Time poor Britons are being offered advice on how to grab a healthy, nutritious lunch from the high street.
Online food retailer Prepped Pots powered by MuscleFood.com has teamed up with nutrition coach Becky Alexander to find out how to make healthier choices at fast food outlets and sandwich shops.
According to research, over half of working Britons will head out to buy lunchtime foods at least three times a week.
But with so much choice – and not all of them healthy – choosing well is not as easy as it seems.
Prepped Pots powered by MuscleFood.com asked nutrition coach Becky Alexander how she makes healthy choices on the high street.
Becky suggests always making sure you have protein in your sandwich or take out meal, opting for wholegrain bread if you can and eating sweet treats with the meal rather than saving for later.
She also says to try to avoid fries and fatty pasties, but does add everything is fine in moderation.
Ashleigh Tosh from Prepped Pots powered by MuscleFood.com said: “The choice when you go out to grab lunch can be overwhelming. There is so much to choose from, they all smell delicious and when you’re hungry, it’s too easy to head for what you really want rather than think about how nutritious it is.
“Becky has broken her experiences down to help Britons who want a healthy lunch on the go but have no idea where to start.
“Simple things like swapping calorie heavy fizzy drinks for a bottle of water is an easy swap, as is making sure your sandwich has a protein source.”
Here are Becky Alexander’s tips for picking a healthy lunch on the go with Prepped Pots powered by MuscleFood.com.
Buying a sandwich
Sandwiches are a UK lunchtime staple so look for one with a good source of protein and some salad. Protein will leave you feeling fuller for longer and the salad is a great source of fibre and nutrients. Good choices include ham and egg salad roll, tuna mayonnaise roll or sandwich and anything with chicken in. If you can, opt for a wholegrain bread. It has more fibre which helps with our digestion and helps to prevent blood sugar spikes.
Picking a drink
Water is always the best option, or if you need an energy boost, a coffee. Otherwise go for a sparkling drink rather than a full on can of fizzy.
Avoid the pasties
Pasties and sausage rolls are fine in moderation. They are high in saturated fats so pack in the calories with very little nutritional benefit. You’ll also be hungry much sooner than if you have a protein rich meal.
Sweet treat
If you fancy a sweet treat with lunch, have it with your meal rather than eating it a couple of hours later. This is better for balancing blood sugars and is less likely to leave you feeling hungry an hour later.
Fast food choices
If you fancy a fast food lunch, think carefully about your choices. Look for something that’s higher in protein and fibre, not carb dense and full of trans fats. A good choice would be something like a chicken wrap. The chicken is a good source of protein which will help you feel full, the wrap is a carb which we need for energy production and any added salad is a good source of fibre and nutrients.
Picking a side
Fries are always a tasty side, but they’re not the best for us. They’re high in calories and trans fats and they can leave you feeling sluggish. Instead opt for a salad box, some carrot sticks or even some veggies.
