Skip to main content

easy peasy low-carb light lunches


Changing your eating habits doesn't have to be hard. 

There are books and books full of amazing low-carb recipes, as well as a gazillion websites dedicated to keto, paleo, and everything in-between.  I've linked to a few of my favorites at the bottom of this page.

However, I've found that the easier you make things, the more likely you are to succeed.  Complicated leads to overwhelm, which leads to reverting back to even easier--which usually comes in a shiny silver package full of unpronounceable ingredients.

I've had people tell me they can't figure out what to eat if they can't eat sandwiches.  Unless you've found a really good recipe for keto bread, it's easier to simply find other options.  I honestly can't tell you the last time I ate a sandwich, (except that one time last week when I put a slice of turkey and some avocado mash between two chaffles--omg!)

Here are some of my favorite, easy, low-carb lunches that don't require an oven, can be thrown in a cooler for travel, and will fill you up and keep you satisfied for hours.

Canned salmon: mix one can of salmon with half an avocado or the avocado mash from Costco, sprinkle on some bagel seasoning, and enjoy.

Canned tuna: you can do the same as above with canned tuna, or you can add a spoonful of mayo (Primal Kitchen or Chosen Foods, or make your own) plus a spoonful of dill relish.

Fresh deli meat: (watch out for hidden sugars--especially in ham) roll a couple of slices of meat into a slice of cheese and dip it in mustard or mayo.

Bone broth: a warm cup of bone broth can stave off hunger pangs, provide protein, collagen, and other important vitamins and minerals.

Greek yogurt: I like to mix a cup of Greek yogurt with a scoop of vanilla protein powder and a sprinkling of cacao chips for an occasional sweet treat.  Watch out, though!  This one feels like dessert, and if that triggers you to look for more sweets, you might want to stick to savory.  Instead, mix in some bagel seasoning, some sugar-free ranch or dill seasoning, or just eat it plain.  You could also add some berries or nuts to it, but please don't fall into the honey and granola trap!

Chia pudding: of course I have to mention chia pudding!  Give me a can of coconut cream, a quarter cup of chia seeds, and I'm set for whatever variation I can come up with!  Add a spoonful of pumpkin, some ground flax, pumpkin seeds, vanilla, cacao, nut butter, or whatever strikes your fancy!  I really haven't found a bad combination yet.  Check out my recipes here.

Leftover meats: just about any leftover meats from the night before make for good lunches the next day.  I almost always make a little extra for that exact reason!

Bento boxes:  I have yet to buy myself a Bento box, but I have been admiring them from afar for a while now.  They have all types, and I especially love the glass ones.  How fun to fill up the different compartments with your favorite foods and make a meal out of it--just like Snackables for adults!  Type it into Amazon and you'll see what I'm talking about. 

Here's a great article on building your Bento box lunches from Mark's Daily Apple.

My favorite low-carb websites:



Or check out my Pinterest board where I've been collecting all my favorite recipes!


If you'd like to talk to me about creating a wellness and nutrition plan that works for you, I've got you!  I'm a certified Nutrition Coach who will create a simple, customized meal plan for you and coach you through how to implement it into your busy life.  We also talk about all the pitfalls that make it hard, and help you make it the anchor that keeps you healthy, energized, and sane through the whirlwind of your everyday life.

I'd love to talk to you about the program, so book a free consultation with me by clicking the Calendly button. I look forward to talking to you!


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

meditation on a rose

The universe was trying to tell me something this week.  First, I got a bouquet of beautiful pink roses from my daughter’s boyfriend for no particular reason (who does that? He’s a keeper!) The next day I read about the Heart of the Rose meditation in The Monk who Sold his Ferrari . In this form of meditation you gaze into the heart of a rose for several minutes, soaking in the beauty and clearing your mind of all other distractions. I tried it briefly, but honestly, I wasn't really into it. Later that day, since I apparently didn’t get the message, my coworker gave me a beautiful rose from her garden. So now I had a rose on my desk at work, roses on my table at home, and a book on my counter reminding me to take more time to meditate. I had been on a great streak of meditating ten minutes a day while I was at home all day this summer, but since I went back to work, that was one of the first habits to quietly slip away. The stress of the pandemic sneaks up on you. You think ...
Post a Comment
Read more

a day in the life of a nutrition coach (and part-time librarian)

I’m always interested in how other people live their day-to-day lives behind the scenes, so I thought I’d share what I do. There’s nothing earth-shattering about it, just a series of small habits strung together throughout the day. Here's what a typical day looks like for me: 5:00 wake up. I get dressed and drink a glass of water while my coffee is brewing.  I like my French press with a little cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, collagen powder, and a teaspoon of coconut oil. (Cinnamon for blood sugar regulation, turmeric and pepper for inflammation, collagen for my skin, hair, and joints, and coconut oil for my brain.) I drink my coffee while I stretch a little, look at my plan for the day, fill my water bottle, and read for a few minutes. On the weekends, when I have more time, I like to journal and then read for a longer time. Once I get my daughter off to band practice, I go for a run or walk for 30-45 minutes. After a long hiatus due to plantar fasciitis, I am trying to impleme...
Post a Comment
Read more

my healing protocol

  In case you haven't seen my latest post, I recently had skin cancer surgery, and ended up popping a few stitches.  Now I have a hole on the top of my head that is healing very slowly.  It's been over a month now, and I'm still a long way from being healed.  My next stop is a wound care clinic, and then I'm on to a plastic surgeon.   Looking in the mirror in the mornings and trying to do something with my hair while hiding the mess under a headband is the hardest, and honestly, for a few weeks there, I had a really tough time dealing with it.   I'm tired of playing the victim role, though.  I know what I need to do to heal myself, and the answer doesn't lie at the bottom of a box of cookies.  Not that I had gone overboard with the junk food, but I did let things slip a little.   In my nutrition coaching business I give my clients a meal plan to follow each week, and those that do see the greatest results.  So...why was I ...
Post a Comment
Read more