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Healthy Diet Plans >>  Lunch >>  Packed Lunches For Work

Packed Lunches For Work


If soggy sandwiches or cold, drab soup boxes are your idea of packed lunch ideas for work, you need a desperate change of menu. Packed lunches for work need not be a chore with a little creative thinking and a checklist for shopping produce and groceries. Packed lunches for work not only eliminate the cost of buying cafeteria food or boredom of eating out everyday, they could also bring a drastic change in your diet, forcing you to think healthy and delicious. You can experiment with your favorite foods or international cuisines, go organic or simply pack a healthy lunch for work.

Here are a few tips and suggestions to make a healthy packed lunch for office:

  • When shopping for home groceries, make sure you have a few options lined up as packed lunches for work.
    It maybe tempting to reach out for pre-packaged lunches; however, beware of calorie content and sodium levels in these foods. Sandwiches are a great idea, if you plan and buy ingredients such as multigrain bread and healthy sandwich fillings.
  • Post dinner leftovers such as chicken or tuna make excellent meals for next day. Leftover soups maybe salvaged from dinnertime too. Crusty bread makes a great addition to cold or warm soups. If you find yourself rushed for time in the mornings you can simply store such extras in microwaveable boxes to warm up at office during lunchtime.
  • Pack a healthy lunch for work at night, so you do not have to struggle in the morning. Easy, carry and go lunches may include a box of cut fruits and veggies with a side dip or sauce. You may pack your pasta and sauce separately the night before. Refrigerated foods such as these maybe packed beforehand and warmed at lunchtime.
  • If it is a packed week ahead, start early. Yes, as early as the weekend. You can build a week’s worth of healthy lunches and refrigerate them. Make large batches of soup, fillings and sauces and cut veggies. Pack them in individual pouches or boxes that you can rely on through the week.

How To Pack Lunch For Work


You may find plenty of suggestions and recipes for healthy packed lunches for work as the ‘brown bag’ revolution picks up steam. What you also need to bear in mind are tips on how to pack lunch for work. For the most part, what to carry for lunch is not as challenging as how to ensure it stays that way through your commute and workday. If you are committed to carrying your lunch to work, it is best to invest in reusable plastic air tight containers, sandwich bags, and lunch totes that are attractive and fun (this part is to ensure that you don’t forget your packed lunch at home). Environment-friendly reusable containers ensure that your packed lunch stays fresh and cleaning is not a chore either. Make sure that you pack lunch portions according to your needs and make space for snack bags too. A can of soda (for a pick me up), a pack of juice, yogurt bowls, mixed nuts, or a whole fruit work as great ideas for snacking at lunch without the mess. Low calorie crackers, multigrain pita with a side of hummus or dip, multigrain tortilla strips with a side of homemade salsa are delicious, easy to carry and a right portion for snacks.

Things to pack for lunch at work:

  • Variety is the key to packing lunches for work. Slapping some meat between sandwiches will wear you out and soon you will prefer eating out to packing lunch. Here are a few options worth trying out. Use them as broad guidelines, and the variety you can create is limitless.
  • Burritos and wraps work as well as sandwiches. A little Mexican flare will spice up your lunch, and these are both easy to carry and mess-free lunches to eat right at your desk.
  • Leftover soup or chili acts as a satisfying meal paired with crusty bread or pita. You may add a salad or side dish to make it wholesome.
  • Try different cuisines and incorporate lentils and legumes as soups or salads into your lunch ideas.
  • Asian cuisine, such as bento box, noodle soup, sprout salads, and steamed rice with chicken curry, maybe packed for lunch at work.
  • Carry a granola bar, flavored yogurt, or even a light dessert to complete your meal.
  • Packing a healthy lunch to work will save you hundreds of dollars on take-out lunches or eating out at restaurants. Moreover, packed lunches ensure that you are in control of how much you eat. You can keep an eye on sodium and calorie content. For the diet conscious, packed lunch to work is certainly a healthy choice.
Submitted on January 16, 2014