Lunch Box Ideas and Recipes
Chicken salad
Ingredients:
- ½ rotisserie chicken (or leftover cooked chicken), shredded
- ½- ¾ cup Mayo
- 2 Celery stalks, diced
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and Pepper
Directions: In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the ingredients (except for the chicken) together to create the dressing. Start with ½ cup of mayo and add more for a creamier salad or keep it how it is depending on your preference. Then add in the chicken, toss to coat and you’re done! It’s that easy. Serve it on its own, on top of a salad, or in lettuce wraps for a lunch you can pick up and eat.
Turkey wraps. This is such an easy lunch to make and quick enough to do even when you’re in a rush. You can throw these together in the morning before going to work, or prep them the night before. These use deli turkey slices as the wrap which makes for a paleo lunch, filled with your favorite wrap ingredients and condiments.
Ingredients:
- Deli turkey (all natural), thicker slices
- Lettuce
- Mustard or mayonnaise, or both
- Avocado
- Optional: carrots slices, bell pepper slices, cucumber sliced lengthwise (cutting your veggies into long skinny slices make it easier to wrap)
Directions: Lay your turkey flat (1-2 slices depending on how thick they are), layer lettuce on top, then add your mustard (or mayo) and avocado, and roll up to create a wrap. You can add in extra veggies like the optional ones listed above, or other favorites. Make sure not to overfill your wrap or the turkey can break creating a very messy lunch (and when it falls apart, you’ll essentially be left with a salad). These are great for kid’s lunch boxes or a quick easy lunch for work or at home.
Hummus with veggies sticks. I had no idea how easy it was to make hummus at home until it became it my son’s favorite food and we were going through way too many tubs of store bought hummus to make it sustainable to keep buying it. So, I started experimenting with it at home and realized how easy and delicious it was, and now it’s the only hummus my son will eat (which is good and bad because sometimes it would be so much easier to just buy a container of hummus at the grocery store rather than make it for him).
Ingredients:
- 1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained (you can reserve the bean liquid and use it to add in if you want your hummus a bit thinner)
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- Tahini, 1-2 tbsp, optional
- Optional add-ins: diced olives, diced jalapeno
Directions:
Blend the above ingredients (excluding the optional add-ins) in a food processor or blender until smooth and creamy. Honestly, I don’t make it with tahini because it’s not something I tend to have on hand at home, but if you have it at home, then definitely add it! It makes for a delicious hummus.
Tips: Remember, salt and acid (lemon juice) balance each other so if it ends up being to lemony for your taste, then add more salt (or if it’s too salty, add more lemon juice) to taste. For a thinner hummus, add more oil, lemon juice, or the reserved bean liquid.
Mix in your optional add-ins before serving.
Variation: I have done this with garbanzo beans, black beans, and pinto beans for my son. While they are all popular, he still prefers traditional hummus with garbanzo beans.
Serve with assorted veggies for dipping such as sliced cucumber, bell pepper, carrots, celery. This can also be used as a salad topping or a side dish. This one is great for kid’s lunch boxes because what kid doesn’t love the opportunity to dip their food.
Stay tuned for more lunch box recipes coming soon!