Alternatives to Ordinary Brown Bag Lunches

What is required for a brown bag lunch to actually qualify as such? Lunch that is carried from home to school or work or wherever it is you intend to go. To be official, brown bag lunches don't have to contain a sandwich, drink and a snack. Let’s discuss some alternatives to lunchmeat or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for your brown bag lunch.

Kids and adults alike are fine with sandwiches but doesn't everybody like some variety? This variety can come in the form of a new main course every now and then. Some people don't like change so they eat the same thing day after day. On the other hand, others like to tantalize their taste buds by trying different things for lunch.

Younger kids will do better with small things. If the food in their lunch is cut up into pieces it is more manageable. It can also be eaten in the time allowed for lunch. Most schools offer kids about thirty to forty minutes to eat. This time does not include getting to the cafeteria and finding a seat or socializing.

Choose crackers versus bread. The reason being is that crackers resist the sogginess that so often plagues a regular bread sandwich. By going with crackers there will be less of a mess and more eating. Shape the cheese and lunchmeat into the same size and shape as the cracker. You can place these pieces in separate sections of a lunch tray or even different sandwich bags. This makes for a quick creation of the stacked crackers.

In colder weather, sandwiches and crackers may not be as comforting as something that was a bit warmer. A thermos works really well for holding warm soup. On a cool day these types of soups are mouthwatering at lunchtime. Soups such as chicken noodle, tomato or vegetable beef can be a hit when found in a brown bag lunch. The soup will stay warm until the child goes to lunch around midday. There are even types of thermos' that allow your child to drink their soup right from the container. This helps to avoid any mess that may come about from pouring the soup out of the container.

Leftovers from home the night before are also great ideas for brown bag lunches. Food that is cooked and left in the refrigerator for three or four days is just money down the drain. Who can afford that these days? These leftovers can be used as lunch for the next day. Meatloaf and mashed potatoes would be a tasty treat for lunch the following day. A meatloaf sandwich for a child can be even better.

Remember that lunch time at school is limited. Foods that can be eaten cold or at room temperature without the use of the microwave are definitely easier alternatives. Try mixing a couple of dishes together. Say you have spaghetti one night; mix the sauce with macaroni for lunch. There are many alternatives to sandwiches so go ahead and spice up that lunch this week.

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