Lunch is undeniably tough. I am often too busy or distracted to take that noonday pause: Trying to make and take time for a nutritious, delicious meal can feel like a battle.
But I’m old enough to know that a balanced lunch deserves to be a priority. When I skip it or indulge in a protein shake, my blood sugar dips and that zaps my energy, focus and stamina. Plus, I start to stress out. With only a short window in the day, I try not to eat the same dull thing in front of my computer. It’s a recipe for disappointment and a setup for chocolate at 3 p.m.
The best lunches are a balance of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats. According to dietitians, about 25% of the calories consumed in a day should be dedicated to the midday meal, with the rest split among breakfast, dinner and snacks. Using these general guidelines, there’s no need to count calories or stick to a strict diet regime.
The options for grab-and-go fare — wraps, soups, salads and sandwiches — have improved, but when I pack my own lunch for the office, meeting or the park on the days I work at home, I feel cared for and in control. Sometimes I’ll indulge in simple childhood favorites, like snack crackers, cheese, grapes and carrot sticks. Other times I’ll go with dolmas, pita and hummus, or those mini-sweet peppers with dip and hard-boiled eggs. Nothing complicated, just colorful, fun and easy to eat.
The key to all this is, as with so much of cooking, a pantry filled with all the building blocks for good meals: beans, grains, roasted vegetables, lean meats, fish. These ingredients are a wonderful way to add substance and flavor to whatever you have left from earlier dinners, so be sure to save the odds and ends of a nice cheese, cured meat, smoked cheeses and dips you may have served with cocktails over the weekend. And they serve as the base for quick sides, too, from a snappy slaw to a classic bean salad.
No doubt, a pretty container — a bento box, tiered tiffins or a groovy REI lunchbox — makes that midday break especially enjoyable, whether sitting at your desk, the conference room for a brown bag meeting or a bench outside. Put the money you saved by bringing your lunch toward a special treat.

Classic Bean Salad
Serves 4 to 6.
Use any kind of beans you like — either home-cooked or canned — for this classic salad. It is great freshly made and tastes even better the next day.