Work-life balance is difficult enough to manage, but what about lunch? As dynamic, working women, we are always trying to get one more thing done. Often, that can mean looking at the clock, realizing it’s 2 o’clock and we still haven’t eaten. Starved, we grab whatever is quick and easy to scarf down, usually not the healthiest option. Eating on the run from appointment to appointment, or at our desk while we finish a pressing task are all too common, but with the right know how, lunch does not have to be skipped, and can be healthy even if it is eaten fleetingly between meetings. Here’s how to pack a lunch that you can eat on the go, or at your desk between conference calls.
- Plan and prepare in advance – Realizing you won’t have time for lunch as you are running out the door in the morning is a recipe for the fast food drive or skipping a meal. Aim to plan your lunch meals for the week one time during the week. Then, get all of the ingredients needed for your meal plan during a weekly trip to the grocery store. This way, you can adapt easier to the conference call that falls during lunchtime (by preparing something earlier in the day to be eaten at your desk), or (by packing something the night before) to take with you during an hour-long commute to a business meeting during the lunch hour.
- Eat mindfully – You don’t want all of the work you went through in #1 to be over with in 30 seconds. Take your food on the road, but savor it! Take 10 minutes (ideally 20 to 30) to eat with all five senses. At the very least, take 5 minutes to breathe before you eat your meal. Express gratitude as you are eating it. You can do this anywhere, any time.
- Have the right supplies – With the right kitchen containers and Tupperware, it is possible to eat just about any meal on the go. Bento boxes and Chinese take-out containers, (available at Smart & Final), provide great options for packing a lunch on the go.
As for food, meals on the go can be quick and easy to make, and fun to eat. Here are a few to give a try:
Wraps – Choose your favorite wrap (tortilla, lettuce leaf, nori sheet) and fill with your favorite veggies and protein. Make your lunch even healthier by going meatless with such proteins as hummus, beans, chickpeas and sliced tofu. Other “make-ahead” vegetarian fillings include tempeh “chicken” salad or eggless tofu salad. Spread these on a wrap with some veggies and roll it up for a delicious portable meal.
Burritos – You can keep these simple or fancy it up. The options are endless, but you can’t go wrong with the traditional flour tortilla topped with refried beans, rice and cheese.
Sushi – Make extra rolls the night before for dinner and stow them away for tomorrow’s lunch. Keep a stash of soy sauce packets from when you order Chinese take-out to throw in with the rolls. If you don’t have time to make your own, Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s sell delicious pre-made rolls in their refrigerated sections.
Salads – Make some pasta, toss in chopped veggies and drizzle with your favorite salad dressing. Make a bean salad (or buy a canned one) or a lentil salad, pack it in a Chinese take-out container and you are good to go.
Hummus and Veggies – Fill a container with a couple of tablespoons of hummus and surround with a rainbow of your favorite veggies. The fiber from the vegetables and protein from the hummus fills you up fast.
With the proper planning, eating on the go does not have to be stressful or tasteless. Try some of the tips above to bring some sanity back to your lunch rush.
Guest Writer-Stephanie Dreyer
Stephanie Dreyer is a writer and the founder of VeegMama, a vegan lifestyle blog that offers recipes, products, ideas, and advice for “good” living. Stephanie is also a speaker for The Young Writers Conference in Los Angeles, where she presents on the topics of blogging and personal essay. Connect with Stephanie on facebook, or visit her blog.