DASHA® is no stranger to New york City’s Corporate Wellness Community.
When we get called into corporations for a wellness event we get to see the daily functions of an employees lifestyle. Sometimes people are eating with a minimum amount of time while others are sitting with their ear pods casually enjoying their lunch.
Have you ever looked around your office to see what your co-workers are having for lunch? What about food envy over that incredible-looking greasy burger from the glorified food truck outside? We’ve all been there. And that desire to eat certain foods makes it difficult to do always do the right thing in terms of choosing healthy lunches. Which is why you should start to think ahead, about what’s going inside your lunch bag. Eating healthier lunches can happen so much easier now!
One of the biggest issues we have seen inside is the relationship people have with food, especially when they are under stress to meet deadlines. We’re not suggesting going to Whole Foods all the time and buy brown paper bags to take with you to the office. But, certainly packing your lunch bag from home put’s you back in the drivers seat when it comes to eating a healthy lunch.
PRO Tip: Top 3 reasons why you should make the switch from eating out during your work day:
SAVE YOUR MONEY
We all do it, but how ridiculous is it that we buy those $15 salads when we know that fresh produce shouldn’t cost that much. Maybe it’s laziness, but really our wallets are paying for the convenience of it all. The average cost of a NYC lunch is $12, which is way above the national average of $5! According to data collected by Symmetry Software, the average American works 260 days out of the 356. And let’s say that every day you get a deal on that designer salad and spend $12 (what a deal)! That means that the average New Yorker is spending approximately $3,120 on lunches alone.
How can you save some of your money? – have a meal prep day where you cook all of your lunches and portion them out in individual containers. Quinoa is one of our favorites because it’s a great source of iron and fiber. One cup of cooked quinoa contains 15% of the recommended daily intake of iron, and 5 grams of fiber, which is 21% of your recommended daily intake.
STAY HEALTHY
It’s so tempting to hit the office food court and have the smell of burgers and fries wafting through your body. So you order it, but wait! It’s only $1 more to add on the soda and 50¢ for that delicious, fresh baked cookie. And there goes your diet.
Most lunches are often stacked between two large loafs of bread, with almost zero nutritional value and healthy options are often limited.
When you pack your own food, you’re in control. You know exactly what is going into your body – no hidden fats, sugars or sodium. It also allows you to focus on really hitting the important food groups, like fruits and veggies that you’re most likely not consuming enough. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an astounding 90% of Americans are not meeting their recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables. The report also states that Americans are eating fruit once per day and vegetables 1.7 times per day. Packing fresh fruits and veggies for lunch is the easiest way to squeeze in these affordable and extremely healthy options.
LESS WASTE
Food waste is a major problem. Why throw perfectly good food in the garbage or let inside the fridge until inevitably it sours. Leftovers are the perfect lunch option because they are most likely portioned appropriately for your mid-day meal!
September is the perfect time to begin a new lunch regimen with your co-workers. And who knows, you might even start to swap recipes with each-other!
DASHA® is a luxury lifestyle brand and New York City-based wellness center created to offer a truly holistic approach to wellness. To learn more, visit dashawellness
