Habits for Health
- Written by: Alexis Webster, Ceilidh McConnell, Lynne Lafave
3 min read
In our busy lives, it’s easy to fall into eating habits that do not support our health. Eating out and eating processed foods may be convenient, but it’s not worth it in the long run. If you’re looking to be kinder to your body, take up these healthy habits!
We spend a significant amount of our day at work or school and during that time, we get hungry. In fact, the busier your day is and the more stressed out you are, the more you will be in need of healthy foods, but you are probably less prepared. Here are some tips to make healthy choices for your workday:
1. Pack your lunch
Restaurant food is usually higher in fat, sugar, and salt. Making your own lunch is a quick way to boost your nutrient profile and save money! Many people choose to pack along leftovers from dinner, but you can also try out meal prepping. On the weekend when you have more time, you can prepare large quantities of a couple of different dishes and have them on hand in the fridge (you can even portion them out ahead of time!) Examples of some easy and affordable workday meals:
- Yummy Quinoa Lunch
- Souper Lunch with Rice and Beans
- Veggie and Bean Pita
- Mix up chopped tomatoes, green peppers, cucumber and kidney beans. Enjoy with a whole wheat roll spread with hummus.
- Layer up yogurt, lots of fruit and a sprinkle of nuts to create a meal-size yogurt parfait.
- Nut butter and banana sandwich
- Refried beans, salsa and lettuce wrap
- Hummus, baby spinach and grated carrot sandwich
- Chicken and mango wrap
- Tofu with peanut sauce, grated cabbage, red onion and bell peppers wrap
- Add leftover quinoa or diced pieces of tofu to homemade vegetable or lower-sodium canned vegetable soup.
- Toss leftover curried cauliflower with chickpeas, beans or lentils. Serve it up with whole wheat pita wedges and raita (cucumber & yogurt dip).
- Turn a green salad into a meal. Mix in any chopped meat, beans, eggs, chicken, turkey, fish or tofu.
- Make an instant burrito. Wrap leftover chilli, salsa and shredded cheese in a small whole wheat tortilla. Heat it up at work. Enjoy with a side of plain yogurt.
For more healthy lunch ideas go to https://rebrand.ly/PackLunch
2. Keep healthy snacks close by
Make the healthy choice the easy choice by keeping some healthy snacks in your desk or locker such as rice cakes and peanut butter to avoid convenience food purchases.
Healthy snack ideas:
- Red peppers, cucumber and carrot with hummus or tzatziki
- Celery with peanut or almond butter
- Fruit and yogurt
- Fruit and nuts
- Fruit smoothie
- Plain popcorn
- Baked tortilla crisps with refried beans, hummus or salsa
- Homemade trail mix made with oats and/or dry cereal, dried fruit, nuts and seeds.
For more healthy snack ideas go to – Unlock Food
3. Staying hydrated
Ensuring you are hydrated can help you feel your best during the workday. Keep a reusable water bottle at work so you can sip fresh water during the day. Add a little lemon, cucumber, or mint for flavour. There are many different kinds of reusable water bottles available, including insulated stainless steel and glass.