Runner Leana

...sometimes with a little swimming and biking thrown in...

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TOTR: Healthy Lunches at the Office

December 2, 2014 By: Runner Leana

Today I’m linking up with MCM Mama Runs, No Guilt Life and Run the Great Wide Somewhere for Tuesdays on the Run!

One of the things I have wanted to improve about my eating habits for a long time is to consistently bring my own lunch to work.  For some reason I really struggled with it and would instead spend lots of money purchasing a lunch that was not the healthiest and would be too large of a portion size.  If you think that buying a lunch every day would cost anywhere between $8 and $14, that really adds up!  I tend to workout over the lunch hour a lot, so I’d get back to the office and feel completely famished.  I’d devour that huge lunch I had just purchased because it was all right in front of me.

Working Lunch

Leftovers

Bringing leftovers from home is the easiest solution for a healthy lunch.  You don’t have to spend any extra time to make something new.  If I completely relied on leftovers for lunch I would start to feel a little bit stifled in my meal planning for the week as I kept searching for recipes that would heat up well.

I also committed the number one faux pas in an open concept office.  Desperate for a home cooked lunch I grabbed last night’s dinner out of the fridge to take to work.  I did a gruelling stair workout at lunch time so I was famished when I got back to my desk.  I heated up my leftovers without a thought and just as I was eating our floor admin walked by to ask me if I was the one who had heated up fish curry in the microwave.  Don’t bring fish curry for lunch my friends!

IMG 8528

It Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

Having a few pantry staples on hand plus a few fresh fruits or veggies can help you whip up a quick lunch.  Canned beans, canned fish, frozen edamame, apples, carrots, celery, broccoli slaw, nuts, oils and vinegars.  Throw together in a bowl for a salad that will hold up throughout the day.

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Prep on the Weekend

Prepping food on the weekend was finally my a-ha moment.  I felt like it would take too much time…time that I didn’t have during Ironman training.  And yes, it does involve a bit of extra time in the kitchen but it doesn’t have to be a lot.  Put some rice on to cook that can be used for healthy bowls during the week.  Roast up some vegetables…whatever you have on hand…beets, broccoli, sweet potato, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts.  Add in nuts or seeds for protein and healthy fasts.  The combinations can be endless.

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Favourite Recipes

Cranberry, Walnut and Chickpea Salad from The Simple Veganista

Apples taste delicious in here too.  The Simple Veganista has a few different riffs on a chickpea salad including one with carrots and celery and another with curry.

Miso Sweet Potato and Broccoli Bowl from Smitten Kitchen

This recipe is a great jumping off point.  The miso sesame sauce is delicious.  Roast up whatever vegetables you like – it doesn’t have to be broccoli and sweet potato.

Swiss Chard and Quinoa Veggie Bowl from Triathlete Magazine

This recipe is a little bit more involved, but again, it serves as a great jumping off point for creating a delicious and nutritious lunch.  Combine cooked quinoa, a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, sauté up some vegetables.

Tell me about how you keep your lunches at the office healthy!  Any favourite recipes or tips to share?

Tuesdays on the run

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Comments

  1. 1

    Jen Rawson says

    December 2, 2014 at 2:45 pm

    Leftovers are usually my lunches. I prefer hot lunches so its perfect. But I agree…no fish!

  2. 2

    Janelle J says

    December 2, 2014 at 3:26 pm

    This is such a timely post! I am working on getting back to meal planning and actually doing the meal prepping for the whole week! Leftovers are usually my best bet for a “free lunch”.

  3. 3

    kris. says

    December 2, 2014 at 4:48 pm

    Love it! Prepping is a little extra time but it is 110% worth it!!

  4. 4

    Fairytales and Fitness says

    December 2, 2014 at 5:59 pm

    These sound like yummy and easy lunches. Prepping on the weekends does make it easier during the week. -L

  5. 5

    Kaella Neithercut says

    December 2, 2014 at 8:39 pm

    This is a great post! As you know, I’m trying to bring my lunch more. Today, I threw chicken leftovers into a giant salad. Easy!! 🙂

  6. 6

    April Shuping says

    December 3, 2014 at 12:19 am

    I try to limit myself to one lunch out a week. It saves so much money, time and calories to bring my own from home. I’ve been making a big crock pot of soup on the weekends and putting it in pyrex containers to take in for lunch all week long. It really hits the spot this time of year and I don’t like the thought of wasting it by eating out instead. It’s been working very well for me and everyone at work is jealous at how good the homemade soup smells (not like fish curry, lol)! Thanks for linking up with us today!

who is runner leana?

6 x Ironman Finisher, 11 x 70.3 Finisher, geeky engineer and recent MBA grad.

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