Let's Do Lunch - 20 Super Awesome CLEAN Lunches

Alright. I tell you guys all about my dinner, baking disasters and such, but I don't chit-chat much about lunch because mine is usually done in passing; I'll tell you, I think poorly planned lunches caused a lot of my past weight gain.

Often needing to break up the monotony of the workday, I would leave to go grab lunch. I would go out and order something that was probably twice my daily recommended caloric intake plus a soda refilled three times. And, if it was a really good day, I'd stop for a giant frozen whip cream-topped coffee, candy bar, 44oz diet soda or even a milkshake on the way back from lunch. MY WORD. That looks really bad now that I write it out. None of that was an exaggeration, btw. No wonder I had so much weight to lose. I really don't sit down for lunch anymore. I know. You should always sit down and savor your food. I have four kids who also need to be fed, so that whole food-savoring thing doesn't always work out. Sue me. Anywho. I do get a lot of requests via FB and email on how to keep lunchtime clean. And, you guessed it, I made a list for you. Now you have no excuse to go pick up a double greasy burger with triple fried fries and a chocolate shake at lunch. Unless, like me, you forget your lunch at home a lot. If you do that, get a salad with light dressing and water or unsweetened tea! AND, don't stop for a milkshake afterwards. JUST DON'T.

Here are 20 ideas to get you started:

1. Veggies with a little salt, sautéed in EVOO and topped with fresh romano (my fave of faves).
2. Salad with dark leafy greens, loads of veggies, lean meat and an oil and vinegar dressing.
3. Whole grain pita pieces and random raw veggies (I like cucumbers and carrots) dipped in hummus.
4. Roasted chicken or turkey breast (not that packaged highly preserved "meat" - cook it yourself ahead of time) wrapped in a whole grain wrap w/veggies and hummus (or no hummus)
5. Cottage cheese with fruit
6. Brown rice and mixed veggies
7. Leftover clean dinners from the night before (a small portion; don't go nuts)
8. Veggie based soups (cream of anything is a no no)
9. Egg salad (made with plain, non-fat, Greek Yogurt instead of mayo)
10. Hard boiled eggs with fruit
11. Sweet potato drizzled with honey
12. Clean whole grain bread, toasted, and fruit
13. A clean smoothie (think milk, fruit, peanut butter, unsweetened cocoa, flax, greens = make your own concoction. own it. love it. tell your friends.)
14. Mixed nuts, fruit, veggies
15. Dried fruit, cheese, nuts (watch your serving sizes)
16. Whole wheat or brown rice pasta with veggies and romano cheese
17. Lettuce wraps (with that roasted turkey from above, brown rice and veggies)
18. Clean chicken salad (roasted chicken, greek yogurt, grapes, and walnuts)
19. Tuna salad (made with celery and greek yogurt) in a whole wheat pita w/fruit on the side
20. Apple with natural peanut butter and a little Irish Cheddar cheese on the side.

There you go! And, if you think these lunches are a little on the skimpy side, they totally are! When you're eating clean, you should eat about six times a day. That's six small meals, not six hungry-man meals. Got it? Okay, now, have a happy day and enjoy your lunch. :)