Pack your Bags: Fresh and Healthy Ideas for Your Brown Bag

FIBER-PACKED FRUITS, VEGETABLES, AND GRAINS satisfy our need for physical fullness, but don’t have much staying power when eaten alone. Here’s the good news: simply adding a grab-and-go protein source —we’re partial to avocado, chickpeas, and Greek yogurt —can transform any snack into a balanced meal. Building your bowl from the grains up? Start with Market Street Grocery Executive Chef Michael LaMantia’s Bamboo Rice Salad, made with short grain white rice, sweet bamboo extract, cucumbers, peppadew peppers, snap peas, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, a Nonfat nd fresh strawberries.

THE ENDLESSLY VERSATILE AVOCADO boasts plenty of flavor in addition to mono- and polyunsaturated fats (the oily, good-for-you-in-moderation kinds) that “slow your digestion, keep food in your stomach longer, and keep you full until your next meal or snack,” says Montgomery. We especially love it tossed on a salad, used as a sandwich or cracker spread, or halved and drizzled with oil or vinegar. Here, we paired the easily adaptable fruit — yes, fruit — with Giant Eagle’s Balsamic Vinegar Glaze, which also doubles as a superb ice cream or fruit topping.

SMART SNACKING is not an oxymoron when paired with self-control and a basic understanding of nutrition facts panels. “Snacks don’t always have to be low-cal if you’re careful with portion sizes,” says Anna Ardine, clinical nutrition manager at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC. Amp up that crunch factor with a handful of popcorn, unsalted nuts, or a whole grain rice cake. We’re particularly fond of these organic, dark chocolate-dipped versions for their guilt-free calorie count (60 per cake) and light-as-air texture.

SAVORY, ROASTED VEGETABLE MEDLEYS can turn your monotonous lunch ritual into a party, especially if you’re not a huge fan of raw veggies themselves. Best of all, roasting requires very minimal effort. East End Food Co-op grocery manager Maura Holliday likes to “take a whole head of cauliflower, rub it with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and maybe some Parmesan cheese; and throw it in the oven for 45 minutes. It adds a whole new flavor.” Here, Chef LaMantia pairs roasted red and yellow peppers, artichoke hearts, marinated portabella mushrooms, and grape tomatoes with aged goat cheese, mesclun mix, and a tomato basil wrap. For a lighter, more carb-conscious option, we ditched the wrap and tossed the veggies with spring mix and protein-rich tuna.

TIP: STOCK YOUR CANTRY. Theoretically, your kitchen cupboards could contain four out of five food groups (protein, fruits, veggies, and grains) at any given time. Canned light tuna in water, fruit in light syrup and 100 percent juice, and vegetables and beans with less than 140 milligrams of sodium are your best ready-to-eat options for lunch, says Montgomery. Here’s a mind blow: rinsing and draining can contents reduces sodium by an extra 40 percent, even if the food was already low in sodium to start.

FRUIT-INFUSED WATER WITH MINT might be the single greatest thing to ever happen to our Mason jars. It’s also a much healthier alternative to sugar-loaded, “fruit-flavored” bottles of water and juice. Ardine inspired us to try a cool combo of Valencia orange and spearmint with our H2O — “mints of any kind enhance fruit flavors,” she says — but give yourself a blank slate to get creative with strawberries, mangos, and even cucumbers.

LEAN ANIMAL PROTEINS like tuna packed in water, skinless chicken breast, and turkey breast are pro picks for daytime munching due to their low fat content — less than three grams of total fat per serving to be exact. Our brains rely on protein for confirmation that we’ve eaten enough, so make an effort to incorporate these light bites onto a salad, in a wrap, or à la carte to avoid the post-lunch belly growl heard ‘round the conference room. Montgomery suggests storing nuts, seeds, beans, and light tuna packets in an “emergency” desk drawer to pep up a protein-shy lunch.