MEDIA :: Back to School and Work Healthy Lunch Ideas

August is a special month. Not only because it is the last month to enjoy the fresh summer air, but also because back-to-school and work comes around very quickly in September.

Despite the last few weeks of shorts and t-shirts, I actually look forward to fall. I am a September baby after all (haha), and I enjoy the routine that comes with getting back to the fall-time hustle. A routine is not only for school and work, but can also be for getting back into healthy eating after a season of summer parties, food festivals and patio life!

 

August is also Sandwich Month, which is the perfect time to introduce new sandwich ideas to make you the envy during lunch at work – with that healthy and delicious creation! On my segment on CHCH Morning Live, I discuss sandwich ideas you can create to prep for a busy back-to-school and work month ahead!

I love it when manufacturers come up with innovative ways for consumers to enjoy their produce for longer periods of time. I am well aware that one of the biggest deterrents to eating more plants is how quickly they spoil.

When in the produce section, I found Mucci Farms – Naked Leaf Living Lettuce, sold with the roots still intact, preserving freshness, flavour and lasting longer.

The cool thing about Naked Leaf Living Lettuce is you leave it on your countertop in a small bowl of water – without refrigeration – just like a plant! This innovation allows you the convenience of adding lettuce to your sandwiches straight off the top of your counter without the need to take the lettuce head out of the crisper, also freeing up fridge space.

No excuse that you forgot the lettuce in your sandwich now, huh?

Here I am using their Red Butter (Red Leaf Lettuce) in my sandwich. They come in Green Butter, Red Butter and Frisée, also known as their Trio Lettuce.

Local and delicious, Mucci Farms Naked Leaf Living Lettuce is grown in local Ontario state-of-the-art greenhouses, and great for salads, soups, and sandwiches.

Would you like to learn more about modern greenhouse grown? Click the photo above, or read more about it here.

Prefer to watch a video instead? Check out this video here to learn more about greenhouse growing!

I have heard more than once from clients about how they find “sandwiches boring” – and that is fair to think if you haven’t been presented with many options! Here are 2 more fun options you can try for lunch:

Something more original, and great for the no carb/low carb crowd:

RECIPE: Sweet Potato Sandwiches

Click photo to link to the recipe!

Tip #3: Make it Fun – for Kids!

RECIPE for Kids: Fun Shaped Sandwiches

 

Kids LOVE dipping and dunking – it’s so much fun! Have some finger-friendly vegetables on hand: sliced up bell peppers, baby carrots, cucumbers and dip them in hummus, low fat ranch dip or my favourite Honey Dill Mustard Dip!

I love mustard. It is a great source of several minerals: calcium, iron, manganese,
phosphorus, zinc, selenium and magnesium. It’s also low in calories and an excellent source of soluble fibre because of the gum on the seed coat of Yellow mustard. With its strong flavor with minimal calories, mustard is a great condiment and “spice” to be used in several dishes!

For kids, the honey mustard in this dip and in sandwiches is great, because it has that sweet taste that kids love. Honey mustard is also great in kids’ sandwiches because it is sweet, flavourful without being too overpowering on their delicate palettes.

You can pack the dip with chopped up celery, carrots and sliced bell peppers and cucumbers to go in their lunch boxes.

How to get the kids involved: Have them help you arrange the vegetables nicely or stir together the homemade dip!

 This recipe is courtesy of SaskMustard and you can find the recipe from their website here or below:

To go with the dip, Mucci Farms makes excellent products which makes healthy snacking easy, with convenient produce for kids and adults to take to work and school. This way, you are less likely to forget about the veggies!

These delicious little cucumbers are perfect for little hands and mouths. They fit nicely in a container, portable for work and school!

These small peppers don’t need much chopping (if any at all) like the large bell peppers. Small peppers are less overwhelming than the larger ones, which can encourage children to eat them!

I love how convenient this packaging is. You can toss the thing into your lunch bag! Keep it by your desk for healthy snacks throughout the day. Better than a bowl of candy, no?

Mucci Farms products can be found at most grocery stores! Check out your produce section in your local grocery store.

My final tip isn’t exactly sandwich related, but it is lunch related and helps with overall healthy eating…

Much of healthy eating (including packing lunches) happens when you prepare ahead to ensure you have healthy meals and snacks on hand. Take some time on Sunday afternoon to prepare meals for the week. For inspiration, check out #mealprepsunday and you will find loads of examples of people who prepare healthy meals for the week.

A fun recipe you can prep ahead of time is Salad in a Jar. Easy to prepare and assemble, you want to ensure the salad dressing is on the bottom so the lettuce doesn’t get soggy. Because, eww… who likes soggy lettuce??

These fantastic and fun jar salads last for up to one week in the fridge!

So there you have it: fantastic food ideas for you and your family to reset your routine for fall!