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If you frequent the food court or drive-through for lunch, you might want to consider brown-bagging it more often, especially if you're trying to shed a few pounds.

Among my clientele, those who routinely pack their lunch are more successful at losing weight, lowering cholesterol and reducing blood pressure. They have more control over portion size and ingredients.

But it's not only calories you'll bank - bringing your lunch from home also saves money and time.

Consider these numbers: Tim Hortons chili served with a whole-wheat roll and 250 millilitres of 2 per cent milk costs $5.77 (Ontario price including taxes); it delivers 650 calories, 25 grams of fat (10 of them saturated), and 1,910 milligrams of sodium. (The daily upper limit for sodium is 2,300 milligrams.)

A similar serving of homemade chili, a store-bought whole-wheat roll and 2 per cent milk costs $2.22 and serves up 438 calories, 14 grams of fat (6 of them saturated), and 1,070 milligrams of sodium.

An additional 212 calories from the Tim Hortons lunch might not sound like much, but let me assure you, those calories add up if you don't burn them off. Over the course of a year, a daily surplus of 200 calories leads to an 18-pound weight gain.

At Subway, $9.22 will buy you a 6-inch tuna sub, a minestrone soup and a bottle of Dasani water along with 600 calories, 30 grams of fat (7 grams saturated) and 1,880 milligrams of sodium. For $2.24, the homemade version delivers 426 calories, 11 grams of fat (2.4 grams saturated), and just over half the sodium (1,090 milligrams).

McDonald's Chicken Oriental Salad with Warm Chicken McGrill and Newman's Own Low Fat Sesame Thai Dressing sells for $6.77. Despite its 1,800 milligrams of sodium, this meal is light on calories (290) and fat (4.5 grams). But you can make it yourself for less than $3, and if you limit your portion of dressing you'll slash the sodium too.

You won't fare any better if you eat at a full-service restaurant such as Kelsey's, Jack Astor's or Boston Pizza. Thanks to large portion sizes, many entrees deliver 1,000 calories. Add a drink, factor in service and your lunch bill will hit double digits.

Most experts agree that eating meals made at home is less expensive and better for your waistline. A handful of studies have linked eating at restaurants at least twice a week to a higher body mass index and a greater risk of obesity.

That's not to say healthy lunch options don't exist in food courts or chain restaurants. But knowing what's good for you and what's not can be challenging. Some chains, mainly fast-food outlets, post nutrition information on their websites. But you won't find calories and fat content printed on the menu.

If you want to know what you're eating, bring your own lunch from home - at least a few days each week.

What to pack

A healthy lunch should include whole grains, lean protein, fruit and vegetables to sustain energy and alertness throughout the afternoon. Whole grains supply carbohydrates for energy; protein slows digestion and helps keep you feeling full longer; and fruits and vegetables provide disease-fighting phytochemicals that you can't get from other foods.

Many people blame a lack of time for not packing a lunch. Yet, standing in long food-court lines or driving to a restaurant and waiting for food to be served takes more time than making a sandwich or packing up last night's leftovers.

The trick is making a lunch that isn't boring. Let's face it, most people don't want to eat a turkey sandwich day after day. The good news: Packing a lunch that's nutritious and interesting is easier than you think.

Plan ahead

If hectic mornings prevent you from preparing your lunch, make it the night before and refrigerate. Or, cook more dinner than you need for one meal and package the leftovers for lunch the next day.

You'll also save time by batch cooking on the weekend - hearty soups, casseroles and grilled vegetables work well for lunches. Divide into single-serving containers and freeze for later use.

Add whole grains

Add variety by packing mini whole-wheat pita pocket sandwiches, whole grain tortilla wraps, mini bagels or whole grain crackers instead of sliced bread. Pack leftover whole grain pasta instead of a sandwich.

Include protein

Lean roast beef, sliced chicken breast, tuna or salmon salad, hard-boiled eggs, low-fat cheese, cubed tofu and bean salad are healthy options that help delay hunger for several hours.

Limit your intake of processed meats such as ham, pastrami, salami and bologna. A steady intake of deli meats is linked to a greater risk of colorectal cancer, possibly because of their saturated fat content or the sodium nitrite added for colour and to prevent botulism.

Roast a whole chicken or a turkey breast on Sunday and use the leftover meat for sandwiches, salads, pastas and soups later in the week.

Pack vegetables and fruits

Bring vegetables that are small and easy to eat. Try baby carrots, grape tomatoes, broccoli florets or bell pepper slices. Prepare raw vegetables in advance so they are ready to throw into a baggie or plastic container.

Instead of the same old apple or banana, pack unsweetened fruit cups, applesauce, grapes, raisins or dried-fruit snacks with no sugar, such as Rebar's Original energy bar.

Bring snacks

Pack an extra piece of fruit, a snack-sized bag of dried fruit and nuts, a carton of yogurt or an energy bar to boost flagging energy and tame your midafternoon appetite.

Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based dietitian at the Medcan Clinic, is on CTV's Canada AM every Wednesday. Her website is lesliebeck.com.