Fatigued? Sugar cravings? Irregular periods? Low libido? Break outs? These are all signs your hormones might be out of sync with each other.
And the one meal that’s often rushed and not very hormone friendly… lunches.
We’ve all been guilty of grab and go meal deals, low protein sandwiches, or worst of all skipping lunch altogether. But a well-balanced lunch can make a significant difference in supporting your hormone health – particularly with that afternoon ‘slump’.
Eating hormone-friendly lunches doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. In this blog post, Family Nutrition Expert Clinic Nutritional Therapist Louise Goulding has five top tips for creating lunches that support your hormones. Plus some of her favourite lunch recipes at the end!
1. Prioritise Protein
Protein is essential for stabilising blood sugar and keeping your energy levels steady throughout the afternoon. Balanced blood sugar reduces spikes in insulin and cortisol. When these two hormones are out of balance, this can trigger cravings, fatigue, and breakouts.
Tips:
- Quick and easy protein sources if you are short on time include pre-cooked chicken, canned fish, boiled eggs or precooked lentils (Merchant Gourmet do some great lentil and bean mixes)
- Pair with vegetables and healthy fats to keep you fuller for longer.
2. Include Healthy Fats
Hormones are made from fats. So we need to eat them to make optimal levels of hormones, particularly oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Fats have had a bad rap in the past, but the healthy fats (particularly omega-3s) have benefits that go far beyond hormones. They can lower inflammation, improve mood and reduce cholesterol.
Tips:
- Add avocado, nuts, seeds, or olive oil to your salads.
- Include fatty fish like salmon, sardines or mackerel a few times per week (fresh or tinned)
3. Choose Complex Carbs and Fibre
Complex carbohydrates and fibre-rich foods are our gut supporting foods. A healthy gut has a positive impact on hormones as it ensures nutrients are absorbed efficiently, and hormones are properly recycled.
Tips:
- Opt for whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, or oats instead of white bread or pasta.
- Fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi or yoghurt provide probiotics which improve your gut health.
4. Support Your Liver
Your liver, alongside your gut, plays a critical role in hormone balance by helping to metabolise and eliminate excess hormones. You don’t need a fancy detox juice though. Your liver is smart and with the right foods it can do its job well.
Tips:
- Include cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale, and cabbage – they contain nutrients that specifically support oestrogen metabolism.
- Stay hydrated—water is essential for liver detoxification and overall cellular function.
5. Add Anti-Inflammatory Ingredients
Inflammation can disrupt hormone signalling and worsen symptoms like PMS, acne, or fatigue. Include daily anti-inflammatory foods, and reduce processed foods, refined sugars and refined foods to help reduce inflammation and stabilise your hormones.
Tips:
- Include spices like turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon. See the recipes below for inspiration!
- Choose colourful vegetables and fruits—they are rich in antioxidants and polyphenols that help reduce inflammation.
You don’t need to follow complicated meal plans to support your hormones. By focusing on protein, healthy fats, fibre, and anti-inflammatory foods you can create lunches that help keep your hormones balanced.
Even small changes, like swapping refined carbs for vegetables and quinoa, or adding an avocado and seeds to your salad, can make a big difference. And the key to success is planning ahead. Prepping ingredients in advance means you’ll always have hormone-supporting options on hand. For example, roast a tray of vegetables, cook some quinoa and prepare a protein source to mix and match.
To help you on your way here are some of my favourite mid-week lunches.
Turmeric Chicken and Sweet Potato Wrap
Serves 1
Ingredients:
· 100g cooked chicken breast, sliced
· ½ cup roasted sweet potato cubes
· Wholegrain wrap
· 1 cup mixed greens (spinach, rocket, kale)
· 1 tbsp Greek yogurt
· ½ tsp turmeric
· Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
- Roast sweet potato cubes with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper until tender.
- Mix Greek yogurt with turmeric and a pinch of salt.
- Layer the wrap with greens, sweet potato, and chicken.
- Drizzle with turmeric yogurt sauce and roll up.
Broccoli & Sweet Potato Frittata
Serves 4
Ingredients:
· 1 tbsp olive oil
· 2 red onions, sliced
· 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
· 1 garlic clove, crushed
· 2 tsp thyme leaves
· 1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets
· 8 eggs
· Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
- Preheat grill to high.
- Heat oil in a frying pan then add onions and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add grated sweet potato and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once softened stir in garlic and thyme leaves.
- Boil/steam broccoli florets until al dente (around 3 minutes) then drain and stir into potato and onion mix.
- Beat eggs and season then pour into the pan. Lower the heat and cook for 10-15 minutes.
- Pop the pan under the hot grill until the top is golden.
- Eat hot or allow to cool and enjoy the next day.
- Try adding ham, chorizo or salmon for extra protein.
Greek Salad with Salmon
Serves 1
Ingredients:
· 1 salmon fillet
· 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
· ½ small cucumber
· ½ red pepper
· 1 tomato
· 2 spring onions
· 50g feta cheese, diced
· Handful fresh mixed lettuce leaves
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 220C.
- Place salmon on a lined baking tray and season and drizzle with oil.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes (depending on thickness of the fillet). Remove it from the oven as soon as you see any white protein leaving the fillet – this is a sign it’s cooked.
- Chop the cucumber, red pepper and tomatoes into large chunks. Slice the spring onions. Combine everything into a bowl with the lettuce.
- Top the salad with crumbled feta and the warm salmon. Alternatively leave the salmon to cool and then assemble the next day for lunch.