Yay you’re here! That must mean you have stolen a precious moment from your busy, crazy day to sit and learn. But have you eaten lunch yet? So often, leaders are running from place to place putting out fires or supervising for others so that they can have a lunch. But…did you take the time to eat? Let’s talk about some healthy ideas for lunches that we can eat on the go and actually enjoy. So much so, that we actually take time to eat lunch because our lunches are that delicious.
I love to eat and i know that if I don’t….I am a bear. Not to mention, I binge eat as soon as I get home from school. Well, that catches up to me. I deeply believe that if we are not fuelling ourselves properly, our mood, our stamina, our energy, our clarity, relationships, and our leadership suffer. Therefore, we have to be intentional and make a plan so that we can fuel ourselves and set ourselves up for success.
I want to break this down a little more so that you see how important planning your lunches are. Because I know you are probably thinking, “Ok Jacealyn, lunches are the least of my worry. I’ve got a million other things to worry about.” Well, if you are not taking care of yourself than you know it all catches up eventually. I realized I needed to set up a system for my food too so that I could pack and eat efficiently. I am going to share a few of my secrets here with you.
Step 1: Batch your lunch planning and packing. Time batching, also known as the Pomodoro technique, is a productivity system that helps individuals focus on a group of similar tasks during a dedicated time period without interruptions. Batching time helps minimize distractions for more concentrated workflow and attention to detail. Set aside some time on Sunday evening and pack your lunches for at least 3 days. Do it all within 30-45 minutes and you won’t have to think about your lunch again until 3 days from now. It really does beat packing and deciding on lunches each night. If the food allows it, try to pack for all five days! You can even batch your cooking and planning of lunches so that you only have to do it once a week. I suggest you actually zone out your lunch batching into your calendar so that it actually happens and you can coordinate your grocery runs. So for me, I batch all of my lunch planning and cooking on Sunday evening.
Step 2: Set up a healthy system that follows the suggested portions and food guide. I suggest you always have a healthy whole grain, fruit, and protein. When I follow this guideline it makes it easier for me to decide what to put into my lunches and gives me variety so I don’t get bored. I also suggest buying some type of container system for your lunches so that you don’t spend hours looking for tops or finding the right size containers. I like to use glass jars and make power bowls and salads. Then I just shake and eat. Powerbowls are an excellent choice for lunch and they are delicious! Plus they don’t take up a lot of containers…
With the powerbowls, I always think about a seasoning, sauce, oil, or salad dressing and I put 2 tbsp of it on the bottom of my mason jar. After, I layer it with a healthy whole grain like quinoa or rice at the bottom of my jar. Next, I have a lentil or protein of some sort such as shrimp, chicken, beef, veggie beef, tofu, etc. I then layer it with lots of colorful veggies (spinach, carrots, peppers, cucumbers, etc). I always have a fruit and some meat sticks that I bring each day to give me a little snack if I need it in the afternoon or before lunch. I alternate the powerbowls and usually do 2 different types each week to change it up a little but not so much so that I am spending hours cooking.
Step 3: Bring all of your lunches on Monday and put them in the fridge. If you do this you never have to even think about it for a week. Little hacks like this can save you a lot of time and energy and can prevent you from forgetting your lunch completely. We all know that we carry a ton of bags in the morning to and from school and so not having to haul your lunch as well, is game changer!
Step 4: Set a timer on your phone that signifies your lunch time and shut the door and eat your lunch. Yes, I really mean it. I know that something will always come up so make sure that that annoying buzzer goes off and you shut your door and you eat in peace. Just finding a small bit of peace and quiet in your day will do wonders for your mindset. Not only are you shutting off for a few moments to give yourself a break but you are nourishing your body with the fuel it needs to get you feeling better. So take the time to eat your lunch, my friend. Make it happen. You matter too.
So now that you have a system to start fuelling your body more productively, efficiently, and healthily, let’s talk about some of my favorite lunch ideas. So like I said, my go to is always a powerbowl but I do have some other ideas to change it up a bit.
- Wraps of any kind are always a great switch up. I like a turkey wrap with some lettuce, cucumbers, cheese, mayo and mustard
- Leftovers are always a nice change up. I love a chicken chili or pasta
- Avocado toast is always quick and easy
- Omelettes and hard boiled eggs go a long way and they are super easy!
- Oatmeal topped with sliced banana, almonds and brown sugar
- Quesadillas stuffed full of veggies and protein
- Avocado and cottage cheese on rye bread
- Chickpea and cauliflower curry or mushroom cauliflower rice
So there you have it! I have given you a system to set yourself up for lunch success and I even gave you a few ideas to change it up a bit. Here’s what I want you to do next. Set up a batching time in your calendar and try to batch at least 3 lunches for this upcoming week. Try to implement the system so that your lunches are healthy and nutritious and that you are actually setting up a lunch time for yourself during the day. Promise?
Once you have got your lunch packing system down pat, you will get even quicker at it as you do it each week! Be sure to share you lunch ideas in our private facebook group called Principals and Leadership! We could all use a little lunch inspo!
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