I can recall the brown bag lunches my mother would make for me when I was in elementary school. I usually had peanut butter and jelly or a turkey sandwich with a fruit roll along with an iced tea. At this time, health was less of concern than it is now and the glycemic index was not even a topic of discussion, as it is largely today. Today brown bag lunches have health as a larger focus and there is sometimes less creativity. What healthy lunches can I eat other than a salad? I will show you 7 sensational ways to make your brown bag lunches healthy, tasty and creative fun!
One of my favorite brown bag lunches is the salad wrap because it is simple to create and tastes great! Just slice up romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and peppers and put this inside a whole wheat wrap or pita. Add a sprinkle of organic skim cheese and enjoy! Pair with a fruit smoothie with ¼ cup spinach, ½ a fresh banana, blueberries, strawberries and a ½ cup of skim milk!
Purchase organic canned tuna in water or fresh tuna and add light mayo or greek yogurt along with a sprinkle of romaine lettuce, a sliced tomato and diced celery. Wrap a whole wheat pita around your tuna for a light and satisfying brown bag lunch. Cut up some celery sticks and an apple to eat as a refreshing snack later in the day.
Substitute quinoa for rice to make your Chinese food favorite into a healthy, balanced meal and create a quinoa stir fry dish. Add some scrambled egg whites, peppers and onions to add some extra flavor and sauté in a teaspoon of olive oil. Pair with a banana and some carrot sticks in your brown bag lunch and enjoy! Mom would be proud of this one!
Here is a great recipe for simple yet satisfying turkey lettuce wraps. Because of the veggies and turkey, they are packed with both fiber and protein! Here is a recipe for these delicious wraps: funfitmama.com.
Give your fattening burger a skinny, healthy makeover and grill a turkey burger! Place this on a whole wheat bun with lettuce and tomatoes. Pack this burger in your brown bag lunch with a baggie of celery sticks and a ½ cup of strawberries. Enjoy!
Grill a skinless, boneless chicken breast and lay the chicken on 2 slices of whole wheat bread. Add a slice of onion, tomatoes and a sprinkle of oregano for a delicious and healthy lunch. Pair with a Clementine and carrot sticks for your snack! Eat up and enjoy!!
It is time for the elementary PB & J to get a healthier makeover and substitute your white bread for whole wheat bread. To make your PB & J even healthier, make your own jam and peanut butter. If you are short on time, look in the organic health section of your grocer for peanut butter with no added sugar and natural jam. Pair with a ½ cup of blueberries and sliced carrot sticks!
Hope you enjoyed all my healthy brown bag lunch ideas. These lunches will help to satisfy your appetite and make better choices throughout the day. Now that you have new ideas, what healthy lunch will you make first?