Preparing nutritious lunches for you and your family can be really fun. The key is to focus on variation. Assembling lunch can be half the fun. Make it a Sunday routine where everyone helps chop or bag.
Here are ten ideas for a healthy lunchbox so you don’t have to think:
1. Fold up a whole wheat burrito wrap with cooked and seasoned ground turkey and some low fat shredded cheese. A minute in the microwave and voila!
2. Instead of bread, slice mini pita pockets, fill with tuna or chicken salad made with green grapes and walnuts. Whether it’s bread or pita, however, make sure it’s high fiber and whole grain!
3. Use lettuce leaves to roll-up turkey and low fat cheese slices, include a container of low fat mayo or mustard.
4. Buy small “takeout” containers at the dollar store. Last night’s leftover casserole disguised as “takeout” will making eating more fun.
5. Make colorful fruit kebabs using green and purple grapes, strawberries and cantaloupe. You can also make savory kebabs using cubed cheese, cherry tomatoes, and other chopped veggies (chop and assemble them on the weekend so they’re easy to grab throughout the week).
6. Dipping is a blast – prepare sliced veggies, fruit or whole grain pretzels and include a separate container of “sauce” like peanut butter, light cream cheese, low fat yogurt or cottage cheese, applesauce, or salad dressing.
7. Make your own trail mix. Use nuts, healthy whole grain cereals, and dried fruits.
8. Slice an apple and include peanut, cashew, or almond butter for spreading.
9. Add sliced banana to mini rice cakes to make mini sandwiches called “coins”.
10. Instead of plain hard boiled eggs, make deviled eggs with light mayo and a slice of crumbled turkey bacon mixed in, add chives on top.
We’d love to hear of some ways that you keep lunch interesting – share your recipes with us!
With the weekend here, Sunday is a great time to shop, chop and prep for the rest of the week. Happy Friday and we’ll see you next week.