Smart Sack-Lunching - American Heart Association
KathyH927
Posts: 4
Smart Sack-Lunching
Use the sizes of plastic lunch bags to your advantage. By portioning food out prior to eating (versus eating directly out of the container), you can keep from over-eating or binging. The different sizes are great for different purposes; here are some ideas:
Snack-Size: for just that, snacks! The size of these bags holds the right amount of food for one snack. Here are some healthy snacks that fit in perfectly:
A small handful of unsalted pretzels
½ cup grapes
½ cup baby carrots
¼ cup dried fruit and nut mix
4 celery sticks with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
½ cup whole grain cereal or granola
Sandwich-Size: These are the perfect size to hold your favorite healthy sandwiches, but avoid using this bag to pack snacks, as they are larger than one portion size. Here are some healthy sandwiches to pack in your next lunch:
1 teaspoon low fat mayo, ½ cup sliced tomato, ¼ avocado, 2 slices low sodium lean turkey breast on two slices of pumpernickel bread
1 tablespoon brown mustard, ¼ cup sliced bell peppers, ¼ cup fresh spinach, 1 slice reduced fat, low sodium Swiss cheese, and 2 slices low sodium roasted chicken breast
2 tablespoons almond butter, 1 sliced banana, two slices of whole grain bread
Two slices of whole grain bread, ½ sliced avocado, 2 slices of tomato, 1 teaspoon low-fat mayo
Quart-Size: These bags are great for storing leftovers or for portioning out meals in advance. One bag holds the equivalent of:
4 servings of lean meat or fish
4 servings of fruits or vegetables
8 servings of pasta, rice or other whole grains
4 servings of whole grain bread
4 servings of soup
Gallon-Size: Use these for storage and portioning needs; they are especially great for storing frozen food and leftovers. Here are some foods that freeze well in gallon bags:
Fruit
Vegetables
Lean ground meat
Vegetable or fruit purees and soups
Beans
Use the sizes of plastic lunch bags to your advantage. By portioning food out prior to eating (versus eating directly out of the container), you can keep from over-eating or binging. The different sizes are great for different purposes; here are some ideas:
Snack-Size: for just that, snacks! The size of these bags holds the right amount of food for one snack. Here are some healthy snacks that fit in perfectly:
A small handful of unsalted pretzels
½ cup grapes
½ cup baby carrots
¼ cup dried fruit and nut mix
4 celery sticks with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
½ cup whole grain cereal or granola
Sandwich-Size: These are the perfect size to hold your favorite healthy sandwiches, but avoid using this bag to pack snacks, as they are larger than one portion size. Here are some healthy sandwiches to pack in your next lunch:
1 teaspoon low fat mayo, ½ cup sliced tomato, ¼ avocado, 2 slices low sodium lean turkey breast on two slices of pumpernickel bread
1 tablespoon brown mustard, ¼ cup sliced bell peppers, ¼ cup fresh spinach, 1 slice reduced fat, low sodium Swiss cheese, and 2 slices low sodium roasted chicken breast
2 tablespoons almond butter, 1 sliced banana, two slices of whole grain bread
Two slices of whole grain bread, ½ sliced avocado, 2 slices of tomato, 1 teaspoon low-fat mayo
Quart-Size: These bags are great for storing leftovers or for portioning out meals in advance. One bag holds the equivalent of:
4 servings of lean meat or fish
4 servings of fruits or vegetables
8 servings of pasta, rice or other whole grains
4 servings of whole grain bread
4 servings of soup
Gallon-Size: Use these for storage and portioning needs; they are especially great for storing frozen food and leftovers. Here are some foods that freeze well in gallon bags:
Fruit
Vegetables
Lean ground meat
Vegetable or fruit purees and soups
Beans
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