Five Delicious Lunch Ideas

by Lauryn Lax | photo by Maarten van den Heuvel on Unsplash

You like the idea of saving money and packing your lunch for your busy day ahead, but when push comes to shove, brown bags are sooooo boring. You can’t stomach the idea of another dry salad with leftover chicken or turkey sandwich.

Apparently you haven’t tried one of these 5 Delicious Lunch Ideas in your brown bag (no boring salads included):

Lunch 1: Unwich

Wrap your choice of lunch meat in an unconventional, nutrient-rich dark leafy green, and add in all the fixings…

Collard Green Wrap (or other Dark Leafy Green) + Turkey (Sliced Ham, Chicken, Tuna or Meat of Choice) + 1-2 Tbsp. Avocado Mayo or Avocado + Fermented Veggies (Sauerkraut, Carrots, Cucumbers, etc.) + Mustard

Add a side of raw veggies (celery, cucumber, broccoli etc.) or fruit if desired.

Lunch 2: Hearty Greens

Do you want greens with your toppings?…Who said salads have to be iceberg lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes only?! We are all about a lot of hearty greens. Toss any dark leafy green of choice with the following:

Pick a Protein: Pulled Chicken, Canned Wild Tuna or Salmon, Leftover Protein from Dinner, Hardboiled Eggs & Organic Bacon, Burger Patty or Ground Meat (turkey, bison, beef)

Add a Starchy Tuber: Butternut Squash, Beets, Roasted Carrots, Sweet Potato, Acorn Squash

Add in 1-2 Low-Starch Veggies (Optional): Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Asparagus, Zucchini, Cucumber, Steamed Broccoli/Cauliflower

Add 1-2 Healthy Fats: 1-2 Tbsp. Primal Kitchen Dressings, 1/2 Avocado, Olives, 1-2 Tbsp. Oil & Vinegar, 1-2 Tbsp. Avocado Mayo, 1-2 Tbsp. Coconut Butter, Unsweetened Coconut Flakes, Handful Raw Nuts or Seeds.

Bon apetit.

Lunch 3: Sweet Potato Bowl

No need to do any dishes when you use a sweet potato as your bowl. Cook ‘em in bulk for the week, and add in the fillings for lunchtime fuel.

Sweet Potato (Garnet, White, Purple, Japanese) + Ground Turkey or Shredded Chicken + 1-2 Tbsp. Coconut Butter + Dark Leafy Greens

Lunch 4: Grown Up Lunchable

You were “cool” in school if you brought a Lunchable. Win back the coolness factor with this adult twist:

Turkey or Ham Rollups + Celery Sticks + Almond Butter or Sunbutter + Berries + 100% Dark Chocolate Square (just like mom’s surprise lunchbox treat)

Lunch 5: Snappy Salmon

No time to cook? No problem. Get your essential Omega-3 fatty acids in a convenient can of wild-caught salmon a couple times per week. (If you really don’t like fish, substitute chicken or other protein of choice).

Canned Wild Salmon + Plantain Chips + Guacamole + Asparagus Wrapped in Turkey Bacon (or other green veggie of choice)

Let us know what your brown bag looks like…