Gourmet Lunchboxes for Grown-Ups

One soggy sandwich, some questionable cheese, and a bruised banana - anyone for a packed lunch today? We thought not.

If the stale smell of your sticker-clad school lunchbox still lingers in your nose every time you consider bringing your lunch from home, it's time to erase those memories with some gourmet adult lunch ideas!

Packing your own lunch instead of eating out is a great way to cut excess calories from your diet and control what you eat more effectively. Not to mention, it can save you a dollar or two (or fifty) a week.

Read more :

• Lunchboxes have fewer calories
• Take your lunch to the next level
• Great ideas for grown-up lunches
• The mighty microwave
• “But packed lunches are so anti-social!”

Lunchboxes have fewer calories

So it's 12:30 and your stomach is starting to talk. There's a Dominos five minutes away, a McDonald's just around the corner, and a food court next to that. What's it going to be? It's so hard to choose! If you're concerned about your waistline at all, the best answer is "none of the above."

When it comes to excess calorie consumption, eating fast-food or restaurant meals for lunch can be a weight-control nightmare. Fast-food, as you know, is notoriously fat-laden and unhealthy, but even with a reasonably nutritious choice from a restaurant, you can wind up eating almost all your calories for the day in one sitting. Once you add a soft drink, garlic bread, an oversized serving of salad dressing, and perhaps a piece of cake and a cappuccino to finish your meal, you can be looking at an extra 1000 calories or so that you really didn't want or need.

When you pack your own lunch, or even just take a frozen meal to heat in the microwave, you have far more control over how many calories you consume and what size portions you eat.

Take your lunch to the next level

This gourmet lunch could be yours!

So, a healthy homemade lunch is better for your waistline than eating out. But what about your taste buds?

When it comes to packed lunches, most people's imagination stops short at vegemite-and-cheese sandwiches - and then makes a fast u-turn to the nearest kebab shop. However, if you can stretch your imagination past the vegemite jar, you're in for some delicious surprises.

Start by stocking your fridge and shelves with foods that are healthy and that you enjoy, and that can be easily used for packed lunches - and remember, if you're saving money by not eating out, you can spend a little more on gourmet ingredients. Pestos, olives, hummus, low-fat gourmet cheeses, whole-grain gourmet breads, gourmet salad ingredients, low-fat dips, yoghurt, fresh vegetables, and fresh "splash-out" fruits such as strawberries, peaches and mangoes are just a few examples.

If you can store things at work (or wherever you usually are at lunch time) or take them in an esky or cooler bag, even better. That way, you can make fresh sandwiches and salads on the spot.