For those of you in this rut, I found some great ideas on the Weston A. Price Foundation website in an article by Jen Allbritton, a certified nutritionist, called Packing the Perfect Lunch Box.
Main Lunchbox Items
Dinner Leftovers: This is often the easiest food to add to a lunch. Last night's meat loaf makes a bomb sandwich.
Sandwiches, Roll Ups and Pitas: Sandwich "holders" can come in many shapes and sizes, such as pita pockets, tortillas (I make a batch of 20-30 at a time), and sprouted grain bread like Ezekiel. Fill these with-
- Turkey meat slices with pesto and tomato
- Good quality salami with mustard and lettuce
- Homemade chicken liver pate with pickles
- Apple slices, bacon, Dijon mustard, and cheddar cheese
- Grilled cheese embellished with bacon bits, shredded meat or chopped veggies
- Chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayo
- Nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew) with sliced bananas
- Meat or turkey loaf with mayo and lettuce or sprouts
- Cream cheese with salmon, capers and red onion
- Chicken salad made with crispy pecans, grapes, celery and mayo
- Mashed avocado mixed with a drop of lemon juice in a pita stuffed with spincach, grated carrots, tomato slices, cucumber slices and provolone cheese
Roll-ups:
- Raw cream cheese sprinkled with grated carrots, grated zucchini, grated apple and topped with a lettuce leaf
- Mix cream cheese, chopped apple, nuts, vanilla, cinnamon and raw honey
- Refried beans (seasoned with cumin, garlic and salt), lettuce, cheese and salsa
- Hummus with shredded carrots, cucumber strips and sliced avocado
- Use a slice of deli meat to roll up a stick of cheese and add in some pickles or sauerkraut (preferably fermented and homemade), onions, a little squirt of mustard and mayo
Soups:
Good on cold days, use a thermos to fill with family favorites. Chili is a great idea. My kids love a Thai-inspired coconut chicken soup I make. Use a homemade bone broth or chicken stock as the base to add additional vitamins and minerals.
Snacks:
- Crispy nuts and seeds (recipes found in Nourishing Traditions)
- Trail mix made with crispy nuts, coconut flakes, dried fruit and a splash of carob or chocolate chips
- Nutty snack bars
- Fruit salad made with chopped fruit with a dab of sour cream or creme fraiche with a touch of maple syrup
- Homemade fruit leather
- Olives, green or black
- Jerky (homemade)
- Hard boiled egges with a dash of sea salt
- Cheese, preferably raw
- Popcorn
- Yogurt Dough crackers
- Muffins
- Baked tortilla chips with bean dip or salsa
- Raw veggies with hummus or guacamole
- Fermented veggies, especially homemade pickles
Beverages:
- Raw whole milk
- Kombucha
- Lemonade made with stevia or raw honey
- Hot cocoa made with coconut milk
- Iced herb tea with stevia or honey to taste
- Fresh pressed organic apple juice
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