Quick, Healthy Lunch For One

As a pescatarian person in a world that centers on beef, chicken and bacon, I find that quick and affordable healthy meals can be a challenge.

My schedule sometimes allows me time at my home office and other days on the road. When I travel, the lunch options are somewhat limited and mostly unhealthy so I try to eat reasonably healthy when cooking at home.

I like to cook but am often pressed for time- either because of scheduling or because I wait till I’m already hungry to start preparing food.

Shortcuts are my friends.

One of my regular lunches is the best kind of shortcut. This family size stir fry was on sale and came with all the veggies plus two sauce packets. So it’s easy to make half of the bag at one time!

Sometimes they come with noodles. This one did not but that was fine because I had a microwaveable packet of jasmine rice. That rice packet claims to be a single serving. That seems like too much for one meal so I just use half.

Half of a family pack of veggies and half the rice packet are perfect together. Then I sauté some frozen shrimp to round out the meal.

It all cooks up quickly and it is affordable. Cooking for one or two doesn’t have to be the challenge that society tells us it is. You just have to be creative and smart.

A Workday Picnic

Yesterday I found myself with the unusual combination of free time for lunch and proximity to a state park. So I stopped by a local deli for cheese and veggies on a whole wheat bun and then headed to Ash Cave for a picnic.

I found solace from the world at a table on the far end of the parking lot.

It was just me and the birds and the wind in the trees. Cell phones don’t work out there and I had nothing to do but sit and enjoy my freedom. I didn’t even have a book.

I eventually took a little walk despite looking a bit out of place in my dress clothes but I didn’t care at all. Given that I often eat leftovers at work, this was like a mini vacation in the middle of my day.

Cleaning out the fridge: a frugal lunch

I had some stuff in my fridge this morning that was approaching the point of no return. Another day or two and they would either get tossed or pushed to the back of the shelf to languish until the mold is so severe I contemplate how badly I want to save the container.

Sigh. This is not a good place to be.

So today’s lunch is an assortment of bits and pieces that might otherwise have been wasted. Some turkey, a banana that was a day away from turning soft, some very tasty hot pepper jack cheese and the last of this week’s grapes. It’s a little bland looking but very tasty.  It’s also a nice feeling to know that this stuff I worked to pay for won’t be wasted.