432 Nutrition & Wellness for Life Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Processed foods often cost more than their unprocessed forms. You must decide whether the saved time, taste, and nutritional contributions of the pro- cessed products are worth the cost. Be sure to read nutrition labels when choosing processed products. Many are higher in sodium, fat, and sugar than foods you would prepare yourself using the unprocessed forms. Home-delivery meal kits are a popular service that is a great time saver. These services deliver a box containing recipes and pre-portioned ingredients right to your door. As with other processed foods, time and money are factors when decid- ing whether to use this product. Eating Healthy Meals Away from Home Meals eaten away from home play an important role in meeting nutrient needs. These meals can also be costly and can quickly exceed planned food spending. Planning for these meals is just as important as planning for meals eaten at home. Packing a Lunch Many people carry meals from home to eat at school or the workplace. These meals are most often lunches. Carrying a lunch from home has many advantages over purchasing food from a restaurant or vending machine. When you pack a lunch, you can include your favorite foods. In addition, you can use healthy, cost-effective ingredients. Packing a lunch can also have a downside. There may be limitations to the types of food you can pack. For example, you will not want to pack leftovers that must be reheated if you will not have access to a microwave. Additionally, pack- ing a lunch requires time and planning. Sandwiches are frequently the main course in a packed lunch. Look for new recipes if you like variety. You can add interest to sandwiches by using different kinds of breads and rolls and preparing various fillings (Figure 17.16). When packing lunches, try to include a variety of foods from the five food groups. Limit snack foods, cookies, and cakes that are high in fats, sugar, and sodium. Choose some foods that are high in dietary fiber, such as whole-grain breads, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Packing a lunch need not take much time. Many people pack lunches the night before and keep them in the refrigerator. When clearing the dinner table, store left- overs in serving-sized containers. Place them directly into lunch bags and refrigerate. Try setting up an assembly line to make sandwiches for the entire week. You can 3523studio/Shutterstock.com Figure 17.16 Whole-grain tortillas can be used to make sandwich wraps for a healthy lunch option. What ingredients would you put in your wrap?