If you follow me on Instagram then you may be familiar with the hashtag #fuelin5 which I started by tagging my healthy lunch recipes that can be made at work in under five minutes with 5 ingredients for under £5, with the aim of steering people away from the popular and unhealthy choice of sandwich and crisps.

Not only does making your own lunch cut out any unwanted sugars and preservatives, it also saves you money. If the average lunch cost £5 per day to buy then that's amounting to £100 a month. Where as you could be spending half of that amount on ingredients to make your own, putting the rest of the money towards something you enjoy, such as a holiday!

Now, I love the idea of meal prepping and Joe Wicks has been a massive inspiration to me but I am not very good at it because a. I get bored easily, so couldn't cope with eating the same thing everyday; b. as well as teaching Pilates and writing blogs, I also work as a full time PA/Office Manager, attend the gym, film workout videos and entertain my sausage dog so with the little time I have to relax, I do not want to be spending in the kitchen prepping my lunch and c. I do not have enough Tupperware's as they go missing along with my socks and hairbands!

So this is for everyone who's in a similar situation to me and wants to eat healthy and save money without having to spend their weekend prepping. 

If you can walk to the supermarket every lunchtime and spend five minutes deciding what crisps go best with your sandwich then you certainly have time to make your own lunch! If you like to hit the gym at lunch, then I recommend a good Monday morning shop to get in your supplies for the week or a few days at least.

I have put together an example of three lunches per dietary requirement using easily sourced ingredients catering for intolerances and the FODMAP diet. Yes, SOME ingredients are repetitive, this is aimed to minimise food waste (another subject close to my heart) and expenditure! Remember, this is a guideline to get you started and hopefully this will let your imagination run wild. Apart from when I have indicated low-carb (LC), these meals contain all of the essential foods for a balanced diet including protein, vegetables, good grains and healthy fats. This includes the healthy sauces/dips where moderation is important! Follow #fuelin5 for more cooking instructions and more recipes. I would also love to see your creations so please take a picture and tag me!

For the vegans...

Tofu, rice noodles, broccoli, courgette & edamame beans (4 minutes in the microwave)
*GF/HP

Falafel, avocado, spinach & tomato wraps 
*GFO/FM

Falafel & Greek salad (tomato cucumber, red onion & black olives)
*GFO

For the meat eaters...

Pre-cooked chicken, microwaveable brown rice, tender-stem broccoli courgette & avocado  (4 minutes in the microwave)
*GF/DF/LF/HP

Pre-cooked chicken, avocado, pepper & tomato wraps
*GFO/DF/lLF/FM/HP

Pre-cooked chicken, avocado, tomato & spinach salad
*GF/DF/LF/LC/FM/HP

For the vegetarians...

Tofu, microwaveable rice noodles, broccoli, courgette & pepper  (4 minutes in the microwave)
*GF/DF/LF/HP

Falafel, 0% fat Greek yoghurt, spinach & tomato wraps
*GFO

Falafel & Greek salad (tomato, cucumber, red onion & feta cheese)
*GFO

For the pescatarians...

Pre-cooked salmon fillet, microwaveable brown rice, tender-stem broccoli, courgette & edamame beans  (4 minutes in the microwave)
*GF/DF/LF

Tuna, avocado, sweetcorn & tomato wraps
*GFO/DF/LF/HP

Tuna, boiled egg, avocado, black olives & tomato 'Nicoise' inspired salad
*GF/DF/LF/LC/HP

Healthy sauces/dips/oils/dressings to jazz up your lunches: -

Olive oil (tuna, salads)
Balsamic vinegar (tuna, chicken, salads)
Green pesto (chicken)
Soy (tofu, chicken, salmon)
Peanut (1 x tsp smooth peanut butter & a little water to make a paste - tofu, chicken)
Tabasco (tofu, salmon)
Hummus (chicken, tuna, salmon)

Key: -

GF = Gluten-free
GFO=Gluten-free option
DF=Dairy-free
LF=Lactose-free
LC=Low carb
FM=FODMAP friendly
HP=High protein

Portion sizes: -

Unless you are on a strict diet plan, aiming to lose/gain weight or counting your macro's, then according to the eat well guide, your meal should contain the following amounts (this includes the sauces) : -

Carbohydrates - 33%
Fruit/Veg - 33%
Milk/Dairy - 15%
Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein - 12%
High fat/sugar - 8%

Tips: -

1. If you don't have a microwave use couscous instead of rice or quinoa which only requires boiling water. You can buy GF couscous from supermarkets.
2. Broccoli also cooks in boiling water.
3. Mix the tuna and avocado together first as the avocado makes a great substitute for mayonnaise because of it's creaminess (make sure it is ripe).
4. Make a list and go shopping on the Monday which will make you more inclined to carry on making your lunches throughout the week otherwise you are wasting food and money!
5. If you, like me, go to the gym at lunchtime then get to work 5 minutes early to prep your lunch so all you may need to do is heat it and/or eat it.
6. Choose marinated chicken over plain then you are least likely to add a sauce or dressing (check label for gluten or dairy).
   
7. Choose tuna in spring water rather than brine or sunflower oil as it's less fattening.
8. If you are gluten and/or dairy intolerant check the label for falafels as some contain wheat and/or milk.

Brands I recommend: -

Tilda Rice
Tofoo Tofu
Gosh Mediterranean Falafels
Fage Total 0% Greek yoghurt

References: -

Eat well guide

Image: -

Cover photo by Ive Erhard on Unsplash