LUNCH PLANNING For Adults
Lunch, you know that meal mid day that is usually skipped entirely or rushed through.
The meal that is sad and uninspired or tempted from a local fast food place.
Your lunch predicts your actions for the rest of the day. Having a filling, delicious, and satisfying lunch means you’re less likely to have that 3pm slump, you might feel up for the gym, you might have more energy for all the after work running around that inevitably happens.
Sara Foote WELLNESS LUNCH PLANNING
For an optimal lunch, there are some criteria that will help you to feel your best 1. Filling 2. Satisfying 3. Delicious
Delicious is in the eye of the fork holder, but for filling and giving lasting energy, I recommend meals that consist of Protein, Carbs, and Fiber.
I’m going to include a chart, choose 1 or 2 items from each column to plan out the lunches that will hit the spot this week.
Protein Fiber Veggies Fats Other
Eggs Oats, Quinoa, Colorful Olive Oli, Grass Dark Chocolate, Brown Rice, Vegetables Fed Butter, honey, maple Whole Fat or Whole Wheat (asparagus, Ghee, Coconut syrup, basil, Greek Yogurt cucumber, Oil garlic, ginger, Fruits (fresh or eggplan, green Avocado mint, oregano, Nuts, Nut Frozen or dried) beans, peas, arsley, butters, Hemp Chia Seeds, peppers, rosemary, Seeds, flax Pepitas, Granola squash, thyme, turmeric seeds tomatoes, Beans (cannellini, zucchin) Tea, coffee, Red meat and kidney, navy, Bok choy, kombucha, Poultry pinto, white, broccoli, peanuts) brussels sprouts Milk or Milk Tempeh alternatives Mushrooms Spinach, Kale, Sustainable Cabbage, Fatty Fish (wild Sweet Potato, Collard, salmon, turnips, parsnips, Mustard, swiss sardines, rhutabags, celery chard mackerel, tuna, trout)
Sara Foote WELLNESS LUNCH PLANNING
NOTE: These categories can be debated, all foods have more than one function and nutrient. These are just basic building blocks for a complete meal.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Protein
Fiber
Veggies
Fat
Other
Sara Foote WELLNESS LUNCH PLANNING
Steps to Lunch Planning.
1. Are you using Left overs? a. Yes, ok write that down, what day. b. Does your left over fill all the categories? Delicious? Filling? Satisfying?
2. What do you want to eat? a. Go through the food options and see what sounds, good, build a grocery list for what you might need.
Example Lunch Ideas: The follow recipes all have fairly similar ingredients and could be used to make 10 lunches, about 2 servings per recipe.
Open Face California Roll
Ingredients ● 5 oz package Imitation Crab Meat ● Matchstick Carrots ● Diced Cucumber ● Mayo ● Sriracha ● Precooked Brown Rice ● Soy Sauce
Directions ● Mix Crab Meat with Mayo and Sriracha for desired consistency and spiciness. ● In 2 containers layer Brown Rice, veggies, and then crab mixture on top ● Feel free to add any other veggies you’d prefer, example Riced Cauliflower, Avocado, Edamame
Sara Foote WELLNESS LUNCH PLANNING
Charcuterie Bowl
Ingredients ● 8 oz of Meats (sliced lunch meat, prosciutto, pepperoni, salami, grilled chicken) ● 3 oz of Preferred Cheese (Cheddar cubs, mozzarella, babybel wheels of cheese ● Raw Veggies like baby carrots, broccoli florets, cucumber slices, radishes, bell peppers, ● Fruit, berries, apple slices, grapes ● Extras: Nuts, Pretzels, hummus, mustard, honey, crackers, dark chocolate
Directions: ● Prepare all your preferred ingredients and divide between 2 and 3 containers to get a good variety of all. Use divided containers to avoid mixing.
Avocado Toast
Ingredients: ● 2 Avocados ● Na’an or other flat bread (you can use any bread you like but i find this to work best for packing lunches) ● Lemon Juice ● Olive Oil ● Salt and Pepper ● Your Choice of Extras ○ Hard Boiled Eggs Arugula ○ Smoked Salmon and Red Onion and Capers ○ Grape Tomatoes and Mozzarella cheese ○ Cucumber Slices and Dill
Directions ● Mash avocado and sprinkle with salt and pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil. ● Prepare your desired Extras ● In a container with dividers package your bread, have your avocada, and then your toppers. When ready to eat assemble and enjoy!
Sara Foote WELLNESS LUNCH PLANNING
Shrimp Spring Roll Salad
Ingredients ● 8 oz cooked shrimp ● ¼ cup chopped Basil ● ¼ cup chopped Cilantro ● ¼ cup chopped Mint ● 5 oz Mixed Greens ● Shredded Carrots ● Chopped Cucumber ● 2 Tbsp Ginger style dressing ● Any Extras: Chopped Peanuts, Bean Sprouts, Avocado, peppers, etc
Directions ● In 2 containers, layer dressing on the bottom, then shrimp, then heavy vegetables like carrots, and cucumbers, then herbs and greens on top. ● Mix and Enjoy!
Green Goddess Sandwich
Ingredients ● Green Goddess Dressing ● Pickled Onions ● Bread of Choice, preferably a high fiber bread ● ½ avocado, sliced ● 2 slices of fresh mozzarella ● I medium tomato ● Thinly sliced cucumber ● Sprouts ● Mixed Greens
Directions ● Toast bread, if packing up, leave aside to stack your sandwich right before enjoying ● Layer bread with dressing, cheese, and then all the veggies
Sara Foote
WELLNESS LUNCH PLANNING
Lunch Prep Tips
1. Get the containers you need. Sizes you need. Get enough so you can prep all that you need at once 2. Prep during kitchen time. If you’re cooking dinner, and waiting for something to boil or preheat, take that time to chop, mince, or measure to save time. 3. Buy pre prepared foods, pre cut veggies, frozen and pre cooked, whenever you can. 4. Schedule the time to prep all your meals, set a timer and stick to it. 5. Start with the clean stuff. Prep your veggies first, then fruits, stick juicy things for almost last, but finish with raw meats to prevent cross contamination of any accidental drips or mishandled items.
Sara Foote WELLNESS LUNCH PLANNING
Grocery List:
Produce Dairy/Meat/Deli Bakery
Matchstick Carrots 5 oz package Imitation Crab Na’an or other flat bread
2-3 Cucumber Meat (you can use any bread you baby carrots 8 oz of Meats (sliced lunch like but i find this to work broccoli florets meat, prosciutto, pepperoni, best for packing lunches) 4-5 Avocados salami, grilled chicken) Grape Tomatoes 3 oz of Preferred Cheese Bread of Choice, preferably a 1 Medium Tomato (Cheddar cubs, mozzarella, high fiber bread babybel wheels of cheese Lemon Juice Smoked Salmon Red Onion Hard Boiled Eggs Fresh Mozzarella cheese Basil block Cilantro 8 oz cooked shrimp Mint Dill Mixed Greens Sprouts Bean Sprouts
Green Goddess Dressing
Options: radishes, bell peppers, arugula Fruit, berries, apple slices, grapes
Pantry Items
Mayo Capers Sriracha Ginger style dressing Precooked Brown Rice Chopped Peanuts Soy Sauce Pickled Onions Nuts, Pretzels, hummus, mustard, honey, crackers, dark chocolate
Olive Oil Salt and Pepper
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WELLNESS LUNCH PLANNING
Grocery List General Ideas to Have On Hand:
Produce Dairy/Meat/Deli Bakery Freezer
Your favorite Greens Eggs/Hard Boiled Whole Wheat Bread Frozen riced Avocado Eggs cauliflower Carrots Deli meat Frozen brown rice Grape Tomatoes Cheese slices or Frozen shelled Red onion cubes edamame Cucumber Smoked Salmon Pre cooked Chicken Breast
Pantry items
Canned Tuna Nuts Nut Butters
Sara Foote WELLNESS LUNCH PLANNING
Thank You!
I hope you found some value in this guide. If you happen to make one of these recipes or one of these tips, I’d love it if you tagged me on social media @sarafootewellness on instagram. I want to see what you’re ‘cooking up’ → get it!! Haha.
Want more?
Join my Facebook Group Women Who Eat. That’s where I do free coaching to help women who are confused about food and want to be confident about the foods they feed themselves and their family. Head over to www.facebook.com/groups/4womenwhoeat.
But seriously, if you have any questions or want to expand on this, send me an email over at [email protected], I’m happy to chat and see how I can help!
Shine On, xoxo Sara
Sara Foote
WELLNESS