Just because we don’t have time doesn’t mean we have to eat anything for lunch! It is entirely possible to have a (good) balanced meal even when eating on the go. Advice from Alexandra Retion, dietitian-nutritionist.
Our days are frequently busy (working, looking after the children, organizing weekends, running the house, finding time to play sports…) and lunch, in the midst of our thousand and one activities, is too often sloppy.
It’s a shame because, as dietitian Alexandra Retion points out: “If you don’t eat enough at lunchtime, you risk snacking in the afternoon and overeating in the evening. »In other words, we risk gaining weight. Without spending hours on it, it is therefore important to spend a little time choosing it or, better, concocting it the day before.
“A balanced meal must contain at least three elements: proteins, starches and vegetables. More possibly, depending on how hungry you are, a dairy product and a fruit. You have to take the time to eat, without calling or looking at your computer. This allows you to digest better and feel satiety better,”underlines the specialist.
When you’re more of a sandwich person: add the filling!
We forget the pre-packaged sandwiches from the supermarket, whose list of long ingredients full of additives is enough to suppress the appetite. Better to have a sandwich at the bakery made with good bread, that is to say sourdough bread or bread with cereals or seeds, which will be more filling than sandwich bread, Swedish bread or a white baguette.
As for garnishes, we take the one we like, but we complement it judiciously. If you have opted for a ham and cheese sandwich, which contains enough protein, include cherry tomatoes on the side or fruit for dessert to provide fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. If you have chosen a tuna-raw vegetables sandwich, which on the contrary risks lacking in protein – because the quantity of tuna is modest – you will rather finish with a dairy product such as fromage blanc or skyr, which is even more protein-rich.
When you’re more of a salad person: you add bread and dairy
“Store-bought salads often lack protein and starches. There are raw vegetables to add volume, 2-3 pieces of chicken that fight a duel and not enough rice or pasta,”analyzes the dietitian.
Ideally, the salad should contain at least 100 g of protein (chicken, ham, egg, etc.), 150 g of starchy foods (rice, pasta, lentils, etc.) and 200 g of vegetables. So, if we can, we prepare it in the morning before leaving for work. Also good are the salad bars, where you concoct your own mix. Otherwise, we try to choose the salad that seems the most balanced and we supplement if necessary: a small bread will supplement the carbohydrate intake and a dairy dessert will increase the protein content.
Note that in town, there are more and more brands offering fresh and healthy snacks (Exki, Cojean, Prêt à Manger, etc.). As the portions are often small, you can opt for a small sandwich + a small salad in order to have something balanced.
We leave out the formula with dessert
“Be careful of the formulas of bakeries which often offer cakes and pastries for dessert. We can succumb to it from time to time, to have fun, but not every day! These fatty and sweet desserts take a long time to digest and may cause a drop in energy in the afternoon,warns Alexandra Retion.
OK so for the formula if it includes a fromage blanc with coulis or a fruit salad. Otherwise, it’s better to have a salad or a sandwich alone and plan to bring yogurt and/or fruit.
Another trap of formulas: sugary drinks that catch our eye in the refrigerated cabinet in plain sight. “The only essential drink is water. And the sugar rush that sugary drinks bring is harmful to your health,” reminds our expert. Finally, in salads that seem very light, be careful of the sauce, which can quickly increase the calorie intake. It’s better if it is separate, to be able to dose it.
We don’t forget to balance during the day
Don’t panic if lunch was a little too light or not complete enough. “A balanced diet is not about one meal. If we were not able to eat properly at lunchtime, we rectify it at the next meal. underlines Alexandra Retion.
If, for example, we know that because of a big work meeting, we might not have time to eat anything other than a small sandwich at lunchtime, we bring a healthy snack (fruit, yogurt, almonds, etc.) to avoid snacking on anything in the afternoon or coming home hungry and having a dinner that is too copious (the excesses in the evening are easily stored since we are going to bed and we are not going to exert ourselves). If we ate a simple buttered ham for lunch, we give pride of place to vegetables in the evening. If, on the other hand, you have eaten a vegetarian salad, you can include a portion of meat, fish or egg to get your protein quota. And if you have the cheese sandwich, you avoid eating it again in the evening.
Our expert: Alexandra Retion, dietitian nutritionist