For a relaxing break
A lunch break should be a time of relaxation, allowing you to forget work and recharge your "batteries" for the rest of the day. For a real break it's a good idea once in a while to try and find an alternative to that classic, often quite interesting sandwich you get from the corner cafe. But just what sort of alternatives are there to the customary sandwich? All kinds, you just need a little imagination and a sincere, healthy desire to change your routine.

◆ A Light, Healthy Meal

A cold pasta salad is definitely a valid alternative. It's easy to prepare at home ahead of time in the evening, selecting ingredients you are partial to, packing it in a portable container so you can take it to the office in the morning and enjoy it during your lunch break.

For a light and healthy meal, you can opt for a pasta salad with cherry tomatoes, corn and some soncino, adding, if you wish, a bit of anchovy for flavor. In addition to flavor considerations, it's very important to try and eat a wholesome, well-balanced lunch. And try not to skip this important meal, because it's a mistake that can reduce your mental alertness in the afternoon with negative consequences in terms of your job performance, besides it leaves you with a wolfish appetite in the evening. By the same token, if you decide to enjoy a warm meal at lunchtime, you should avoid weighing yourself down with heavy, poorly balanced dishes. One of the most important goals is to provide our organism with an adequate daily supply of fiber. And if you're tired of the same old chef's salad, a dish of pasta with a vegetable sauce, some bean soup or a healthy serving of boiled spinach are excellent alternatives.

◆ All Energy of Fruit

When the season permits and you're confident that what you're buying is fresh, a fruit salad makes an excellent lunch, very tasty and light at the same time. For an interesting new twist, add a spoonful of powdered ginger and a few leaves of mint to your salad, two unusual ingredients capable of adding a delicate zing to your wise alternative to the standard sandwich. The important thing is to be able to leave the table energized and never weighed down, a goal that is not so hard to achieve and increasingly essential in order to be on top of things during the second half of the day.