Guide to Eating Healthily at Lunch

Eating lunch every day is essential for providing your body with additional energy to work through the afternoon. One of the best ways to ensure a healthy lunch is to bring your own food. Here’s a guide to eating healthily at lunch:

1. How should lunch be eaten?
Whether you bring lunch to work or order food from outside, keep the following points in mind when choosing your lunch:

1.1 Choose foods low in fat, especially saturated fat

• Limit or, even better, avoid fried foods and those cooked in excessive oil.
• Eat as little fatty meat as possible.
• If you want a single noodle dish, opt for a noodle soup rather than fried noodles or noodles with heavy, oily sauces.

1.2 Add vegetables for a more balanced diet

• Whether your lunch is homemade or ordered, try to include plenty of green vegetables. Ideally, choose two types of brightly colored vegetables, including one dark leafy green like spinach, cabbage, or bok choy. This will help you get enough vegetables for the day, providing many essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.

1.3 Limit foods high in sodium

• Excessive sodium intake is linked to high blood pressure. To have a healthier lunch with lower sodium, keep these tips in mind:
  • Limit salty soups or dishes soaked in sauces like soy sauce or fish sauce.
  • Avoid foods containing preservatives, salt-cured or smoked items such as canned meats, sausages, ham, pickles, and salted eggs.
  • Ask vendors to use less sauce and gravy, as these often contain high sodium levels.

1.4 Finish your meal with fresh fruit

• Many people like to end their meal with sweets, often reaching for candy or chocolate to satisfy their sweet tooth. These common treats can be high in sugar and sometimes fat. Frequent consumption can lead to unnecessary calorie intake and weight gain. The ideal dessert after each meal is fresh fruit, which provides essential vitamins for the body.

1.5 Make healthier choices, avoid sugary drinks

• If you have a habit of drinking sugary beverages with lunch, switch to water instead. Drinking too many sugary beverages can lead to weight gain and negatively affect your overall health.

1.6 Eat in moderation

• Control your portion sizes to manage your weight. Eating too much at lunch can lead to weight gain, affect your stomach and digestive system, and make it difficult to sleep, impacting your productivity in the afternoon.

2. Suggestions for eating healthily at lunch

Here are some suggestions you can follow to create a healthy lunch:

• Choose a carbohydrate Base: rice, couscous, polenta, pasta, whole grain bread, rolls, pita bread, potatoes.
• Select some vegetables for salad: bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, asparagus, avocado, corn kernels, carrots, cooked pumpkin, red onions, lettuce, arugula/
• Add some flavorful ingredients: olives, capers, pickles, nuts, eggs.
• Choose a Dairy Product: feta cheese (cubed), mozzarella (balls), cheddar cheese (sliced), goat cheese, fresh cheese, ricotta cheese.
• Pick a Type of Fish or Meat: smoked salmon or salmon fillets, canned tuna or salmon or sardines, ham, sliced beef or lamb, cured meats (like salami or prosciutto), sliced meatballs, cold cuts.
• Or choose a vegetarian option: tofu, falafel, avocado beans, kidney beans, chickpeas
• Add an herb: cilantro, basil, parsley, chives, mint.
• Sprinkle some sauce or dressing: soy sauce, hot sauce, sesame oil, olive oil, mustard, salad dressing or vinegar, mayonnaise, hummus, tzatziki.
• For dessert: fruit, yogurt, a bit of cheese with whole grain crackers.

Sometimes you might not have time for a hearty lunch, or you may want something lighter. Here’s a list of healthy foods that can serve as a morning snack or a light lunch:

• A banana
• Carrots with hummus
• Toast with raisins and cheese
• A fruit smoothie made with milk, yogurt, and fresh or frozen fruit
• Whole grain toast or large whole grain crackers with ricotta and tomato slices
• Peanut butter on whole grain crackers
• A sushi roll
• A cup of homemade soup
• A small container of mixed nuts, or a few low-sodium baked beans on a muffin
• A muffin or whole grain toast with butter or tomato and vegemite

3. Key points for a healthy lunch

Eating a healthy breakfast and lunch brings numerous benefits to your health. Therefore, it is important to be proactive and engaged in caring for your health, improving your quality of life, and extending your lifespan by adopting a scientific lifestyle and diet, including a healthy lunch. To eat healthily at lunch, keep the following points in mind:

• Choose a balanced and healthy lunch: Include a main dish, vegetables, lean protein, and fruit.
• Opt for healthy cooking methods: Prepare foods in a way that reduces fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, salt, and sugar.
• Incorporate whole grains, fruits, and vegetables: Aim to include more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables to boost fiber content and nutritional density in your meal.
• Prepare a nutritious lunch at home: Try to prepare and bring a nutritious lunch from home.

The importance of a healthy lunch for your well-being is undeniable. Therefore, you should be more proactive in managing your health, preventing illness, and enhancing your quality of life by regularly eating a healthy lunch.

References: healthhub.sg – betterhealth.vic.gov.au