Healthy Lunch Options for Busy Working Moms

Now that you've gotten the kids back to school, why not think about doing a little better on planning for yourself?

IT TAKES PLANNING

I found some healthy lunch options for women who are busy working, tending to the kids and doing all the other things we do. We are often tempted to run through and grab fast-food meals for lunch. But with a little bit of planning, you can have a great lunch and it will be much healthier for you.

LEARN WHAT YOU'RE BUYING

I get the "Eat This, Not That" newsletter and they have some great suggestions. But the number 1 tip is to learn how to master the supermarket isles. The key is to stay away from the inside isles. If you walk the grocery store on the outside you will find the fresh fruits and veggies, the proteins and the milk, bread and cheese items that are healthy.

SOME SUGGESTIONS

You can make some great finds in the freezer section of some grocery stores. Here's one idea:

Amy's Black Bean Enchilada Whole Meal are quite healthy and really do taste good. You can heat them up in your microwave at work and have a tasty lunch for a bargain price. Try them if you can find them in your favorite store.

I'm not a tunafish fan, but it you are, you can try the Starkist Chunk Light Tuna in Water. It comes in a 2.6-oz pouch. It's only 80 calories and provides pure protein. Use whole wheat bread and some sweet relish and it's a great lunchtime meal.

Another option is soup. But be careful in choosing this one. Nutritionists say you really can't go wrong with Campbell's Soup on the Go Vegetable Beef. It's only 70 calories, but try to find one with low sodium! Pair this with some whole wheat crackers and greek yogurt with blueberries for dessert and you are in great shape!

If you want to look for things in the frozen food section again, check out the Kashi Red Curry Chicken. It's 300 calories and only 8 grams of fat. This is a top pick of many diet gurus because you will get a good dose of whole grains with every meal. It’s not going to be a full lunch, though. So you might want to pair it with a side dish of some fruit or raw veggies to make it a more complete meal.