Healthy Lunch Box Ideas

For a change from everyday sandwich use soft tortillas for wraps, bagels, English muffins, pita pockets or fresh baked rolls.

Consider combinations like diced chicken and corn, ham and avocado, grated carrot and cheddar cheese, or jam and cream cheese.

To ensure your child gets her daily requirement of vegetables cut up a selection of carrot sticks and celery sticks. Consider also other veggies like cucumber, ears of baby corn, cherry tomatoes, and zucchini. Pack a small container of dip.

Cut up different pieces of fruit and package in a plastic container. Use fruit or vanilla yogurt as a tasty dip.

Cheese cubes and grapes make a nice snack or lunch dessert. Pineapple and apple slices dipped in lemon juice also go nice with cheese.

Use a selection of small flavorful crackers, cereal, dried fruit or pretzels. Just about anything goes. For an occasional kids lunch box treat toss in a few M & Ms or yogurt or chocolate covered raisins. Experiment with different mixes. Package in individual sealed bags or in snack containers.

Experimentation and creativity go along way to coming up with healthy lunch recipes your whole family will love.

Following are some of my favorite sandwich spreads that are ideal for vegans, vegetarians and anyone who wants to eat healthy.

I hope these ideas inspire some healthy sandwich spread ideas of your own. Enjoy!

Avocado makes a fantastic spread whether you're eating it on its own or combining one avocado with ½ cup of raw sunflower seeds and adding in ¼ cup each of soy milk and tahini. I also mix in approx. ½ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp pepper and ¼ tsp mustard seed and ¼ tsp salt and finally add in a tsp. of lemon juice. I blend everything together in a food processor until smooth and thick. It makes approx. 1 cup and lasts in my fridge for 4 to 7 days in a sealed container.

Humus is available pre-made locally at Farmer's Markets or you can easily make some yourself by blending together a tin of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) with approx half a cup of extra virgin olive oil. For added flavoring add garlic, lemon juice or cumin powder.

Eggplant makes an ideal sandwich spread as it can be roasted in the oven with dinner the night before and then scraped out and blended with onion, tomato or a little tomato paste, and green peppers first thing in the morning. To get your preferred consistency add a little virgin olive oil or lemon juice.

Red Lentils blended with spices like coriander, chilli, cumin, ginger or curry powder is a nice addition to any sandwich.

Green Lentils cooked with thyme and yeast extract and then drained and blended makes a tasty sandwich spread and is a nice change for those who routinely eat humus and tofu.

Tofu can be spiced up and blended into a nice vegan sandwich spread by adding in some fresh herbs, a spring onion, a gherkin or two, or some fresh spinach.

Nut Butters are easily made by blending together 2 cups raw nuts, like almonds or cashews and adding in a little extra virgin olive oil.

All of the recipes are easy to make and ideal for both lunch and snack time.

The below recipes are best blended in a food processor until smooth. Each makes approx. one cup. Stored in sealed containers and refrigerated the following faux cream cheese recipes will last upwards of a week.

Basic Non-dairy Cream Cheese

1 cup tofu
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp sweetener
½ tsp sea salt

Garlic & Dill Cream Cheese

1 cup tofu
¼ cup cashew pieces
2 tsp sweetener
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp dried dill.
Salt
Pepper

Blueberry Cream Cheese
1 cup tofu
½ cup blueberries
¼ cup almond pieces
2 tsp sweetener
Salt