Make Lunch Cool Again
One of the mostly common things I hear from clients and friends is that lunch is the hardest meal of the day. Breakfast is dialed down with a fool-proof smoothie, overnight oats or chia pudding, avocado toast…dinner is usually a simple pairing of a protein, vegetable, healthy fats in the form of stews, salads, stir-frys, veggie bowls…and with all of the effort of planning those meals, lunch gets the short end of the stick and often turns into 3-4 hours of grazing or snacking over the kitchen sink.
Having experienced this myself and noticed a trend of lunch turning into banana and almond butter (eaten over the kitchen sink no-less), I started to ask myself how I could incorporate more nutritious foods in my midday meal. For me, TurF Grab & Go has been a saving grace. For about 3 days a week, I will take home a grab & go item and enjoy it on its own or spice it up with whatever I have in the fridge if I am feeling extra hungry. I know the quality and care put into TurF food is top notch and it’s an investment in my energy for the rest of the day.
Here are some of my favourite Grab & Go staples for an elevated lunch:
The Jennifer Aniston Salad: A protein and fibre rich salad that leaves me feeling satiated. I often add ½ an avocado at home as well as 1 tbsp of pumpkin or sunflower seeds, depending on my menstrual phase.
The Granola Bowl: I will take this home and add 1 tbsp of hemp, chia and ground flax seed for extra fibre and protein and healthy fats, and will often chop in an apple as well. Sometimes I’ll mix collagen or protein powder in as well, and if I’m feeling fancy, 1 tbsp goji berries for antioxidant support.
The TLT Sandwich: A really delicious Grab & Go option that I will pair with a simple greens salad at home.
Any of the Chili, Soup or Stews: So nice to have on a cold rainy day – I will give this a quick warm up in a saucepan and serve with ½ avocado for healthy fats and/or mix in roast veggies from dinner.
The Spicy Baked Tofu: A great option when I have greens on hand but no protein in sight.. I’ll top greens with the tofu, avocado, sprinkle of pumpkin or sunflower seeds, sometimes nori flakes, sauerkraut or kimchi and an easy olive oil vinaigrette.
The Kimchi Bowl: I usually have this just as it is; I find it very satiating and full of flavour!
The Kale Caesar: A great base for leftover protein, avocado, sometimes I’ll add chopped olives for healthy fats, or raw slivered almonds or cashews for protein and healthy fats.
TurF Birdie Bites: Okay, not necessarily a lunch item, but if you’re like me, we love a post-lunch sweet. I love dipping a birdie bite in tahini to add some nutrition and regulate my blood sugar response with the healthy fats. Try it out (or sub almond butter), it’s divine!
Lunch is an important meal of the day – it sets the tone for our blood sugar and energy levels for our afternoon and early evening. One of the best ways to avoid the 3pm crash is to have a balanced lunch. When in doubt, opt for a meal that offers protein, fibre and healthy fats. Perhaps consider picking up TurF Grab & Go on Saturday or Sunday to prep you for a few weekday lunches and see how it feels.
Xo Trilby