IN THIS CHAPTER
Sampling lunch menus within target carb ranges
Improving lunch dishes with healthy tips
Personalizing lunch meal plans
Lunch is an important midday meal. Lunch breaks can help keep your energy levels up. It’s not a good idea to skip lunch, especially when you have diabetes, because doing so may lead to overeating at dinner. The menus in this chapter provide a framework to guide you when you’re making your own lunches. After you’ve made a few meals in your desired carb range, it becomes easier to develop similar menus of your own. You also find a few tips on eating out in this chapter.
Loving Your Lunch Options
The menus in this section are designed to illustrate how to achieve variety in food choices, yet consistency in carb intake. You find seven themes for lunches with three carb-range options. Carb and calorie counts are noted for each menu. The main carb-containing foods are in bold font, and the grams of fiber have been subtracted from the total carb count. The portion sizes in the base menus provide 30–45 grams of carb per meal. Tips for incremental carb portion add-ons boost the carb count to achieve 45–60 grams of carb and 60–75 grams of carb. If you choose to eat more than 75 grams of carb, you can add items as needed. Appendix A indicates portion sizes that provide 15 grams of carb from starch, fruit, and milk food groups. If you aren’t sure how many carbs you need, see Chapter 5 .
Healthy food options are encouraged, such as choosing lean proteins and lower-fat cooking methods. When portioning your proteins, aim for a serving size that is about the same size as the palm of your own hand. If you desire bigger lunches, start your meal with a leafy green salad with your choice of cut, crunchy vegetables. If you’re cutting down on your intake of fats, you can opt for reduced-fat salad dressings. Spritzing on salad oil with a spray bottle is another easy way to control how much oil you use. You can purchase separate bottles for vinegar and oil, or you can blend the two in the same bottle. Use herbs and spices as desired, but little or no salt (especially if you have high blood pressure).
|
Lunch Menus |
BASE MENU 30–45 Grams Carb per Meal |
45–60 Grams Carb per Meal |
60–75 Grams Carb per Meal |
Healthy Tips and Options |
|
Monday Middle Eastern falafel sandwich |
½ whole-wheat pita bread 2 falafel patties 1 tablespoon hummus Chopped lettuce, as desired 1 tablespoon diced tomato 1 tablespoon diced cucumber 1 tablespoon chopped onion Drizzle with tahini dressing (see the far-right column) Total: 32 grams carb 282 calories |
To the base menu add: ¾ cup tabbouleh Total: 46 grams carb 406 calories |
To the base menu add: Double the ingredients in the base menu to make 1 whole pita. Total: 64 grams carb 564 calories |
Recipe for tahini dressing: 1 tablespoon tahini 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon water ¼ teaspoon garlic (minced or dry) Use warm water to assist in blending. Read labels for carb and calorie info as brands of tabbouleh vary. This example is ½ cup bulgur, ⅓ cup parsley, 1 teaspoon oil, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. |
|
Tuesday Nicoise salad |
3 cups lettuce 1 hard-boiled egg ½ cup tuna ½ cup cooked green beans ½ cup boiled red potatoes 1 small tomato 4 black olives Dressing: Blend 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons vinegar, herbs of choice, and black pepper 1 slice whole-grain bread (about 1 ounce) Total: 35 grams carb 510 calories |
To the base menu add: 17 small grapes (or 1 small peach) Total: 50 grams carb 570 calories |
To the base menu add: 17 small grapes (or 1 small peach) + ½ cup garbanzo beans Total: 66 grams carb 675 calories |
Place the lettuce on a dinner-sized plate, cut up the remaining vegetables into bite-sized pieces and arrange them on top of the lettuce, add the tuna and egg, and then drizzle with the blended vinegar and oil, herbs, and black pepper. Optional: Add sliced red onion, bell pepper, and radishes. Optional: Add ¼ teaspoon mustard to the dressing. Buy tuna packed in water; drain before using. |
|
Wednesday Turkey wrap |
1 medium 8-inch whole-wheat flour tortilla 2 tablespoons light cream cheese, softened 6 thin slices of deli turkey (2 ounces) ½ cup shredded carrot 2 lettuce leaves ¼ cup minced tomato 1 green onion, sliced Total: 32 grams carb 276 calories |
To the base menu add: 2 clementines Total: 47 grams carb 346 calories |
To the base menu add: 2 clementines + ½ cup canned three-bean salad Total: 62 grams carb 426 calories |
Spread the cream cheese over the entire tortilla. Arrange the turkey and vegetables on top. Roll tightly. Slice in half. Opt for spinach leaves rather than lettuce. If desired, add sliced mushrooms or thinly sliced cucumber. If you want to make three-bean salad at home, the ratio is about ¼ cup kidney beans, ¼ cup garbanzo beans, and ¼ cup cooked green beans with 1 tablespoon of Italian salad dressing. |
|
Thursday Rice bowl |
⅔ cup cooked brown rice Stir-fry using: 1 tablespoon oil 4 ounces lean meat or tofu ½ cup broccoli ¼ cup onion 6 mushrooms ½ teaspoon garlic ¼ teaspoon pepper Finish with ¼ cup low-sodium broth and 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce. Heat to simmer and serve over the rice. Total: 38 grams carb 438 calories |
To the base menu add: ¾ cup pineapple Total: 53 grams carb 500 calories |
To the base menu add: ¾ cup pineapple + ⅓ cup cooked brown rice Total: 68 grams carb 567 calories |
You may substitute green beans or bok choy for the broccoli. Optional: Add 1 tablespoon wine or 1 teaspoon peanut butter to the simmer sauce. Optional: Top with sliced green onion. Optional: Drizzle with toasted sesame oil or chili oil. |
|
Friday Pasta salad |
1 cup cooked pasta Chop and mix: ¼ cup yellow bell pepper ¼ cup zucchini 1 small tomato 1 tablespoon onion 6 black olives 2 ounces cubed, fresh mozzarella 2 tablespoons Italian salad dressing Total: 42 grams carb 468 calories |
To the base menu add: 1¼ cups strawberries Total: 55 grams carb 534 calories |
To the base menu add: 1¼ cups strawberries + ½ cup white kidney beans (cannellini) Total: 70 grams carb 644 calories |
Any pasta shape will work; I recommend small shells. Try whole-wheat pasta. Optional: Add cut cucumber, broccoli, or mushrooms. Onions may be red, yellow, or green, and bell pepper can be any color. Mix the beans into the pasta salad. You may substitute red kidney beans for white beans. |
|
Saturday Beef burgers |
Whole-wheat hamburger bun 3-ounce beef patty, 95% lean 1 slice cheese Lettuce leaf Sliced tomato Sliced onion Sliced dill pickle 1 teaspoon mayonnaise 1 teaspoon ketchup ½ teaspoon mustard 1 ounce baked potato chips Total: 45 grams carb 471 calories |
To the base menu add: 1¼ cups diced watermelon Total: 60 grams carb 521 calories |
To the base menu add: 1¼ cups diced watermelon + ⅓ cup baked beans Total: 75 grams carb 600 calories |
You may substitute a chicken breast, salmon patty, or veggie burger for the beef. Opt for reduced-fat cheese or reduced-fat mayonnaise. Add a leafy green side salad if desired. |
|
Sunday Soup and sandwich |
Grilled cheese sandwich: 2 slices whole-wheat bread 2 slices cheese (sandwich size, 1.5 ounces total) 2 teaspoons light margarine or light mayonnaise Assemble sandwich with cheese inside and spread on outside. Grill in pan until golden on both sides. 1 cup light-sodium tomato soup Total: 45 grams carb 435 calories |
To the base menu add: 1 small apple Total: 60 grams carb 495 calories |
To the base menu add: 1 small apple + ⅓ cup cooked white or brown rice (Add cooked rice to the soup to make tomato rice soup.) Total: 75 grams carb 565 calories |
Optional: Add 2 ounces lean ham to the sandwich. Opt for reduced-fat, 2% milk cheeses. Optional: Thinly slice tomatoes and onions and insert into sandwich prior to grilling. Add a leafy green side salad if desired. |
Personalizing Your Lunch Meal Plan
You can get creative and personalize these menu ideas in a variety of ways. Check out the following list for ideas, whether you’re making your own lunch or eating out:
· Swapping out carb choices: For example, if the menu calls for rice, you can swap the rice for other grains that have the same carb count. You can replace rice with quinoa, millet, farro, or couscous.
· Choosing different fruit: Swapping is also permissible for the fruit group. Choose the fruits you prefer and keep the portion size to about 15 grams of carb. If you aren’t having a serving of fruit with a meal, fruit makes a healthy in-between-meals snack. Refer to the Exchange Lists in Appendix A to find comparable items.
· Going vegetarian (or not): Make any meal vegetarian by using tofu or a meat substitute. Likewise, if you don’t want falafel patties, use lean meat instead.
· Drinking the right stuff: Add a carb-free thirst quencher to your meal. For more information about beverages, see Chapter 11 .
· Incorporating pre-made, packaged meals: There’s nothing wrong with keeping lunch simple when you don’t have the time or the energy to make your own meal. Many packaged and frozen entrées are available to help you stay in your carb and calorie targets. Read the Nutrition Facts labels on packages (see Chapter 7 for help). Check the carbs and the calories. Compare fats and sodium too.
Once you’ve picked your entrée, you can add a side of vegetables or a green salad. For convenience, keep a bag of frozen broccoli or green beans on hand. Baby carrots, celery, cucumbers, and bell peppers stay fresh in the refrigerator for over a week. If you buy canned vegetables, you can opt for no-added-salt versions. Lettuce and salad greens can be purchase pre-washed for convenience. Some stores offer packaged salads with lean proteins and plenty of vegetables. Add carbs by adding a whole-wheat dinner roll or some whole-grain crackers.
When you do have time to make a meal at home, make a larger batch and freeze a serving for a future lunch.
· Eating in restaurants: If you find yourself heading to a restaurant for lunch, strive to make healthy choices most of the time. If you choose to order an item that you know isn’t so healthy, such as a side of fries, choose the smallestsize. When the server delivers your meal to the table and the portion size is bigger than you expected (or bigger than you need), ask the waiter for a to-go box and package up half of the meal before you start eating.
If you frequent any chain restaurants, you can find and print the nutrition information for their menu items by visiting their web page. The web address is usually www.insert-the-name-of-the-restaurant.com (for example, www.subway.com ). Some restaurants provide brochures with the nutrition facts, while others mark the calories, fat, and carbs on the menu. Ask your server or the manager for more information.
If you do dine out during your lunch break, take the opportunity to fit in a 10–15 minute walk.
· Packing it up: Consider packing your lunch a couple days per week. You can brown-bag-it with a sandwich, raw crunchy veggies, and a serving of fruit, or if you have access to a microwave, you can do a healthy heat-and-eat. Bringing lunch can save you money and gives you more control over what you eat.