I’m not sure how lunch is for you, for me it's quick and on the go. Unless it's a weekend and I have time, I like my lunch to take 5 minutes to prepare. We all have full days so ideally, we want to be able to get maximum nutrition through, leafy greens, good fats, healthy carbs, and some protein to keep us satiated until dinnertime. And of course, we want something that's super delicious and satisfying, so we’re not tempted to sneak out for that sweet treat after lunch.

With a little refinement, we can take lunch to the next level - boosting your energy and focus for the afternoon. Your secret weapon is to keep your sugar levels (glucose) balanced, to avoid that sugar spike and crash that can lead to an afternoon slump.

Here are my favourite ways to Superpower a Lunch

1.  Start with lot’s of leafy green veggies – Use leafy greens as your base as they contain fibre, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals—all of which are needed to function well and keep your sugars balanced. TIP: Add herbs and microgreens to your salad as they are concentrated nutrition.
2.  Add healthy, whole fats- When you add good fats into a lunch that includes carbs, you feed our brain, and minimise that post lunch crash. TOP TIP: Add guacamole, olives, olive oil or a handful of nuts to your lunch and you'll feel fuller longer and help avoid that crash.
3.  Next include some Omega 3 fats - Reduce your inflammation, give your heart some love, boost your metabolism and balance your insulin sensitivity by adding some Omega 3's into your lunch box. TOP TIP: Fresh is always best but keeping some tinned salmon, sardines or mackerel on hand means you always have a healthy lunch just a few minutes away. Also, think about keeping a little container of linseeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds and walnuts at work to sprinkle on top of your lunch.
4.  Add some fibre rich foods - They not only help you to stay regular, but they also feed the good bugs in your gut microbiome and support healthy glucose levels. TOP TIP: You can always use lettuce or nori rolls as a non starchy wrap and keep some roast pumpkin in the fridge for a healthy, high fibre, low GI carb that goes with nearly everything.
5.  Always include quality protein - By always including quality protein in your lunch, you'll feel fuller longer and help keep your sugars balanced. TOP TIP: Cook extra protein the night before, prep some poached chicken, hard-boiled eggs, or keep tins of salmon, sardines, mackerel and lentils on hand to stave off a food emergency, where you skip protein in your lunch and end up looking for something sweet at 2pm.  
6.  Skip the sneaky sugar – The key is to focus on whole ingredients from home or are as minimally processed as possible, as these will help keep your glucose stable. You’ll be surprised where sugar is hidden, in sugar-filled processed meats, breads and even high sugar dressings - like honey mustard. TOP TIP: Swap out processed meats for real protein (FYI processed meats are often referred to as the bottom of the food chain). Whip up a simple salad dressing of lemon, extra virgin olive oil and sea salt – it’s delicious and clean.
7.  Don’t be scared of leftovers – Just make sure last night’s dinner has a balance of greens, good fats, protein and low GI carbs so you’ll feel satisfied, charged for the afternoon and not feeling the need for a mid-afternoon snack. TOP TIP: Make extra the night before so you have a nutritious meal easily on hand for lunch – it’s perfect for a busy day. Also, try making extra of the cupboard love Frittata for dinner and lunches.

I hope you try some of these tips and power through your afternoon. I’d love to know how you go.