7 Fresh Lunch Tips

Keep bread dry, lettuce crisp, and spreads flavorful by packing sandwiches as a make-at-the-table kit.  Tote bread slices securely in Glad® ClingWrap. In two separate Glad® bags, place lettuce and tomato, and meat and cheese. Lastly, place mayonnaise or mustard in a mini round Glad® container. Come lunch time, kids and adults alike will love the fresh-from-the-deli taste of a just made sandwich.

When having a sandwich for lunch, avoid packing empty-calorie chips or crackers, the bread is enough starch for one meal. For a satisfying on-the-side crunch, load up on fresh veggies. Keep carrot and celery sticks hydrated and crisp: pack tightly together, standing upright in a small Glad® LockWare™ container, and pour in ¾ of an inch of cold water before covering tightly. Keep refrigerated or tote with an ice pack.

Alternatively, try vegetable sides that do not need water or refrigeration, and are easy to transport in Glad® Snack Bags, such as cherry tomatoes and Kirby cucumbers.

Make lunch time a party with an easy, healthy whole wheat pizza pita kit. Place 2 mini whole wheat pita pockets, 1 ounce of shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, and toppings such as low-sodium ham slices, bell pepper strips and sliced olives in separate Glad® bags. Pack low-sodium tomato sauce in a mini round Glad® container. To assemble, split the mini pita pockets on one edge and fill each pocket with half of the sauce, cheese, and toppings.

Avoid getting stuck in a sandwich rut; add other easy-to-pack meals to the menu. Bibb, sometimes called butter, lettuce leaves are perfect handheld, edible cups for a variety of fillings. To pack lettuce wraps for lunch, place lettuce leaves loosely in a round Glad® MatchWare™ container to prevent them from being crushed.

For Asian-themed wraps, toss cold whole wheat spaghetti with shredded carrot and poached chicken breast.  Pack in a Glad® To Go Lunch container  and pour sesame ginger dressing into the dressing cup that snaps into the lid.

For Mexican themed wraps, combine chilled steamed brown rice tossed with rinsed, canned black beans, salsa, and reduced fat cheddar cheese. Place guacamole in the dressing cup that snaps into the lid. At lunchtime, place the rice mixture in the lettuce and top with guac.

Seared, chilled, sliced duck breast is a tasty alternative to chicken and adds gourmet flare to almost any meal. Find duck breast in the poultry section of the grocery store. For a restaurant quality salad, pack a Glad® To Go Lunch container with a blend of arugula, mustard green, and chopped fresh tarragon, dried cherries, and crumbled goat cheese. Pour your favorite balsamic vinaigrette into the mini round that snaps into the lid. Secure chilled seared duck breast tightly in Cling Wrap and pack roughly chopped pistachios in a Glad® zipper food bag. To assemble, pour the dressing on the salad, cover with the lid and shake to combine. Top with the seared, sliced duck breast and chopped nuts.

The easier healthy food is to eat, the more likely we are to eat it. For a nutritious side dish or an afternoon nibble for the 3pm slump, slice apples into wedges ahead of time. After slicing, places wedges in a Glad® bag and drizzle in a splash of lemon juice; the vitamin C from the juice will help prevent oxidization, which causes browning.

For a more satisfying and satiating snack, bring along two tablespoons of peanut butter in a mini round Glad® container.

Packing for a kiddo attending a nut-free school? Substitute Sun Butter, a peanut butter alternative made from sunflower seeds.

Kale is excellent in soups and stir-fries but it also stars in this make-ahead salad. Remove the ribs from flat leaf kale leaves, roll lengthwise and cut into long ribbons. Wash and dry the ribbons and place in a Glad® To Go Lunch container. Toss with raisins, shredded parmesan, the juice of 1 lemon, salt and pepper. Fill the dressing cup in the lid with plain, 0% fat yogurt. Drain and rinse a can of low sodium chickpeas, toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of chili powder.  Roast on a cooking spray-coated baking sheet at 375° for 40 minutes, turning once. Cool and place half the chickpeas in a Glad® Snack Bag (saving any extras for a snack!).

At lunchtime, toss the salad with the yogurt and the crispy chickpeas, cover with the lid and shake to thoroughly combine.