It always seems to take me a few weeks to get back into a good routine of packing lunches and prepping meals after the long hiatus of summer. While I LOVE this aspect of getting back into a good eating rhythm, I’ll admit that I have to remind myself to take deep breaths, remember what’s most important, and to simply take one step at a time moving into a new season.
As I am switching gears in my own life, I thought I might share some of the tools that I’ve developed over the years to support my family and my clients in making really solid lunches that are nourishing, delicious, and don’t suck up too much time!
Something I like to adhere to throughout the school & work year, is a rotation. I often use this idea with meal planning dinners as well. A weekly rotation can help keep things interesting and stimulating for kids and adults alike, but from a nutritional standpoint, it promotes food diversity, supports adequate macronutrient intakes, and can also save spending money on grab & go, last minute lunches.
Here’s a fun concept for you:
There are a few key things to pay attention to when it comes to creating a lunch that is well rounded, sustaining, and packed with nutrients.
Consider Nutrition:
Rotate Complex Carbohydrates: Whole Grains, Beans, Legumes, & Starchy Vegetables, are great real food complex carbohydrates to include in your weekly rotation. Think about building meals around a complex carbohydrate like brown rice or quinoa, then adding lots of fiber: vegetables & leafy greens, and some protein: tofu, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, organic fish or meat.
Include a Minimum of 3 Servings of Vegetables: When planning ahead and shopping wisely, it’s fairly easy to keep fresh vegetables on hand for your work week. Whenever you are putting together your lunch, think about choosing a minimum of 3 different vegetables in your dish and do your best to continuously rotate the vegetables that you buy.
Macronutrient Combination: At every meal, do your best to prioritize the inclusion of ALL 3 MACRONUTRIENTS: Carbohydrates, Protein, & Fat. This combination, something I like to call the “Magic 3 Combo”, not only supports good overall nutritional balance, but aims to keep blood sugars stabilized throughout the entire day - supporting better energy, mental focus/clarity, and preventing crashes during busy days.
Mind the Sugar: Preparing meals ahead of time really helps us to pay attention to what we are eating. If you like a little sugary treat during the day, choose something containing unrefined sugars like maple sugar or honey, do what you can to make your goodies yourself (I have tons of great ideas in the Healthy Treats section of my Recipes), and be mindful of how much you consume. Sugar content can easily creep into foods that are store bought or that come from local bakeries or cafes, is detrimental to blood sugar balance and also health depleting long term. Pay attention to the kind of sugar, the amount, and how you feel after consuming different sugar containing goodies.
Personal Note: For my boys, lunch will usually include a Main, a few Sides (a vegetable and usually a fruit), and a Healthy Treat (muffins, granola bars/energy balls/bars, cookies - always homemade). Sometimes, I will add in something that is less health supportive & packaged, but fun, like seaweed snacks, tortilla chips + salsa, cauliflower puffs, etc.
Weekly Lunch Rotation ideas:
Pasta Salad: Always well-received and easy to pull-off, a noodle salad is a great way to provide lots of veggies, lots of flavour, and a decent dose of carbohydrates. Be mindful of the noodles you choose (we like fermented noodles made with old world or gluten-free grains), find a good sauce, and add in something fun: toasted nuts or seeds, olives, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, or a fruity punch like mango. Try my Thai Noodle Salad with Almond Butter Sauce.
Rice Bowls: Building a meal over rice is fairly straightforward and fun to play around with. I will usually soak my rice ahead of time and cook it the night before, or early in the morning, then add some shredded veggies and a protein, like nuts/seeds, beans, lentils, or tofu, and top it with a full-flavoured sauce. What’s great about rice bowls is that they can double as dinner first, then for lunch the next day.
Soup/Stew: Especially as the weather cools down and we begin to look for more warming meals, a hearty soup or stew makes an excellent lunch. Be sure to have a good quality thermos on hand (we like to pre-warm ours with boiling water), as this makes all the difference! I like to Batch Cook some soups or stews for dinnertime, then I can easily warm some up for lunches throughout the week. One of our favourites: Comforting Lentil Stew 😋
The “Snack Plate”: An old time favourite, this is just as it sounds: a plate/container with a selection of raw veggies, some protein (baked tofu, candied salmon, cooked chicken, falafel, veggie burger patty), something fun: olives, dolmades, crackers, and a dip on the side: hummus, black bean dip, cashew tzatziki/spread, etc.
Wraps: An easy one to fall back on, creating a good wrap is simple if you have the right things on-hand. I like to use hummus or a cashew spread of some kind, then some shredded carrots, lettuce, and/or other veggies I might have, and some protein: cooked chicken/salmon, tofu, veggie burger patties cut up, falafel. I will usually choose a gluten free wrap or our locally made spelt wraps, but there are many healthier, wheat-free versions out there to try!
Bean/Lentil Salad: One of my personal favourites, a hearty salad built over beans or lentils, will supply a quality amount of nutrients & energy in a small volume. Remember that you can add cooked beans or lentils (so cheap!) to pretty well any salad you like, provided you have a tasty dressing on-hand 😉
Lunchtime Traps to Avoid: Too Many Sandwiches, Luncheon Meats, Too Much Meat, Too Many Refined Carbs, Grab’n Go Lunches, Restaurant Food. Stick to REAL FOOD as much as you can & Batch Cook whenever you have some time!! (Psst….join me for my upcoming Batch Cooking Online Fall Session & get ahead of the lunch game!)
I hope you’ve found some inspiration here!
Happy LUnch Making!
If you have anything you’d like to add, please leave me a comment below!