Quick and Tasty Lunch Ideas Await in Your Pantry
The kids are hungry, but you haven’t planned anything for lunch time. Open that pantry door to find some quick and filling lunch ideas to help fill those bellies and put a smile on their face. You might be surprised at the number of last minute lunch ideas you can make using the foods in your kitchen cabinets.
Macaroni and Cheese Lunch Meal
If you’ve got kids, chances are good that you’ve got a box of macaroni and cheese in your cupboards. If so, prepare the pasta as you normally would and add meat and veggies to make a more filling meal for your little ones. Grab a box of Mac & Cheese and mix and prepare it according to the package directions. Here are just a few ideas to liven the dish up. Add small chunks of steamed broccoli or a can of green beans or peas along with some chopped ham, hot dogs, or bite sized chicken chunks. If you have hamburger, sausage or ground turkey on hand, brown that up and add it to the Mac and Cheese. Tip: Next time you buy ground meat, cook it and separate into a few small freezer safe containers or bags. Then when it’s time to use it, thaw it out and add it to your pasta. You can also do the same thing with spaghetti and tomato sauce.
Stuffing Soup
Another quick and easy to make pantry lunch consists of stuffing and your favorite canned soup. Mix the two and pour the mixture into a casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the top starts to become golden brown. For an even more filling lunch, add chunks of beef or chicken or choose a soup that includes the meat already.
Soup and Sandwich
Since we’re talking about soup, why not fix soup and a sandwich for lunch? Just about any combination goes well together and lunch is ready in a matter of minutes. Some personal favorites include tomato soup and grilled cheese, chicken noodle and tomato and lettuce sandwiches, and if you ask my kids, peanut butter sandwiches go great with just about any soup, but especially broccoli and cheese.
Grande Nacho
Almost everyone has tortilla chips on hand. If you do, pour some in a microwavable dish, and top it with leftover chicken, diced ham, cooked sausage, veggies, olives and anything else you can find that might go well with chips. Top everything with plenty of cheese and microwave until the cheese is just melted. Serve with salsa and sour cream for a filling and nutritious lunch that looks like a snack.
Take a look in your pantry and you’re liable to find plenty of quick and fun lunch ideas that everyone will love. Whipping up meals from whatever you have on hand is almost an art and any mom can come up with something with just a bit of creativity and thought. Hey, let the kids try coming up with some of their own ideas too.
|
