Ballet Beautiful Kitchen: Quick, Healthy Lunches Eating a healthy lunch at work or on the go can be difficult. Life gets busy and work always seems to heat up midday, right when we should be sitting down for a nice relaxed meal.  I often suddenly find myself starving at 2pm and dismayed at the thought of ordering another prefab sandwich or salad. I’ve talked a lot about how important being prepared is for healthy eating. Planning ahead by buying and prepping healthy meals and snacks helps us to avoid giving in to temptations like fast food, sugar binges and getting to the point of extreme hunger where it’s just too hard to make healthy choices.  One of the easiest solutions that I’ve found for eating a healthy lunch on the go is bringing my food from home.  It’s so basic and just adds a few extra minutes to my morning routine. I am all about finding ways to eat well without spending hours in the kitchen. As a working mom I just do not have the time!  I try to keep fresh organic salad greens, delicious cheeses and boiled eggs handy so that I always have what I need for a salad.  From there I will top with grilled steak, baked fish or chicken, whatever we have in the kitchen from dinner the night before.  If I’m really pushed for time I’ll grab a pre-prepared grilled chicken breast or protein option to toss onto a salad that I bring from home. Below are a few of my recent favorites. I will pair with iced tea or water, a slice of favorite whole grain bread or even a few whole grain pretzels for a little extra salty crunch.  Happy Lunching! xoxo, Mary Helen Farmer’s market butter lettuce with grilled organic salmon, cherry tomatoes, and radishes topped with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Farmers market red leaf lettuce, heirloom tomato, 2 free range boiled eggs and Mayhill cheese topped with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Farmers market red leaf lettuce with grilled organic chicken, avocado, roasted carrots and zucchini topped with flax seeds and balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Baby spinach and romaine lettuce with baked organic salmon, avocado and tomatoes topped with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. For more of my healthy eating and lifestyle tips check out the Ballet Beautiful Book. I hope this helps you eat healthier and feel better throughout the day!