Do you find yourself regularly resorting to fast food for your lunches during busy work days? Are you dissatisfied with your overall energy and fitness level as a result? You may want to consider skipping eating lunch out and instead take low fat packed lunches to work. Here are a few steps that make help you on the road to making a change toward healthy meals.
Avoid Processed Foods
Anything that comes in a prepackaged container when you buy it is more likely to be higher in fat and calories. On top of that, these kinds of foods tend to feature less natural ingredients. As far as ingredients to avoid, anything that contains hydrogenated oil, enriched flour, and simple sugars is going to be a less desirable option than something healthier.
Healthy Snacks for Lunch Are a Must
You may want to consider eating several smaller snacks rather than one large lunch. Fresh produce will always be among the best options in this case. Sweet peppers, while delicious and low in calories, are also rich in antioxidants. As for fruit, bananas and cherries are solid choices as well. To make things more interesting, you may consider sliced apples with honey, or even peanut butter on celery.
The Benefits of Nuts
Nuts can be excellent, nutrition dense sources for sustenance that provide more than just essential protein. While nuts do contain fats, it is important to note that not all fats are unhealthy, and that those featured in nuts help to promote heart health. Almonds are high in calcium and Vitamin E. Walnuts have much needed monounsaturated fats and antioxidants. Brazil nuts contain selenium, an ideal mineral for boosting immunity, among other things.
While the three points above focused more on snacks, you can easily incorporate the foods mentioned above in low fat lunches recipes. If you have general questions or comments, or you simply have some low fat lunches recipes to pass along, be sure to share in the forum below.