A healthy lunch can provide energy throughout the rest of the day. Healthy lunches can be prepared in the morning and kept cool with an ice pack to ensure they are ready to eat by lunch time. Many people think healthy lunches have to be salad, which most kids refuse to eat. However, healthy lunches can be as creative and appetizing as you want them to be.

Some healthy lunch ideas include turkey sandwiches on whole wheat bread, low sodium, homemade soups, salads with grilled chicken and even leftovers from dinner the night before. Healthy lunch sides can be anything from fruit and veggies to soup or rice. You can even throw in dessert, with a serving of chocolate or a granola bar.

The key to a good lunch is to make sure that portion sizes are kept on track. Make sure that refined sugars, fats and processed foods are kept to a minimum, but do not be afraid to include some sweet snacks. Keeping to portion sizes and not making sugar a priority can make for a good lunch kids will eat.

The same goes for adults. It is okay to indulge once in a while, but make sure that you are mostly eating fresh foods that are void of chemicals, dyes and sugars. Keeping these things to a minimum can cut out a lot of calories and fats that seem to sneak up out of no where. It may also be beneficial to make a lot of foods from scratch, making the basics on the weekend and adding things to it or finishing the recipes throughout the week. That way, you know exactly what is going into your food and you can alter unhealthy ingredients for healthier alternatives without losing the foods you enjoy. Keep in mind that some foods are bad for you no matter what. Try keeping these foods to a minimum and you can have a healthy lunch every day.