Harvest Market Natural Foods | Recipes | Rediscover the Packed Lunch

Harvest Market Natural Foods

SUPPORTING YOUR JORNEY TO HEALTHIER LIVING

REDISCOVER THE PACKED LUNCH

Whether you are packing for yourself or a loved one, packed lunches offer an everyday opportunity to enjoy healthy foods. Take a couple of minutes during dinnertime clean up to prepare your lunch for the following day. Clean out your mini-cooler or lunch bag, wash any re-usable containers, and then have fun putting together healthy options. Don’t forget to add any beverages, as well as a mid-morning or afternoon snack. Here are a few ideas:

A thermos full of hot soup, a wedge of cheese, a slice or two of rustic bread and some celery, carrot and pepper sticks.
Hummus, lettuce and grated carrots, gently folded within a whole grain wrap. Include a container full of salad, along with a bag of pretzels.
Bread and butter, served with a steaming bowl of baked beans and dark greens.
A large container of salad greens, red peppers, chopped apples, walnuts or almonds, dried cherries or cranberries, herbed croutons and crumbled cheese. Add chicken, salmon, or tofu for extra protein.
Wrap up stir-fried vegetables, rice and pickled ginger in a sheet of nori, as a vegetarian sushi option. Enjoy a steaming cup of miso soup, and an extra bowl of rice with dark greens.
Bring in some quick oats and a ceramic bowl. Add hot water, and mix with a container of raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, maple syrup and a pat of salted butter.

Consider cooking in higher volume throughout the weekend to create more options for your packed lunches. Boil up a dozen eggs, to have at the ready for egg salad, or to pack whole in the shell. Cook up a pot full of lentils, using coconut milk as a base. Add freshly grated ginger, a bit of cayenne and finish with the juice of a whole lemon. Enjoy this as a dinner with salad and some bread, and then as lunch two or three days later. Simmer up a pound of black beans and add a cup of quinoa for the last 15 minutes of cooking, along with a dash of thyme and chili powder. Just add sautéed onions, peppers and zucchini for a delicious chili. Look through the take-out menu from your favorite restaurants for more inspiration and ideas. These creations will have your co-workers wondering what great things you’ve brought in, day after day.

MORE HEALTHY LUNCH OPTIONS
The best lunch is leftovers from a homemade family dinner the night before.

If that is not possible, try some of the tips below:

Peanut or Almond Butter sandwiches with jam, honey or bananas on whole grain bread.
Grapes, Cheddar cheese cubes, and celery logs.
Whole grain pita triangles with carrots and cucumbers OR red pepper slices & broccoli florets, all with hummus to dip. Raspberries on the side.
Egg Salad on whole grain english muffin, cherry tomatoes,
Yogurt with berries or granola
Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato or Tuna sandwich on whole grain bread with a fresh piece of fruit like a nectarine or peach and carrot sticks.
Pasta Salad with bacon or tempeh and veggies.
Hard-boiled egg, fresh pear and pretzel sticks.
And don't forget soups! yes, soups are the perfect way to go for all fall to spring lunches...you can throw all kinds of ingredients in there, with or without your children's knowing--from veggies to grains to seaweed (!?!), they are an instantly warming, comforting, and nutritious break from your child's day.

Two other useful tidbits:
~Don't forget to pack hot foods in an old-fashioned thermos.
~Before adding food, preheat the thermos by adding boiling water.