Healthier lunch options

Whether you buy your lunch from a sandwich shop, café, supermarket or work canteen, the good news is that there are usually plenty of healthy lunch options available.

And if you make your own lunch, the advantages are you know exactly what's in your lunchbox and you can save money at the same time.

Salads
There are lots of different salads available and many sandwich shops, supermarkets and canteens have salad bars with a good range to choose from.

Salads can be very filling, especially if they include some starchy foods such as rice, pasta, potatoes or couscous. Cold grilled chicken (without the skin), prawns, sardines, cottage cheese, mozzarella, or strips of lean ham are all healthy choices to add to a salad.

And choose a variety of veg - you could add roasted peppers and courgettes, avocado, spring onions, salad leaves, tomatoes, olives, radishes, grated carrot, raisins or green beans.

But remember to watch out for salads that contain a lot of mayonnaise or other dressings high in fat such as coleslaw, potato salads and some pasta salads.

Pre-packed salads often have a nutrition information panel on the label so you can check how much total fat, saturated fat, and salt they contain. Go for salads that are lower in fat, especially saturated fat and salt (or sodium).

If you are making your own salad at home, you could add leftover potatoes and veg such as broccoli and green beans. Or turn leftover rice into a tasty salad (see the advice on storing and reheating rice and grains safely from the link below). If you're feeling adventurous, why not get some inspiration from the salads you see in sandwich bars - you could make them at home at a fraction of the price.

And of course there are a multitude of sandwich options you could choose.

Sandwiches
Whether you're making your own sandwiches or buying them from a shop or staff canteen, here are some tips to help you make healthier choices:

• choose brown or wholemeal bread, in thick slices or rolls, when you can
• choose healthier sandwich fillings such as lean meats (this includes ham, beef, turkey and chicken without the skin), tuna, smoked mackerel, hard-boiled egg, and cheeses such as Edam, Emmental, gruyère, mozzarella and low-fat cream cheese
• go for a sandwich that contains salad. Add or ask for extra, if possible
• if the sandwich is home-made or made to order, try having it without butter, spread, mayonnaise or other dressing especially if the filling is moist, or just have a small amount
• if you do have mayonnaise, choose a low-fat variety, when you can

To add variety, why not try different types of bread? For example you could choose:

• squashy granary rolls
• brown bread with added nuts or seeds
• rye bread
• bagels
• tortilla wraps
• wholemeal pitta bread

Here are a few suggestions for different sandwich combinations:

• low-fat cream cheese, roasted red pepper and sunflower seeds in a toasted bagel
• Edam, tomato and cress in granary bread
• chicken tikka and cucumber with a mint and yoghurt dressing in chapatti or pitta bread
• lean ham, mustard and salad leaves on rye bread
• mozzarella, olives, roasted vegetables and red onion in a wholemeal roll
• turkey, cranberry sauce and baby spinach in brown bread

And to add interest and texture, try adding some of these: a few olives, sundried tomatoes (if possible remember to drain off the oil), gherkins, some seeds such as sunflower or pumpkin.

When buying pre-packed sandwiches, have a look at the nutrition information on the label to help you choose the healthier option.

It's better to choose a sandwich that is low in fat - 3g fat or less per 100g (and 1.5g saturates or less per 100g). Food is high in fat if it contains more than 20g fat (and high in saturated fat if it contains more than 5g of saturates) per 100g.

And watch out for the salt content too. Food is high in salt if it contains more than 1.5g salt per 100g.

Hot food
Baked potatoes are a good lunchtime choice, but it's better to leave out the butter, or just have a tiny bit. Healthy fillings include baked beans, cottage cheese and ratatouille. Try to avoid ready-mixed fillings that contain lots of mayonnaise, because these can be high in fat.

Pasta is another popular option. Avoid dishes served with a creamy or cheesy sauce, or mixed with lots of oil, because these tend to be high in fat. Tomato or vegetable-based sauces are a healthier choice. And the vegetables will count towards your daily portions of fruit and veg (aim for at least five portions a day).

Or you could try soup with chunky vegetables. Soups can also help count towards your five-a-day and to make it a filling and balanced meal you could add a wholemeal bread roll or two.

for more information visit www.healthyfoodforall.com