Bringing Life to Packed Lunches

It seems like every day is a rush for the average American family, so packing a lunch each day can be overwhelming and  another "to-do" to add to your inevitably long list.  However, making a packed lunch is simply one of the most significant things you can do for the environment, your wallet and your health.  Packing your own lunch can reduce the styrofoam and other trash from store/restaurant take out lunches.  We all need to do our part to reduce waste, not to mention saving a lot of money that would otherwise be wasted on packaging and food delivery costs.

Pack Lunches In The Evening

So how can you find the time to pack your own lunch as well as your family's lunch? The trick is all in the timing. Always pack tomorrow's lunch at the same time you're making today's dinner. This way, all of your kitchen chores are done together.  Try to use the some of the same ingredients for your lunch and dinner. If you are making pasta and vegetables for dinner, cut a few extra vegetables, add some lettuce and make a salad for lunch. You'll save on prep time, and you'll also only have to clean the kitchen once instead of twice!

Pack Leftovers

If you are lucky enough to have a refrigerator and microwave in your work place, you can always take leftovers for lunch. This will also help enforce portion control at dinner as an added bonus. Simply prepare your dinner, but before serving it, put aside enough for lunch the next day and store it in the refrigerator so it starts to cool. This way, you won't be tempted to eat more than you really need at dinner, plus your lunch will be all ready for the next morning!

Buy Precut Vegetables & Quick Prep Foods

Buying precut vegetables like broccoli, lettuce, carrots, etc...  that are widely available in supermarkets can save you an abundance of time in the kitchen. Just throw a inch of pre-cut vegetables together for a salad, and your lunch will be complete. Another suggestion is to buy healthy, prepared foods that are quick and easy to transform into a delicious lunch, such as packaged humus, which you can add to pita bread with some veggies, or canned salmon, which you can add to precut lettuce and have as a salmon salad. Other quick to-go ideas include hard boiled eggs, cottage cheese mixed with fruit, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches  and non-fat yogurt mixed with granola and fruit. All it takes is a little thinking out of the box to be able to put a great meal into your lunch box :-)!

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