Easy Recipes for your Lunchbox

Female: For many, healthy eating at work can be a challenge, buying lunch and snacks everyday is expensive and less nutritious fast food or vending machine options can be tempting. Registered dietician, Sue Ma offers tips and recipes for healthy eating at work. Sue: Making your own healthy meals and snacks to bring to the office will help you balance your diet and your checkbook. I recommend keeping a stash of healthy snacks at the office to help you stay energized all day long. Try snacking on a few whole grain crackers with peanut butter or small handful of peanuts to keep hunger at bay. An easy snack to make is peanut butter and banana muffin. Make this muffins on the weekend and freeze them. Bring a muffin to the office for a snack or even for lunch. Here’s how to make these delicious muffins. First whisk peanut butter into hot melted butter or margarine. Next, whisk together the dry ingredients, all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Now blend the sugar and the eggs with the cooled peanut butter mixture. Add the mashed banana and the vanilla, mix until combined. Gently fold together the dry and the wet ingredients until just moistened. Spoon the batter into prepared muffin tins until three quarters full and sprinkle with coarsely chopped peanuts. Bake until golden at 375 degrees perhaps about 17 minutes. You’re going to love these muffins and the wholesome peanuts will keep you feeling full. Female: Sue points out, it’s easy to spend $10 or more buying lunch and snacks every workday. That adds up to more than $2500 per year. Sue: Brown bagging it costs a fraction of buying lunch. Tonight, try to cook a little extra dinner and just bring the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. It really doesn’t take that much extra time and more importantly, you stay in control of your food choices. Female: Sue also suggests employers take a leadership role by offering healthy refreshments at meetings such as bowls of washed fresh fruit, vegetable platters and plenty of water. Sue: I also encourage everyone to get up and go at lunchtime and avoid eating at your desks. A short fitness break like a brisk walk offers a change of pace and scenery coupled with a healthy meal, it will keep your energy flowing all day. Remember these quick tips for healthy eating at work. Be prepared and keep a stash of nutritious snacks in your office. Brown bag your lunch. Offer healthy options for office meetings and take a fitness break. With a little advanced planning you can stay fueled everyday at work and cut down on your weekday expenses. Female: For complete lunch and snack recipes, visit www.peanutbeaureu.ca.