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Alexandra Murcier (Freelance dietician-nutritionist)
A few days after returning to the office, the scales are tipping in the wrong direction. The blame lies in your long and often unbalanced lunch breaks. Fortunately, it is possible to reverse the trend, according to our dietician-nutritionist.
Chicken-mayo sandwich, sushi, smoothie and cereal bar… If during the holidays, you had time to prepare yourself colorful and composed salads, at the office the refrain is quite different. But how do you continue to eat healthily? Which options should you favor? We asked Alexandra Murcier, dietician-nutritionist, the question.
It’s possible to eat a balanced diet in the canteen or restaurant!
Pay attention to the composition of your meal, choose a balanced dish on the menu, prepare your meal to take away… Several good habits can help reduce excesses during your lunch break.
According to the government website Eat.Movein the case of a self-service lunch, it is therefore recommended:
- As a starter: to opt for lightness.By favoring raw vegetables and vegetables in all forms (salads, soups, etc.). This will help you reach 5 portions of fruits and vegetables per day.“, the site details;
- As a main course: to favor vegetables, starchy foods and dried vegetables.Meat, poultry, fish or eggs can be components of the main dish but not the dominant element,” the site specifies. “They are to be accompanied by vegetables, starchy foods, dried vegetables (lentils, chickpeas, beans, etc.). In a vegetarian version, have a plate of vegetables with starchy foods and dried vegetables. When these last two are combined, they provide an excellent source of fiber and vegetable proteins” ;
- Dessert side: to favor whole fresh fruits, fruit salads or a dairy product”rather than a pastry or a sweet dessert” ;
- On the drink side, to opt for water.”Avoid sugary drinks and alcohol.”
When dining out – whether it’s for lunch on site, delivery to the office or takeaway – there are several tips to help you make the right choices while maintaining good health. It is therefore recommended:
- Avoid dishes with sauce;
- Listen to your satiety signals (in other words, don’t finish your meal if you’re no longer hungry);
- If possible, ask for vegetables, or a mixture of vegetables and starchy foods, as an accompaniment. In the absence of starchy foods, bread provides energy.
- If the dish contains few vegetables, accompany it with a green salad, a tomato salad, a vegetable soup, etc.
- To favor steamed or grilled cooking;
- To prefer fruit salads or fromage blanc for dessert.If you fancy a pastry, opt for a fruit tart or a clafoutis instead”, the site further specifies.
NO to diets, YES to WW!
Bring your own meal, another healthy and economical solution
For Alexandra Murcier, when asked about this, the best solution is to prepare your own meals at home.
“Often the best solution, when possible, is to bring your own meal: it’s more economical, you can better control the quantities you consume (especially on added fats) and you can also choose your ingredients better (whole products for example). To make things easier, it’s best to do it on the weekend for the week. The canteen is also a very good alternative, provided you know how to respect your satiety because for some people the quantities are too large”, she explains.
And what about the bakery? The nutrition expert advises against this option.
“Avoid formulas with a drink accompanied by a sweet dessert which unbalances the meal.“. If possible, better.”opt for a mixed salad or a sandwich and complete with a fruit”. In street restaurants, “Poke bowls and bobun can be interesting alternatives. Generally speaking, when eating out, you should try to opt for an alternative that contains a real portion of vegetables”, she says, in conclusion.
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