How to Pack a Healthier Lunch
By Genevieve Cunningham
You probably already know this, but making your lunch is a really smart choice when it comes to health. Going out to eat every day means consuming far too many calories and spending way too much money. Why waste the opportunity to control your health, save money, and simply pack your own lunch? Of course, if you don't know what to put in your lunch box, you may not be doing yourself much good. If you are ready to be serious about your health and you would like to start packing your own lunch, take a look at these tips for making your lunch as healthy as possible.
Skip Prepackaged Lunches
It's tempting to reach for the prepackaged meals and be done with packing your lunch. But those prepackaged meals are never very healthy. If you can avoid it, don't buy those. Instead, you're going to want to buy all of the individual pieces and put it together yourself. Is that more work? Of course. But the health benefits will be well worth your efforts.
Choose Something Fresh
If you don't know what to put in your lunch, start with something fresh. This might be a fresh vegetable, a piece of fruit, a nice salad, or something similar. Choosing something fresh almost guarantees that your lunch will be full of nutrients and low in calories. The fresher, the better, so choose wisely and enjoy.
Don't Forget a Protein
Lunch is a great time to get in some protein, so don't forget to pack one in your box. Luckily, there are so many choices for eating protein. You can pack any meat, peanut butter, nuts of almost any kind, or even a protein bar or shake. Protein helps you to feel full and also keeps the metabolism moving. You’ll definitely want to make sure protein is a part of your day.
Skip the Soda
When you were a kid, one of the best parts about lunch was the flavored drink. But as an adult, you simply can't afford the calories. Don't pack a soda or juice or any other flavored drink. Instead pick good old H2O. The more water you can drink, the more hydrated your body will be, and the healthier you'll be as a whole. This is one of the easiest things that you can do to improve your health, and it'll save you money in the long run, too.
Taking your lunch with you is a great idea for better health. If you don't know where to start, use these tips to help you get started. Once you get the hang of it, packing your lunch will be like second nature. It will be easy, save money, and boost your health in a way that makes you feel better than ever before.
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