September is here, and that means one thing. It’s time to leave the long, sunny days behind and head back to the office. Even if you didn’t take a few weeks off this summer, we can bet your routine got a little out of whack. The office brought pizza in for everyone on Fridays. You probably went out with your colleagues for tacos on the terrace.
In short, lunch got away from you. But with cooler weather on the way, we decided we were going to take care of ourselves a little better than we did over the summer. We decided we’re going to start packing our lunch.
Mornings are hard! We get it. You’ve got to get up, squeeze in a workout, shower, dress and get into the office on time. Because of these jam-packed mornings, it’s rare that we all get our sh*t together and make lunch before we head out the door. But luckily, packing a nutritious and delicious lunch is much easier than you think. Who needs Hot Girl Summer when you’ve got Great Lunch Autumn. Here’s to spending less and eating better!
Forget the sandwich. Not only are your typical ‘broodjes’ a bit boring but they also are not the healthiest thing you could be fuelling yourself with. Expand your horizons for what lunch can be. Still craving a sandwich? Try our Raw Hummus or Raw Pesto Wraps. They’re satisfying but still good for you.
Pimp your salad. Naturally, salads are easy and healthy ways to get your nutrients and fill up, but if you’re going to stick to packing your lunch, you want to spice things up a bit. Add exciting toppings like crispy roasted chickpeas or pickled red onions to prevent salad fatigue. Andy of our Vegan Salad Jarsalso do the trick.
KISS.That’s keep it simple, sweetie. It can be tempting to craft elaborate, multi-course lunches, but that’s a recipe for disaster. Keep things uncomplicated to ensure you stay on track. It’s ok to eat the same thing a few days in a row!
Make what you like. This may sound silly to even say, but it’s important to remember to cook and prepare things you actually want to eat for lunch. If you hate leftovers, don’t bring them! Not into salad? That’s ok! Figure out what works for you and run with it.
It’s a draw(er). Even the most prepared among us can find ourselves in a pickle every now and again. Your lunch wasn’t filling enough. You didn’t have time to pack one last night. Whatever the dilemma, you can ward of hanger with a few healthy desk snacks. We like roasted, salted nuts, bouillon packets and fresh and dried fruit. We also keep a jar of our Banana Vanilla Granola to nibble on when we want something sweet.
The night before the morning after. This doesn’t just apply to the possible (and sometimes inevitable) hangovers. We always like to get everything for our lunches ready the night before. That way, it’s packed up and ready to go when you’re in a rush the next day. All you need to do is grab and go.
Don’t beat yourself up. Even with all the planning in the world, life happens. If you miss one day of packing your lunch, don’t sweat it! There’s always tomorrow.