So it’s 12:30 and your stomach is starting to talk. There’s a Taco Bell five-minute’s drive from where you are, a Denny’s just around the corner, and a Chinese all-you-can-eat next to that. What’s it going to be? It’s so hard to choose! If you’re concerned about your waistline at all, the best answer is “none of the above.”

When it comes to excess calorie consumption, eating fast-food or restaurant meals for lunch can be a weight-control nightmare. Fast-food is notoriously high in calories, but even with a reasonably nutritious choice from a restaurant, you can wind up eating almost all your calories for the day in one sitting. Once you add the refillable soda, maybe a beer, some butter-drenched bread sticks, an oversized serving of salad dressing, a piece of cake, and perhaps a cappuccino-to-go on the way out, you can be looking at an extra 1000 or more calories that you really didn’t want or need.

When you pack your own lunch, or even just take a frozen meal to heat in the microwave, you have far more control over how many calories you consume and the size of the portions you eat.

A healthy brown-bagged lunch is better for your waistline than eating out. But what about your taste buds?

When it comes to packed lunches, most people’s imaginations stop short at peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches – and then make a fast u-turn to the nearest pizza joint. However, if you can stretch your imagination past the peanut-butter jar, you’re in for some delicious surprises.

Start by stocking your fridge and shelves with foods that are healthy and that you enjoy, and that can be easily used for brown-bag lunches – and remember, since you’re saving money by not eating out, you can spend a little more on gourmet ingredients. Pesto sauces, olives, hummus, low-fat gourmet cheeses, whole-grain gourmet breads, gourmet salad ingredients, low-fat dips, yogurt, fresh vegetables, and fresh “splash-out” fruits such as raspberries, cherries, peaches and mangoes are just a few examples.

If you can store things at work (or wherever you usually are at lunch time) or take them in a cooler, even better. That way, you can make fresh sandwiches and salads on the spot.