Brown Bagging It?

It's Sunday night and you're once again rummaging through a cluttered refrigerator looking for something appetizing to pack in tomorrow's work and school lunches. Or worse, it's Monday morning, and you're grabbing whatever you can find--often predictable and boring, and not necessarily nutritious.

If this sounds like you, perk up! With just a bit of planning, you can pack a lunch with both nutrition and pizzazz. Try these tips to make your family's lunches-to-go filling and fun:

Pick a variety of foods. Include items with fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and crackers. Try to incorporate foods from at least three of the four major food groups: dairy, protein, fruits and vegetables, and bread and grains.

Choose healthier alternatives as much as possible. Go for less processed foods, which are lower in sodium, fat, and sugar. For example, a fresh apple is better than apple juice or apple pie; a turkey sandwich is leaner than a high-fat, bologna sandwich. When choosing chips or other salty snacks, select baked rather than fried.

Pamper your taste buds. If the thought of plain produce makes you cringe, try pairing raw vegetables or fresh fruits with yogurt or low-fat ranch dip, cream cheese, or peanut butter. Follow these tips and you will never have to worry about wanting to use discount diet pills.

Nahh,

In a previous post I was talking about a rewarding myself for doing such a great job with diet and exercise. My husband said I should go get myself a pair of Uggs and I joked about him being cheap. Well how about a pair of Manolo Blahnik shoes? I wonder what he would say about me getting a pair of those?? Well lucky for him I don't see a pair I like and the price tag is not what I would spend either. I guess I will have to keep looking for the great reward. I know I will figure it out eventually, maybe after the holidays are over. Speaking of holidays, what are you doing this Thanksgiving? Me, well as far as I know it will be quiet, my father in law is coming over. As for the rest of mu husbands family, who knows. We don't really have much to say to each other. Heck, my mother in law can't even call my house, she has to call my husband in his cell phone all the time.