The benefits of a brown paper bag lunch

It’s all in the planning

Packing a lunch for school or work can be a tiring task. You want something different from the day before, something that won’t leak or squash in your bag and something that tastes good!

If you are taking your lunch from home you are at least on the right track. We know that people who buy their lunch are more likely to consume more calories and obviously taking your lunch from home is also kinder to your purse.

You know there are 'packed lunch benefits'

There are other benefits to taking a packed lunch – we know that people who eat similar foods each day find it easier to manage their weight because there is less room for extra calories. Repeating the same lunch could also help to manage your blood glucose levels because there is less variation. So don't be afraid to repeat the same lunch three or four times in the same week or keep your lunch the same and just make small changes (such as different sandwich fillings).

So what should you take? The easiest way to think of your lunch is to take a main item and then three or four snacks, depending on how long you spend at work and how active you are. Snacks from home are good to have on hand for times when you get hungry, because they stop you from hunting around for foods that may be high in fat and added sugar.

There are four main components that make up a healthy lunch – a low glycaemic index carbohydrate, some protein, some vegetables or fruit and some water.

Low GI carbohydrate–pasta, grainy bread, wholemeal wrap, grainy crackers, couscous, quinoa
Protein–baked beans, skinless chicken breast, tin of tuna, boiled egg, low-fat cheese
Vegetables and fruit–carrot, celery, cucumber sticks, cherry tomatoes, tinned fruit, fresh fruit, small amount of dried fruit

Here are some healthy lunch and snack ideas:

Healthy lunch ideas

Healthy snack ideas

Quiche and salad

Sandwich or wrap (salad and a protein)

Sushi

Egg, tuna or lentils with couscous and greens

Tuna and grainy crackers

Baked beans on grainy muffin

Lentil and vegetable soup

Leftovers from last night’s dinner

Cold noodles, tinned corn and flavoured tuna