Less Junk, More Good-for-You Food: How to Pack a Better, Healthier Lunch

Little girl holding up a white flagBy Arricca Elin SanSone

Bringing your lunch to work is a great way to save money and get balanced nutrition. But are you making these common mistakes with your brown bag lunch? Here's how to pack a delicious, healthy lunch.

Mistake: Calorie-Packed Beverages
Down a can of soda at lunchtime and you've consumed 150 calories and zero nutrients. "There's also emerging research about liquid calories and the fact that our brains don't register them like they do when we eat food," says Melissa Dobbins, registered dietician and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Talk about empty calories! "Those extra calories add up."
What to Do: Skip the soda, bottled lemonade, iced tea, energy drinks… Water is best. You can add a drizzle of juice or a dash of drink mix (you don't have to use the whole packet) if plain ol' water it's too boring. Other options: flavored sparkling water, plain coffee or tea.

Mistake: Stuffing Yourself
Packing last night's leftovers might seem like a good idea, but it's easy to overeat if you aren't careful about portion sizes, says Dobbins. Also beware of those lunchbox-sized packaged foods (such as individual bags of chips) -- they may actually contain more than one serving.
What to Do: Portion out leftovers into single servings. For example, a serving of rice or pasta is one cup, or the size of a baseball. A serving of protein is 3 ounces, or the size of a deck of cards. If you're taking snack foods, like your favorite cracker, don't just grab a handful or bring the whole box. Read the label to determine how many constitute a serving and bring exactly that in a small plastic bag.

Mistake: Skimping on Portions
If you're trying to lose weight, you may think less is more and pack rabbit food for lunch. Well, that's not exactly how it works, folks. "It's not just how many calories you eat," says registered dietician Ruth Frechman, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and author of The Food is My Friend Diet. "It's what you pack that makes a difference in how satisfied you feel throughout the day." Don't worry so much about your lunch's calories. Take the time to make sure it's balanced instead.
What to Do: "You need a little protein, a little carbs and a little healthy fat to feel full and keep your energy level even," says Frechman. Preparing a salad? Top it with beans or sprinkle it with nuts or seeds. Got a boring old sandwich? Jazz it up -- taste and nutrition-wise -- with half an avocado. Same goes with snacks. Try a smear of peanut butter on your whole grain crackers -- we bet you'll eat fewer of them and actually feel fuller.

Mistake: Not Enough Protein
Protein helps you feel full longer. Women need 46 grams (g) per day, so include some at lunchtime -- you'll be less likely to snack mindlessly later in the day, says Dobbins.
What to Do: Pack a hard-boiled egg, a pouch of tuna in water, low-fat string cheese, single-serve cottage cheese, hummus with whole-grain pita bread or Greek yogurt (which Frechman says contains twice as much protein as regular yogurt). Include plant-based protein sources, too like almond, sunflower seed or cashew butters, edamame, broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.

Mistake: No Fruits and Veggies
Most women don't get the recommended 1 ½ to 2 cups of fruits and 2 to 2 ½ cups of vegetables per day. And if you don't pack them in your lunch, you're already behind for the day, says Dobbins.
What to Do: Save time by purchasing fruits and veggies you don't have to prep, such as cherry tomatoes, grapes or clementine oranges. Swap chips for radishes or cauliflower for crunch without the calories. If produce is always going bad in your fridge, keep your pantry stocked with canned fruit such as peaches in their own juices, unsweetened applesauce and dried fruit such as plums and apricots, says Frechman.

Mistake: Mindless Lunches
Two recipes for bad food choices: You stumble bleary-eyed through your morning fog, tossing whatever you can find into a brown bag while you're trying to get ready for work or get the kids out the door. Or you're running late so you skip packing a lunch altogether and end up eating.
What to Do: Pack the night before. "After dinner, you're not hungry, you're less rushed, and you'll be more likely to put in the nutrient-dense foods you know you should be eating," says Dobbins. Put wet ingredients, such as tomato slices or salad dressings, in separate containers or plastic bags and assemble at lunchtime right before eating.

Click here to read the other ten lunch mistakes!

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