As part of nutrition month Body & Soul is featuring articles by members of the Bermuda Dietitians Association. Today Kelsey McLenaghan-Chhuom Clinical Dietician with the Bermuda Hospitals Board continues her advice on budget lunching.

Ten dollars doesn't sound like much, but the ten spent here and there on take-out lunches piles up, and can become disastrous on your pocketbook! Smart nutrition can seem difficult when feeling the penny pinch and strapped for time, but fortunately, attentive meal planning, shopping, and cooking can trim both waist and food budget. With Bermudian healthcare statistics indicating upward trends in obesity, diabetes and other lifestyle modifiable diseases, we as a country, cannot afford to continue unhealthy eating habits.

Healthy lunches should include foods from all five food groups, including a variety of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, reduced fat milk products and varying types of meat and alternatives such as lean meat, poultry, fish, beans, peas, nuts and seeds. This combination will ensure you are fueled for the afternoon and not slumped over your desk or raiding the vending machine. Using appropriate portion sizes for your age, gender and activity level makes your grocery dollars stretch even further.

Boring peanut butter sandwiches move aside…….for more nutrition pizzazz try:

• A variety of whole-grain breads, bagels, pitas, wraps and English muffins. Check out delicious varieties of whole grains the next time you visit the grocery store and try different types often.

• Fibre enriched white bread as a healthy alternative to regular white bread

• A wholewheat tortilla rollup made with chunky peanut butter and banana, paired with fat-reduced milk or yogurt

• Multigrain bagel or whole wheat pita as a base for a mini pizza made with tomato sauce topped with low-fat cheese such as mozzarella, grilled chicken and veggies of your choice.

• Lean fillings like sliced eggs, canned fish, such as tuna or salmon packed in water, lean meats. Aged cheese such as sharp cheddar is more flavourful so you won't use as much. All of these options are nice additions to side salads as well.

• Hummus as a tasty vegetarian condiment, Dijon mustard, salsa, low fat mayo or light salad dressing

• Sandwiches and wraps packed full of assorted dark greens like spinach, romaine, basil, sprouts, tomatoes, cucumber, paired with fruit salad. Try local or even homegrown produce as affordable options.

Nutritious After Lunch Complements:

• Yogurt paired with fresh or frozen fruit and muesli, fresh fruit with dip, canned fruit in light syrup or real fruit juice, frozen grapes, apple slices with peanut butter and granola, angel food cake with fresh in season berries, low fat graham crackers, or a few pieces of hard candy can satisfy the urge to have something sweet after a meal.

Smart Hydration

• Rev up cost savings by using the free water cooler at work or filtered tap water rather than buying bottled beverages. Instead, bring a thermos full of coffee or tea or a reusable portioned controlled bottle of unsweetened 100 percent fruit juice.

Overall, packing your own lunch is:

1. Healthy

2. Affordable ($5 or less/day)

3. "Bermuderful" think of all the disposable plastics and styrofoam containers you will save and help keep Bermuda beautiful!

Get ready to chuck that lunch in the fridge at work. No fridge, no problem. Get yourself a cute lunch bag, thermos, reusable containers and ice-packs to help you plate your fate towards a healthier lifestyle, thicker wallet and blue sky!