How To Pack A Healthy Lunch

Do you ever feel too busy, too stressed or too pressured to take a lunch break?

If so, you are certainly not alone.

According to research, only 1 in 10 Aussies take a regular meal break. A further 75% of employees feel chained to their desks with 'too much work to do".

I totally relate and empathise! Back when I worked in a full-time clinic, I would regularly run overtime with patients and miss out on eating my lunch. Perhaps you have a job that has high demands too, or young children who don't rest at predictable times...

Whatever the case may be, it saddens me that skipping lunch has become 'normal' and 'acceptable' for so many of us today. It seems incredible that we've become 'too busy' to meet the basic human function of eating. Yet it doesn't need to be this way. Countries such as Sweden, Spain and Greece still enjoy long lunch breaks - up to 3 hours, which sounds unbelievable, I know! - despite the pressures of modern life.

Here are just a few benefits of lunchin' like the Europeans...

• Increased focus and a 'recharged brain'
• Decreased stress
• Better energy
• Improved productivity
• Enhanced digestion
• Healthy blood pressure
• Higher quality sleep (an odd association but one that's found in the research nonetheless!)

Perhaps more importantly though, what you eat at lunch is a lead domino for what you eat at night. I work with many people who are ashamed of how much they eat in the evening. Instead of understanding that our appetites will catch up with us when we don't support them throughout the day, these lovely people feel like they're 'failing' at food.

The system of 'skipping lunch' sets us up to overeat. Second by second of every day, your hypothalamus is tracking how much energy is available in the body. If you skip lunch, the hypothalamus knows you're 'in the red' with your calorie intake and - get this - will actually upregulate your appetite to make you eat more. So, if 5pm to 7pm feels like a 'problem time' for you with snacking or overeating, the problem usually isn't remedied by focussing on this time of the day. Instead, we've got to get to the heart of the matter by supporting your appetite earlier with a proper lunch, so the hypothalamus isn't sending you signals to dive into the cupboard when you get home from work.

Here are my top tips for fitting in a healthy lunch:

• Impress your boss with results, not appearances. So many people tell me that they're terrified of 'looking bad' if they take a lunch break. Yet if we really care about performing well at work, eating lunch should be one of our highest priorities! The research is endless and unequivocal - your brain and body need a lunch break to rest and recharge if you want to perform at your best. Period. This is like the law of gravity; it may be inconvenient, however you can't cheat the system with willpower or caffeine. Nothing replaces food and time out. You'll return to your work (or family, or whatever task you're focussed on) with renewed vigour and the results will speak for themselves!
• Remind yourself that guilt isn't necessary. When people feel really stuck in guilt around stepping away for lunch, I ask them, "Do you feel guilty for breathing? Or needing to go to the toilet?" Of course not! Yet eating is a vital function too, not an optional indulgence in your day. Guilt has no place in this.
• Get organised with SYSTEMS. Do you need another thing to add to your To Do list? I'm willing to bet no ;) My best advice is to systemise healthy lunches. Systems are great (and a little different to goals) because they don't require mental willpower once you put them in place. Here are some examples of systems I've implemented to make packing lunches easy:
• a) I have two spaces in my cupboard which are designated for lunchbox 'carbs' (for example, sachets of microwave rice and quinoa) and lunchbox 'proteins' (i.e. small cans of 4 bean mix and tuna). I also have a box of condiments in my cupboards to jazz up salads and lunches (such as dukkah, infused olive oils, balsamic glaze, seed mixes).
• b) When ingredients get low in these designated spots, my partner or I add them to a shared google spreadsheet called 'Shopping Lists'. It takes two seconds on our phones to do this and they are purchased on our weekly 'Shopping Day' (which is a 'system' in our joint calendar too :) ).
• c) I've got enough lunchboxes to last us all week. I know myself well enough to realise that I don't always wash them up each day (gross, but true!) so we've bought plenty to see us through.
• Make a 'King Salad' each week. Every Sunday, I spend 15 minutes making a GIANT salad that serves our lunches. With it prepared in the fridge, all I have to do is grab a few handfuls, pour over some oil, add in some tuna, cheese and a rice sachet, and lunch is packed in a sum total of 3 minutes.
• Create a culture that supports lunch breaks. I recently visited a company who has a 'no desk' eating policy, which is a MARVELLOUS idea! Having policies that explicitly encourage lunch breaks will go a long way to supporting employees to take much-needed breaks.
• Implement 'Slow Cooker Sundays'. If you are busy and feel overwhelmed with food prep, give yourself the gift of a slow cooker! In 15 minutes or less (and no dirty pans!), you can cook plenty of delicious recipes and use them for the week ahead. My personal faves are dahl, moroccan (can be cooked in a tagine if you prefer) and lamb bourguignon. If these recipes seem a bit complicated, a wonderfully convenient slow cooker book I'd highly recommend is this one here by 4 Ingredients.
• Factor in a 'Cheat Day'. After all - you're human! I budget to eat out for lunch at least once a week and enjoy having that wriggle room in my planning.

What's your favourite tip for fitting in a healthy lunch break?