Packed lunches are a popular choice for families with young children. As we grow older, our habit of making packed lunches begins to waver. Lunch bags for kids remain a back to school essential in most households. However, most of these households are overlooking lunch bags for women and men. It's clear that we care more about the health of our children than we do ourselves, but it doesn't have to be this way. Putting together a packed lunch for a day at the office is one of the best things you can do for your body. In this post, we're sharing why a packed lunch is a healthier alternative to buying food on the go.

A packed lunch is only as healthy as you make it

Overall, a packed lunch is a healthier alternative to purchasing fast food. Shop bought food might be more convenient, but ultimately, this poor-quality food won't give us the nutrients we need. Without essential nutrients, we won't reach optimum energy levels and will be less productive. A packed lunch might seem like an unnecessary chore, but in reality, packing your lunch means you can achieve more.

However, a packed lunch is what you make it. Filling your reusable lunch bag with sweet treats and high in fat snacks won't provide the desired effect. To make our packed lunch reach its full potential, we need to prioritise packing healthy snacks to keep us energised.

Ways to make your packed lunch healthier

Instead of rummaging around the kitchen cupboards searching for snacks to throw into your packed lunch last minute, plan your weekly packed lunches. When doing your weekly shop, decide what you're putting in your packed lunch that week. Preparing in advance helps us make healthier decisions. Pick up fresh fruit and veg, filling and fibrous meals and low-sugar snacks for your packed lunch.

When putting your packed lunch together, consider your current eating habits. Do you find yourself heading to the vending machine after finishing a shop-bought sandwich? If so, add a sweet snack to your lunch bag to nibble on after your sandwich. The number one way to make your packed lunch healthy is to cater to your taste buds and eating habits. We want to curb those unhealthy cravings and have something on hand to eat when these strikes. Otherwise, let's be honest, we'll be heading to the canteen and leaving that apple lonely in our lunch bag.

If you're packing a lunch bag for kids, you need to provide them with a balanced meal. We want to ensure they're getting essential nutrients, but also not kicking up a fuss. Filling your kid's lunch bag with piles of crispy green kale won't go down well. The key to a successful kid's lunch bag is to fill it with filling foods (a tuna salad sandwich works well), healthy snacks (fruit or veg) and a sweet treat that isn't too unhealthy (yoghurt or a healthy fruit bar). Add a bottle of water in a reusable water bottleto keep them hydrated throughout the day.

Putting yourself in control of what you eat

The number one reason a packed lunch is always going to be a healthier option, whether it's in a lunch bag for women or kids, is because it gives you control. We don't know what's in shop-bought foods. Processed foods are high in salt, sugar and fat. By putting our lunch together, ourselves, we can better understand the chemicals and additives we're putting into our bodies. Eating canteen or shop-bought food every day means we're more likely to go over the recommended amounts of fat, salt and sugar.

Why a packed lunch is a good idea if you have children

We know how much our children love fatty, sugary foods. Unfortunately, putting our children in charge of their own eating habits will result in an increasing amount of these unhealthy foods in their diet. Sending your children to the local shop to pick up their lunch on the way to school might seem logical, but we don’t know what they’re picking out. Their lunch might end up being a sugary feast of fizzy drinks and chocolate bars. Even if your child decides to pick out a more traditional meal, such as a sandwich, this still isn’t a very healthy option. Shop-bought sandwiches and snacks are often high in added fats, sugars and salts.

Sadly, we can't rely on the traditional school dinner anymore either. The nature of a school dinner is to get lots of children fed in a short amount of time. Although your children's school has their best interests at heart, they might not have the resources to create healthy meals. Packing your children’s lunch at home using a kid's lunch bag means you know your child is maintaining the healthy diet they need.

Healthier for you and the planet

Not only is investing in a lunch bag for women and a lunch bag for kids a healthier option for your family, but it's also kinder to the planet. Our health and wellbeing are no longer solely dependent on how we treat our bodies. Our plastic dependency is affecting local ecosystems, air quality and common diseases. Treating the environment with respect has a direct impact on the health of humanity.

By reducing our plastic usage, we can help better our health and contribute to a more promising future. Instead of buying on the go, we can use a reusable lunch bag for women and kids. By adopting this habit in our families, we can reduce single-use plastic waste. A reduction in single-use plastic will lessen our carbon footprint, helping promote the health of the planet and our health too.

A packed lunch is the healthiest lunch choice you can make. By putting yourself in control of what you eat, you can ensure you're fuelling your body with the best foods. If you have kids, packing their lunch in a reusable lunch bag is a great way to guarantee they're eating well, without seeming overbearing. A packed lunch isn’t just a healthy option for your body, but an environmental alternative that will increase the health and wellbeing of all of humanity. There’s never been a better reason to ditch the shop-bought sandwich and start filling your reusable lunch bag with healthy, hearty snacks.

If you’re ready to put health first, take a look at Eco Chic’s "5 Reasons to use an Insulated Lunch Bag"