Unless we are prepared, it can be a pretty slippery slope to grabbing whatever is available ‘downstairs’ and munching on it at the desk, and it’s never satisfying. Nor is it good for us when it becomes a repeated pattern. In order to make sure we eat well at work, it is imperative to be organised in advance. The beauty of doing this is that it’s not really that difficult!

I want to share with you a simple system that is guaranteed to keep you away from the burritos and schnitzels and in a steady supply of refreshing, rejuvenating, delicious lunch bowls.

If you’re looking for some lunch inspiration, take a look at my recipe ebook, Easy Wholefood Lunchboxes. It’s packed with 40 delicious nut-free, refined sugar free sweet and savoury recipes which have all been kid-tested and approved and the whole family will love!

Off course, the easiest way  is to ALWAYS make extras at dinner to pack for lunch the next day. Here are some meals which provide great lunch bowl leftovers:  fish cakes , make extra and break them up into a garden salad for lunch; make extra Potato, Feta and Spinach Frittata for dinner and pack the rest for work with a salad; Fresh and Raw Zucchini Salad makes an easy ‘pack and run’ lunch bowl option; or this Indian Cauliflower, Potato and Mung Dhal Soup is a great option for Winter; add some diced cucumber and tomatoes to this Middle-Eastern rice and lentil dish; or pack up some of this Asian-Style Vegetable and Noodle Salad.

Other tips when you are making dinner:

• throw in some extra vegetables to roast
• cook up some extra rice or quinoa
• add an extra shank into the slow cooker, chicken thighs into the oven, fish patties into the frying pan.

And now…

Each Sunday spend up to an hour getting your lunch bowl ingredients organised for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, then prep again on Wednesdays for Thursday and Friday.
The 4 main components you need to prepare for the lunch bowl are VEGETABLES, PROTEIN, GRAINS/CARBS AND DRESSING. Always ensure you include some healthy fats, which can be found in some of the ingredients suggested below like avocado, olive oil, fish, meat, eggs, olive, cheese and nuts.

VEGETABLES

Vegetables can be raw, lightly steamed, roasted and a combination of all of them can be used in your salad

Here are some of the bounty you can choose from,choose seasonal and make sure to include at least 1 type of leafy green

Eat the Rainbow

• Cucumbers
• Red Capsicum
• Radish
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Green Beans
• Snow Peas
• Beetroot
• Cauliflower
• Eggplant
• Cucumber
• Potato
• Sweet Potato
• Corn
• Squash
• Tomatoes
• Zucchini
• Avocado
• Pumpkin
• Mushrooms
• Asparagus
• Olives
• Garlic
• Sundried Tomatoes
• Herbs like basil, parsley, coriander, mint

Greens

• Kale
• Baby Spinach
• Brocolli
• Spinach
• Rocket
• Asparagus
• Beet Greens (the leafy bit on top of beetroot)
• Bok Choy
• Brussel Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Celery
• Chard
• Lettuce
• Sprouts
• Watercress

Fruits which are also yummy in salads

• Grapes
• Figs
• Apple
• Pear
• Strawberries
• Mango
• Raspberries

PROTEIN

• Chicken
• Fish (including tinned wild caught salmon and sustainable tuna)
• Meat
• Eggs
• Nuts and Seeds
• Cheese – cheddar, parmesan regianno, halomi, fetta, gruyere, blue, goats
• Legumes/pulses -adzuki, red kidney, black, chickpeas, navy, pinto, lentils
• Tempeh

GRAINS/CARBOHYDRATE (optional)

• Basmati Rice
• Brown Rice
• Wild Rice
• Quinoa
• Rice or Buckwheat noodles
• Sweet Potato(starchy carb)
• Beans (starchy carb)
• Corn (starchy carb)
• Peas (starchy carb)

DRESSING

• Vinaigrette
• Sesame oil and tamari
• Olive oil,mustard and balsamic
• Fresh herbs, Olive Oil,Lemon
• Honey and tumeric
• Japanese Miso Dressing

ADD ONS

• Fermented Veges
• Dulse Flakes
• Nutrional Yeast
• Dried Herbs
• Spices
• Sesame,chia, poppy seeds

5 SALAD BOWL RECIPE IDEAS TO GET YOU STARTED

Warm Spinach Salad with Chicken, Bacon & Mushroom by Becomingness.

Tex-Mex Burrito Bowl  by me.

Spicy Quinoa, Apple and Kale Salad by The Holistic Ingredient.

Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad by Low Tox Life.

10 minute Nourishing Dinner Bowl (which I think is perfect for lunch too!) by The Fit Foodie.

There you have it. With a bit of preparation, you can keep firing on all systems while you work, and get excited about your next lunch break.

Bren x