Healthy Lunches- They will help you cut costs and improve your health.

Are most of your days spent on campus or at work? Do you choose the easy route and buy something at the food court or swing by the closest fast food joint spending as much as $10 for your meal? If the above apply to you than most likely you struggle with something most college students do, preparing unique and healthy lunches.

First of all, you want to make sure your lunch includes the basics, some lean or low-fat protein along with complex carbohydrates this will help sustain your energy until dinner. Connie Diekman, RD, president of the American Dietetic Association says "The combination of protein and fiber from whole grains, beans, nuts, vegetables and/or fruit will give you the most satisfying and nutritious combination of foods that will keep you feeling full until dinner."

 If you tend to have sandwiches often, have a variety of whole wheat or multi-grain products on hand like bread, pitas, and wraps. For your protein source choose things like sliced eggs, tuna fish, reduced-fat cheese or lean meats, all of which are pretty reasonably priced. Then top off your sandwich with lots of vegetables! Include assorted greens, fresh basil, sprouts, sliced cucumbers, onions, and/or tomatoes. In addition to your sandwich, always try to include a fruit like an apple, banana, or an orange which are easy to grab and go.

You don’t have to limit yourself to different sandwiches. This could also be a good time to focus on what you are making for dinner and make enough to have leftovers to take for lunch the next day. Cooking in bulk and making 2-3 different lunch options like chili, or rice and beans and freezing them in ready to go containers for the whole week will help you have options to choose from throughout the week and help you avoid eating fast food. Don’t forget to keep your water bottle filled and drink throughout the day. This will help you curb your appetite and stay hydrated.

Here are some suggestions for Healthy and cheap lunches:

10 Easy Lunch Ideas

American Dietetic Association spokesperson Angela Ginn-Meadow, RD, says planning ahead is essential for quick lunch assembly. "A planned menu with all the ingredients in the kitchen will make it easy to put together tomorrow's lunch after dinner," she says.

She compiled this grocery list for a week's worth of lunches costing $5 or less a day (assuming you already have salad dressings on hand):

• Whole wheat pita bread
• Romaine lettuce
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 1 bag baby carrots
• 1 bag of apples & oranges
• 1 can of light tuna in water
• 1 can of salmon (split for two meals)
• 1 prepared grilled chicken
• 3 cans of low-sodium, broth-based soup

With this list of foods, you can prepare: 

1.   1 pita with lettuce and grilled chicken with light Caesar dressing; baby carrots; and an apple.

 

2.   Salmon lettuce wraps with light sesame Asian dressing; 1 can of broth-based soup; and an orange.

 

3.   Tomato & cucumber salad with olive oil and vinegar; tuna salad on pita; baby carrots; and an apple.

4.   1 can of soup; and grilled chicken on a bed of romaine with sliced apple and light vinaigrette.

5.   Garden salad with salmon, tomato, cucumber, and baby carrots; an orange; and 1 can of soup.

 

Diekman offers 5 more cheap lunch options that are also simple to prepare:

6.   Whole-wheat tortilla wrap of hummus, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, feta cheese and black olives; plus a carton of fat-free vanilla yogurt, and berries.

7.   Whole wheat pita stuffed with vegetarian re-fried beans, salsa, lettuce and shredded cheddar cheese; and apple slices with peanut butter.

8.   A green salad loaded with canned chunk light tuna, carrot strips, pepper slices, tomato wedges, red beans, and dried cranberries topped with balsamic vinaigrette; with a cup of low fat chocolate milk.

9.    A peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole wheat bread; a piece of fresh fruit; and low fat yogurt.

10.   Whole-wheat tortilla roll with sliced turkey, sliced low-fat mozzarella cheese, red pepper strips, and lettuce leaf (chill and slice into bite size pieces); with fruit salad and a glass of skim milk.

 
sources:
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/cheap-and-healthy-brown-bag-lunch-ideas-for-grownups