Just over a year ago I shared what I ate for breakfast and it was an article that I received some great feedback on.
Because of that, I always meant to post a follow up on what a typical lunch and dinner look like and, unfortunately, life got too busy and I never got around to doing it.
So I’m here today with part two of the series where I’ll cover what a typical lunch looks like for me.
Lately it’s looked pretty similar with a few slight variations just because Jett is almost six months old and I’m juggling watching him and working from home so I need simple and easy ideas that don’t take much effort.
I also want meals that are nutrient dense and won’t spike my blood sugar and that’s exactly what these do.
Before I get to what I eat for lunch, I’m sharing what I used to eat and how I realized that wasn’t working for me.
If you don’t care about that, you can always skip ahead to peep what I eat.
Enjoy!
What I Used to Eat for Lunch and When I Realized It Wasn’t Working for Me
A typical lunch for me used to be a sandwich or a salad or a sandwich with a soup or salad.
They were easy to make in a pinch and quick to pack if I was taking it to work.
However, as I experienced and you may have too, I never felt good after eating sandwiches.
I never felt satisfied for longer than an hour or two and it would quickly be followed by an energy slump not too long after.
I also found myself craving “something sweet” or carby afterwards.
I later found out that it was due to a spike and crash in blood sugar.
The ratio of carbs to protein in the sandwich was always off — most sandwiches are more carbs than protein — which explains why I didn’t feel full for long, why I crashed afterwards, and why I had cravings shortly after.
You’ll find this to be the case with most commercial sandwiches out there too. Whether it’s Panera, Firehouse Subs, or Subway, there’s far too many carbs and not enough protein.
For me, it just didn’t work so I knew I had to switch up my lunches.
And when I did, I felt such a difference.
I no longer felt the afternoon energy slump and I didn’t have cravings for quick energy pick-me-ups.
Because I feel so good, I’ve stuck with this lunch formula and found that it works great for me.
Now, I’m not saying that you have to change up your lunch but, if you’re feeling like your lunches lead you to crash shortly afterwards, it may be time to try something else.
Going by how you feel is a good way to figure out what works for your body.
With that out of the way, here’s:
What I Eat for Lunch
Instead of making sandwiches, I now make a loaded salad everyday for lunch.
By loaded, I mean that I add a good chunk of protein, lots of fiber, and some fat to keep me full for longer.
Did you know that it can take anywhere from 5-6 hours to digest fat?
This key ingredient alone means that I won’t be left hungry shortly afterwards and I can sail through to my next meal without needing a snack in between.
I also want to mention that I don’t make a salad to be skinny and instead use it as a chance to load up on nutrients, both macro and micronutrients.
It’s this combination of micronutrients — which are responsible for keeping a number of bodily processes running smoothly, fiber, protein, and fat that is the secret sauce to success.
It helps keep me full for longer and gives me all of the nutrition my body needs to thrive.
I also try to load up on a variety of healthy toppings so that I don’t get bored and so I can add in as many micronutrients as possible.
I’ve also learned that mixing raw veggies and cooked ones helps to use different digestive enzymes which can help keep things moving smoothly in your digestive tract.
I also made sure to ditch commercial salad dressings since most are made with crappy vegetable oils (even organic ones) such as soybean oil or canola oil and instead just use olive oil.
Lastly, I sprinkle salt and pepper over my salads because it adds so much flavor. If you’re finding salads to be boring, it could just be that you need to season them which can be as simple as adding salt and pepper.
I also want to mention that sometimes my meal is a salad that fills the entire plate and other times I have leftovers with a side salad. It just depends on what I have leftover but I usually always have a salad. How big or small that is is based on what I have on hand.
Here’s a peek at a few of the lunches I eat throughout the week. Keep in mind, I’m not a food blogger so these pictures aren’t professionally styled and they’re real photos of what I actually eat with photos taken from my phone:
Final Thoughts on What I Eat for Lunch Every Day
Before I sign off today, I want to make sure you know that I’m not suggesting you eat like me.
Instead, I’m encouraging you to pay attention to how your lunches make you feel. Consider making adjustments if you find that you don’t have enough energy to power through your day or if you feel cravings after eating lunch.
It may just be that your macronutrient ratios are off — too many carbs and not enough protein or fat — or that you need more micronutrients and fiber midday.
A quick way to test the waters is to add a loaded salad to your lunches just to see what kind of a difference that’ll make — I’m fairly positive just that alone will show you a difference.
I’d love to hear what you normally eat for lunch so be sure to let me know in the comments below. You can also share your thoughts on this guide — both good or bad — in the comments down below.
I hope you enjoyed this article and that you’ll stick around for my next one.
Until then, I’m wishing you all the best,
Devan
P.S. Feel free to ask me questions too. I’m here for you!