10 Healthy Lunch Suggestions
Lunch is one of my favourite meals of the day (well, actually that’s a lie because I have 3 favourite meals of the day! 
) I really think that being able to look forward to a nice lunch helps you get through your morning workload and breaks the day nicely. It’s also a great way to energize your body for the afternoon ahead so you don’t hit a slump come 3 O Clock!
Below are some healthy lunch ideas, tips & suggestions:
Soup - is a comforting lunch option particularly on cold winter days and is a great way to get your veggies in. Just make sure to always include a source of protein in your soup or on the side so that it’s a balanced meal. If it’s a filling soup with plenty of protein and veg you may not need to have anything on the side e.g. lentil & vegetable soup. If you’d like something on the side, a couple of oat cakes or rye crisp breads with a topping of choice is a great alternative to bread.
For convenience, consider making up a large batch of soup in advance which you can store in the fridge or freezer. Soup is handy to put into a thermos flask for work or a transportable container to reheat in work.
Sandwiches - Bread in moderation is fine, but, so many people are stuck in a sandwich rut at lunchtimes which means they end up eating a lot of bread and miss out on other more healthful lunch options. I would encourage you not to get into the habit of eating sandwiches or bread for lunch on a daily basis.
If you do choose to have a sandwich, make sure to include a good portion of protein such as tuna or chicken and include plenty of salad. When choosing a bread, opt for a sugar free variety with minimum of 2 grams fibre per slice, ideally more. Wholegrain bread is best, look for bread made from either (or a combination) of: whole grain wheat, whole rye, whole oats, wheat germ, amaranth, barley, buckwheat, millet, spelt, quinoa or bulgur. Moderation is key, two slices of bread in a day is more than enough, particularly if you’re watching your weight.
Salads - Follow 4 simple steps below to create a nutritionally balanced salad:
Choose a protein rich food or a combination if you wish, below are some ideas: Chicken, turkey, ham hard boiled egg, hummus, mozzarella, feta, tuna, salmon, sardines, chick peas, butter beans, kidney, cannellini beans.
Combine the protein with a range of salads/veggies. Below are some ideas: Mixed leaves, rocket, baby spinach, avocado, tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, grated carrot/courgette, celery, onion, sprouts.
Add a healthy dressing (optional). A tablespoon of olive oil with a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar works a treat.
Add one portion of slow release carbohydrate to serve with or alongside your salad (optional) e.g. Oat Cakes, Rye crisp bread, wholegrain bread, Quinoa, Bulgur wheat, Brown rice, wholemeal pasta
Leftovers - I’m a big fan of making lunch out of leftovers from last nights dinner. I often take this into consideration at dinner time by cooking a little extra or if I fancy a second helping at dinner, I console myself by deciding to have that second helping for lunch instead the following day. That way I get two meals out of what I’ve cooked and never feel overly full.
Top Tip: I often cook up a pot of quinoa at the start of the week, store it in the fridge and then throw it into soups and salads at lunch time. Keeping a few cooked hard boiled eggs in the fridge is also super handy for a quick but filling lunch/snack option.
10 Simple & Healthy Lunch Suggestions
- Superfood Soup ( http://www.elsajonesnutrition.ie/index.php/superfood-soup-recipe/ )
- Tuna/chicken salad sandwich on wholegrain bread
- 4 Oat cakes or rye crisp breads topped with either hoummus, cheese or tuna with slices of tomato & cucumber on top
- Ham, coleslaw and hard boiled egg with crunchy salad leaves
- Veggie omelette (spinach, onion, courgette or peppers make nice fillings)
- 1 small tin of reduced sugar baked beans & 1 slice wholegrain toast
- Chickpea, mozzarella, tomato & pine nut salad(http://www.elsajonesnutrition.ie/index.php/tomato-mozzarella-chick-pea-salad/)
- Spicy Sweet Potato Soup (http://www.elsajonesnutrition.ie/index.php/immune-boosting-soup-spicy-sweet-potato/)
- Chicken Waldorf Salad (http://www.elsajonesnutrition.ie/index.php/skinny-chicken-waldorf-salad-serves-2/)
- Whole wheat pitta filled with houmous, roasted red pepper & rocket (http://www.elsajonesnutrition.ie/index.php/2-minute-healthy-lunch-recipe/
Skinny Chicken Waldorf Salad (serves 2)
This is a crunchy and satisfying salad bursting with sweet and sour flavours. A light version of a classic without the fatty dressing. A great way to use up left over chicken.
Ingredients
2tbsp natural greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
A good pinch of sea salt & black pepper
1 red apple, cored and cut into ½ inch pieces
1 stick celery, thinly sliced
6 red seedless grapes, halved
4 Gem lettuce leaves
8 walnuts, halved
1-2 cooked chicken breasts or left over roast chicken, thinly sliced
Method
In a salad bowl mix together the yogurt, lemon juice and seasoning. Add the celery, apple, grapes and walnuts. Toss to coat with dressing. Cover and refrigerate for up to 12hrs until ready to serve. Divide salad in half and serve each portion on top of 2 gem lettuce leaves. Place the sliced chicken on top & enjoy.
Tomato, Mozzarella & Chick Pea Salad
Tomato, Mozzarella & Chick Pea Salad (serves 2)
A simple but tasty lunch you can throw together in minutes. Keeps well in the fridge for up to 12 hours.
Ingredients
2 large vine tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 large mozzarella ball (150g), thickly sliced
1 small tin chick peas (rinsed & drained)
50g Rocket leaves
1 tbsp pine nuts
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1tsp balsamic vinegar
Salt & Black Pepper
Method
Place the rocket, tomato chunks, chick peas and mozzarella in a large bowl. Season well and drizzle the oil and vinegar over. Sprinkle with pine nuts and serve.
Variations:Use tinned tuna instead of the chick peas/mozarella. For a more filling meal, add ½ cup of leftover pasta/quinoa.
How To Avoid Weight Gain Over Christmas
How to enjoy Christmas without piling on the pounds!
The average Irish person will gain up to half a stone over the festive period as the temptation of never ending chocolates, mince pies and savoury snacks get the better of them! This isn’t surprising considering that on average we consume more than 4,000 calories on Christmas Day alone – twice the recommended daily allowance for women and almost as much for men. Add in all the extra calories consumed at work parties and at family gatherings and what you get is bad news for your waistline.
Weight Gain Is Easily Done
It only takes a few hundred extra calories eaten here and there over a typical day to gradually build up and trigger a gain in weight. It takes just 3,500 extra calories to put on one pound in weight which is easily done. You can have that slice of Christmas Cake though – it’s just about portion control and calories awareness.
Damage Limitation – Have A Savvy Christmas!
With that in mind, I’ve put together a savvy food guide that will help you make healthier food choices and emerge from the season minus the excess pounds we so often pile on during December.
Seasonal Treats – What’s The Damage?
The table below will give you an idea just how many calories are contained in your favourite Christmas treats, so, you might think twice before reaching for that second mince pie:
| Food | Weight | Calories |
| Mince Pie | One, 60g | 190 |
| Christmas Cake | 1 slice 70g | 250 |
| Crisps | 1 small packet 30g | 170 |
| Mulled Wine | 1 glass | 250 |
| Christmas Pud & Cream | 1 portion | 570 |
| Sausage Rolls | 2 small | 254 |
| Assorted Chocs | 6 chocolates | 270 |
Christmas Foods: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
Not all Christmas foods are bad for us, in fact some are highly nutritious. By focusing on the good elements and limiting the bad ones, you can minimise the damage without feeling deprived;
The Good:
Turkey – a good source of protein, tryptophan, zinc & B vitamins
Sprouts – loaded with cancer fighting anti-oxidants
Cranberries – rich in vitamin C so can help boost immunity and make our skin glow.
The Bad:
Crackling – crackling and poultry skin are much higher in fat than the meat itself.
Stuffing – laden with sausage meat, yeast & butter.
Christmas pudding, cake & mince pies – loaded with fat, calories and sugar.
The Ugly:
Soft Drinks – contain 6 teaspoons of sugar per glass and full of empty calories
Brandy butter – avoid at all costs, try custard instead
Gorging – stop eating when you are comfortably full, not stuffed!
Healthy Christmas Cooking Tips!
- Use low-fat cream or custard with dessert
- Mash your potatoes with milk instead of butter or cream.
- Trim visible fat from around the ham before cooking it
- Remove the skin from chicken and turkey
- Cut potatoes for roasting into large pieces and parboil them first. This reduces the surface area for fat absorption.
- Use olive oil instead of butter or goose fat for roasting potatoes.
- Raw vegetable crudités with dips such as hummus or salsa are a good alternative to fat & salt laded crisps and canapés
- Fill at least half you dinner plate with vegetables.
- Make your own low sugar cranberry sauce
- Have melon as a starter or a light vegetable based soup.
D5 Creation