Modern Homemakers

Quick and Healthy Lunch or Snack Ideas for Working Parents

by Kevyn Gohu
June 20, 2023

Here are some quick and easy (and also healthy!) lunch or snack ideas for working parents.

Working in the office can make working parents neglect their health for the sake of penny-pinching. With restaurants charging around PHP 300.00 to PHP 500.00 per dish, it takes out a lot from our take-home pay. But we also don’t have the time to cook a filling meal in the morning to beat the morning rush. So, here are some quick and healthy lunch or snack ideas to bring to work.

1. Avocado with milk

One avocado and some milk can actually be quite filling. Mix it with nuts or seeds like Flax Seeds or Chia Seeds (which are available in supermarkets and in bulk). A medium-sized avocado contains around 240 calories alone, mixed with some milk at 42 calories, chia seeds at 486 calories, and flax seeds at 534 calories per 100 grams. Avocado is also rich in Potassium, Folate, fiber, and monosaturated fats which are helpful in lowering cholesterol. For those allergic to dairy, soy milk or oat milk works well with an avocado’s buttery texture.

2. Overnight oats

Overnight oats are best made in bulk. Pour some oats into a mason jar with some fruits like blueberry, strawberry, or bignay berries while adding a bit of wild honey to balance out the tartness of the berries. For those watching their sugar, Stevia also works well with milk.

3. Chicken sandwiches

Chicken sandwiches are one of the few sandwiches that taste delicious cold. If there’s some leftover roast chicken from dinner or lunch then, shred the meat and toss it in some mustard, mayonnaise, boiled egg, and relish. Add some tomatoes, fresh onions, and lettuce, and leave it in the fridge. By morning, everything should be ready to go! For those who want to add more fiber, you can use whole wheat bread instead of white bread and then add some canned asparagus.

4. Egg salad

Egg salad just needs some boiled eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, and relish. It’s easy to make in batches, healthy, and also filling. Eggs are at their healthiest when cooked because the heat allows the body to better absorb the biotin, a vitamin that helps strengthen hair and nails. To make a deviled egg salad, paprika, and cayenne pepper ought to make it taste better.

5. Ensaladang talong at mangga (or eggplant and green mango salad)

The only thing that needs cooking here is the eggplant, which can be grilled on top of a baking rack on a stove. While the eggplant is grilling, slice up an onion, tomato, and green mango to mix. For the dressing, sukang sinamak is a Filipino favorite because it has that spice. Then, add salt and pepper to taste. For those who want a more filling kind of salt, salted eggs might be preferred.

Quick and healthy lunches help save money, too!

Preparing your own healthy lunch for the office helps save money. Not all restaurants within the commercial areas are capable of catering to special dietary requests and for working parents, having a healthy lunch also means lessening the chances of having to spend on medical bills.