With school back in session I’ve noticed I’m back to eating lunch on the run.

By 4 p.m. one day I realized the only meals I had eaten all day were either out of a straw or were consumed behind the wheel while carting my kids around town. I don’t think the food I ate that day really qualified as a meal, but it was better than not eating at all.

Who can be that busy – really?

Any mom will tell you it’s all too possible to be that busy. C’mon–us moms are the same folks who can spend hours in the bathroom trying to potty-train a child but then postpone our pottying needs for hours because we’re busy caring for a sick child or a cranky baby. I’m sure most every mom on the planet will agree that they’ve sacrificed good hygiene on occasion because they’re too busy caring for everyone else. So, it’s no surprise to most moms that choosing a healthy lunch sinks to the bottom of the list more often than we’d probably admit or even realize.

I hate to compromise good eating and healthy habits using the excuse that I’m too busy. It’s part of that whole, “Put on your own oxygen mask first” theory that we all know but have a hard time living by. So in my efforts to stay healthy and put myself back on the list, I’ve tried to come up with some ideas of cheap and easy lunch ideas so I can still eat in a hurry without grabbing junk food or hitting the drive thru.

Some of my favorites are:

Turkey sandwich on whole wheat pita. I dice up an avocado and tomato and I can eat it on the go.

Trader Joes Organic Tomato Soup in the pint-sized carton. I don’t even like tomato soup but this is delicious. Even my kids love it. (No TJs near you? Try Emeril’s version from the grocery store.)

Bag-O-Salad from the store. I only use half of the lettuce and half of all of the mix-ins (including the low-fat dressing) at a time. I spread it out over two lunches or invite a friend over to have lunch. If the dressing isn’t low-fat I’ll substitute in another dressing from the store. (If you have a Fresh n Easy market in your area they have an amazing Cilantro dressing that only has 70 calories per two tablespoons.)

Baked potato with light sour cream and a sprinkle of cheese. I bet this borders on unhealthy depending on how you view carbs, but it’s fast and it’s comfort food. The cheese and sour cream offer some protein to tide you over. Besides, a medium potato has about 5 grams of fiber. Sprinkle on a little salt and pepper and you’re set. If you skip the butter you’ll save lots of fat and calories.

Pita bread pizza. Using one small whole wheat pita as the crust, I coat the crust with low-fat Ranch dressing (or jarred spaghetti sauce) and then I pile on veggies, or ham and pineapple, or leftover chicken with veggies, and top with a little cheese. I pop it into the toaster oven and in about 7 minutes my lunch is ready.

Question: What do you like to eat for lunch that is quick and healthy?