My Healthy Lunch Prep for the Week

I remember growing up my mum always made the kids packed lunch which consisted of an egg sandwich or a jam sandwich and some other bits, I loved jam sandwiches and hated the egg sandwiches but had no other choice than to eat it. Then we graduated to the school lunches which I can hardly recall what we were fed but I know we enjoyed it. ha-ha!!

It is very rare to come by a healthy lunch option of meals in the office canteen these days as they are more concerned about feeding the masses than the healthy options. From time to time you'll find the odd looking salad which quite frankly isn't up to par.

Nowadays the concept of lunch does not exist in our offices as we are likely to spend lunch at our desks stuffing down a dry cheese & pickle sandwich from the office canteen , topped up with some cheese & onion crisps washed down with a "so called diet coke or Dr Pepper", then a Mars bar for afters.

Many of us rarely have a break as we are in the middle of deadlines. Given all the above circumstances, how can you feel healthy and do your best at work when most of your lunch is enjoyed at your desk or not taken at all?

I have been a victim of my above narration and in the last two years I made a conscious decision and habit not to eat at my desk and also to bring in my own lunch. I have had the best meals which makes me feel healthy and ready to combat the pile of work plunked on my desk or the emails awaiting my attention. 

In my humble opinion home made lunches are :

• Cost effective 
• Fresh
• Healthier
• Hygienic
• Quality
• More productive
• And enables  better time management 

Lunch Prep for the week

My Lunch for this week consists of :

Monday:       Egg Salad

Tuesday:      Tuna Salad

Wednesday:  Salami & Sweet corn salad

Thursday:     Salmon & Corn on the corn Salad

Friday:         Noodle Salad

Spare:          Olive & pepper Salad

I get a lot of my ideas from the salad counter in the supermarkets and sometimes make them up with the contents of my fridge. The other day I went into Sainsburys and looked at their lunch menus and spotted the noodle salad for £3.40 and my home made noodle salad cost me less than that.

Tuna Salad, Egg Salad, Salami Salad and Noodle Salad

Mixed Salad with pomegranate, Olives, Peppers, Sweetcorn  & Salad Sweet Corn & Salmon

Egg  & Tomato Salad ,Tuna Salad, Noodle Salad  and Salami  Salad

Mixed Salad with pomegranate, Olives, Peppers, Sweetcorn  & Salad Sweet Corn & Salmon

Have you decided to make a change and create time to start bringing lunch to work once or twice a week, or make a transition away from the office canteen food options? 

Try it and I can assure you that the results will be worth it.  

Do you bring your lunch to work? If so, what are your favourite things to bring?

Let me know in the comments box.

Have a lovely day.

Grilled Plantain Spinach Couscous Tomato & Olives Salad

Ingredients

1 packet of couscous

1 plantain
Handful of spinach
Sweetcorn, Cherry tomatoes and olives

Olive oil

Instructions

For the couscous

Place cous cous in a plastic container, cover with 100ml boiling water  and close the lid to let the couscous steam and swell up

After 10mins, open the lid add some olive oil and sweetcorn and stir

  

For the spinach

Wash and drain the spinach

Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in the wok until hot

Add the spinach and light pan fry for 3 mins until the colour changes

Remove from wok and place on a plate.
 

For the  grilled plantain

Preheat the grill, brush the plantain with olive oil

Slice plantain light in the middle

Place plantain in the grill until brown

Turn on each side after 25 mins

Once brown on both sides, remove and place on a plate

Cut cherry tomatoes and olives into two, add black pepper and a drop of olive oil and mix together to make a salad

Serve with  Grilled Plantain with spinach, couscous, tomato and olive salad.

 Enjoy and have a lovely weekend!