Lunch in 10 Minutes or Less

For me, one of the biggest deterrents against having a healthy lunch is TIME, or lack thereof. I typically only have 20-30 minutes to spare, so the thought of preparing a nutritious and tasty meal in that timeframe mostly feels unrealistic. I like a challenge, though. So, in the name of efficiency, I decided to explore how to minimize my time in the kitchen without compromising the quality of my lunch. I discovered that it boils down to three principles: (1) strategic shopping, (2) advance planning, and (3) repurposing of leftovers.

(1) Strategic Shopping:

• Buying pre-packaged organic greens and/or pre-cut cabbage that can be used as a basis for a salad. These are different from salad kits, which often contain dressings that are filled with undesirable ingredients like added sugars. If you don’t do salads, you can buy bitesize veggies like baby carrots, mini peppers, or celery sticks to accompany your meal.

• Stocking up on proteins that take little to no preparation time. For example, eggs, hummus, vacuum-packed precooked lentils, smoked salmon, canned tuna/sardines. Adding any of these to your plate will ensure that you get all the protein you need from your meal

• Ensuring you have chopped/halved roasted nuts in your freezer. Those not only constitute a healthy source of fat, they also add texture to a meal. Who doesn’t like a little bit of crunch?

(2) Advance Planning:

• Preparing whole grains beforehand and freezing them in portion size containers. Quinoa, brown rice, and whole wheat couscous, for example, freeze well and don’t have an aftertaste once defrosted. If you’re more of a sandwich person, you can freeze sliced, sprouted, whole-grain bread and use a couple of slices for your meal.

(3) Repurposing of Leftovers:

• Leveraging the little bit of food left over from last night’s dinner to enhance your lunch as a salad topping or an omelet filling. Repurposing dishes like glazed sweet potato wedges, roasted asparagus, or grilled chicken breast is not only less wasteful, it also unleashes creativity. You might just discover your inner chef.

With these simple principles in place, I average 10 minutes or less in preparing delicious lunches packed with fruits/vegetables, whole grains, proteins, and healthy fats. That leaves me with at least 20 minutes to enjoy some “me time” midday, which on some days can feel luxurious!

How much time do you spend preparing your lunch? What do you tend to make? Do you have any tips on how to save time in the kitchen to maximize your lunch break? Would love to hear your experience, so please share.

Now go enjoy your lunch!