By: Co+op
\nReprinted with permission from grocery.<\/p>\n
By: Mary Choate<\/p>\n
Brown Bag Lunches can get boring if they are the same old thing over and over again. Kids may trade to get a lunch that they find more fun to eat. For adults, boredom can lead to a trip to the vending machine or convenience store- a difficult place to find fresh foods. The solution is to mix it up with nutritious and fun choices!
\nThink outside the bag<\/p>\n
To start thinking \u201coutside the bag,\u201d use the ideas below to put together a fun lunch that brown baggers of all ages will enjoy. Be sure to add your favorites to the list!<\/p>\n
Note: Add a freezer pack and insulated bag to keep foods safe until lunch time.
\nPick from these whole grains choices\u2014pick one or two:<\/p>\n
Whole grain crackers
\n Whole grain mini-bagel or pita bread
\n Toasted whole grain English muffin
\n Granola in a one-quarter cup container
\n Bran muffin
\n Whole grain rice or pasta salad<\/p>\n
Vegetable choices\u2014pick two or more 1\/2 cup servings:<\/strong><\/p>\n Three bean salad, with added beets and olives, dressed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil Favorite fall apples Chocolate milk or calcium\u2013fortified plant-based milk Turkey, chicken breast or roast beef slices Whole grain crackers and cheese, chicken and vegetable soup in a thermos, a serving of celery sticks, chocolate milk to drink and a Ginger Gold apple. Brown bag lunches won\u2019t be boring anymore!<\/p>\n Printed with permission from the Hanover Consumer Cooperative Society, Inc. Copyright 2010.<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.grocery.coop\/food-lifestyle\/back-to-school-special-pack-better-bag-lunches\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By: Co+op Reprinted with permission from grocery. By: Mary Choate Brown Bag Lunches can get boring if they are the same old thing over and over again. Kids may trade to get a lunch that they find more fun to eat. For adults, boredom can lead to a trip to the vending machine or convenience […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19419","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-recipes"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n Hummus (garbanzo bean spread)
\n Vegetable soup (1-cup) in a thermos or microwave safe container
\n Baby carrots
\n Celery sticks
\n Cherry or grape tomatoes
\n Cooked okra pods
\n Cooked or raw green beans
\n Sweet pepper strips
\n Cooked corn the cob (6\u201dear = \u00bd cup; 8-9\u201d ear =1 cup)
\n Salad (1-cup) with dressing
\n
\nFruit choices\u2014pick one:<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n Dried fruit packed in a one-quarter cup container
\n Frozen berries packed in a one-half cup container (they thaw by lunchtime)
\n One-cup 100% juice
\n
\nDairy\/high calcium choices\u2014pick one:<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n Yogurt
\n String cheese
\n Cheese rounds or triangle wedges
\n High calcium hot cocoa packet or already made up in a thermos
\n Pudding
\n
\nProtein choices\u2014pick one:<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n Canned tuna, salmon or other fish
\n Bean salad or spread from above (beans count as protein AND vegetable)
\n Flavored baked tofu or tempeh chunks
\n Chunky peanut butter, sunflower seed or almond butter
\n
\nYou can create delicious lunch combinations, for example:<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n Three-bean salad with grape tomatoes, low fat bran muffin and thawed frozen fruit topped with yogurt.
\n Toasted whole grain English muffin with tomato, turkey, and cheese with 100% grape juice to drink.<\/p>\n