Lessons From A French Woman: Preparing Lunch

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With my extremely busy schedule, I don’t always find the time to make my lunch for work. And, quite honestly, it’s not always a time issue. In some instances, we don’t have much of a selection for lunch food in the house or I’m tired of eating the same old dishes. At these times, I often think about what a French woman would do. More often than not, a French woman would bring a carefully prepared and delicious lunch to work. But, on days where she’s pressed for time or on special occasions, she will plan to go out for lunch. The key word here is plan – she plans to take her lunch or she plans to go out to eat. In either case, her lunch is well thought out and she looks forward to it all morning long.

What Would Mireille Do?

I came across a recent article by Mireille Guiliano, a French woman and author of French Women Don’t Get Fat, that showed a very simple strategy for taking easy, fresh, and healthy lunches to work. Guiliano’s strategy for making quick and tasty lunches includes adding the “holy trinity” to every lunch – carbohydrates, protein, and fat. She also suggests adding something sweet to finish off the meal, such as chocolate or fruit.

Following this strategy, I find that it’s much easier to mix and match the carbs, protein, and fat than it is to make a full, standard meal lunch, such as a stir-fry or chicken parmesan. And we all know that when a task is easier, you’re more likely to do it. Although Guiliano offers several templates for making lunches in this “mix and match” fashion, here are my top 5 choices – my own creations, all of which include the holy trinity:

Top 5 Bistro Chic Holy Trinity Lunches

1. Tomato and mozzarella salad topped with small chunks of crusty bread and chopped basil, mixed with balsamic vinegar and olive olive oil; a boiled egg with salt and pepper to taste; and pear with a drizzle of honey.
2. Veggie-based soup topped with chopped avocado; 1 slice of thick french bread; a few slices of gouda cheese; 1 peach.
3. Half a sliced turkey sandwich on whole grain with sharp cheddar and sliced apple; small green salad with oil/vineger; 1 small piece of dark chocolate.
4. Potato or rice-based soup with ham; cucumber and tomato salad with feta cheese and vinagrette; and 2 clementines.
5. 1 cup plain, cold pasta mixed with cold grilled veggies, cubed swiss cheese, tossed with red wine vinegar and olive oil; 5 ouces of plain Greek yogurt mixed with walnuts and blueberries.

Do you have a secret for making quick and delicious lunches for work? Let’s hear it!