(Readers Digest) — Although the lunch hour was originally designed for just that — lunch — today we spend our midday break running errands, pecking away at a computer keyboard, or returning personal phone calls. When we do actually sit down and eat, it’s often to consume whatever comfort food we can scrape together from the company vending machine or cafeteria. Rather than spend the hour stressing over what you still need to accomplish or quickly inhaling fatty, salty, high-calorie foods, consider the following advice.
1. Go outside.
2. Daydream for 15 minutes
3. Nap for 10 to 15 minutes
4. Pack a frozen dinner
5. Practice the art of quick-and-healthy brown bagging
6. Pack ready-to-eat soup
7. Get away from your desk
8. Choose smarter fast food
9. Create a sandwich-o-matic chart and stick it on your refrigerator
10. Mini-size your sandwich
11. For a healthier lunch, eat a healthier breakfast
12. Exercise as you run errands
13. Walk to the deli
14. Start a lunch bunch group
15. Improve your work performance with healthy food