Lately I’ve really been enjoying my lunches!  I’ve been mixing it up a bit, and rotating through a few different types of lunches that have kept my interest and made lunch time delicious!  I thought I’d share those with you in case you’re in a bit of a lunch rut.

Leftovers: This one is simple.  Since there’s only two of us we end up having leftovers fairly often.  I put them into oven containers and we take them with us to work and heat them up in the oven (you could use the microwave if you want, but we don’t.).  It’s always nice to have a warm hearty meal!  Freeze them if you’re not sure when you’ll get to them next.  But don’t forget to label the container in your freezer!!  You don’t want any mystery meals.

Salad: Sometimes salad can be boring.  But not if you have the right ingredients!  When making a salad, make sure that you include some sort of protein as well as veggies.  Here are some of the ingredients that I’ve been including lately:

• Spinach (always my base!)
• Cooked meat (use leftovers!)
• Chickpeas, black beans, all cooked and cooled (great protein)
• Nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, peanuts!  Another source of great protein)
• Quinoa, cooked and cooled (complete protein!)
• Shredded cheese
• Veggies (mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, etc.)
• Fruit (avocado slices, tomato, grapes, strawberries, etc.)

Let your imagination run wild!  If you like it, throw it in!  It’s so tasty to have a well-stocked salad.  I just use a tiny jar to mix balsamic vinegar and olive oil and that’s my dressing!  Simple and delicious.

Soup: Enjoy some homemade soup for lunch!  Just throw some broth, seasonings, veggies and lentils or beans together in a pot, and enjoy!  Do a little taste-testing and find out what you like.  Soup is one of those things you can just add to until you’re happy!  Having a bowl of warm soup on a chilly day is very comforting.  And hey, if you’re eating it at home, throw in a fried egg!  Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it!!!

Grazing: This might seem like a silly title!  But sometimes I just like to take bits and pieces of lots of different things and make a lunch that I graze with all day long.  Often these lunches include (but are not limited to!):

• Fruit cut into manageable pieces (grapes, sliced mango, pear, apple, etc.)
• Unsalted nut mixture (made up of a variety of nuts)
• Cheese and homemade crackers (Sometimes I treat myself to some camembert or brie!)
• Baked treats (like my homemade granola bars or apple zucchini squares!)
• A piece of chocolate…now, I like to buy good quality chocolate, so I give myself a piece to take in my lunch so I don’t eat lots, but it’s a nice treat once in a while!

And with all my lunches I take a handy water bottle that I drink from all day!

Lunch doesn’t have to be boring!