Brown Bag Lunch

If you are used to eating out, you may face a learning curve as you experiment with brown bag options. As a general rule, you want to follow your calorie-counting guidelines and create a meal that will be filling. This requires the right mix of fiber, protein, fruits, and vegetables. For example, pack a chicken sandwich on multigrain bread with a small salad (with light or no dressing) and a piece of fruit or low-calorie yogurt.

Here are some ideas for healthy and filling brown bag lunches that will also save you money:

* Wrap up your leftovers. Try a slight modification to make last night’s dinner a fresh experience. For example, stuff leftover chili in a pita with some veggies and avocado slices for a new taste.

* Microwave a frozen meal. There’s a frozen lunch entrée to meet every diet and every budget. "A lot of these new microwave dinners are really, really nice and they are very controlled in calories.

* Pack a soup. Soup is filling and generally low in calories. In fact, if you eat soup before digging into your main lunch course, studies show you’re likely to eat 20 percent fewer calories.

* Focus on cost-saving foods. In general, packing a brown-bag lunch will save you money compared to eating out every day. If you are stretching your pennies, using beans, eggs, potatoes, and leftovers from whole chicken meals (rotisserie or baked at home) for truly low-calorie and budget-friendly meals.

* Brown-bag snacks as well. Create your own 100-calorie snacks to get you through the day. Making these yourself might require a food scale for careful measuring, but you’ll save a small fortune over prepackaged 100-calorie snacks and be more eco-friendly.