Workplace lunch boxes make a difference. Most foods on offer at vending machines, office trolleys, canteens and ‘tuck shops’ are high in saturated (bad fats), total fat, sodium (salt) and/ or sugar. They are also devoid of fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Eating these foods often can result in poor blood glucose (sugar) control, erratic eating and leaving you with low energy levels, irritability, poor concentration and weight gain. This may place you at high risk of diabetes, heart attacks, stroke, gout, high blood pressure, cancer and other diseases.
Therefore, packing a workplace lunchbox makes a lot of sense! You can choose what you want to eat and you can choose the healthy options to NOURISH your body!
Ideas for packing a healthy ‘lunchbox’ – Add one from each of the columns below:
| Healthy Carbohydrates | Lean Protein | Good fats | Veggies |
| Wholewheat breadLow GI bread
Wholewheat wrap Wholewheat pita Wholewheat couscous Brown rice Chickpeas Lentils Butternut Corn |
Chicken (skinless)Tuna (brine/ salt water)
Sardines/ pilchards Smoked chicken Lean Ham Boiled egg Cottage cheese Danish Feta (30g) Mozzarella cheese (30g) Low fat cheese (30g) |
Avocado pearSoft tub margarine
Lite mayonnaise Fish paste Handful (30g) nuts Basil pesto Sundried tomato Olives Olive spread |
TomatoCucumber
Carrots Lettuce Sweet peppers Beetroot (bottled, rinse) Sugar snap peas Celery Long stem broccoli Spinach |
| Savoury snack ideas | Sweet snack ideas |
| BiltongBoiled egg with 4 Provita’s
2 laughing cow cheese wedges with 4 Provita’s Vegetable crudités and dip (flavoured cottage cheese) 2 rye crackerbread with Bovril/ Fish paste (not if ↑ BP) One handful of nuts (30 g snack packet) 2 rice cakes with 2 tsp peanut butter (heartmark) Popcorn (low GI) Extra Thin Pretzels |
Fresh fruitDried fruit (20-25 g)
Fruit bar/ rolls (no sugar added) 2 crackerbread with cottage cheese & banana Plain yoghurt with small mango Fruit yoghurt (fat free, no sugar added) x1 muesli lite rusk (Ouma) Low fat frozen yoghurt |
It is always good to seek the help of a trained nutrition professional if you are looking for an individualized plan. Click here to find a dietitian in your area. If it is about nutrition, ask your dietitian.
Remember: LOVE FOOD. EAT SMART. LOVE LIFE.
