At In the Know, we’re all about healthy eating. But, sometimes it seems like too much effort, right? That’s when we turn to Linda Shapiro, a.k.a. Meal Planning Maven, a personal meal planner, food coach and writer.
Linda is excited to help time-crunched nurses like you and me plan quick, healthy meals. And, we are thrilled to have her as a guest blogger. Here’s what Linda has to say:
Tackling the Healthy Brown Bag Lunch Dilemma.
As nurses, you know how tough it is to balance work with personal obligations. And, the added challenge of finding enough time and money to prepare healthy meals for work can add undue stress to the daily grind. Do you find yourself either working through your meal break or running out for fast food? Or, do you wrangle a few extra minutes before work to plan and prepare a nourishing brown bag lunch?
Kudos to those who make a consistent effort to “brown bag it.” Hopefully this means you are not just packing “grab ‘n go” convenience foods like cheese sticks and a non-nourishing 100 calorie snack. Instead, treat yourself to satisfying lunches consisting of lean protein, salad or other veggies, good carbs such as fruit or some of the healthier crackers and chips available today. And don’t forget a smidge of good fat (for added hunger control) such as a “clean” salad dressing or mayonnaise. Looking for something even easier? Pulling “double duty” by making use of leftovers from last night’s dinner keeps your costs contained and prep time down. Add a piece of fruit and you’re good to go. It’s really that simple.
Too tired from working all week while juggling bunches of activities to spend a few minutes planning? Let MPM share some of her Favorite Pack ‘n Go Lunches:
- Chili Craving
- Classic American
- Salad in a Flash
- It’s a Wrap!
- Ultimate Comfort Lunch
- Pull Double Duty
- No Prep Lunch
- Vegetarian Love
Enjoy fiddling in the kitchen a bit? Here are a few healthy recipes that can pull “double duty” for dinner as well as tomorrow’s lunch:
Signature Gazpacho
Spaghetti Squash Primavera
Apricot ‘n Lemon Glazed Salmon
Intrigued? Find more recipes like these on MPM’s website.
Even if you’re a minimalist when it comes to brown bagging, MPM guarantees you’ll find some fabulous lunch choices in this collection. With a bit of food shopping and prep, you will wave bye-bye to boring work lunches and outside food temptations.
With Meal Planning Maven’s minimal prep lunches, on-the-run, healthy fast food takes on new meaning. Making an effort to adopt some of these simple ideas will help you feel better, knowing you’ve incorporated healthy changes into your busy lifestyle. Maintaining a clean-eating lifestyle takes commitment as we struggle to balance time between work, family and personal obligations. These are small but very important steps towards forging a path to a lifetime of healthy eating without deprivation.
Linda Shapiro
“Meal Planning Maven”
About Linda: Along with her lifelong passion as an ardent recipe collector and cooking enthusiast, Linda earned a BS in Nutrition Food Science and Clinical Dietetics from Drexel University. After completing her internship at The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, she practiced clinical and administrative nutrition in the Philadelphia area for several years. Eventually, it became evident her true calling was combining her love for recipes and cooking with planning healthy, quick, budget-conscious meals. For the past six years, she has provided Personal Meal Planning and Food Coaching Services for private clients. She has also worked as an editor, meal planner, recipe creator and food product tester for a nationally known nutritionist and N.Y Times Best Sellers List author. Additionally, she has worked on recipes for articles in First for Women and Woman’s World magazines.
Can Meal Planning Maven Help You?
Contact MPM for meal planning and food coaching info.
Visit MPM’s website and join her on Facebook and Pinterest.
Sign up for MPM’s free E-Letter and Blog for great recipes, meal plans, cooking tips and more.
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