Need some healthy lunch box ideas - Care to share?
 

I pack DH a lunch for work. I use an insulated lunch box.

1 ham sandwich: High fiber bread with 4 thin slices of lean ham, one slice of Provolone cheese, and mustard.
1 fruit cup packed in it's own juice (the kind you buy for kids lunches).
1 snack bag filled with low fat Chet mix that I also add raw pecans and raw almonds to. (These are the little ziplock snack bags similar to the ziplock sandwich bags and I don't cram it full.)

The same thing every day. He does not want anything that has to be kept in a refrigerator or heated up in a microwave.

Does anyone have some healthy ideas for lunch boxes?

I figure with the start of the New Year that a lot of us are going to try to be more healthy. We can share ideas back and forth.

Fresh fruit. (Not in syrup). Apples, bananas, grapes, easy!
Small box of raisins
Fresh veggies...carrot sticks are easy.
Mozarella cheese sticks
V-8 juice, low sodiom. One large can= 2 veggie servings . We don't eat enough daily vegs.
Zone Perfect protein bar. Great mid afternoon snack that is high in protein (energy) and low on sugar.


The nuts are great! I buy raw, unsalted.


These are items that I pack for my husband and me. I am on Nutrisystem and these are NS friendly.

Sandy

Chicken sandwich,tuna,egg or ham salad sandwich.Vary the sandwich with flat bread,pitas or bagels.Stuffed celery with peanut butter,cream cheese or pimento cheese.Hard boiled or deviled eggs.
Make fruit salad with canned fruit in own juice,adding fresh fruit,squeeze an orange over all.Keeps for days in fridge.

I just finished lunch at my desk. For new years day I made a rice salad with a wild rice and long grain mix. I lightly sauted chopped carrots, celery and green peppers and added to rice along some chopped green onion and a can of drained black eyed peas (you could use any canned bean, kidney or chick pea would work too) Then added some fat free italian dressing and salt and pepper to taste. It keeps in the fridge for several days, up to 10 or twelve I'd guess. I scoop some out into a little tupperware bowl and by lunch time it's at room temp, which is how I prefer it. Along with a little cutie orange it makes a good healthy lunch that's pretty filling.

The question is ... is he happy with the "non-variety"?
Or are you "fixing" something that ain't broke?

Perhaps consider a thermos ... then you can send something hot with him ... stews, soups, etc.

To keep things cold ... freeze bottles of water or juice ... works as an ice pack, then becomes a cool drink for him to enjoy. (just be sure to not fill to the top, to allow for expansion when frozen)

we have to fix my gbaby's lunch. She like chicken salad, cheese sticks, apples. I heard of this but haven't tried it yet, soak the cut apples in gingerale and they won't turn brown. Does he like peanut butter and jelly? Smuckers has them frozen. She get ones in her lunch and by the time it ready to eat, it has thawed. I have made her meat loaf sandwich, she takes mac and cheese in an individual container, this has to be heated.

ReginaLovesFabric ... I use 7-up (diet or regular) to avoid the fruit turning brown. You don't have to soak them. Just make sure they are fully dunked, then they can come out and drain in a colander or put straight into your container. If you leave them too long, they take on too much of the liquid which can affect flavour ... to say the least about them going to mush! Works with other fruits as well ... bananas, peaches, etc. I was given this tip from a professional caterer, when I asked how they could make so many fruit trays so far ahead!

same day everyday for my brood, including Hubby. Pb and j for Hubby, Nutella with fluff for DD, and meat for son. Then a piece of fruit, pretzles and a cheese string. I get tired of it, I am sure they do too, But they are picky anyway. So when I change it up they don't like it anyway. If I am super bored myself I just give everyone a PBJ. OR a meat or even the nutella.

I found the camping section at Walmart has a small ice pack you can freeze every day. I think they are only about a dollar each. You can make 'wraps' tortilla with a sauce and meat wrapped like a pinwheel. Soup is also a good winter meal. Put it hot in a thermos and it should still be warm when he eats it. Stew also can go that same way. Cheese sticks, or cubes are good. A salad with a small (separate)container of salad dressing on the side, works well, you can add meat on top. Meat loaf sandwiches are great, add a little catsup. He'll tell you which are the hits and which are the misses. My husband likes potato chips on top of his sandwiches, but that's not very healthy is it?

Oh, and things that turn brown, apples pears etc. just need some vitamin C so the sodas will work, so will lemon juice (a bit tart-lemonaide better)but I just used orange juice.

Wow! Great tip!
Sandy

Thank you for all the wonderful ideas!

I bought some canned chickpeas and will attempt to make some hummus for a veggie dip.

He does not like the regular V-8 drinks - not a big fan of tomatoes but found some V-8 fruit drinks and he likes those.

I have tried deviled eggs in the past but I guess they get a little messy.

Will take a stroll through the produce section and see what they have that is easy to eat - he does not want anything that he has to peel or cut up. He eats at his desk. Will try that 7-up trick on some apples. He loves apples.

He also likes flatbread and tortillas. Problem with tortillas is that they don't taste good cold.

And he makes sure he lets me know when I pack something he does not like!

Now some of you are probably wondering why I don't just let him fix his own lunch. I'm a stay at home and he puts in a full day at the office so I try to make sure he gets something healthy to eat - both for breakfast and for lunch. If I did not fix him breakfast he would not eat in the mornings. He's a sweetie in other ways. We all have our quirks.

Try different tortillas, some are great cold.

DH and the kids love what we call banana burritos. Spread cream cheese and PB on a tortilla, place a whole peeled banana in the middle and roll it up. The PB and cream cheese will seal the banana in and it will not discolour. Wrap in plastic wrap. These can be made the night before and taste great.

Vegies, with or without dip. Carrots, celery, snap peas, cherry tomatoes etc, are all low calorie and full of nutrients and easy to eat.

Fresh fruit, less expensive than the fruit cups, no extra sugar and all the nutrients. Is it that hard to peel a banana or mandarin orange? You do not have to cut up or peel an apple, grapes, fresh berries etc.

Does he like pickles? Some days I like a mixed plate of cheese, meat and crackers, with some pickles. It changes things up a bit. Pickled beets are one of my favourites.

Yoghurt is good if you like dairy products, an ice pack will keep it fresh, just remember to put in a spoon.

Me, I like bean or grain based salads with lots of vegies. I used to eat it cold, but we just got a microwave at work so I can warm it up now.

I drink water, not juice, I am lucky to live in a community with really good tasting water right out of the tap.

When I had a long commute I found it to be really important to have a snack to eat on my way home, otherwise I was famished before I even started to cook dinner and tempted to snack. My usual snack was an apple.

Orowheat has a pocket thin, it is like a pita but stays soft. It comes whole wheat. Makes great sandwiches. If he likes peanut butter, there is a great peanut butter/hummus recipe. http://www.peta.org/living/vegetaria...er-hummus.aspx

Have you tried roasted red pepper hummus? It's the favorite of most all my family.Was going to make it,but find it on sale often,Lots of flavor....so good with fresh veggies.You can get Pringles in small containers.Our fav bean salad,eaten cold is 3cans of any beans,well drained with diced onion,celery & Green or red peppers.I drizzle olive oil,maybe 2Tbl,flavored rice vinegar,garlic powder,italian spices & S & P tp taste.Keeps well in fridge.You could use italian dressing,but we like the oil/vinegar.Try making new dishes at home for a meal to see if he likes them.Good luck & I agree,we all have our quirks:)


QUOTE=AlienQuilter;5776208]Thank you for all the wonderful ideas!

I bought some canned chickpeas and will attempt to make some hummus for a veggie dip.

He does not like the regular V-8 drinks - not a big fan of tomatoes but found some V-8 fruit drinks and he likes those.

I have tried deviled eggs in the past but I guess they get a little messy.

Will take a stroll through the produce section and see what they have that is easy to eat - he does not want anything that he has to peel or cut up. He eats at his desk. Will try that 7-up trick on some apples. He loves apples.

He also likes flatbread and tortillas. Problem with tortillas is that they don't taste good cold.

And he makes sure he lets me know when I pack something he does not like!

Now some of you are probably wondering why I don't just let him fix his own lunch. I'm a stay at home and he puts in a full day at the office so I try to make sure he gets something healthy to eat - both for breakfast and for lunch. If I did not fix him breakfast he would not eat in the mornings. He's a sweetie in other ways. We all have our quirks.[/QUOTE]

Health is the most precious thing our lifes,we should care it as much as we can through healthy eating,diet and physical workouts.Make fruit salad with canned fruit in own juice,adding fresh fruit,squeeze an orange over all.Keeps for days in fridge.