One of the easiest ways to save both your wallet and your waistline is to bring lunch to work.  Lunches out are loaded with hidden calories and pricey tabs and the very enticing catered spreads that grace some lucky offices are loaded with portion faux pas that can pile on the pounds.  Packing your own lunch does not mean obeying your alarm clock without your essential snooze session, or missing out on the social lunchtime scene.  Some simple planning, plus the use of leftovers and strategic stocking of your pantry can result in a quick, delicious lunchtime meal any day of the week.

Follow some of these simple tricks to transform those pricey café salads and sandwiches into homemade lunchtime delights.  A popular lunch choice for any sandwich or atop any salad is the very delicious and extremely caloric tuna, egg, and chicken salads.  Loaded with mayonnaise, these deli lunchtime favorites can be a sneak attack on your waistline.  Instead try these homemade tuna/egg/chicken salad cheats that cut the calories by more than half without compromising ANY of the flavor. 

Sprinkle garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and a dash of Dijon mustard into a food processor with six hardboiled eggs (you can remove the yolk from up to 3 of the eggs if your looking to cut cholesterol even further).  Pulse this mixture several times before drizzling a tablespoon of extra light olive oil and continuing to pulse the mixture until you reach your desired consistency.  You can even cut two grilled chicken breast into small bite size pieces and mix with this same combination of seasonings to enjoy a homemade chicken salad re-mix in just minutes.  Additionally, try substituting mayonnaise with store-bought or homemade pesto (garlic clove, basil leaves, toasted pine nuts, tablespoon parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil in the food processor to blend and viola!) and a can of tuna, or sprinkle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper for a refreshing and delicious healthy homemade alternative to these deli favorites.

Hummus and leaner sliced deli meats such as turkey breast, chicken breast, and ham are also great options for a healthier lunch.  Try building your sandwich with Pepperidge Farm’s Thin Slice Whole Wheat bread at just 40 calories a slice instead of those over sized deli rolls and secretly caloric wraps.  Adding fresh avocado, sliced tomato, and arugula to any sandwich will pack in the vitamins with a refreshing taste, all while keeping you satisfied.  You can keep your avocados fresher for longer by keeping the pit in the unused portion and pouring a tablespoon of lemon juice onto the exposed part of the fruit.  Guacamole is another great option, which offers additional flavor from seasonings to add a buttery, yet healthy flavor to your lunch.  Spice up your salads by adding chickpeas, cannellini beans, and marinated canned vegetables such as artichokes and asparagus for another lighter option.  Inspire yourself to try these quick, easy and healthy lunchtime meals and save the extra calories and cash for Friday’s Happy Hour favorite!