The Brown Bag Challenge Continues: It’s All About the Snacks
The brown bag challenge continues this week. Last week was wildly successful. By which I mean, I brought my lunch every day. In fact, I avoided buying breakfast, snacks or even coffee. This was my goal, and I was really happy to make it the whole week without a slip.
The Healthy Eats challenge officially started on September 1st, but I began my personal challenge last Monday so this is my 6th day of make ahead lunches. The key, I have found, is not really the lunch. It’s all about the snacks.
When I eat breakfast at home I eat earlier than when I eat something I buy on my way to work. This means I am hungrier earlier and I eat my lunch earlier. You see where this is going. So in addition to packing my lunch, I’ve also included at least 2 snacks. My go-to snacks have been apple slices and pistachio nuts, but I expect that will change.
As if she knew all about my snack epiphany, Martha Stewart provided me with a list of 75 healthy snacks in my inbox this morning.
This week I’ve stocked up on more apples and nuts. I also added some pre-cut, ready-to-eat french green beans, and organic vanilla yogurts in case I need a mid-morning pick me up. I also always have a stash of teas in my desk and I’m trying to remember to drink tea and water more often. (This week I’m also aiming to cut out sodas.)
Another thing I noticed is that I am much more likely to eat my snack if I’ve already prepped it and set out a snack-sized portion. It’s easier to grab and apple slices are so much more appetizing than a lonely apple. I definitely recommend taking a few minutes to do this for yourself too.
Today’s lunch: Roast turkey with avocado on a roll. Snacks: Apple slices, cold french green beans, and pistachio nuts.
I’m teaming up with fellow friends and food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you’re eating on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #brownbag.
