Women at work and their tips, challenges, advice, complaints, and experiences

Recently I stocked up on groceries and got a really good deal on eggs (buy one, get one free - and they were 18-count containers!).  As I hard-boiled an entire package worth, I realized I had a wealth of healthy lunches ready and waiting.  In addition to the eggs, I also snagged prewashed, mixed salad bags on a buy one, get one free sale.  Hmmm. The wheels began to turn and I thought of several recipes that would be quick and easy for working women, whether they are at home like me (and prone to digging through the snack drawer and eating chocolate for lunch) or trying to make it out the door before the commuter traffic stacks up.

Sound tasty and helpful?  Read on!

What You Need:

• Bags of prewashed salad mix (pick your favorites: baby greens, mesclun mix, anything you like - just try to go outside of the iceberg standard - it's lettuce, yes, but it's about the lowest on the nutrition totem pole you can get!)
• A bag of baby carrots
• A container of grape or pearl tomatoes
• A dozen eggs (I like Eggland's Best, especially since you can find coupons fairly easily - but watch the sales and you may get a BOGO doozy like I did  Who cares about brand then?)
• Shredded cheese, sunflower seeds, and any other salad toppings you enjoy.  (Remember to try to go as low-cal/non-fat as possible -  a small can of sliced olives might be tasty, as well as some pre-sliced mushrooms.)
• A bottle of your favorite salad dressing
• Pre-cooked fish and chicken filets (my hubby likes the Bumblebee ones - also easy to find coupons on)
• A pack of disposable containers (or Rubbermaid/Tupperware if you already have 'em)

What To Do:

• Prewash containers.  Chop carrots if you like rounds on your salad instead of full-size baby carrots on your salad.  Gently rinse tomatoes and drain.
• Put the eggs in a large stock pot and start on the hard-boiling process.
• While eggs are cooking, set out your containers in a row. 
• Place a serving of salad mix in each container.  Top with carrots, tomatoes, cheese, and any other toppings that are non-perishable/won't get soggy in the fridge.
• Place lids on containers and put in the fridge.  Place a fish or meat filet packet on top of each container.  Line 'em up for easy grabbing in the morning or if you brown bag it, place each one in a bag in advance.
• Once your eggs have hard-boiled and cooled, place one in each bag or with each container.
• Grab a salad each day before you head to work.  If you have a fridge at work, stash the salad dressing there.  (If not, look for small containers that can hold one serving of dressing each.  Fill them during your "assembly line" and tuck them in your salad container for use when lunchtime arrives.)
• When you're ready to eat, pop the filet packet in the microwave and nuke it per the directions on the package.  (Be careful when you open it - my husband says there are sauces that can spray you if you tear it open too fast!)  While the chicken or fish cooks, crack and shell your egg.  Cut it into slices or have it whole, as you like.  Slice your meat filet and serve on top of the salad or have it on the side; you may like it on bread as a sandwich as well!

With the salad, egg, fish or chicken and any other toppings, you've got a meal that gets plenty of veggies and protein into you, and you won't be capping out your calories on one meal.  Add a roll or slice of wheat bread and you've hit all of the food groups - especially if you add some V8 or non-fat milk as your beverage.  Better yet, drink lots of water and you'll appear ever so healthy and organized in the break room at work!  A little bit of preparation and assembly line meal prep and you've saved yourself time, calories, and money (no more running through the drive thru and using up gas, cash, and time)!