. Take one hour a week to cook your favorite meats. Get your 2 pounds of ground turkey, your 1 pound of steak, your 6 filets of mahi mahi...whatever. Get your pans and burners going and cook it all at the same time. Season as you like.



2. After all of the good high quality protein is cooked, let it cool, then place it in plastic freezer bags. Flatten out the bag as best you can (you don't want a big frozen block of meat) and slide into your freezer.

***It's so important to have protein readily available and cooking it ahead of time makes life so much easier. Of course, you are welcome to cook your meat every night if you don't like freezing it and you have the time.***



3. My little trick is to go to Metro Market and get one of their precooked herbed whole chickens for $6.99. I can easily get enough meat for 3 or 4 meals from that one chicken.



4. Go to your local grocery store and get cans of ORGANIC soups, beans, tomatoes, pasta sauces...whatever. Organic is more expensive than regular but still MUCH cheaper than buying a fast food lunch everyday. My favorites are organic black beans, organic lentil soups, and organic roasted tomatoes. Pick whatever you like. I look at the label and check that sugar is low and fiber is high.

5. When you get up in the morning simply grab your can of soup and put some frozen meat in a bowl and go to work. Put the meat in your work refrigerator. At lunch time simply place the meat in the microwave to thaw it out. Then put the soup in with the meat and finish cooking it in the microwave. You now have a healthy lunch that took about 4 minutes to make AND you saved money.

6. I'd highly recommend eating a serving of both fruits and vegetables with your lunch. Wipping together a salad to take to work takes 2 minutes.



7. If possible try to split up your lunch. If you get to work at 9am, have half of it at 11am and the rest at 230pm. That will help you control snacking during work.

8. Additional info:
** Keep a can opener, fork, spoon and knife in your desk
** Keep 1 or 2 extra microwave safe bowls at work
** Keep 2 cans of soup in your desk at all times, for days when you rush out of the house in the morning and forget to pack your lunch.
** You don't have to eat like this everday. Live a little.