3 tips to pack healthier lunches and feel better all day

Making your own lunch need not take a lot of time or creative energy. Include a source of lean protein, fruit or vegetables and whole rather than processed grains. Here are some other tips.

Leftovers from last night's dinner work wonders, as do the following quick-and-easy sandwich options:

• Peanut butter and banana sandwich: two slices of whole-wheat bread topped with two tablespoons of peanut butter and half a sliced banana.
• Chicken or tuna salad sandwich: 170 grams of water-packed tuna or cooked chicken breast pieces mixed with 1 tablespoon of light mayonnaise and relish or grated carrots, served between two slices of whole-wheat bread.
• A whole-wheat pita bread "pizza": one pita stuffed with low-fat pizza/spaghetti sauce or salsa, reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese, grated carrot, broccoli pieces, peppers, tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms or other veggies of your choice, plus lean ham or fat-free veggie sausage. Melt in the microwave before eating if desired.
• Tortilla roll-up: one whole-wheat tortilla spread with one tablespoon of low-fat soft cheese, topped with two slices of lean ham or wafer-thin sliced turkey and various veggies such as chilis, lettuce or spinach, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, sprouts or grated carrots.
• Cheese and salad sandwich: two slices of whole-wheat bread spread with one tablespoon of light mayonnaise or mustard and filled with one slice of low or reduced-fat cheese, along with lettuce, sprouts and sliced avocado, tomatoes and peppers.

• This prevents the early-morning haze from overcoming your better judgment and allowing you to leave the house without a packed lunch.
• In one category on your chart, list your bread options (whole-wheat bread, pita, tortilla wrap and so on).
• In the next column, list your protein options, such as turkey breast, low-fat cheese, lean roast beef, hummus or tuna/chicken salad.
• In another column, list vegetable toppings such as broccoli, bean sprouts, spinach, lettuce, cucumber slices, tomato slices, roasted red peppers and grated carrots.
• Finally, in the last column, list your condiments, ranging from mustard to low-fat mayonnaise to Italian dressing.
• You can also include a list of accompaniments such as cheese sticks, apples, oranges, yogurt, baby carrots, low-fat milk and ready-made soup.
• Then, every morning (or, even better, the night before) pick one item from each column to pack. Voilà! A quick, healthy lunch.

• They're not just for dinner. You can pop your meal into your break room microwave for a quick-and-easy lunch that allows plenty of time to run errands or power walk during the rest of your lunch hour.
• Today's frozen food aisles include organic, vegetarian, low-fat, low-carbohydrate and numerous other somewhat healthy food options.
• Look for a frozen dinner that supplies fewer than 400 calories and less than 15 grams total fat, five grams saturated fat and 750 milligrams salt.