Oh the dreaded lunchtime...
If you asked my husband, it is the time of day that he looks forward to; yet, working from home, it has been a time of day that I dread.
Why?
Well, it just so happens that I'm a 1w2 on the Enneagram. How does that apply to lunchtime though? Simply put, it means that I work with the west coast folks during east coast lunchtime and the east coast folks during the west coast lunchtime and find myself on a typical day rummaging for food in between calls, work meetings, and bathroom breaks. You guessed it; I forget to eat lunch regularly by putting my basic needs last (that the Enneagram 2 in me) and by the time I realize it, I am starving and will consume anything for the calories. It is not pretty, but it is truthful.
Recently however, I have been reseting for the second half of the year and nutrition and diet has been at the top of my priority list. You guys know that I love trying out new food products with better-for-you ingredients that can make mealtime a breeze, and when I had the opportunity to try out Wildscape meals, I knew it was a perfect solution to my lunchtime woes.
So how am I overcoming my lunchtime routine to ensure I am not only eating healthy but eating at all? Well, it has been fairly simple with these three easy steps.
Thank you, Wildscape Foods, for sponsoring this post. I was selected for this opportunity by Wildscape Foods with collaboration of Moms Meet; the content and opinions expressed here are all my own. I'm also not a nutritionist. These are just my experiences.
Meal Plan
I know this sounds silly, but before this month, I had only been meal planning for dinners for the family and lunches for the kids. And yet, I have been continuously baffled by the lack of food in our house for me during the day. This has lead me to not actually eating until the point of starvation and needing something quick, easy, and fast... and yet, nothing in the house fit the bill. Over the past six months, I have frequently visited fast food joints because of it and then felt bummed that I did not opt in for a healthier alternative.
Lately, I have been thinking through what I'm actually going to eat for lunchtime as well. This little step has made all of the difference. I prep for my lunches just like I do the kids even though I am working from home and my decisions on what I eat has increased significantly!
Have a Lunch Meeting with Yourself
It is as simple as that. I block off some time to eat on my calendar, on my time zone. Another easy step, but it was something that I hadn't done in a long time. In between nursing, pumping, and taking on some extra projects at work, my lunchtime is typically the last thing on my list to do. It was "scheduling another thing".
But now, I schedule it. More importantly, I stick to my schedule. It has made all the difference in making sure that I do not get to the middle of the afternoon and dive deep into my pantry for a sugary children bar or find myself in the McDonald's drive-thru.
Eat Wildscape
A complete gamechanger.
And something that is ready under 6 minutes with real ingredients in it.
I can block out a 30 minute "lunch meeting", pop this into the microwave while I chop up some veggies and boom – a gourmet lunch that came out of my freezer! That's right... my freezer. Wildscape Foods is a company that creates frozen meals that don't taste like frozen meals, or even close to it!
They are packed full with big chunks of vegetables, whole grains, and meat you can really taste. Their company mission is to create a world where you don’t have to choose between the food you have time for and the food you really want to eat, and listen, they really hit the mark. Their recipes contain natural beef, antibiotic free chicken, and ingredients purposely layered to hold their texture when cooking in the microwave. I was completely amazed on how fancy my lunchtime has transformed!
With six different flavors, I can switch up my lunch meal each day without every getting bored. Just look at the options the have available:
- Chimichurri Chicken with Red Potatoes, Poblano Chiles, Bell Peppers, Barley, and Aji Amarilla Purée
- Cilantro Lime Chicken with Charred Corn Salsa, Red Rice and Black Beans, Riced Cauliflower, and Avocado Mojo Verde
- Gochujang Cauliflower (vegetarian and gluten-free)
- Peri Peri Portobellos (vegetarian)
- Seared Steak with Caramelized Sweet Potatoes, Sorghum, Red Rice, and Pickled Onions (gluten-free)
- Togarashi Beef with Red Cabbage, Edamame and Carrots, Wheat Berries, and Black Garlic Miso
You can check out all of the varieties and Wildscape recipes in more detail here. I love that I can easily recognize all of the ingredients and guaranteed to be incorporating delicious and whole foods into my body!
Lastly, their containers are reusable and resealable! Great for storing in the pantry to help meal plan when you sadly run out! These meals typically retail for $5.99, and can be found commonly at H-E-B, Publix, Harris Teeter, Fresh Market, and AmazonFresh.To find a store near you, visit: wildscapefood.com/where-to-buy.html.
