What’s for Lunch today?

Posted by Lisa Newton on February 13, 2008 at 6:30am

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You started your day with a healthy breakfast, but it’s almost time for lunch-- so what’s on your plate?

Lunch is the meal that provides you with most of the energy you require for the rest of your busy day; therefore, lunch should be your main meal of the day.

Although, eating a huge, high fat meal wouldn’t be the best course of action.

Lunches that are high in fats or calories, tend to make people tired, or not feel well. A lunch menu, that is part of your healthy eating plan and recommended food groups, will play an important component for you to have both a productive day and assist you to achieve your ideal healthy lifestyle.

For example:

Photo courtesy of sherbut dip

Lunch
Bread, rye	1 slice	83
Canned in water tuna, drained	2 Ounce	72
White beans, canned	0.25 cup	75
Raw red tomatoes	3 slice, medium (1/4" thick)	11
Endive	1.5 cup, chopped	13
Raw green peppers	0.25 cup, sliced	5
Raw radishes	0.25 cup slices	5
Raw red tomatoes	0.5 tomato	16
Iceberg lettuce	1 cup shredded	10
Romaine lettuce	1 cup shredded	8
Raw carrots	0.5 cup strips or slices	25
Raw cucumber	0.5 cup slices	8
Low calorie Caesar salad dressing	2 tbsp	33
Total		399

Photo courtesy of somah

Lunch
Cooked, whole-wheat spaghetti	0.5 cup	87
Olive oil	2 tsp	80
Cooked zucchini	0.5 cup, sliced	14
Cooked peas and carrots	0.5 cup	38
Cooked asparagus	5 spears (1/2" base)	17
Cucumber	0.25 cup, sliced	4
Raw broccoli	0.25 cup flowerets	5
Raw mushrooms	0.25 cup pieces	4
Lettuce	1 Cup	17
Raw celery	3 stalk, small (5" long)	8
Cooked boneless chicken, roasted	0.5 Cup	133
Total		407

Lunch

Bread, mixed-grain (includes whole-grain, 7-grain)	1 slice	65
Chickpeas, canned	0.25 cup	71
Kidney beans, canned	0.25 cup	54
Endive	1.5 cup, chopped	13
Iceberg lettuce	1.5 cup shredded	15
Raw red tomatoes	3 slice, medium (1/4" thick)	11
Romaine lettuce	1.5 cup shredded	12
Cucumber	1 cup slices	16
Raw carrots	0.5 cup strips or slices	25
Raw onions	1 tbsp chopped	4
Cooked carrots	0.5 cup slices	27
Raw radishes	0.25 cup slices	5
Raw green peppers	0.25 cup, sliced	5
Raw yellow tomatoes	0.5 tomato	16
Reduced fat Italian dressing	2 tbsp	22
Total		360

Did you notice a common theme in all of these eating plans?

If you didn’t, scroll back up…………………………..)

Including vegetables in your menu--both raw and cooked—is both good for your health—because of its food density; and helps you to maintain your ideal weight.

There’s a lot of food in these plans so you shouldn’t be hungry afterward.

Try to avoid adding cheese or large amounts of dressing to your salads, because then the calorie numbers will greatly increase. I’m big fan of low-fat salad dressings.

So, now it’s you’re turn. What’s on your plate for lunch today?

Tell us about it, or maybe take a picture, or submit a recipe, because

After all, it’s about a healthy lifestyle!

Tags: calories, lunch, nutrition, salad

Comment by Sheila Octaviano on February 13, 2008 at 9:44am: I'm inviting my mom over for lunch and we are going to have the rest of that "almost chili" that I made last week. It is chili, now, because the beans thicken it as it sits. It is actually better after a few days because the flavor thickens along with the broth. We will have cabbage with a little dressing and I'm making cornbread. I use the recipe in the Betty Crocker cookbook. It's still a few hours until lunch, here. I am just now making my oatmeal.