Slim Fast: The Fix For Skipping Lunch

If you find that your day becomes too hectic to always make time for lunch, planing ahead works wonders to keep yourself hydrated and nourished whenever you have just a few minutes to spare.

So many foods are easy-to-keep in your car, purse, or desk. Prepackaged snack bars (by Quaker, Nature valley, Nutri Grain), cereal bars (like Special-K), and energy bars (Luna, Power Bar, Clif, etc) are a good substitute if you have one late morning and another in the afternoon. A juice box with vitamin C (or a plastic container of Sunny D) will give you some hydration with some fruit sugar to "balance" this snack a bit! And if you can manage a handful of nuts as well, you'll add some fiber and a feeling of fullness that will last a bit longer.

Carnation Instant Breakfast Drink, Boost, or SlimFast are available in to-go containers and do not need refrigeration before opening. These can serve as an entire meal replacement (although additional water will be needed during the day for optimal hydration).

Keep a large refillable water bottle on your desk. You can add sugar-free flavored powder, or drop in a tea bag to make the water more tasty. Just sip on it whenever you can, so you can be sure to get a few 8-ounce servings in during the day.

If you may have a couple of minutes at some point between the start and end of your day, and do have some kitchen facilities, instant packages of oatmeal will tide you over nicely mid-morning (all you need is hot water, a bowl and a spoon). A carton of yogurt can be an excellent source of calcium (be sure to read the label and look for 20% of the daily value of calcium) as well as protein. So is string cheese (choose the low-fat variety and they are only 50 calories per stick). Remember that a frozen dinner takes less than 5 minutes to heat and could be consumed in 5 minutes as well. Look for those containing a lean source of protein, one side of starch, and a vegetable as well.

Planning ahead is of the essence--but if you find time is slipping away and you aren't going to make it to a cafeteria (and didn't have time to pack your lunch in the morning), be sure you bring a stash of snack bars or nutritious drinks to work and stick one in your car or purse so you always have something to grab!