The Liquid Lunch Experiment

I am a firm believer that if you can't chew it, it isn't a meal. That being said, I fail spectacularly at the mid-week lunch: I don't like sandwiches and no mater how much time and effort I put into preparation, lunch always looks a little unappetising when it has been sat in tupperwear all morning. I am also lazy and, with a pretty good school canteen, recently my mid-week lunches have been focusing a little more on convenience rather than nutrition.

In a bid to overcome my big lunch problem, last week I embarked on a week of liquid lunches (non-alcoholic...unfortunately) to see if I could finally get organised and stop overspending on pre-prepared stodge. The rules were simple: each smoothie must include a portion of veg, I could bring fruit for break-time and one savoury snack such as oatcakes (I meant it when I said that I had to chew)! I researched some recipes and stocked up on smoothie ingredients. Mission Do Not Eat out of Polystyrene Trays was a go:

My favourite kind of food prep: throw it all in.

Ginger-Orange Green Smoothie
Courtesy of Bridgid Gallagher
2 handfuls of spinach
2 romaine leaves
1 orange
1 banana
1 tsp of ginger paste (I'm too lazy)
1 1/2 cups of water

Nutty Berry Hidden Kale Smoothie

2 cups kale

2 cups of frozen berries

1 banana

2 tbsp nut butter

1/2 cup oats (optional)

Top with almond milk

Sneaky Spinach and Banana Milkshake

1 banana

2 big handfuls of spinach

1/2 avocado

1 tsp honey

Top with almond milk to taste.

So how did it go? Surprisingly pretty well. Monday was tough - clearly I was hungry (I'm always hungry). But I LOVED not having to think about what I was doing and prepping lunch was quick and seriously easy (my kind of lunch prep). However, I did run out of ingredients quicker than I anticipated and ended up substituting for a Naked Green Machine on Thursday (this was gone by break and I spent the day ravenous). 

That being said, by the end of the week, I really got into the routine of prepping my smoothie the night before, blending it before I left the house in the morning and balancing it out with my snacks during the day. What surprised me the most was that they were actually filling me up and I felt a lot better than when I had a box of curry! Nonetheless, by the weekend I was ready for a normal lunch. 

The big question is: was the experiment a success? Well, my Monday shake is already prepped and waiting in the fridge for tomorrow. It's official: I'm converted! I might mix it up and have the odd day off (and it will definitely be a weekday thing) but my goodness it beats the alternatives (sad, limp lettuce leaves out of a lunch box or the sense of self-loathing as you have yet another pre-prepared lunch).