What’s In My Lunch Bag?
Every now and then, I let you all take a peek inside my lunch bag. When you work for a Nutritional Scoring System, people are always curious about what foods you choose.
Like so many parents – and non-parents (is that a word?) – I have a really long day. I’m up between 4:30 and 5 in the morning – just so that I can squeeze in some exercise before my day really starts flying. I either go to the gym, I run with neighborhood friends, or I work out at home. After getting everybody ready for school and work, my breakfast is typically a whole grain English Muffin and egg sandwich that I eat while commuting to work. I know, I know. It’s not ideal to eat and drive, but Boston-area commutes are brutal, so somethings gotta give.
I prep my lunch and snacks the night before. Always. There is zero time for lunch-prepping in our morning routine. The only prep that I do in the morning is that I move lunches from little holding containers in our refrigerator into the actual lunchboxes/lunch-bags with ice packs. That’s it.
About an hour into my workday, I’m already hungry again! I’ve been up for over four hours, I’ve worked out, I’ve gotten kids ready for school and I’ve battled Boston traffic. That’s enough to make a girl hungry. Even if she has already eaten an egg sandwich! So I nosh on some almonds and a banana.
- Almonds: NuVal score of 81
- Banana: NuVal score of 91
What do I like to eat for lunch? Funny, my six-year-old daughter asked me that same question recently. “What’s your favorite lunch, Mom?” I told her that it was salad. But I would also say that dinner leftovers are a strong favorite as well. For the record, my daughter’s favorite lunch is soup.
This lunch is leftover cod baked with whole wheat bread crumbs, cous cous and grean peas. For dessert, I have an orange and dark chocolate chips.
- Atlantic Cod: NuVal score of 81
- 4C 100% Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs: NuVal score of 25
- Near East 100% Natural Plain Cous Cous: NuVal score of 48
- Food Club Frozen Green Peas: NuVal score orf 96
- Orange: NuVal score of 100
- Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: NuVal score of 13
In the afternoon, my tummy starts to grumble – usually around 3 pm or so. I always want something crunchy. And a little salt would be good.
- Tribe Red Pepper Hummus: NuVal score of 48
- Carrot Sticks: NuVal score of 99
- Celery Sticks: NuVal score of 96
I would also love a cup of coffee, but instead, I opt for some caffeine-free tea.
Time to head home. Traffic again! And when I get home there is a big danger zone lurking – that time when I’m in the kitchen making dinner. I’m starving – the kids are too! So, I eat a pear either right before I leave the office or on my way home so that I don’t eat an entire box of crackers while making dinner.
I really love my pear packer!
- Pear: NuVal score of 96
So, that’s what’s in my lunch bag. That lunch bag, by the way, was sent to me courtesy of the nice people at Built NY. I love it and I throw it in my washing machine now and then when it gets icky. It holds my giant lunch and it never lets me down!
Question of the Day
What’s in your lunch bag today?
Posted by: Melissa 6 comments
Posted in: Dreamfield's, Hot Cereal, Lunch
