![Winking smile](http://lh3.ggpht.com/_jG0NeErM3Ow/TVKnRFOAUBI/AAAAAAAAGxs/9GbhPfn2B7E/wlEmoticon-winkingsmile2.png?imgmax=800)
Lunch box “tools:”
- A sturdy, preferably isolated lunch box (mini ice packs are also useful to keep things cold)
- Lots of little containers of different sizes for salads, sliced fruit, condiments – I prefer glass containers
- Utensils
- Napkins
- Water bottle – ours are stainless steel
![](http://lh6.ggpht.com/_jG0NeErM3Ow/TVKnSixtnmI/AAAAAAAAGxw/FiF7fp42z84/Lunch-box-029.jpg?imgmax=800)
Lunch box “main courses:”
![CSA Lunch 04 CSA Lunch 04](http://lh6.ggpht.com/_jG0NeErM3Ow/TVKnWxTARaI/AAAAAAAAGyE/2woCX2A47Y4/CSA-Lunch-041.jpg?imgmax=800)
![Summer Salad 0001 Summer Salad 0001](http://lh4.ggpht.com/_jG0NeErM3Ow/TVKnXa-4IZI/AAAAAAAAGyI/cjzhCAvmDcM/Summer-Salad-00011.jpg?imgmax=800)
- Wrap with hummus and veggies
- Wrap with chicken, salmon, or egg salad
- Quinoa salad with roasted veggies and sesame dressing
- Pasta salad with roasted veggies and chicken
- Brown rice pasta salad with tomato/basil/almond pesto
- Couscous salad
- Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, olives, and feta
- All kinds of variations of sandwiches (different rolls and “fillings” keep things interesting; I also change out the veggies I add to my sandwiches and alternate between tomato slices, cucumbers, lettuce, spinach, arugula, roasted veggies (eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms…) ….)
- Leftovers!!!! – That’s my favorite one as I can just pull it out of the fridge and put it in the lunch box!!!!
- And many, many more…
![Tomatoes 03 Tomatoes 03](http://lh5.ggpht.com/_jG0NeErM3Ow/TVKnX9J31YI/AAAAAAAAGyM/XlJk9IRVvOM/Tomatoes-036.jpg?imgmax=800)
![](http://lh4.ggpht.com/_jG0NeErM3Ow/TVKnYV7ADsI/AAAAAAAAGyQ/kPsrRBKiX1o/Snappeas-0121.jpg?imgmax=800)
- Carrot sticks
- Celery
- Mini tomatoes
- Bell peppers strips (red and yellow are nice and sweet)
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- And many, many more…
- Snapea Crisps – sundried peas – we just recently discovered them and love them!
- Tortilla chips
- Popcorn
- The list is really endless…
- Hummus
- Greek yogurt with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and dill (or any other herb you like)
- Any other dipping sauce you like. If you have mini containers on hand, taking a dipping sauce is easy and often makes a “boring vegetable” much more enjoyable.
![Lunch box fruit Lunch box fruit](http://lh3.ggpht.com/_jG0NeErM3Ow/TVKnZOZERxI/AAAAAAAAGyU/HNcEwql255s/Lunch-box-fruit1.jpg?imgmax=800)
![](http://lh4.ggpht.com/_jG0NeErM3Ow/TVKnZq9bwKI/AAAAAAAAGyY/L2IKXwSPsbw/Cherries-018.jpg?imgmax=800)
![](http://lh3.ggpht.com/_jG0NeErM3Ow/TVKnaN_4avI/AAAAAAAAGyc/3Z8Hn27cc7A/Fruit-Salad-018.jpg?imgmax=800)
- Bananas
- Apple slices
- Orange slices
- Grapes
- Watermelon slices
- Pineapple pieces
- Strawberries
- Cherries
- Blueberries
- Kiwi
- Fruit salad – make sure you use enough lemon juice to keep the fruit from turning brown.
- Any other fruit that’s in season. Don’t limit yourself! Cutting fruit up, putting it in a container, and eating it with a fork makes pretty much any fruit lunch box friendly.
![](http://lh6.ggpht.com/_jG0NeErM3Ow/TVKnaqANEBI/AAAAAAAAGyg/YPw3UafAYTU/Chobani-021.jpg?imgmax=800)
- String cheese
- Almonds (string cheese and almonds go REALLY well together)
- Hard-boiled eggs with a mini bottle of Tabasco
- Greek yogurt
- Prep as much as possible the night before (wash water bottle, refill and put in fridge, put non-perishable food items, utensils, and napkins in lunch box, wash fruits and veggies, and pack refrigerated items and put them in fridge, etc.)
- Making a big bowl of whole grain or brown rice pasta salad with some protein is a great way to get several healthy lunches prepped for the week on Sunday night.
- Think “
outsideinside the box.” Pretty much anything can be made into lunch. Often you just need a few containers and you are good to go. - Spruce up your water by adding lemon and/or orange slices, frozen berries, mint leaves, and/or cucumber slices.
- Choose colorful napkins and fun containers to brighten up lunch.
![Smile](http://lh5.ggpht.com/_jG0NeErM3Ow/TVKna-ivl3I/AAAAAAAAGyk/MlHWlmzqczc/wlEmoticon-smile2.png?imgmax=800)
Be well,
Andrea