"What's in Your Lunchbox?" Part 2: Packing for the Workday

Packing a lunch to bring to work can be a struggle, no matter what your job! It’s difficult to just slow down and eat lunch in this busy world we live in, much less pack it! So how do you find a convenient, simple way to bring lunch to the office and avoid those prepackaged, drive-through meals or vending machine snacks?
This past week I had the opportunity of meeting with Ginger Meyer, who works as a registered dietitian at the Missouri Orthopedic Institute. I interviewed her on how being a dietitian affects her lifestyle and how she packs lunch as a busy, working professional. Here are a few tips based off of the time I spent with her:

• Keep it simple- don’t overthink what you are bringing. If something quick and easy like a sandwich with fresh veggies or leftover soup from home is what works best for you, go for it.
• Take easy, on-the-go foods. Ginger’s go-to is a sandwich with fruit, Greek yogurt, and a protein bar. Try some 100% whole-wheat bread with your favorite meat, hummus, and fresh lettuce and tomato. For Greek yogurt, Two Good or Chobani are great brands that come in a variety of flavors while offering a nice serving of protein. And you can’t go wrong with a Kind bar for a pre-lunch or afternoon snack.
• Pack the night before- this will ensure that you have something to grab in case you wake up late, the kids are being crazy, or things just don’t go as planned (this is not unusual!).
• Make sure you eat a good breakfast- this will keep you satisfied throughout the morning and will help you avoid overeating when lunch comes. Quick-cook oatmeal is a great option that is easy to prepare in the morning and can be jazzed up with lots of fresh/dried fruit, nuts/seeds, or other fun toppings.
• Be flexible! Most people don’t have time to bring a kale salad with grilled chicken, cranberries, toasted pecans and a homemade vinaigrette dressing. Realize you are not the only one who struggles to find time to pack a lunch for work and know that anything you bring that is cooked/prepared from home is a step in the right direction. If you have a hard time getting veggies in at lunch, pack something quick like baby carrots or bell peppers and have your leafy greens and starchy vegetables at dinner when you have more time to prepare.

Some benefits of packing your lunch for work rather than buying out are:

• It’s cheaper! Buying food in bulk from the store and preparing it for work is a lot more affordable than spending money on fast food every day
• It’s healthier! Packing from home means getting rid of the weird preservatives, additives, and chemicals that is often found in food from restaurants or pre-packaged snacks. There’s something to be said for actually knowing what you are putting in your body!
• It’s efficient! If you are already taking time to go out and get food, whether that be at a fast- food chain or a sit-down restaurant, bringing your own lunch is a much more time-effective way of spending your break. Rather than taking the time to drive somewhere or wait for your order to arrive, you have the freedom to eat when you want and where you want, all you’ve got to do is grab your lunchbox and dig in!

So with that, let’s get packing! Your body, bank account, and boss (saving that precious work time!) will all thank you for it.

-Ashley Voeller is a college student, future dietitian, dancer and blogger