Plan for a week of Healthy Lunches

I bring my lunch to work almost every day. Both of us do.
Makes us a bit dull perhaps, but people always comment on it and say "I never have time for that".  So here's what I do in case you need a kick start to start doing it.

The key to your success is doing prep on Sunday for a week of lunches so you are ready to go out the door quickly every morning.   

Here are the reasons I like to bring my lunch:

#1) Your lunch is ready when you are.  When you’re at your desk, starving, with no time before your next conference call.

#2) Your lunch is more healthy

#3) Your lunch is cheaper, more economical (which BTW, means you have more $$ to spend on other stuff, like vacations!). I figure two people bringing their lunches every day for 90% of the work days save about $4,000 a year if you figure lunch out is $10 a day. 

Here’s what the TWO of us do on Sundays…

#1) Make bags of veggies: carrots, celery, pea pods, pepper slices, cherry tomatoes, green beans, jicama, whatever you like (see picture above) . Have some fruit ready too, either chilling in the fridge, or cut up in bags.

#2) Make small containers of Greek Yogurt (for me) or cottage cheese (for him)

        #3) Hard boil some eggs, or make some Make Ahead of Breakfast Muffins  on Sunday morning and have a couple of days extra.

#4) Put soups, and/or, leftovers in containers for your entrée.  If there are two of you at home, it’s easy to make a regular ‘family’ recipe and prep the leftovers.  

Hey, lots of people don’t like leftovers, but I prefer my own stuff over waiting in line for something fattening and expensive.  You decide, okay?

 

Above- Here's a view of our fridge on a Monday morning.

Below- A batch of Make Ahead of Breakfast Muffins 

 

One thing I DO recommend is to label your leftovers... 

I use these Corningware covered mugs and small serving dishes, I love them because they are easy to reuse and reheat, having a little vented lid.

I mostly use the "post It" notes that are sticky all over, and stick nicely to the containers.  

As you can see, this one is Split Pea Soup. 

However, it is very, very sad to get to work and think you are having French Onion Pot Roast for lunch when actually it is nothing but plain Homemade Chicken stock.

Here's another crazy view of my fridge.
Why yes, besides Soups, cottage cheese/yogurts, bags of veggies.. you can also see I have a funny little assortment of curry paste, tom yum soup paste, salsa and what have you.

Here's a week with both muffins and hard boiled eggs.
Makes it easy to grab and go.
It's good to have some protein in the morning.