Save Money and Add Nutrition by Packing Your Breakfast … | Chroniclers
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When you’re away from home, it can be difficult to make healthy food choices, especially during a busy work day.
While it might seem like a good idea to save time by rushing quickly to a local fast food restaurant, making a habit of eating those quick and often high fat meals can be harmful to your health.
With a little planning and preparation, you can improve your diet by carrying a healthy lunch and snack with you that will be ready to eat anytime.
If you have access to a fridge or cooler, you can make a lean meat sandwich. Turkey is a great choice and a great way to use up last night’s leftovers.
Try packing salads in a glass jar. Place a tablespoon of vinaigrette at the bottom of the jar and layer the raw vegetables on top of it.
For more protein, you can add beans, nuts, or a sliced ââhard-boiled egg. At lunchtime, simply shake the pot to distribute the dressing and lunch is served.
Another idea for a healthy lunch box is a sandwich made with peanut butter and thinly sliced ââapples. You can also fill pita bread with a green salad and wrap hummus and carrot sticks on the side.
Fresh fruit, rice cakes, low-fat granola bars, and unsweetened dry cereals are good options to add to your breakfast.
Individual snack bags of nuts can add variety to your lunch, but these prepackaged bags can be pricey. Save money and control your portions by making your own using snack-sized plastic bags, reusable containers, or plastic wrap. Keep these bags in your car, purse, or backpack for a quick snack.
Add calcium to your breakfast with yogurt, cottage cheese or string cheese.
You can also prepare your favorite smoothie ahead of time. Put it in a cooler or keep it in the fridge at work. Smoothies can be a quick, nutritious way to help you reach your health goals. Try adding half a banana, two tablespoons of peanut butter, a tablespoon of honey, and skim milk to create a nutritious, delicious, and quick breakfast.
You can use freezer-safe containers to make breakfasts out of leftovers. If your workplace has a microwave, you can take leftovers from the night before for lunch.
There’s no need to spend money on frozen meals when you can make your own. When preparing your food, you have the flexibility to control salt, fat and portions. If you don’t like the idea of ââhaving the same meal for lunch as for dinner a few hours before, most leftovers will keep in the freezer for up to three months.
Saving on leftovers for a week, offers multiple meals that can be kept in your freezer and taken out later for a great lunch option.
For more healthy ideas, contact Lisa Smith at 252-789-4370 or lfsmith5 @ ncsu.
Thadd White is Group Editor for Bertie Ledger-Advance, Chowan Herald, Perquimans Weekly, The Enterprise & Eastern North Carolina Living. He can be contacted by email at [email protected].
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