It’s Lunch-Time! What does balanced and healthy lunch mean?

Lena Goldecke
13. Apr 2025
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"In the morning like a king, at noon like a nobleman and in the evening like a beggar." To whom does this saying not sound familiar? But what exactly is meant by it and what exactly does this saying have to do with the topic of our "Make Lunch Count" day today!

Basically, the saying goes that you should really dig in in the morning, then eat a little or significantly less at lunchtime and then almost nothing in the evening. This is due to the fact that during the night - i.e. in the regeneration phase - our body does not need to fall back on so many quickly available energy sources such as carbohydrates. Therefore, during the day it is even more important to eat a healthy and balanced diet. But it is precisely this healthy and balanced that is somewhat lost in the fast pace of today's world - no one takes the time to really think about what to eat during the lunch break anymore. 

Therefore, this article here now takes on the role of dealing a little with balance and healthy lunch and also alternatives.

What is healthy and balanced?

When the term "healthy" is used, everyone thinks first and foremost of vegetables; of salad or a vegetable stew. People think of low fat, low carbohydrates. Of course, this is not wrong in principle, but "healthy and balanced" is understood to be a much better mix:

  • Long chain carbohydrates 
  • Lean meat or fish 
  • Low fat dairy products 
  • Whole grain products 
  • Sufficient vegetables and also fruit

Lunch is important!

It is precisely this mixture that is rarely included in the fast food we indulge in during our quick and short lunch break. But this meal should no longer just serve to briefly recharge our energy reserves. It should serve to give us and our bodies sufficient energy again, not just to hold out until the end of the workday or the afternoon coffee. Lunch provides us with new energy after a busy morning. We should not underestimate that.
But even in the office or on the construction site, it is important and especially possible to eat a balanced and healthy diet. If you do not have time to get something fresh in the time, it is recommended to pre-cook.  

For all those who have that time and also to pre-cook, here are a few ideas of what you could eat:

  • Crisp colorful salad
    Obviously, a salad is exactly the dish that comes first on everyone's menu when it comes to healthy eating. But the salad does not have to be boring green and red. Especially when it comes to balanced eating, jazzing it up with toasted nuts and seeds, as well as a little cheese and light, low-fat meat (chicken or turkey, for example) can really do wonders for flavor and variety.

  • Rice pan or fried rice
    Rice is one of the best-known good sources of carbohydrates. Whether as a rice pan with vegetables and meat, also without meat - depending on your taste, or as a fried version with egg and vegetables. Rice is versatile, fills you up for a long time and is definitely one of the healthy foods.
  • Vegetable casserole
    Vegetable casserole is actually just the pimped salad topped with cheese. Nevertheless, the casserole in itself is a good supplier of protein, which brings us energy and vitamins. Here, of course, everything can be varied. Starting with the basic vegetables, such as potatoes, zucchini, peppers, to the other ingredients.

  • Chicken
    Or poultry in general is good for our digestion due to its lower fat content. It is not so heavy in the stomach and also allows us to gain enough energy due to the protein present. So it's fair to say that a lunch of poultry will both please the meat eaters among us and prevent the afternoon slump.

We should nevertheless - no matter how healthy or unhealthy our food is, take a little more time to eat again! The fast food, eating at the desk or between door and Angel are habits that seem to work somehow because of the everlasting deadlines and pressure, but actually the "appointment with your own body" should be the more important!

 So, take the time to eat in peace. The e-mail does not run away and also the boss can wait 5 minutes!