Create healthy, appealing lunches for school and work

By Trina Barno, University of Minnesota Extension

ST. PAUL, Minn. (10/5/2009) — Are you sick of sandwiches, chips and baby carrots? These healthy and resourceful ideas can spice up your lunchbox, require minimal preparation time, and will help you look forward to your noon meal again.

Noodles
Cook up a batch of noodles the night before, store them in the refrigerator, and you have the beginnings of a tasty cold salad for lunch. Fill 1/2 of a bowl-sized portable container with cold noodles. Add bite-sized cooked meats or fish, or throw in some beans or nuts. Chop a tomato, some mushrooms, peas, black olives, onions, spinach, celery, carrots, asparagus…anything you find appealing and have on hand. Grapes, raisins, strawberries and apples can be added, too. For more flavor, add cheese, an herb blend, some light mayonnaise, olive oil and lemon juice, or your favorite dressing.

Rice
Rice is a healthful and filling grain. Choose brown rice to add the health benefits of whole grain to your meal. Line a tortilla, lettuce or cabbage leaf, or a sheet of nori (seaweed) with cold, cooked rice. Then add your favorite filling, such as tuna, cheese, nuts, sliced vegetables, citrus fruits or whatever your taste buds dictate! Add a sauce if you like such as salsa, light sour cream or soy sauce. Roll up your treat and slice it into 1- to 2-inch sections for a noontime treat, either heated or cold.

Dips
Everyone loves dipping foods, so make your lunch a festive dipping occasion! Pack foods that are long and thin: sliced peppers, carrots or celery; asparagus, beans or pea pods; pretzels, bread sticks or cheese strips; or apple, orange or pear slices. Peanut butter, light cream cheese, yogurt, soy sauce, salsa, tomato sauce and salad dressings make great dips and can quickly be poured into a small container for lunch on the go. If you have more time, try your hand at crafting your own dips. Canned pumpkin can be blended with light cream cheese with a little maple syrup for a sweet dip. Chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice and tahini pureed together make a nice hummus base to which you can add spices for more flavor. Minced garlic, chopped basil, parmesan cheese and olive oil make a hearty pesto; add ground nuts for more texture.

Don’t forget safety! If you’re packing your lunch to take with you, keep your foods at a safe, cold temperature. Put your water bottle in the freezer the night before, and pack the bottle close to the perishable foods in your lunch pack. That way you can enjoy ice cold water with your lunch.

For more tips on how to prepare nutritious food on a budget and stay healthy, visit University of Minnesota Extension’s nutrition, food and health website at http://www.extension.umn.edu/Health/

Any use of this article must include the byline or following credit line:
Trina Barno is a health and nutrition educator with University of Minnesota Extension.

Media Contact: Catherine Dehdashti, U of M Extension (612) 625-0237, ced@umn.edu

URL: http:// www.extension.umn.edu/extensionnews/2009/create-healthy-lunch.html  This page was updated Oct. 4, 2009 .
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