Now that we are on the first (or second) week of the school year, there’s a solid routine that we all know well: lunches ready to go! Even if you aren’t a parent, most of us can definitely remember being kids and having our parents hand us over a pre-made lunch to haul to school. Ah the days of having a personal chef! But why is that now as adults, bringing lunches somehow has lost its appeal?
Take the minimalist approach
Much like the lunches that were packed when we went to school, we suggest keeping your pre-packed lunch just as simple. Aim for balance not complexity, as it can already be hard just to make a balanced meal to begin with. If you’re whipping up a quick lunch for yourself the night before, definitely cut time down by going the no-cook approach. Tuna salads are easy and can take less than ten minutes to make. If you’re worried about a smelly lunch, swap the tuna for store-bought roasted chicken or vegetarian protein are other alternatives to keep it easy. Cold lunches are not only quick to make, but there’s no worrying about how to heat it up later!
Pack it to go!
Think of the time you’ll save by having your lunch ready! Crazy mornings with kids might be a little less crazy if you can be sure you’ve already prepared yourself. Long work days can take a toll on us, and having to run out and waste precious break time on finding a lunch makes those days seem longer. Bringing lunch also optimizes on the small time we have to ourselves during the day. Lunch can now be a time to decompress and worry less!
Once you get into the habit of doing it, we promise making lunch ahead of time won’t seem like any extra work! Trying bringing your own lunch to work this week and see what you can do with your extra time!