THE HEALTHIEST LUNCH FORMULA: HOW TO BUILD THE PERFECT AFTERNOON MEAL

 

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Ever wondered what the healthiest lunch going is? Well, the short answer to that is whatever you fancy within reason. What we mean to say is that the healthiest lunch for you does not look like one specific salad or wrap. It's really not that prescriptive.

What is the healthiest lunch to eat, rather creating the healthiest lunch to fuel your afternoons is about building a plate or bowl, or food with a healthy balance of carbs, fats, proteins, and micro-nutrients i.e. vitamins and minerals that will fuel, that will energize your body and brain?

The ultimate goal is that you remain satisfied and energized enough to spend the latter half of the day. Your midday meal provides you the fuel to keep running at the top of your game the whole day. It gets you through the rest of your afternoon which is likely filled with another four to five hours of work at the office or at home. If you're tired of looking at sad salads or heating instant noodles try one of these simple protein bag lunch ideas to give you energized and productive growth throughout the afternoon

What should I eat at lunch to lose weight?

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Your choice of lunch is not a silver bullet to healthy weight loss. A balanced diet is required and a balancing routine is required. Good nutrition, a mix of cardio, and resistance training, proper rest, and stress management techniques have all the roles to play when it comes to your midday meal. However, if you've got a weight loss or maintenance goal in mind, then you should reduce your carbs on the plate or opt for an open sandwich.

Ask for protein? If you’re plant-based or vegetarian, prep lentils and chickpeas and make a salad out of them.

Your lunch should be 50% veggies, you can eat a generous handful of spinach, and frozen peas into your shop-bought soup.

Anything else I should know about creating a healthy lunch

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Toppings? Not just for pizza. They present yet another opportunity to add more flavor and nutrients to top salads with a tablespoon of seeds or a drizzle of olive oil and fresh herbs or yogurt to Curry or pulses

And how can I look after my gut health at lunch?

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One thing to think about when you prep your lunch is your gut health. Having a varied diet is important to make sure you get the nutrients you need. We are not saying that you need to nail the healthiest lunch and you need to have a full-on perfect rainbow plate. Bread, pasta rice, or another green or opt for whole grain varieties to get the added fiber which is great nutrition for your gut microbes and is good for sustaining your blood sugar levels and giving you energy

How do I build the healthiest sandwiches?

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If you think that sandwiches have no place in the realities of the healthiest lunch options, then we are happy to announce you are off the mark. Bread is not bad. In fact, whole grain varieties contribute much to a healthy nutrition and a balanced diet. 7 cherry tomatoes count as a portion, and a 5-centimeter chunk of cucumber and a carrot are great for a sandwich.

Is it healthy to buy lunch on the run?

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When you're working out of the house, consuming the healthiest lunch possible, doesn't come easy. So why were some of us prepared to spend so much hard-earned cash and buy the healthiest lunch we could find? One word: Convenience. But it’s worth keeping in mind that when you try and buy food outside, goodness would be there or not. The convenience food label is not healthy often, it isn't as nutritious as it appears. The focus is on calorie intake rather than the nutrient density. Ready-prepared food can be high in added sugar and salt- something that’s not interesting.

Summer rolls with peanut sauce

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Summer rolls provide a great balance of carbs, proteins, and vegetables. They are fast. They are easy to eat on the go or at your desk.

A pear salad with spinach cranberries and pecans

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With just simple ingredients on your way, you can get to a tasty lunch that’s packed with incredible nutrients to energize you the whole day. The satisfying salad will give you a good afternoon snack and keep you away from mid-afternoon snacks as well.

Protein salad

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Centering your lunch on protein and deep green vegetables is the healthiest way to go fresh. Chopped almonds, tomatoes, and avocados with a low-calorie dressing is a delicious option to add to your lunch meal.

Loaded vegetable sandwich

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The beauty of this vegetable sandwich is you can pack it full of just about any vegetable. We recommend for an even tastier alternative- consider grilling vegetables at the beginning of the week with balsamic dressing so you can get these little sandwiches up quickly any time of the day.

Lentil vegetable soup

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Soup is a healthy and easy to keep choice for lunch because you can make a large batch and continue to eat it throughout the week or even freeze it to use it later. Fiber-filled lentils will give you full and satisfied and will make you full. Try all-lentil vegetable soup. Soups are an ideal plant-based lunch option as you can make them ahead of time and keep them for a quick meal. This lentil soup recipe is a complete meal and is loaded with ingredients that are good to eat when you’re trying to lose weight. Lentil provides protein and carbs while the veggies contribute to additional fiber plus lentils are a good source of Iron- an important nutrient for blood health that some plant-based eaters may lack in their diets.

Ricotta cheese

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Ricotta cheese is an ultra-creamy cheese. It is a dairy product that can add flavor and texture to sweeter savory lunch. It has both protein and fat to keep you full as with any dairy product. Much of the fat is saturated fat so you would want to consider your whole diet and how it fits in. If you eat other full-fat diets and other dairy products you may want to choose partly skimmed ricotta.

To serve, spread a thick layer of the ricotta on whole-grain toast and then add your favorite toppings. For a savory option, sliced beets and regular balsamic glaze. For a sweet option, try sliced banana or strawberries with sliced almonds and honey. Pair either option with a piece of fruit or for some crunch, some raw veggies for a quick well-balanced lunch.

Black beans

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Black beans, along with other beans are an underappreciated superfood. They are packed with fiber, protein, and important vitamins and minerals like iron, magnesium, and folate. They offer a lot of energy. Black beans can be used in a tonne of different lunchtime combos because they are canned and shelf-stable. They are easy to keep on hand for a quick meal plus with all their digestive-friendly fiber being supporting gut health. The simplest way to use beans is to add them to any salad or green bowl for a quick protein and fiber boost. If you have some time on the weekends make a big batch of black bean soup or chili. Then store in containers for lunch throughout the week.

Avocado

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This fiber and healthy fat-filled fruit bring vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients to your lunch. Eating avocado and the nutrients found in this fruit is linked to better cholesterol blood sugar control and improved attention. You can use avocado as a spread on sandwiches.

Apples

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There is actually some truth to the old saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Eating apples has been linked to numerous health benefits including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s as well as better gut health. It has phytonutrients, vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, plus they are easily portable and require no packaging- making apples a perfect complement to almost any lunch. They're delicious. They are great flavor and crunch when sliced and added to a sandwich grilled cheese or a wild rice salad.

Whole grain bread

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One of the best upgrades you can make to a lunch- sandwiches to trade in white bread for whole grain. Whole grain bread contains more fiber and protein than white bread which is key to avoiding that mid-afternoon crash. Look for whole wheat or whole green listed first on the ingredient list. This signifies that the main flour in the bread is made from whole grain and has not been removed in terms of fiber as well as vitamins and minerals.

Garden veggie chickpea salad

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With sandwiches, chickpeas are a versatile vegetarian protein resource. Chickpeas help in weight management likely due to vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a variety of beneficial compounds they contain. The texture of chickpeas makes them very easy to mash with a fork to create a chickpea salad filling for sandwiches- the perfect lunch food. This recipe for garden veggie chickpea salad sandwiches is a delicious lunch option if you are trying to lose weight and eat a plant-based diet. If you follow a vegan diet swap out the mayo for a vegan substitute.

Conclusion

Eating a healthy lunch doesn’t have to be boring or complicated. It’s really about having a handful of nutritious ingredients in your refrigerator for quick and easy meals. Don’t be afraid to be a little creative in the kitchen.

By Bhawna