What Should I Eat for Lunch?

If you find yourself thinking 'What Should I Eat for Lunch' on a daily basis, then this is the article for you! We've put together a bunch of inspiring, tasty but easy ideas that go beyond the boring sandwich and make lunch time great again!

What makes a lunch 'satisfying'?

If you find yourself thinking about food again - only a couple of hours after eating lunch - then the lunch you're eating is not providing your body with what it needs!

To make a lunch 'satisfying', it ideally needs 2 main components!

• It should contain complex carbohydrates
• It needs to include protein

Complex carbohydrates - unlike simple carbohydrates, which are often found in processed foods - take a long time for the body to digest. This means they help you feel full for longer. Found in foods like brown rice and whole grain bread, complex carbs are very nutritious, too! 

Protein - found in foods like fish, beans and meat - is also digested slowly. Foods such as eggs and chicken are high in protein and very easy to include on your lunch time menu!

10 satisfying (and totally tasty) lunch ideas 

1. Whole wheat wrap with cooked chicken and salad or veggies (why not make these Healthy Chicken Burritos for dinner the night before and save some for lunch?)

2. Whole grain pasta salad with cooked vegetables (try this Sun Dried Tomato Pasta, which takes just 20 miunutes to prepare)

3. Tuna pasta salad (here's a Gluten-Free Tuna Noodle Salad Recipe that you can throw together in under 10 minutes)

4. Turkey salad open sandwich - just toast whole grain bread and top with mashed avocado, fresh spinach and sliced turkey

5. Lettuce wraps packed with beans (this Black Beans Wraps Recipe uses healthy brown rice or quinoa too)

6. Greek salad (try this Easy Greek Quinoa Salad Recipe)

7. Devilled eggs (these Smoked Salmon Devilled Eggs are just packed with satisfying protein!)

8. Whole wheat pita stuffed with hummus (try this Lentil Hummus Recipe, which is super nutritious and tastes great!)

9.  Whole wheat cheddar and apple sandwich - cheese and apple make a killer combination! Why not have a go at making your own whole wheat bread with this easy recipe?

10. Ham and pineapple in whole wheat wraps - another sweet/savory combination that works perfectly!

Is there anything I SHOULDN'T eat for lunch?

Avoid processed foods, 'empty' calories like candy and chips, and convenience foods like microwave meals. These can give you a short term rise in energy, followed by a 'slump'. Have you ever eaten lunch only to find yourself feeling lethargic and unproductive an hour or so later? That 'slump' is the cause!

Sticking to the protein-rich options above and including nutritious complex carbs will make sure you're firing on all cylinders for the whole afternoon!