August 30, 2021
If you’re mixing working from home with a return to the office, here’s how to plan lunches and dinners for the ultimate flexible eating plan
Many of us are embarking on a return to offices, perhaps with a new hybrid routine that involves both time at home as well as in the workplace. While this flexible approach to the weekly routine has a lot of benefits, it can leave us feeling slightly out of control when it comes to planning lunches and evening meals.
You may have enjoyed having more time to prepare and cook an evening meal, and be reluctant to switch to quick-fix suppers after a day in the office. Or perhaps the thought of packing a lunchbox to take to work is filling you with dread…
With years of both consulting with clients virtually from home, as well as travelling to my clinic to see people in person, I’m a veteran of needing a flexible approach to healthy meal-making. Here are my tips for making WFH (working from home) and RTO (return to the office) the best nourishing fit for you.
Breakfast
WFH day Without the rush to get out of the door, you can take an extra few minutes to prepare a nourishing breakfast to start your day with a healthy boost. Try a Spiced Fruit Smoothie in a Bowl, Buckwheat Pancakes with Mixed Berry Compote, or a bowl of our special Nourish Porridge, made with your favourite Nourish Drinks for extra goodness.
Office day Prep ahead and you’ll have a ready-made option to eat before you leave the house, or take to work with you. A carton of Nourish Drink is the simplest option. Or try our Buckwheat and Chia Seed Porridge – you can make this at the start of the week and keep in separate travel pots in the fridge, ready to grab and go.
Lunch
WFH day I’m a huge fan of leftovers for lunch – last-night’s dinner can provide a no-fuss plateful the following day, and reduces food waste, too. Being at home also means you can put vegetables or a sweet potato to roast in the oven, then leave it to cook while you get on with work. Or try our recipes for Cheese Fluff, Roasted Aubergines with Tahini or Butternut Squashed with Mushrooms.
Office day A wide-mouthed flask of soup is my absolute go-to for a satisfying work lunch. You could prep a batch at the start of the week. Or have portions kept in the freezer, which can be taken out the night before and quickly reheated in the morning while you boil the kettle for your morning cuppa. A protein-rich recipe will help you avoid that dreaded 4pm slump – try our Carrot, Beetroot, Red Lentil & Quinoa Soup or Roasted Butternut Squash & Parmesan Soup (you could make this when you’re making the Butternut Squashed with Mushrooms recipe, above).
Or fill your flask with one of our Nourish Smoothies, made with Nourish Drinks and added fruits.
Dinner
WFH day You could use your usual commute time to do some extra prep in the kitchen. Either make extra portions of dinner so you can eat the leftovers for lunch the following day, or adapt the recipes so they can tweaked to work for lunch and dinner. Make extra filling for our Prawn Tacos, for example, and add lettuce the next morning for a salad to enjoy at home or in the office.
Office day Smart planning can stop us ordering takeaways or buying ready-made food because we’re too tired to cook. There’s nothing wrong with eating the same meal two days in a row. If you make a big batch of our Bean Chilli on a WFH day, you can enjoy it again the next night with a baked potato, say, rather than rice. Or cook our Tomato Batch Sauce and have it with homemade meatballs on a WFH day or plain pasta and Parmesan as a quick supper on a day you’ve been out at work.
Anytime, any place options
Packed with protein, vitamins and healthy fats, these are fantastic choices wherever you’re eating…
