Lunch Box Lessons

Tips for adding variety to the mid-day meal

By Mary Lou Perry, RD, MS, CDE, UVA Health System Heart and Vascular Center Dietitian

Now that the kids are back in school, it’s time to start packing lunch – for you and the kids. There are many reasons that it’s the healthier way to lunch. 

Loaded with unhealthy fat and simple carbs that can zap one’s afternoon energy, a restaurant- or school-bought mid-day lunch can put on the pounds, without feeding your body what it needs. Packing your lunch instead gives you important nutrients, and will

• save you time
• cut your consumption of fossil fuels
• save you money (a typical purchased lunch can be as much as $7-$8, not including the gas to get you to a restaurant. And if you get hungry mid-morning, you can grab something from your stash rather than the vending machine.)

Here’s how to make the most of your lunchtime.

What should I pack?

Start with the basics and fill in. Your lunch should contain: one of each – a protein, a healthy whole-grain carbohdyrate, a calcium-rich food and fruits and vegetables.

How can I keep it from getting boring?

Think variety. Try different kinds of bread for a sandwich including multi-grain, bagels, tortillas, pumperknickel and rye. Start with the goal of a new food or recipe each week. Share menu ideas with co-workers and do a lunch swap monthly. Take a break from the traditional peanut butter sandwich and try other nut butters – almond, macadamia or soy are all packed with heart-healthy fat and protein.

What are some ideas for healthy low-fat protein?

Take leftover cooked chicken and make chicken strips. Pack dippers such as salsa, ranch dressing, barbecue sauce, ketchup, honey mustard, or pizza sauce. Hard boiled eggs, roast beef, turkey ham, tuna, salmon, honey roasted chicken, low-fat cottage cheese, low -at mozzarella, farmers cheese or fat-free/low-fat feta cheese. 

What fruit, other than an apple, packs well?

Kiwi, pineapple, mango, oranges, pears, grapes, blueberries, bananas, strawberries, and melon. The list is endless. Dried low-sugar fruit can come in handy; try raisins, figs, apricots or apples. Freeze grapes for an interesting treat. 

Vegetables are always a challenge. How can I include them?

Have a container of fresh vegetables already cleaned and cut in the fridge. Grab a handful of them and place them in a snack bag. Use “salad-in-a-bag” and add to a low-fat protein source. Vegetable soup is a great appetite curber. Studies show soup eaters consume fewer calories in the meal. Use left-overs from the night before.

Follow these tips and you’ll look forward to lunch every day.