Going Cold Turkey is My Only Hope

For convenience sake turkey sandwiches are a lunch box staple for my husband.  He still insists on white bread, Kraft singles and Miracle Whip. So the lunch meat part is my only chance to have a positive impact.

Most dieters know that turkey is usually considered one of the better choices in regards to available deli meats.  Most brands are low in fat and calories (about 45-60 cal, .5g fat / 1 oz).  However there are a few other areas to focus attention on.  Lunch meat can be high in sodium (400-600mg / 1 oz) and also contain preservatives such as sodium nitrite which have been associated with cancer in some studies.  According to the American Institute for Cancer Research processed meat is a convincing cause of colorectal cancer and should be avoided (see page 118). 

So what do you eat?  I found one great option at Costco.  The Kirkland Brand Turkey Breast is sliced right off the actual breast.  While it does not claim to be organic or from vegetarian fed turkeys it is not processed by any means.  At $6.79 a pound it is comparable to what I saw behind the deli counter at my local "Whole Foods" which was nearly twice the price.

Whole Foods - Turkey Breast at Deli Counter

Tomato Grown in a Coconut Husk

Usually I prefer locally grown tomatoes for their sweet flavor however these Zima tomatoes greenhouse grown in Canada are amazing!  They taste so good picky eaters won't know they are eating veggies!  This morning I threw a container of them in my husband's lunch. He loves them!  It's one of the few vegetables I can get him to eat! A 2 lb container is only $5.99 at Costco. They are a sweeter tomato grown in a coconut husk.  This is the perfect vegetable for a busy person - just rinse and eat - no prep work at all!  Check out this video from the grower.  http://youtu.be/1yLXFLwFqdo

Getting Personal

Last year a friend invited me to a "31" party.  After spending over $100.00 on personalized tote bags I vowed this would be the last purse, candle, jewelry, etc. type party I would ever attend.  While I thought I spent too much money (certainly more than I promised myself before attending the party), I have to say purchasing a monogrammed cooler tote for my husband was one of the best purchases I ever made.  I had the words "Coach Gorby" printed on the bag. 

While we have other cooler totes at home, my husband loves taking this tote to his cross country and track events.  It's one way I have been able to get him to eat a somewhat healthy lunch on a weekend.  Last Saturday he had an all day cross country meet in Columbus.  He actually asked to take a lunch - which usually never happens.  I made 2 turkey sandwiches (using preservative free turkey meat) and also threw in a 1/4 cup of roasted almonds into his lunch tote.  Of course he added a few bags of chips.  Always compromising!