Put the Power in Your Lunch Hour

Everyone loves a meal deal from time to time, but the wrong lunch can leave you feeling sluggish and – if you’re buying one every day – out of pocket, too.

Which is why we’ve put together our favourite #GoodEnergy tips that will put power in your lunch hour – and savings in your bank account!

#1. Prep School

Regardless of your age and goals, buying ingredients and prepping your lunchtime meals for the week ahead WILL help you control both your nutritional intake and bank balance. Once you’ve planned your meals and done a supermarket shop, all you then have to do is set time aside every Sunday to cook and store them. Granted, not everyone is going to have spare time on a Sunday; if you fall into this category, doing it every night before the next day’s work is still worthwhile. Initially, meal prep can seem a little daunting and somewhat of an effort, so for inspo and guidance, this video from our friend, Avant Garde Vegan, should be your first port of call.

2. Slowly Does It

And, when it comes to preparing simple, stress-free lunches that taste absolutely amazing, a slow cooker is your best friend (especially seeing as, nowadays, they can be picked up for as little as £10). Something which – combined with the variety of equally low-cost, healthy meals you can create using slow cookers – makes them an absolute necessity for lunches. And life in general.

#3. Dump the Slump

Afternoon. Slump. Two words which, combined, strike fear into the minds of office workers; when you choose the right lunch, however, you needn’t worry about that dreaded 3pm crash. As well as stretching your legs by eating away from your desk, a lunch comprising foods with better nutritional value will also do you wonders; poor quality, processed foods are prone to inducing slumps.

4. Never Get Bored of Cupboards

In the same way you’d keep a supply of staple food items in your cupboards at home, do the same at work. If your office has a kitchen with storage, great – if not, store them in a box under your desk. This way, if you don’t have the chance to prep your lunch beforehand (or forgot to pack it) something nutritious and exciting on your lunch hour. Think canned foods with a long expiry date, ones that don’t need to be stored in a fridge: fish, beans, olives and tomatoes, to name a few.

#5. Less Cravings, More Savings

A better lunch will help keep you feeling fuller for longer – but if you’re looking for a more tangible benefit that comes from prepping your own meals, create a physical or digital savings pot / account. Every week, put the money you’ve saved on shop-bought lunches into savings; by the end of the year, you might well have enough to book flights abroad, or something similarly rewarding.