Packing a lunch is like eating blue cheese.
You either love it or you hate it. I mean no one feels indifferent about a sprinkling of blue cheese on their salad, amiright?
I personally think blue cheese is miz and I adore packing my lunch. Whether you loathe it or love it, there’s no doubt that packing your own lunch is good for your wallet and even better for your health. You’re in control of exactly how much added sugar, salt, and fat it has, and you don’t have to wonder what kind of funky chemical additives and preservatives are keeping your Subway salad “fresh.” I don’t like to have to wonder what’s in my food. No thank yewww!
I wrote a post a while back called Life Lessons: On Packing a Lunch where I chatted your ear off about how to pack a balanced lunch, complete with recipes and sides. Make sure to check out that post for more detailed info on how to pack a balanced lunch nutritionally speaking. Now if you know me at all, you know that me and my totally rad bright blue Trader Joe’s lunchbox are best pals. Since school is starting back up for all the kiddos, I thought this would be the perfect time to share some lunchspiration with you all.
Packing lunches isn’t just for the tots! But telling you that you should pack a healthy lunch is one thing and showing you what to pack is another. I personally like to utilize leftover mixed dishes as the main part of my lunch since I’m not really into sandwiches. If you have leftovers in the fridge, it will always be easy to pack a healthy lunch. I promise. Fail to prepare and prepare to fail, my fabulous friends! Taking one day over the weekend to cook a couple dishes, chop veggies, cook grains, hard-boil eggs, make a batch of muffins, etc. will save you TONS of time in getting meals together during the busy week.
Now let’s chat lunchbox essentials. First, you need a lunchbox. Mine is from TJ’s but you can really get one wherever, like Target or Old Navy. Pick a sassy cute one, please.
Next, you need Tupperware. I freaking love Tupperware. Like bring on the Tupperware parties puh-leeease. I use predominantly glass Tupperware. Why, you ask? Because I really don’t like microwaving and dishwashing plastic since the heat causes chemicals to leach into your food. Ick. I love using these round Pyrex ones from Target or Amazon. The bigger square ones are perfect for big batches of leftovers to keep in the fridge. Plastic containers are ok for food that will stay cold and won’t need to be heated, like nuts, muffins, sliced fruit, veggies, etc. Make sure to get some smaller Tupperware too for items like the ones I just listed so you don’t waste plastic baggies every day. We’re trying to go green, here.
Next up is a thermos. I used this thermos pretty much every day last year when I was a nutrition coach at OSU’s student wellness center. SO worth the money. I would heat up my leftovers (soup, chili, stir fry, etc.) in a bowl in the morning until they were super hot, dump it in the thermos, screw on the lid super tight, and enjoy a hot meal sans the microwave four hours later. How fab is that?! It looks like it’s for kids but it’s really the perfect size. I’m also a huge fan of this beverage thermos. I use it for coffee and tea mostly, but I’ve even used it to keep smoothies cold in the past. It never leaks and it’s totally awesome.
Now that you’re rocking your groovy lunchbox, glass Tupperware, and thermos, you’re ready to be a lunch-packing superstaaaaaaa! Without further adieu, here are five tasty ideas to get you started on the path toward delish and nutrish lunches.
1. Super Easy Mexican Crockpot Casserole + carrots + muffin
Throw everything in the crockpot and call it a day! Pack a fourth of the recipe in your lunchbox along with 15 baby carrots and a zucchini banana muffin (or healthy, low-sugar muffin of choice). Bonus–if you pack it in your thermos, it’ll already be warm at lunchtime!
2. Beet, Green Bean & Canelini Salad with Dijon Dressing + apple + hard-boiled egg
This salad is awesome for lunches because the flavors just get better over time. Pack a fourth to a third of the recipe along with a sliced apple sprinkled with cinnamon and a hard-boiled egg. If you’re not feeling the egg, try 15 almonds.
3. Avocado Bean Burger + peppers with hummus + no-bake bites
Make a batch of these delish burgers over the weekend to have for lunches throughout the week. Put some baby spinach in the bottom of a Tupperware and place the burger on top—they’re pretty good cold! Then package up 1/4 cup of hummus, a sliced bell pepper, and a two Mexican hot chocolate bites.
4. Hearty Lentil, Kale and Potato Soup + pear + pistachios
This is one of my favorite lunches because this soups gets even better over time. Heat up a bowl of the soup until it’s screaming hot before putting it in your thermos. Then pack a pear (or fruit of choice) and 1/4 cup pistachios (or nut of choice).
5. Avocado Chickpea Egg Salad lettuce wraps + grapes + muffin
Place a fourth to a third of the egg salad recipe in romaine lettuce leaves. You could also just eat the egg salad by itself if you’d like. Then pack a cup of grapes and a blueberry hemp muffin (or healthy, low-sugar muffin of choice).
Tell me tell me—what’re some of your lunchbox faves?
Maryea {happy healthy mama} says
I did leftovers and salads a lot when I was working and packing a lunch everyday. Now I just have to pack Meghan’s lunch–which I actually despise doing. I don’t know why, it’s just an extra chore I never feel like doing. But of course I do because there ain’t no way she’s going to eat the school lunches. Ick.
Alexis says
I feel like I won’t like packing my kid’s lunches. But I bet you pack the best lunches EVER!! You should totally do a post on that.
Katelynn says
I hoard Pyrex! These are perfect lunch ideas for the office. :)
Alexis says
Pyrex hoarders unite!!
Kate says
I love packing my lunch. I am always excited to eat what I prepared myself 5 hours ago! I like to pack big salads with crackers or 4-5 different little things to give me some variety. Your ideas are much appreciated!
Alexis says
For sure! Big salads alllll the way. Glad you like the ideas!
Dietitian Jess says
Leftovers for lunch in Pyrex glass bowls is my go to as well. Usually my entree is a combo of protein, veggies, carbs and I’ll add carrots and hummus or a trail mix. Dark chocolate afternoon pick me up also usually makes it way into the mix!
Alexis says
Sounds so balanced! I love the hummus addition, obviously. Dark chocolate is a MUST!
Shannon says
I’m a big fan of “love salads” for lunch – throwing one of every veggie and protein I have in my fridge into a big ol’ happy salad!
Otherwise, I always eat leftovers cold. I rarely heat anything up for lunch haha!
Alexis says
That sounds fab! I really need to be better about lunching on salads, that’s fo shooo.
Ang @ Nutty for Life says
I wish I could show my mom that phrase about “keep it sassy and cute please.” She just bought me a lunch box for my job… it’s so ugly. I told her so. She got it at Dicks and it looks like it’s meant for camping. She bought it because it was big enough to fit my salads in… which was very sweet of her but also I don’t really need a huge lunchbox because it’ll take approx. 5 minutes to drive to my job and then I can put it in the fridge.
That was an unintended long story. I guess I needed to get that off my chest.
I gotta try that avocado chickpea salad!
Alexis says
Hahahaha OMG…nothing worse than a fugly lunch box! Loved that story and love your mom.
Holly @ EatGreatBEGreat says
Honestly, I hate packing lunch, but I do it everyday because it’s healthier; plus, it’s cheaper. I typically will pack leftovers that I’ve made over the weekend or do sandwiches or salads.
Alexis says
Good for you, girlfriend! Honestly, there are plenty of days when I don’t want to do it either :)
Shashi says
Ooh those avocado bean burgers sound AH-MAZING!!!!
My go to these days have been bars – sweet or savory – portable bars have been the easiest!!!
Alexis says
Savory bars?! I’m intrigued!!
Cassie says
I love that all of these include a little treat :) I usually pack a salad then a sweet potato with nut butter and a hard boiled egg for a snack later on :)
Alexis says
Oh I’m all about the treats. I look SO forward to lunch!! Your lunch sounds fab!
She Rocks Fitness says
Salads have been my “go to” lately, because they’re easy, healthy, and perfect for when it is 98 degrees + 90% humidity in Houston…HAHA! Well nothing is really perfect in those temperatures, but you know what I mean…#soulsistas
Alexis says
I need to be better about packing salads, at least lettuce ones. I think it has something to do with my laziness regarding packing dressing in a separate container…I’m ridic.
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health says
after years of using plastic Tupperwares I switched over to glass ones and i really like it.,except that they are heavy!!! I love packing me lunch so obviously this is a super helpful post.
Alexis says
Yayyyyy!!! Good for you for making the switch ;)
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
I need a cucumber holder…right about now. I used to like the glass tupperware but it got annoying to repack during the work week so I’ve switched to 5 plastic ones….but they are big and someone at work asked if why it was so big.
I like big (tupperware) and I cannot lie.
Alexis says
Wait I forgot how much you love my cuke containers!!!
Miss Polkadot says
It feels like foreverrrr since I last packed a lunch but starting a new job in September I’ll have to again. You might just get me on board of the salad train with that bean concotion. Beets, though… not so much.
I wish my trusty thermos hadn’t stopped working properly after a few months. Plus I totally need a cute lunchbox, like, now.
Alexis says
Your thermos stopped working?? Oh the horror! You must get a new one.
Davida @ The Healthy Maven says
I don’t know if I would rather have the lunchbox or you packing my lunch everyday more. How about both?! Not that I need either since I work 10 steps from my kitchen but I am greedy and would like both.
Melissa says
I totally love all of these lunch ideas. One of my long-standing lunch staples has been some sort of quinoa veggie mixture. I love it because I can throw a bunch of things into the pot to just cook with the quinoa and call it a day and then I can easily get like four lunches out of it. I’ve been making variations of this idea for several weeks now and I can’t get over it. Some examples of mixtures I’ve made recently…
Curried quinoa – quinoa, curry powder, cumin, cinnamon, garlic powder, onion powder, ginger, shredded carrots, spinach, cauliflower. And throw some slivered almonds on top after cooking just for good measure.
Mexican-spiced quinoa – quinoa, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, cilantro, zucchini, cauliflower.
Italian-ish quinoa – quinoa, sautéed onion and garlic, Italian herb blend, balsamic vinegar, spinach, zucchini.
Salsa-fied quinoa – quinoa, your fave basic salsa, corn, sautéed onions and garlic, green peppers, roasted sweet potato cubes.
I could go on and on forever… :-)
Allison says
I like how you think! What a beautiful simile (or is that an anology? hmmm now I’m curious) about the blue cheese and packing a lunch. Agreed! There’s no grey area, you either love it or hate it. I got in the habit of bringing my lunch in high school (ahem, like 10+ years ago!), and I still do when I’m out for the day for work or play. I love your lunch ideas, particularly that avocado chickpea egg salad -it’s all of my favourite lunchtime staples in one creamy dreamy, protein-packed meal. Yum! And now I need a thermos as well. So many exciting new lunches to try!
Alexis says
Simile and analogy perhaps? You must look into the thermos–it’s the bomb!
[email protected] says
I love seeing good ideas (packing lunches saves you money and is better for you in the long run) put into practice and action like you’ve done here. For me, I’ve been eating lots of salads for lunch, mainly because I get two heads of lettuce every week in my CSA and god forbid, I let that stuff go bad. Not happening, not on my watch.
So I’ve been trying to keep it interesting with my toppings, of which I have many. Lots of hard boiled eggs, always some kind of cheese, chopped up carrots, onions, bell peppers (which I chop up on the weekend and put in tupperwares ready to go), beans, baby tomatoes, nuts, sprouts or whatever else I’ve got in my fridge. Last Friday I totally mixed it up though and went with chopped walnuts, blue cheese, banana chips and blueberries. With a poppy seed dressing, it was to die for.
Side note: I really do appreciate your new blog design. It’s clean, uncluttered and easy to read…. except where you have links. They font is in a very pale pink, so pale I can’t read them, unless I hover my little mouse over them and the font color changes to black. Other wards love the new site.
Alexis says
Yummmm! Those salads sound so great–espesh the banana chip addition with poppy seed dressing! Thanks so much for the note about the pink font–I’ve actually heard that from a couple other people as well. I’ll be changing it ASAP!
Courtney Sams says
hey girl! i absolutely love your blog and all your recipes. just made the apple cinnamon steel cut oats. they’re currently sitting on my stove. mmm apple cinnamon goodness. anywayy i was wondering if you have any advice for managing food with roommates. i’m a college student and i live with two other girls who eat, well, let’s say not so healthy. and i like to eat super healthy. it’s so hard with a small fridge and pantry. what do you do?? what works, what doesn’t… how do you not die when your roommates are chowing on pints of ben & jerry’s and i’m over here noshing on a carrot?? i’m always that freaky girl eating carrots while everyone else is eating doughnuts. i would love some of your thoughts. thank you so much!! again, keep up the blogging. i LOVE it.
Alexis says
Hey Courtney! Thanks for the sweet comment! Honestly, I’ve lived with the same girls for like four years and now they both eat exactly like me! I must say, it’s awesome to live with people who eat the same foods you do. Try offering them a bite and maybe they’ll want to try making it on their own! Just stay strong. If you’re not surrounded by roommates who don’t eat well, you’ll be surrounded by family and co-workers who don’t eat well. You just have to stick to your guns and remember that you only have one life and one body, so take care of it :)
Ashley says
I love these ideas! I work an early shift (I have to be in at 3 am!) so my meal at work is more like breakfast, but packing it the day before is a must. I love mixing protein powder with almond milk in a small container and then topping it with dried fruit and nuts, carrots+PB and fresh fruit!
Alexis says
Yumm—love that idea!!
Jonna says
Thanks a thousand for this post! I am struggling so much with lunch boxes, we have a daily war and I normally loose and end up buying food in the canteen at work, which is neither healthy or tasty. I love the fact that you’ve made this how-to-guid so idiot proof cus I really need that. I’m really gonna give this my bestest effort now.
Alexis says
I’m so glad that it was helpful to you, Jonna!
V says
These look great, I will try them next week! I love all the ingredients you used :) I like the idea of packing my lunch but I never know what to pack for a good, healthy and complete meal so thank you!
Alexis says
You’re so welcome!