Brown Baggin’ It: Fresh Ideas

In our fast pace, consumable culture the art of brown baggin’ it has almost vanished.  Many people wait to long to eat, don’t prepare lunch ahead of time and run out to the closest place to grab something quick.  Repeat this fast food eating several times a week and you have a pattern that could lead to weight gain and related health problems, not to mention it feels so rushed and stressful.  If this does sound like you, don’t delude yourself into thinking you have no choice, don’t blame it on work, don’t blame it on anyone, don’t make excuses, create your own convenience.

Let’s weigh fast food versus brown baggin’ it:

Running Out for Fast Food	Brown Baggin’ It
1.        If you wait until you are hungry your stomach is likely to order more food than needed and make some unhealthy choices.	1. Open brown bag and start satisfying that hunger immediately without the temptation of the big fat cookies at checkout.
2.        By having to run out to get food you are limiting choices to whatever is close to your work, not what offers the healthiest, freshest options.	2. Never be limited to unhealthy options, as long as you hit the grocery store once a week you control everything you eat without all the processing, added oils, sugars, etc.
3.        By not brown baggin’ it you end up rushing, waiting in lines to order, eating too fast and cutting your break short to get back in time, all of which increases stress.	3.   Simply walk to the cafeteria and you are already into your leisurely lunch chatting with friends or if you are on a deadline bring it back to your cube and eat slowly as you work.

Not so many years ago, almost all meals were prepared at home.  In 1960, the average American ate out twice a week, now it is over four times per week.  Here are some ideas for quick, healthy and easy ways to brown bag it.

• Load your sandwiches up with veggies that don’t make your bread soggy such as: bell peppers, cucumbers, sprouts, spinach, etc.
• Throw tons of salad ingredients into Tupperware and add some beans, olives, and chicken or fish (easy way is canned or packaged or cook extra)
• No fat cottage cheese with salsa (pictured)
• Plain non fat greek yogurt (flavored have a lot of added sugar) with your own fresh fruit like: pineapple, grapes, apples
• Grab and go fruits or portioned nuts are the perfect lunch desert or mid-afternoon snacks
• Finally the always appropriate dinner leftovers, so cook for an army