A week of healthy lunches

We forget sometimes when the kids go back to school that it's not only kids who deserve a decent lunch.

Lunch is the meal of the day where it's easy to buy a floppy sandwich (at great expense) or end up with a less than nutritional meal.  Last time I bought a lunch from my work canteen, the choice was 100% brown or beige, not a green vegetable to be seen.  I'm not sure about you but that's not just unhealthy, it's uninspiring!

Lunch is not just about sustenance either.  Lunch is a break from the working day (even if you eat at your desk).  It's a change, it's something different to do for a while.  Even if you don't take a proper break, a proper lunch can make it into a proper break.

Now look at these 5 meals and tell me you're not inspired?

The box is a simple £1 lunchbox from poundland.  I hadn't noticed until looking back at my week how little meat there is and no wheat.  This isn't deliberate, it's just what I like to eat, a lot of fruit, a lot of vegetables, not masses of starchy foods, some fish and occasional meat.  Sums it all up really!

I've not listed these as individual recipes on my blog because, apart from the Frittata, it's really only assembly which is great if you're a bit bleary eyed in the morning and the frittata is so great as a leftover that my suggestion is you make it for your tea one day and then have leftovers for lunch.


Day 1

Main course

Handful of prawns
Cucumber
Red pepper
Served with sweet chilli sauce (not shown)

Pudding

Raspberries
Blueberries
Blackberries
Served with cream (not shown)

What's good about it?  

Five different fruits and vegetables and some fish which is a great source of protein, what's not good about it?!  You can always use frozen cooked prawns which should defrost by lunchtime.

Day 2

Main course

Cheeseboard salad

Pudding

Strawberries
Blueberries
Dates

For the cheeseboard salad

2 sticks of celery
A handful of grapes
A few thick slices of cucumber
3 slices of ripe brie (or use any other interesting cheese you like, Stilton would be lovely)

Simple vinaigrette (not shown)

2 tsp Extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp White wine vinegar

What's good about it?  

So many different fruits and vegetables, a great way to use up cheese from the weekend and a source of dairy protein.

Day 3

Main course

3 Tomatoes

9 marinated anchovies

vinaigrette (see Day 2)

Pudding

Grapes

Honeydew melon

What's good about it?  

Three different fruits and vegetables and omega 3 and some protein from the fish.

Day 4

Main course

Pea and Ham Frittata
Pepper strips

Pudding

Grapes

What's good about it?  

The frittata is great for an evening meal or for lunch and eggs are great for filling you up, peppers have loads of vitamin C.

Day 5

Main course

Cucumber
Pepper strips
Hummus (ready made)

Pudding

Grapes
Blueberries

What's good about it?  

This vegan lunch really covers the rainbow, so many vibrant fruits and vegetables and protein from the hummus.

I hope I've convinced you that you're worth making a small effort over to assemble a simple and delicious lunch.

Linked up to recipe of the week.