5 Lunches in the Bag!

Monday
Cheddar Apple Sandwich

-This is one of 26 hearty, satisfying Lunch ideas from Real Simple; Simply, one of my favorite recipe sites.

-Add veggies to any sandwich to make them more nutritious.

-Add hummus and mustard,  instead of mayo to cold cut sandies to balance plant and animal proteins.

Tuesday
Fruit, cottage cheese and whole grain crackers.

-Try making 80% of the things you eat whole foods.  If the other 20% is comprised of crackers of chips, cookies or treats, you will rest assured your family is getting their essential nutrients.

Wednesday
Whole grain Sandie, a Pear and a Real Drink

-If are a juice drinker, you might consider making your own.  Skip the gatorade, lemonade, cool-aid and the like, and pack real fruit and veggie juice...  or, my favorite, water~

Thursday
Leftovers from Wednesday and a Side of Something Fresh

-Pasta and rice dishes make the best leftover lunches.  Add a fresh green salad, fruit salad, crisp apple or greek yogurt and you will be satisfied for the duration.

Friday
Kitchen Sink Pita Pocket

Once you have the pita, you can fill it with whatever you like; Nut butter and banana, Beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado and turkey, Waldorf chicken salad or Egg salad and lettuce!






Don't have a lunch box?  Glass jars and repurposed containers make great take-alongs.

Or try some of these options for Lunch~

Meatless Monday

Brown Rice Bowl

-Add peas, black beans, corn, bell peppers, a dash of soy, a splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice and savor every bite! Don't like my suggestions?  Add whatever you want.

-A mason jar is a great substitute for a thermos.  Wrap one in a towel and you will have nice warm rice, and a napkin to boot!

Totally Fun Tuesday

Lunch on a Stick

-Thread fresh motz cheese, tomatoes, basil and cubes of chicken or steak on a skewer, pack a piece of crusty bread and herbed olive oil in your bag, and pretend your on the Med for lunch!

MyRecipes.com

What I Ate Wednesday?

Tuna Salad on Celery with Carrot Sticks on the Side~

-Instead of on toast or creamed into pasta, make your favorite tuna salad recipe and scoop it up with celery sticks.  No need for utensils ~ no heavy starches ~ nothing but energy, vital nutrients and fun!

Thursday
Thomthing to Thlurp!

-Lo Mein is fun to make at home and can be tastier than the noodles at the local Chinese restaurant.  Just plan ahead and make a large enough batch to make it worth your while;  I promise you, this will WOW every luncher on the list!

-Don't like mushrooms?  Add whatever veggies are a hit at your house!

MyRecipes.com

Friday - Fast!
Leftovers!

-Don't underestimate the power of 'packing your own lunch'.  My kids, including my 9 year old, is in charge of their own lunchbox. They take leftovers from the weeknights, add fruits and veggies, sometimes they add a yogurt or a piece of cheese, and they always eat everything they take.

-You are in charge of the shopping!  Make sure the meals are made from real food and you will feel good about the options available to lunch on.  The plus side?  You have less on your proverbial plate!

-See ~In 5 Meals or Less~ for great weeknight meal planning suggestions.

Monday- How About a BLTA?  

-Avocado?  On a BLT?  You can add anything you want!  If Avocado isn't your thing, add Peanut Butter, Hummus, Cucumbers, Cranberries, Just about anything you can think of will make this a treat in any lunch box!

Tuesday-  Let's try a Panini!

-Pick a meat, a cheese, a saucy little number and a cast iron grill and you have yourself an enviable lunch.  While you are drying your hair or packing up the kids, grill this baby low and slow to reach maximum melty-ness.

Wednesday- Pretend you are on the Med!

-"Toss day-old or toasted bread cubes, chopped beefsteak tomatoes, crumbled feta, pitted olives (such as Kalamata), sliced cucumbers and salami with olive oil, lemon juice and dried oregano." says Bon Appetite.  This timeless Mediterranean Panzanella is a great choice for the young and the young at heart.




Thursday- Take a Thermos!

-Warm up the leftovers from the fridge...  easy, pleasy, cover your sneezy!

Friday- Pack a Feast!  

-Little bit of fruit, lotta bit of veg, little bit of protein, little bit of this, little bit of that, a little dessert, a lot of water and a fork~  Lunch is Served!

Monday
Make yourself a sandwich!

-Use whole grain bread from a bakery or your kitchen instead of the "I wonder what's in that bread?" variety.

-Add hummus instead of cheese.  Hummus comes is a great variety of flavors!

-Add mustard instead of mayo; spicy, brown, dijon, yellow, or gourmet!

-Add spinach, shredded carrots or seasonal greens instead of iceberg.

-Pair with celery or popcorn, kale chips or tasted granola instead of potato chips.

Tuesday
Toss yourself a salad!

-Use multiple cabbages and lettuces as the base.

-Add broccoli and asparagus, cucumbers and peppers, capers or olives, cranberries or fresh mandarin oranges to diversity the nutrients.

-Add crunchy things like water chestnuts, bean sprouts, almonds, pumpkin seeds or pistachios.

-Try to add a new oil or vinegar based dressing instead of creamy coaters; ginger dressing, strawberry vinaigrette, or simply oil and vinegar do nicely!

-Not filling enough?  Add lean meats or the occasional bacon strip to bulk up your bite!

Wednesday
Make yourself a snack pack!

-Foods you eat with your fingers typically come from the ground, which mean they are carbohydrates containing protein, calcium, fiber, vitamins and important calories.  The more colorful your choices become, the more antioxidants, chlorophyl, phytochemicals, anti-inflammatories, alkalizers and essential vitamins you consume.

Thursday
Throw some leftovers in your lunchbox!

-The refrigerator contains many hidden treasures that accrue over the course of the week.  Clean out your fridge Thursday morning, take what's edible for lunch and lay the rest to rest.  (My kids love assembling random lunches and usually eat everything they take!)

Friday
Sushi?


Maybe these images will inspire...

Recipes are suggested guidance~  use your favorite flavors to make each recipe delicious~ 

This wrap could be filled with Tuna, Chicken Salad, Egg Salad, Salami, Hummus, yesterday's leftovers, or a pile of vegetables and nuts.  

Don't forget a Water Bottle~



Sandwiches are easy take-alongs  ~  try Pumpernickle, Rye, Sourdough, Homemade or Crusty Breads instead of the mass produced varieties.  

Make sure you stock your fridge with easy, healthy fillers like carrots, cukes, and Cortlands...  fresh, naturally occurring food is always the best bang for the box!

We have all been tempted by the lunchables in the grocery store...  but you can easily and inexpensively make your own just by having a well stocked refrigerator.  The only limits to lunchables are found within your imagination.

We all love to hide things in our pockets...  translate that to lunch!  Using Pita bread is an easy way to hide some vegetables from the kiddo's.  

Cocoa coated almonds are a nice healthy treat to get your fam to eat more nuts, too!

When all else fails, look to the rainbow for help.  Kids like sweet, adults love treats:  Fruit, veg, and fun flavored rice is a whimsical way to wow the ones you love (even if that 'one' is yourself)!





Or Try A Week's Worth of Easy~

-Monday: Popcorn, almonds (or almond butter), raisins, celery, cheddar cheese and an apple.

-Tuesday: Hard boiled egg (or two), black and green olives, your favorite smokey cheese, broccoli and cauliflower florets and pumpernickel toast.

-Wednesday: Chicken salad, whole wheat crackers, seasonal greens salad with home made dressing, grapes and carrot sticks.

-Thursday: Seasonal greens salad tossed with asparagus, broccoli, mushrooms, purple cabbage and red onion with a mustard vinaigrette (or one that tickles your fancy).

-Friday: Caesar style salad with shrimp (or chicken, or not) topped with homemade croutons and real parmesan cheese and tomatoes with herb infused olive oil.  

Or try a more menu related approach with the following~

Monday

Roll-Up the Leftovers!

You will need:
1 Wrap
1/4 c. leftover Pork Tenderlion, or whatever meat you served Sunday night. (Meatless Mondays?  Use Hummus for the protein; it's de-lish in a wrap!)
1/3 c. romaine lettuce (or whatever greens you have in the fridge)
1/2 an apple
Condiment of Choice 
1/4 c. of nuts and seeds on the side (I love Nantucket Blend trail mix)
1 sealable water bottle full of clean, cool water

Chop all ingredients into uniform pieces, mix by hand in your favorite mixing bowl and wrap it up~  Hold your water, grab your nuts and go!

-The best tool to keep on hand when it comes to lunch is a wrap.  Find one that fits your dietary needs, grab three or four packages, freeze some for future use and keep the rest next to the fridge.  

Tuesday

Peas and Rice, Please~

You will need:
3/4 c. of brown rice, prepared
1/4 c. of sweet peas (fresh if you got 'em, frozen if it's freezing)
onion, minced
garlic, minced
salt, pepper and spice to taste
drizzle of olive oil
1/4 c. chopped chicken breast leftover from Monday's Dinner (Meatless?  Skip the meat~)  
Thermos, or a mason jar wrapped in a hand towel.
1 sealable water bottle full of clean, cool water

Heat gently on the stove top (yes, I know it's another dish but it makes for a healthier lunch in just about the same amount of time), put in thermos or mason jar, drizzle with olive oil and lunch is served.  

-Rice is the second best tool to keep on hand.  Make a large batch of brown rice on Monday to get you and your loved ones through the week.

Wednesday

Soup and a Sandwich

You will need:
1 Grilled Cheese Sandwich (wrapped in tin-foil to keep warm, or parchment if you don't like a soggy sandie)
1 bowl of Tomato Soup (safe in a  thermos or towel covered mason jar)
1 sealable water bottle full of clean, cool water

-Skip the condensed soup variety and make your own.  Since I do not believe in reinventing the wheel, I am sharing Fine Cooking's Classic Tomato Soup recipe with you.  I will suggest using organic tomatoes, raw sugar and a great chicken broth, though~ Too much work just for lunch?  Make a double batch for dinner on Wednesday night and bring it with you Thursday instead!

Thursday

K.I.S.S.

You will need:
1 serving yogurt (or cottage cheese)
1 piece of fruit
1/2 c. of veggies
1/3 c. of nuts and seeds
1 serving of kale or rice chips
1 sealable water bottle full of clean, cool lemon water

Assemble in a lunchbox complete with ice pack and you're through~

-Cut up veggies on Sunday afternoon so they are ready and appealing throughout the week.  Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, radishes, celery, peppers, green onions, grape tomatoes, asparagus, and cucumbers all make the cut.  In a pickle?  Grab some pickles!

Friday

Dirty, Dirty Rice

You will need:
3/4 c. brown rice, prepared
1/4 c. tomatoes (canned, fresh, stewed, you pick)
3 or 4 T black beans (canned)
3 or 4 T red beans (canned)
2 T chicken broth or tomato juice, or both
celery, onions, and garlic 
Sausage, leftover or otherwise (see Thursday in the "5 dinners or less" page)
1 sealable water bottle full of clean, cool water

In a medium pot, sauté celery, onions and garlic in olive oil, mix in brown rice, tomatoes and juice or broth, and fold in the beans.  Add the sausage, season to taste, warm through, pack it in a thermos and you're ready for the day.  It will take about 12 minutes~  

-Don't have time?  Make this ahead any day of the week and store in perfect portion glass containers or jars.  

Notes:

Packing lunches for yourself and your loved ones can be a frustrating part of the morning.  In our house we make a few easy grab goodies ahead of time, like fruit salads, veggie trays, green salad and rice.  I even try and make dinner large enough to support lunches with leftovers, but when all else fails, I hop on the ol' p, b & j wagon (all ingredients considered).  Either way, we seem to get 5 lunches in the bag whether we mean to or not~

Eat real food, drink plenty of water, give your vitamins their vitamins, and, because lunch can be a messy thing to make, remember to wash your hands.  Enjoy~

Anna~