Lunchtime

Increasing Energy and Productivity - Highly processed foods will decrease your energy levels and motivation throughout the day. Eat a value meal for lunch and see how fast those TPS reports get finished.

Start a Trend - Your classmates, co-workers, and teammates will soon grow envious of your awesome lunch. They will start packing their lunch and the trend will spread. Who’s the Man?
Time Saver - Going out to a restaurant, getting fast food or waiting in the lunch line, decreases the amount of time you have to relax in between your workload. Trust me, this kid likes to relax as much as possible.

Good For The Earth - Packing your lunch by reusing plastic and reusable bags, as well as reusable containers, will decrease the amount of trash you make. Picture all of those plastic bags, styrofoam packaging, cups and wasted utensils that get tossed. Please don’t be a wasteful piggy, oink oink!

Look Forward to Your Lunch Eggsperience - Make a lunch that you want to eat, not one you feel you have to eat. This will decrease the chance that you will go to convenience for your meal or trade your unacceptable menu items with your friends.

No More Soggy Sandwiches! - When making a sandwich, pack moist items like lunchmeat, tuna and chicken salad, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and mustard separately from the dry bread. All you have to do is assemble the sandwich at your lunch table for a fresh made experience. Who wants a limp biscuit?

Keep Cold Foods Cold - How cold? Ice cold! Use a frozen juice box as an ice pack to keep lunches fresh.

Keep Hot Foods Hot - Incorporate soups, chili and casseroles into your weekly menu. If you do not have access to a microwave, invest in a small thermos to keep hot foods hot. Fiyah!

Leftovers - Oh Yeah! Reheat last night’s dinner and throw in an easy side salad for kicks and giggles.

Large Portions – Cook large portions of food when you have free time and separate it into containers that can be reheated. Just don’t let your lame roommate or sceevy older brother get hold of your grub.

Protect Those Chips! - Pack chips, pretzels, cookies, crisps and delicate items in small reusable containers. Place hard items at the bottom of the bag and soft items at the top. It’s like Tetris but with food.

Go Natural - Replace artificial sweets and desserts with natural options like fresh fruit with honey or peanut butter, granola, dried fruits, fruit leathers, nuts, yogurt, and natural fruit juice based cookies and snacks.

Yummy Snacks - Make tasty snacks to tide you over between meals. Cut foods into small bite-sized portions and add a dip for snacking. Try some cut vegetables with dressing, fruit with sweetened yogurt, pita bread with hummus, or bagel slices with flavored cream cheese. Also, topping sliced French bread with jam, cheese, (American, Swiss, Cheddar, Goat, Brie) and sliced meat is a great way to snack, and will fill you up so you don’t have to hit the vending machine.

Keep the Ideas Fresh! - Make lunchtime versions of dinner. Create cold pizzas by packing mini pita bread, or an English muffin with cheese, pepperoni and sauce in separate containers. Make tacos by packing soft tortillas, cooked chicken breast or sliced turkey, black beans, salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. Make chicken and apple skewers, or roast beef and pineapple kabobs that can be served with a tasty sauce for dipping. I am all about the dip!

Make Lunchtime Versions of Breakfast - Pack mini waffles with syrup or jelly, mini muffins, cinnamon raisin bread with butter and jam and mini bagels with strawberry cream cheese.

Get Funky and Fresh - Incorporate new foods into your day like brie cheese, ham, and peach chutney on a fresh roll, or sliced turkey with goat cheese and roasted red peppers. California rolls and falafels are also healthy and radical ways to fill your belly. Did I just say radical, man that’s was radical!

Little Cups of Honey - When you do eat out or get delivery, save and reuse the extra condiments they give you. Foods served in individual portions, and in packet form, like ketchup, mustard, mayo, BBQ sauce, jelly, syrup, butter, and dressing, are always being chucked into the wastebasket. Pop these in your lunch sack as well as any extra napkins, straws and utensils you have. This saves money, time and waste. It’s not called a ketchup pack-it for nothing!