Eating healthy while you have to be in the office eight plus hours a day can be a challenge; I’m guessing you usually either grab a bite from your go-to deli down the block or just pack yourself some snacks to graze on throughout the day. However, you can eat healthy while you’re at work, as YouTube personality Blair Fowler shows you.
I’m now a freelancer, but when I was in college, I struggled to have a healthy lunch, since I was usually on the go in between classes and work. Typically, I would go to my favorite coffee shop and campus and get a coffee and a pastry, which is not the healthiest lunch option out there. Looking back, I definitely had more energy and kept a more positive attitude when I took the time to eat something healthy and satisfying. Taking 10 minutes before you go to bed to make your lunch for the next day (because let's face it: you're not going to lose sleep in the morning for anything) can be a great investment in your health and wellbeing. Here are a few lunch ideas from Fowler.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Bites
PB&J is a classic lunch favorite. Fowler makes this kid-inspired lunch entree healthy by substituting classic white bread for a whole grain or a tortilla. To save yourself a stained blouse, she also has the clever idea to cut up the rolled tortilla into bite-sized pieces that you can then transfer to a reusable container, making it easy to eat.
Yogurt Parfait
Most of us will grab a Chobani on our way out the door, but pre-packaged yogurt cups are often filled with added sugar and preservatives. As a fun alternative that feeds your eyes as much as your stomach, Fowler suggests making a Mason-jar yogurt parfait. To do this, she starts with a thick layer of greek yogurt and then adds layers of granola, berries, and chia seeds until she reaches the top of the jar. I personally love to eat ice-cream with crunchy candy, so I'm going to be trying this as an alternative.
Spinach Salad
The problem with taking a spinach salad to work is that you often have to make a separate dressing or risk your leaves getting soggy as it sits in the liquid for hours until you're ready to eat. To avoid this pitfall, Fowler uses a Mason jar and puts the dressing into the bottom, followed by tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese, with the spinach leaves sitting on top. The genius of this is that when you open the mason jar and place your salad into a bowl, the spinach will come out first, followed by your toppings and dressing already mixed together.
If you want to see even more creative lunch ideas to take to work, watch the video below:
Images: Kurman, Kitchen Life of a Navy Wife, Rader, blair_25/Flickr
