Why Is Lunch So Important?

In our typical 9-to-5 environments, where the paperwork is piling up and there’s meeting after meeting to attend, the midday meal isn't always a priority. Skipping this important meal could be causing more harm than you think. Research has shown that making time for a healthy lunch can pay off both mentally and physically.

The Benefits

Eating in the middle of the day, several hours after breakfast, re-energizes your body and can raise blood sugar levels when focus and concentration are lagging. If you're feeling sluggish, eating even a small lunch can renew your energy and help you feel refreshed and ready to take on the next several hours. In addition, eating lunch keeps your metabolism active, especially if you have a moderately sized meal and a snack before and afterward. Extended periods of starvation between large meals creates gaps which keep metabolism from staying active.

For Kids

Lunch may have even more importance for school-aged children than it does for adults. Since most kids don't get breakfast or dinner at school and may not have any snacks until they get home, lunch is the only meal they have to power them through the day. School lunch makes up one third to one half of a child's nutritional intake for an entire day and is essential for helping children succeed in school as well as grow and develop successfully and healthfully.

Skipping Lunch

It's common to want to skip lunch if you're trying to lose weight or cut calories, but that strategy rarely works. People who regularly skip meals tend to weigh more than people who eat often throughout the day. Skipping lunch can rev up your appetite later, causing you to overeat or choose foods that have poor nutritional values.

Considerations

Eating any type of meal for lunch can help keep your metabolism active and your body healthy, but some foods pack more of a nutritional punch than others. Combining complex carbohydrates with lean protein to form a concentrated, long-lasting source of energy is my recommendation. Examples include nonfat yogurt and granola, a lean turkey sandwich on whole grain bread, or low-fat cottage cheese with fruits and vegetables. Ideally, a healthy lunch should offer a balance among the five main food groups: whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean proteins and dairy.

Keeping these tips in mind, I’ve picked out a few fun recipes for you to try this holiday season. These options are A) warm (because baby, it’s cold outside), B) a balance of complex carbs and lean protein, and C) easy to batch cook (ie: meal prep) and use all week!

KUNG PAO CHICKEN ZOODLES 277 cal/serving

CHICKEN BROWN RICE BOWL 455 cal/serving

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN ENCHILADA STUFFED SWEET POTATOES 413 cal/serving

LOW-CARB TURKEY TACO STUFFED AVOCADOS 422 cal/serving

GREEK CHICKEN MEAL PREP RICE BOWLS 418 cal/serving

SPINACH TORTELLINI EN BRODO 228 cal/serving