Healthy Lunch Ideas

There are lots of Healthy Lunch Ideas available to us if we take the time to look. The typical lunch ideas of a huge sandwich, chips, cookies, and a fruit is outdated, as well as not being the healthiest choice! Too many processed carbs, fat, and additives.

If you want to practice Lifestyle Solutions, you need to modify your sandwiches or try some new ideas? Some great choices to try are:

Bread

• Small 100% whole grain rolls


• Slices of rye or pumpernickel bread


• Slices of Italian, French, or sourdough bread


• Tortilla, especially the higher fiber versions


• Small 100% whole wheat pita bread


• Small 100% whole wheat 100 calorie bagel.

Meats or sandwich fillings

• 2 oz. nitrate free turkey, deli ham or lean roast beef


• 2 to 3 oz. grilled chicken or turkey


• Salmon


• Tuna salad made with low-fat or fat-free mayo only. Be sure to make your tuna half meat, and half chopped celery, green peppers, chopped sour pickles, chopped apples or the veggie of your choice. You will be diluting your meat choice with lower calorie veggies!


• 2 T low-fat or fat-free cream cheese


• Reduced fat cheeses. (Skip the fat-free choices as they taste bad)

Non-meat or Vegan/Vegetarian choices:

• 2 T peanut butter, soy nut butter, or almond butter


• 100% jam spreads that are all fruit, and no sugar


• 2 T tofu cream cheese


• 3 T hummus


• 1/4 of a sliced avocado


• Any bean choices

Veggies or Veggie Fillings

• Pickles that do not contain sugar


• Lettuce, tomatoes, sliced onions, leftover grilled veggies, any sliced veggies.


• Any dark green leafy veggies like spinach, arugula, cabbage, mixed greens....


• Broccoli slaw - See my recipe for Broccoli Slaw

Condiments:

• Any mustards like yellow, or Dijon. Watch the sugared ones and limit them.


• Low-fat or Fat-free mayonnaises. You can’t taste the difference when mayo is mixed with other ingredients. What a huge waste of calories! Ban if from your kitchen!!!!!!


• Any fat-free salad dressings. Trader Joe’s has some great choices!


• Hummus or Tzatziki

Salads:

• Check out the super salad meal chart!

Chopped Salad with Romaine, Tomato, Avocado, Corn, Blue Cheese, Apple, and a Vinaigrette Dressing

Fruits:

• All fruits are great choices. Just make sure you are eating a serving. A pound of grapes is not a serving!

Extras:

• Cottage cheese/fruit


• Yogurts that are low sugar or Greek varieties.


• Nuts and Dried fruits (1/4 cup)


• Any dinner leftovers that fit your lunch meal plan - limitless options!


• California Veggie rolls

Soups:

• There are endless choices of soups that can be made from any veggies, whole grains, and beans.


• Take the soup challenge, and make a different pot of soup each week for a year. Choose ones without a cream base to keep the calories in check! This is the easiest way to get your daily veggie quota up! Check out my Soup Recipes section!

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Sandwiches done right, Burritos, Soups, Salads, Leftovers, or any healthy real food that you love can all be healthy diet habits for a healthy lunch! Take a friendly tour of either Trader Joes or Whole foods, just to look for healthy lunch ideas that you would enjoy! Be adventurous and try new foods! Just make sure it fits into your meal plan calorie level!