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| Monday, October 27, 2008 |
| Brown Bags Are Cool Again! |
I’ve been seeing tons of ads lately about packing lunches. Everywhere I look, another company is adding their voice to tell us why, how and what to pack. What was once too bothersome and boring has now become the ‘thing to do’. Especially in today’s economy!
Think about it. If you go to a fast food restaurant it’s going to cost you at least $5 for the average lunch (even more if you go anywhere else). That’s $25 a (work) week, $100 a month…you see where I’m going with this. I don’t know about you, but I can think of a lot of things I’d rather do with that extra hundred bucks!
What I think is really great is that there has also been a lot of chatter about making lunches healthier and dietitians everywhere are cheering! You don’t have to go out to have a tasty meal, and the money saved on making it yourself is worth the little extra effort.
So, are you ready to make the swap from purchase to pack? Get ready by preplanning your lunches and doing your shopping on the weekend. Make sure you add in a little variety so you don’t get tired of the ‘same old thing’.
Here are some tips to make ‘brown bagging’ easy, healthy and delicious:- Healthy frozen meals. Personally I like Kashi and Lean Cuisine. I keep a couple on hand for days when time is tight. They’re often on sale at up to ½ off, so check your store’s weekly ads.
- Lean lunch meat rolled in a tortilla with cheese, lettuce and thin sliced tomato (try any whole grain bread, bagel, pita or wrap too).
- Chopped veggie salad with a small can of tuna or chicken on top & light dressing. If you’re vegetarian, use a small can of garbanzo beans. To save time, start with prewashed bagged greens.
- Cans of soup. I always keep a couple in my desk in case I forget my lunch and don’t have time to go out. These with a few whole grain crackers make a great lunch!
- Leftover anything! Pizza, casseroles, whatever you had for dinner. Just pack it up and reheat when it’s time for lunch.
- For sides, anything that can fit in a small zipper bag or container works. Try cut up veggies, fruit, dry cereal or pretzels to name a few.
- There’s also fresh and pre-portioned fruit cups, 100 calorie snack packs, fat free puddings, granola bars, cans of veggie juice, cheese sticks…take a look when you shop for other ideas.
Check out Josee’s Eating on a Budget post for more ideas.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go find my Scooby Do lunch box.
- Renee
Labels: Fast Food, grocery shopping, Renee
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posted by The Sensei Team @ Monday, October 27, 2008   |
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