{"id":7614,"date":"2013-01-23T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2013-01-23T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/togethercounts.com\/5-brown-bag-lunches-under-500-calories\/"},"modified":"2013-01-23T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2013-01-23T00:00:00","slug":"5-brown-bag-lunches-under-500-calories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/togethercounts.com\/es\/5-brown-bag-lunches-under-500-calories\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Brown Bag Lunches Under 500 Calories"},"content":{"rendered":"

Winter is the epitome of hearty dinners, holiday parties and family celebrations filled with laughter, loved ones and some of our favorite sweet indulgences.\u00a0 As you take part in your family\u2019s favorite holiday food traditions<\/a>, consider making a commitment to the Together Counts\u2019\u2122 emphasis on energy balance by packing a balanced lunch for yourself and your kids. These five easy options will not only help you keep tabs on your family\u2019s calories, but they\u2019ll also keep your energy levels up and save a few dollars in your grocery budget.<\/p>\n

(See also <\/strong>Eating Well at Work<\/strong><\/a>)<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Salmon salad wrap<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Fill 1 whole wheat tortilla with a mixture of 1, 5-ounce can Bumble Bee\u00ae Skinless and Boneless Pink Salmon, 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon nonfat plain yogurt, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1\/4 cup chopped celery, 1\/4 cup shredded carrots, and pepper to taste. Add 1\/2 cup chopped romaine lettuce and 1\/4 cup chopped tomato. Serve with a side of 1 cup cooked (in-shell) edamame.<\/p>\n

2. Fruit and nut butter sandwich with a side of cinnamon honey yogurt<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Spread one whole wheat wrap with 1 1\/2 tablespoons of natural nut butter like almond or peanut butter. Then, layer 3\/4 cup of mixed fruit like thinly sliced apples, pears, or bananas on top. Roll up and eat with a cup of non-fat plain Greek-style yogurt mixed with 1 teaspoon of honey and cinnamon to taste.<\/p>\n

3. Egg salad in lettuce cups<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Combine 1 hard cooked egg and 2 hard cooked egg whites (roughly chopped with a fork) with 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon non-fat Greek style plain yogurt, 1\/2 teaspoon dijon mustard, 1\/3 cup chopped red pepper, 1\/4 cup chopped celery. Fill two washed whole Romaine lettuce leaves (bottoms chopped off) with the egg salad mixture. Serve with 1 ounce of whole grain crackers.<\/p>\n

4. Mediterranean tuna salad w\/garbanzo beans over greens<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Mix 1, 5-ounce can Bumble Bee Sensations\u00ae Seasoned Tuna Medley Lemon & Cracked Pepper\u00a0 with 1\/4 cup thinly sliced red onion, 1\/3 cup garbanzo beans, 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped kalamata olives, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1\/4 cup chopped celery, and black pepper to taste. Serve with 1\/2 of a large whole wheat pita.<\/p>\n

5. Black bean veggie and rice bowl<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In a microwave safe container combine 1 cup microwavable brown rice (already cooked), 1\/2 cup black beans, 1 cup broccoli florets, and 1\/2 cup halved grape tomatoes. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil, a pinch salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic powder to taste. Heat 1-2 minutes in the microwave before eating. Top with hot red pepper sauce to taste.<\/p>\n

Be green tip:<\/strong> Don\u2019t forget to invest in a reusable lunch bag to cut back on your carbon footprint! Choose one that can accommodate an ice pack if necessary \u2013 you\u2019ll save on the cost of paper bags and it\u2019ll be easier to neatly carry all the components of your lunch together.<\/p>\n

What are some of your favorite nutritious packable lunches?<\/strong><\/p>\n

This post was originally published on the BeeWell for Life <\/em>blog<\/em><\/a>. BeeWell for LifeTM<\/sup> is a health and wellness community created by Bumble Bee Foods\u00ae to promote healthy lifestyles and raise donations to fight diabetes, heart disease and breast cancer.<\/em><\/p>\n

Stephanie Clarke and Willow Jarosh, the authors of this post, are registered dietitians and the dynamic duo behind C&J Nutrition, the popular nutrition consulting and communications company based in New York City. You\u2019ll find Stephanie and Willow featured as experts on the news, in health and lifestyle magazines and professional journals, and as contributing nutrition experts and writers for SELF magazine. They\u2019re passionate about showing people that eating healthy can be delicious and can work with any lifestyle as they happily cook, eat, dine out, and nibble their ways through each day.<\/em><\/p>\n

Be sure to check out other great resources from Together Counts!<\/strong><\/p>\n