5 Healthier CBD Lunchtime Dining Options

Just because you are constantly juggling a busy schedule and spending long hours in the office doesn’t mean you have to disregard your diet. In fact, you should take greater care to eat healthy for optimum nutrition. Picking healthier lunches is not difficult. Check out these five dining options in the CBD (Central Business District) for some great ideas:

Option #1 — The Budget Choice

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive. Thanks to partnerships with major food court operators — NTUC Food Fare (Clifford Centre & Marina Bay Financial Centre), Koufu (100 AM Shopping Mall & Cathay Cineleisure) and Kopitiam (Suntec City & Plaza Singapura), it’s now easier than ever to enjoy a healthy lunch while you’re out at work. Simply look for the Healthier Dining Programme (HDP) decal and certificate displayed at the participating individual stall fronts and choose from a selection of healthier food options. These options include lower-sugar beverages, under 500 kcal meals and the use of healthier ingredients — such as healthier cooking oils and wholegrain options.

Related: 7 Survive the Hawker Paradise

Option #2 — The Quickie Option

A common excuse given is: “I don’t have time for a proper lunch, so I’m just going to grab a quick snack.” Often though, these quick snacks skew heavily to one of the food groups (protein, carbohydrate, fruits and vegetables), and lack proper nutritional balance. There are easy-to-eat options which still provide you with a balanced meal. Pick up a soup, sandwich or salad at participating HDP outlets such as Subway or Simply Wrapps (Raffles City) and choose from one of the low-calorie options available.

For a more Asian palate, you can also try QQ rice’s (Tanjong Pagar MRT & One Raffles Place) signature rice rolls made with whole-grains.

Related: 7 Beat the Lunch Hour Rush—Better Meals at Your Workplace Canteen

Option #3 — The Business Lunch

At the other end of the spectrum are business luncheons where entertaining guests is a top priority. You may be tempted to think that on such occasions, you would have to pick ambience over health. Fortunately, you don’t have to make such a decision as there are HDP restaurant partner outlets where you can bring your business associates for a comfortable, yet healthy lunch. These CBD Options include Soup Restaurant (Paragon, Raffles Hotel & Suntec City). Not only do many of these outlets have private dining rooms, there are also numerous healthy dishes available on their menus for you to choose from.

Option #4 — Something for Foodies

Can you be a foodie as well as a healthy diner? Well, the answer is yes. Healthy lunches need not be boring, and with an increasing number of inventive dining establishments getting on board the healthy train, there are more exciting options than ever available to you.

One such option in our list of HDP partners is Wheat Baumkuchen (One Raffles Place, Asia Square & International Plaza) — a Japanese-inspired salad and noodle bar. Its innovative menu features non-traditional creations that creatively combine eastern and western influences to create healthy meals that excite the senses.

Another interesting option is Stuff’d (Bugis Junction), which serves Turkish and Mexican-inspired wraps. You can mix and match your kebabs, burritos and quesadillas with a wide range of interesting ingredient options such as cilantro rice, cous cous and black beans. Finally, top it all off with hummus or guacamole, depending on whether you’re feeling more Mexican or Turkish.

Option #5 — Catering for Special Events

If you have a special company function which requires food catering, it’s good to know that you can take the lead in promoting a healthier lifestyle within your institution. HDP partner companies which can assist with healthier catering include Saybons, and Orange Clove.

Saybons specialises in making French cuisine accessible to the masses, while staying true to French tradition. To add a little pizzazz to your event, you can hire them to set up a crepe, bouillabaisse or even paella live cooking station.

Orange Clove is one of the biggest names in corporate catering and provides for a wide range of concepts including Singaporean street hawker themed cooking stations, banquets and cocktail receptions. Flavours are international, but uniquely interpreted with an Asian twist.

Related: Event Caterers

For Every Occasion

The list of Healthy Dining Partners is constantly being updated. Check out our complete listing of participating dining outlets and caterers, located both in and outside the CBD. There are also outlets that cater for specific dietary needs. These include Pizza Hut and Swensen’s, which are certified Halal, and Pastamania and Pasta Fresca, which are both vegetarian-friendly restaurants. You may also download the HealthHub app for deals on healthy snacks and healthier dining promotions.

Read these next:

• A 7-Day Calorie Plan For Dining Out
• Healthy $20 Meals For The Entire Family
• Two Easy Ways to Make Healthier Choices
• 6 Foods You Must Keep Off the Menu