Preparing your lunch when working instead of buying it can be smart for both your finances and your health. It can, however, be hard to think of new, exciting ideas.

In this article, we try and inspire you with some healthy lunchtime ideas. Some of these apply for lunch-at-work rather then work-from-home, which many of us are doing these days.

Here are some tips to re-energise your lunch menu while saving money and your health:

1. Invest in mini salad dressing containers to keep your salad fresh

There’s nothing less appetising than a soggy salad. If you love great salads at lunch, invest in mini containers to keep your dressing separate. At lunchtime, give your container a shake and coat your salad leaves. They’ll have stayed fresh, and you will still get the great flavour of salad dressing.

2. Roast some veggies on Sunday afternoon

Picture this: You’re trying to eat salad for lunch, but even the word ‘salad’ sounds boring to you. Spruce up your salad by adding some roast vegetables. Roasting veggies takes time, so prepare them early on the weekend. Not only will roast veggies add colour and flavour to your salads at work, but they’ll also fill you up. Sweet potatoes are low GI, which means they’ll even give you energy long into the afternoon when you’re usually craving a coffee break.

3. Take fruit or dark chocolate for your afternoon slump

If you love finishing a meal with a sweet treat, take it to work with you to avoid running to the shop and grabbing a chocolate bar. Fruits like berries, stonefruit, dates, and grapes are great ways to get a post-lunch sugar fix without going overboard on sugar. Dark chocolate is also a great way to satisfy your cravings.

If that doesn’t work take along a piece of your favourite high-quality chocolate. Savour it with a coffee or tea, and enjoy every bite. If you take it with you from home, you can control how much you are eating. If you save it for the three pm slump, you’ll also get a great injection of energy for the last couple of work hours.

Preparing your lunch is a healthy way to eat while working. There’s nothing wrong with eating treats as a part of your lunch, as long as they’re not eaten daily, and you enjoy them. Guilt around food leads to overeating, so don’t feel guilty, keep it balanced and just enjoy it.

Written by Caitlin R.
As a physiotherapist and personal trainer, Caitlin is passionate about health and fitness.