Lunch on the GO... to keep you on the GO!

Now the school holidays are over - it is time to focus! Many of us use the holiday period to have a little time to ourselves, to spend time with our children or to jet off abroad for a sunny break. So what happens now that we are back in work? Meal times can no longer be tackled in the leisurely 'lets see what's in the fridge' or by choosing a convenient take-away or a long afternoon in a 'nice country pub' kind of way. We need to plan healthy, cost effective, nutritious meals which keep us going all afternoon and get us back on the right track! So ditch the instant soup and the overpriced disappointing sandwiches, here are some fresh ideas to keep you going all afternoon...


Salad in a Jar: One of my favourite ways to put a quick take-out salad together is to layer lettuce or spinach, seeds, legume, fruits and vegetables with beans or chickpeas and dressing in either a screw top or clip top jar. You can put pretty much anything that you want together - just remember to layer your salad leaves on the top to stop them going soggy and shake together when you are ready to eat to make sure that your dressing covers all of your layers.

Low-Carb: If you are trying to cut back on the carbs a great idea is to make a lettuce wrap. You can fill the lettuce leaves with leftover chicken or fish plus any veggies. Add guacamole or houmous for extra flavour and wrap and eat!

Speedy Eggs: Scrambled eggs are super quick and so easy to make. Rather than topping toast, top your eggs with chorizo, feta and paprika for a spicy kick. If you prefer the classic; choose wholemeal or rye bread and add rocket or spinach leaves and couple of cherry tomatoes. I really like poached egg with avocado on seeded bread with a mixed topping of seeds (pumpkin or sunflower work well).

Keeping it Balanced: For an equal mix of protein, wholegrains and veg, make a mezze-style meal and dip sticks of carrot, pepper, cucumber, cheese and seeded pitta into houmous and guacamole. The variation of tastes and textures keeps you interested and full enough to keep the hunger at bay for the rest of the afternoon!

Super-Quick: This version may sound more like breakfast than lunch but you will find that this will fill you up far better than a shop bought sandwich! Buy a small pot of greek yoghurt and add a handful of nuts, seeds, blueberries or raspberries - seconds to put together, minutes to eat and the combination of fat and protein will keep you full for hours.

Healthy Pitta: A simple sandwich - stuff a pitta bread with chicken, lettuce, tomato and salsa - this final spicy touch delivers flavour as well as giving a great balance of protein and carbohydrates.

Fast Lunch Rules:

• A Protein Fix: It must contain a good mix of protein and fat to keep you full well into the evening.
• Fruit and Veg: Lunch must contribute to your 5 a day!
• The Right Carbs: Pick good quality wholgrain carbs to keep blood sugar levels even and prevent mid-afternoon sugar cravings!