5 Ways to Get More "Break" Out of Your Lunch Break

This post is brought to you by Green Sisterhood and Klean Kanteen. All opinions are my own.

Has this ever happened to you? You work hard at your job all morning. When lunch time finally arrives, you head downstairs to the break room only to find your lunch isn't in the fridge anymore! Or maybe your food is there. But now you spend 15 minutes of your 30 minute lunch break standing in line for a microwave, 4 minutes microwaving lunch, another minute to let the temperature even out only to have 10 minutes left to eat, clean up and make it back to your work space?

Talk about stress! When your lunch break goes down that way, it isn't much of a break. Here are my top 5 tips for ways to relax on your lunch break so you can be more productive for the rest of the day.

Pack Your Lunch

When I say "pack your lunch" I don't mean "pack a frozen meal in a plastic tray to microwave." In addition to being nutrient poor, those plastic trays leech toxins like BPA into your food which mess with your endocrine system and your overall health. 

Packing a healthy lunch will not only save you time from having to run around town to find your lunch, but it will give you the needed nutrients to help you stay focused and have enough energy to make the second half of your work day super productive (hey, maybe you'll even get a raise!). 

When you pack your lunch, be sure to avoid toxins in your packing materials. Plasticware can leach toxins into your foods. Choose a non-toxic container like glass or stainless steel. Klean Kanteen offers stainless steel bottles and canisters in all sizes - and many of them are insulated to keep your food at the perfect temperature until you're ready to eat.

Need healthy homemade lunch ideas? I have more than 150 lunch recipes perfect for work or school here.

Skip the Microwave

There is definitely some controversy out there regarding whether or not microwaves destroy nutrients in food (a quick Google search turns up plenty of arguments for and against them). Regardless, having to microwave your food wastes precious time. 

I mean, what would you rather do? Stand in line to use a dirty microwave that could use a good scrub? Or open an insulated canister of hot soup that's ready to eat? I picked the last one, too! Luckily there are healthier options now that those junky plastic thermoses we used as kids for keeping food warm. Klean Kanteen insulated bottles and canisters can keep foods hot OR cold. So you can pack one with hot leftover chili from last night and pack another one with ice cream. YUM!

Keep your lunch at your desk

Is lunchroom thievery a problem where you work? Skip the fridge and keep your lunch at your desk! Kleen Kanteen insulated bottles not only keep foods hot, but they keep them super cold as well! This means you can pack a cold salad or even a smoothie and know it will still be nice and chilly for you come lunch time - no fridge needed! I love using my insulated Kleen Kanteen wide mouth bottle to bring iced tea with me when I am out and about and it stays super cold for hours - even if I leave it in a hot car while running errands. 

Do you prefer hot food? Their bottles and canisters are perfect for keeping soup or chicken nuggets warm and ready to eat as soon as you're free.

Get outside your bubble

Just because you kept your lunch at your desk doesn't mean you have to eat it there. Avoid the temptation to "lunch-book" and get out of your office or cubicle. Eat outside. Find a quiet, technology free corner and eat lunch there. Meet a friend. Getting away from the bright flashing screen on your computer and taking a few deep breaths of fresh air will help renew your mind and give you a reset so you can hit work hard once you come back in.

Do something relaxing

If you followed my first few tips and brought your own temperature-perfect lunch, you'll probably have some extra time once you're done eating. Do something relaxing and totally not work related. Read a magazine. Work on your knitting project. Do a few laps around your building. Giving yourself 30 minutes to not think about work can reduce your stress level and help you be better focused once you're back at your desk.

How do you make your lunch break a true break?

Share your favorite tips for ways to make your lunch break more relaxing and re-energizing!

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Green Sisterhood and Klean Kanteen. I was compensated for my time writing this post but all opinions are my own. I have also been testing out an insulated wide mouth bottle from Klean Kanteen for the last month and am honestly impressed with its ability to keep things both hot and cold for long periods without transferring temperature to the outside of the container. I also love that Klean Kanteens are made of steel, are phthalate free and are practically indestructible. Buy your own online here.