Lunch options for good health

Lunch hour requires women to make a lot of difficult daytime decisions. If you're a working girl, do you grab a quick bite at a fast food place, so you can check off some of the items on your "to do" list? Or, do you eat out with coworkers and clients at a nearby restaurant? And, if you're working in the home, do you make a quick run to the drive-thru or find yourself raiding the cupboards for snacks to hold you over until dinner? Active and busy women may find it difficult to create and choose healthy, low calorie lunches that are convenient yet still taste delicious. Devin Alexander, a New York Times bestselling author and television chef of "Healthy Decadence," has the following tips so you can stay on track throughout the day, even well after the lunch hour. * Turn last night's dinner into a healthy lunch. With a little pre-planning, you can have a healthy and delicious meal by dining on leftovers for the next day's lunch. Try grilling a whole London broil for dinner flavored with your favorite marinade. When cleaning the table that evening, slice the leftover steak thinly for roast beef sandwiches. This meat will be much healthier than meat found at the deli. Or, if you're having chicken, chop a leftover chicken breast to enhance and complement a daytime salad. Keeping the meat lean is a great trick to keeping calories low. * Keep your freezer stocked with ready-to-go meals that satisfy taste cravings, such as Weight Watchers Smart Ones Grilled Flatbreads, a variety of flavorful sandwiches that offer bakery-baked taste and grilled, crispy bread right out of the microwave. With flavors like Savory Steak and Ranch and Southwestern Style Chicken, Smart Ones Grilled Flatbreads will fulfill any mid-day craving. "The best part about Smart Ones new Grilled Flatbread sandwiches is that each variety is only 310 calories or less and contains six to eight grams of fat," says Alexander. "Because the Grilled Flatbreads are so quick and easy, you don't have to worry about sneaking lunch in. Even if a meeting runs late or you're close to missing a deadline, the new sandwiches will take just minutes in the microwave to keep your metabolism revved up and your hunger in check." Another better-for-you lunch option sure to satisfy cravings is Weight Watchers Smart Ones Stone-fired Pizzas, offered in three flavorful varieties - Pepperoni, Four Cheese and Fajita Chicken. Even if you're watching what you eat, you can still enjoy the same taste satisfaction of oven-baked pizza with only a fraction of the calories and prep time. * Make sure you have a mid-morning snack on hand so that you stay away from the vending machine. Try packing an apple, some string cheese, almonds or even an all-natural snack bar in your purse to keep you going strong between breakfast and lunch. This can be the difference in a day of good balanced eating and a moment of weakness if you don't feel satisfied. And, if you do have to resort to the vending machine, be sure to pick a better-for-you option, such as an all-natural snack bar or other items that will satisfy your hunger without all of the calories and fat. * Travel well with your lunch. Invest in a snazzy cooler bag - there are some that can even plug into your car so you can keep frozen foods frozen and chilled foods cold, without having to use freezer packs. This way, no matter where you work, you can always pack fresh and healthy lunches to keep you full and satisfied. * Gather menus from your favorite lunch spots and investigate if they list the calories for each of the items. If you forget your lunch, or have run out of leftovers, you'll need a back up plan. Review the list of lunch spots and menus early in the morning when you're not hungry so your brain - not your stomach - decides what you have for lunch. Text and photos courtesy of ARAcontent