Healthy Snacks and Brown Bag Lunches for School or Work

Packing healthy brown-bag lunches and snacks can help you lose belly fat, reduce calories, decrease the amount of sodium in your diet, and improve your overall day-to-day health. Choose foods that are low in sodium, sugar, and saturated fat, but high in protein, fiber, calcium, and vitamins. While your choices of healthy snacks and lunches are endless, here are a few ideas to get you started.

• Cheese sticks. Choose low fat and part-skim mozzarella cheese to get calcium and protein in your diet, while keeping a diet that is low in fat.
• Nuts and seeds. These contain protein, but also provide you with heart healthy fats. Be careful with the number of nuts you eat; although they are good for you, they are heavy in calories.
• Yogurt. Choose low-fat yogurt to have a cool, healthy tasty treat. Stick with plain yogurt to reduce sugar, but add berries for sweetness.
• Tuna or Salmon. Add canned tuna or salmon (packed in water, not oil) to a salad or whole grain crackers to help you lose belly fat.
• Pasta salad. Whole grain pasta tossed with vegetables and chicken makes for a healthy lunch.
• Pita pocket. Purchase whole grain pita pockets and stuff with hummus and greens or peanut butter.
• Cobb salad. Toss some spinach, romaine leaves with hard-boiled egg whites, avocado, low-fat crumbled blue cheese, and lean ham for a cool, but satisfying salad.

While choosing processed foods or fast foods is a lot easier, it won’t help you lose weight. By spending a few extra minutes each week purchasing and putting together healthy brown bag lunches and snacks for work or school, you’ll be well on your way to a healthier lifestyle.