This post is sponsored by Egg Farmers of Ontario. However, as always, all opinions are genuine.
Packing lunches for work can sometimes feel a little overwhelming or maybe you would rather just be doing something else at the end of the day, like relaxing and watching Netflix. But, with a little bit of meal prep, you can simplify the process and ensure you have healthy options available all week long.
It can be easy to pick up take-out instead of packing a lunch but the cost of that adds up quickly. With current prices, a fast-food lunch meal can easily be around $15 – if you buy lunch even twice a week, that adds up to over $1500 a year.
As a dietitian, I always encourage people to prepare their own food as much as possible because you know what goes into it. Bringing a lunch from home will always be much healthier than buying take-out.
A healthy lunch does not need to be complicated to be delicious.
Eggs are a great option for lunches (or any meal) because they are nutritious and cook quickly. Two eggs contain 13g of high-quality protein and are a source of Vitamin A, choline, selenium, and several other vitamins and minerals. Most of the nutrients are found in the yolk so be sure to eat the whole egg.
I’ve created three easy lunch ideas featuring eggs that will leave you feeling satisfied all afternoon.
Before I get into the recipes, let’s discuss hard-boiling eggs because getting them right can sometimes be tricky.
Hard-boiled eggs are great for meal prep and can last up to one week in the fridge. Here is my tried-and-true method for perfect hard-boiled eggs every time:
Place your eggs in a pot and cover them with cold water. Cover with the lid and bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Once it boils, turn off the heat and leave the pot on the burner. Put a timer on for 10 minutes. After ten minutes, drain the hot water and add cold water to the pot to cool the eggs and stop cooking. Peel the eggs once they are cool enough to handle. When they sit too long, sometimes they can be harder to peel and more of the white comes off. You can also hold the egg under cold running water to help remove the shell.
And did you know, that less fresh eggs are easier to peel, so be sure to use eggs that have been in the fridge longer for hard boiling.
Adult Bento Box:
Bento boxes have been trendy for a while and I can see why, they are easy to assemble and you can pick and choose foods you enjoy to create a balanced lunch.
Include a source of protein, whole grains, and colourful foods, like fruits and vegetables to create a balanced box.
The one I am featuring includes two hard-boiled eggs, cheese cubes, whole-grain crackers, and vegetables. Add a piece of fruit on the side and maybe some yogurt with granola for a snack and you are all set.
Avocado and Egg Salad Lunch Box:
I love a traditional egg salad made with mayo, green onions and fresh dill but this version is a bit of an update and doesn’t use mayo. The addition of avocado makes it creamy, delicious, and more satisfying from the healthy fats and fibre.
Ingredients:
2 chopped hard-boiled eggs
1/2 an avocado, diced
¼ cup finely chopped celery
2 tbsp finely chopped chives or green onion
2 tsp Olive oil
2 tsp Lemon
½ tsp Everything bagel spice
Directions:
Combine all the ingredients and stir. Place in a wrap, over lettuce, or eat with pita or crackers.
Sheet Pan Omelet with Fall Veggies
This omelet is full of fall veggies and is perfect for meal prep. Baking the omelet saves time from being directly by the stove and allows the vegetables to fully cook. You can swap butternut squash for the sweet potatoes and use a different green leafy vegetable if you prefer. Spinach would work perfectly as well. Feta or goat cheese would also work in place of cheddar cheese.
Ingredients:
1 cup diced sweet potatoes
½ cup diced red onion
1 cup chopped red pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
5 eggs
½ cup milk
1 cup chopped kale
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease an 8×8 or equivalent-sized baking dish.
- Add the sweet potatoes, red onion, and bell pepper to the baking dish. Drizzle with the olive oil and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake the vegetables for 10 minutes to allow them to start to cook and soften.
- Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and milk to combine.
- Remove the vegetables from the oven. Top with the chopped kale and mix. Add the egg mixture over top and then sprinkle over the cheddar cheese.
- Bake for another 30-35 minutes or until the eggs are set.
- Cool and slice.
From a simple bento box, to elevated egg salad or a sheet-pan omelet, I hope you give one of these lunch options a try. Be sure to leave a comment if you do!
