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Easy Hot Food to Pack in School Lunches

February 26, 2023 by Laura 1 Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Are your kids ready for a variety in their lunchboxes? Here are some easy options for hot food to pack in school lunches!

My school kids aren’t big sandwich eaters, so I’ve already gotten creative as I pack their school lunches.

Here are some of the non-sandwich cold lunch options I often send with them. I’d already done the cost breakdown for these when I originally put together this list here, so I left the cost estimates just for fun. Notice how it saves a lot of money to pack a lunch for school!

1. Bean and cheese quesadillas, carrots, strawberries $1.78

2. Cheese and crackers, summer sausage, grapes, spinach cupcake (no frosting), cottage cheese and pineapple = $2.49

3. Pumpkin muffin, cottage cheese and pineapple, clementine, almonds = $1.43

4. Tuna salad with crackers, fruit cup, cheese stick, spinach cupcake (no frosting) = $1.83

5. Chips with cheesy bean dip, grapes, spinach cupcake (no frosting)  = $1.43

6. Leftover pizza slices (with spinach “hidden” on top), clementine, banana = $1.34

7. Bagel with cream cheese “sandwich”, ham, apple = $1.72

These lunches have worked great for my kids! But a few weeks ago, I picked up some nice thermoses at Costco, so now I have the option of sending a hot lunch too. I love the variety this adds to my kids’ lunchboxes. I also love that they can eat leftovers for their lunches, which cuts down my prep time!

Easy Hot Food to Pack in School Lunches

I put these items in a saucepan the night before, then warm the food while my kids are eating breakfast. I transfer the hot food to their thermoses and send them on their way. Hours later at lunchtime, the food is still hot. Amazing!

Here are some of their favorites that I’ve sent so far:

1. Beanie Weanies with grapes and a muffin

2. Mac and Cheese with a fruit cup and a banana

3. Chili with a little bag of cheese and a little bag of fritos for them to add to their chili, plus a clementine or fruit cup

4. Taco Soup with a little bag of cheese and a little bag of fritos for them to add to their soup, plus grapes

5. Chicken Noodle Soup with a spinach cupcake (no frosting) and an apple

6. Spaghetti with a cheese stick and mandarin oranges

7. Tomato Soup with a straw to slurp it up :) plus a cup of cottage cheese with pineapple

8. White Chicken Chili with a little bag of fritos for them to add to their chili plus fruit cup or grapes

9. Ham and Cheesy Potato Casserole with grapes and a muffin

Extras for lunch boxes

  • Notice how my kids’ lunches are short on veggies?? Yikes, I know. They don’t eat raw veggies and I have to give them dips and ketchup to get their hot veggies down at home. So we work on veggies at dinnertime and eat as many of these smoothies as we can! :)
  • These spinach cupcakes sort of get some veggies in them during school lunch, so I make them and baggie them individually for the freezer.
  • Also, when I make any soup, I add a lot of veggies to the broth. So they are getting veggies that way if they take soup in a thermos.
  • Need muffin recipes for your kids’ lunchboxes? My kids love it when I send a muffin. Here’s a huge muffin recipe list.
  • Fruit cups (peaches, pears, or mandarin oranges in 100% juice) cost more than canned fruit, but I do appreciate the convenience they provide for school lunches. Also, when I add up the cost of any meal I pack for the kids, it still costs less than a school lunch typically costs. So the splurge is worth it.

What hot lunches do your kids enjoy at school?

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Lunch in a Jar: Chips and Guac

August 21, 2018 by Laura Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Chips and guac is a surprisingly perfect lunch to pack in a jar and take on the road, to work, or to school!

Now, let’s not talk about the color of the guacamole. Bless its heart. It is delicious and it can’t help the way it looks. Green (avocados) and red (salsa) make…the color of baby poop. We offer huge apologies for this, yet there’s nothing we can do to change it.

Trust me, we’ve tried.

But we like to do things the simple way around here, so it is what it is. The fact that we can scoop avocados into a blender, dump in salsa and lime juice, then blend it to perfection – all in five minutes? Well, so what if the mixture turns out not-so-pretty? We just made a super nutritious and delicious snack or meal in record time!

I shared our favorite Guacamole Recipe here. But I’ll share it again today as a perfect “Lunch in a Jar” idea. Truly, this is substantial enough to make a meal. The guac packs perfectly in a small jar. Add a baggie of tortilla chips and any other sides and your lunch box will be the envy of all around you.

Especially because of the color of your guac. Who wouldn’t be jealous of that?

Lunch in a Jar: Chips and Guac

Lunch in a Jar: Chips and Guac
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 4 ripe avocados
  • 16-ounce jar of your favorite salsa
  • 3-4 Tablespoons of lime juice
Instructions
  1. Cut open the avocados, pull out the pit, and scoop the "meat" into a blender.
  2. Dump salsa and lime juice into the blender.
  3. Blend until smooth.
3.5.3229

I recommend these tiny 4-ounce jars for packing guacamole. These 8-ounce wide mouth jars are also awesome for those with a bigger appetite.

—-> Did you see the fun list of supplies and jars I recommend for packing lunches? <—–

Great add-ins to your Chips and Guac Lunch in a Jar Idea

  • Quick Bread in a Jar
  • Veggies With Dip in a Jar
  • Apples & Peanut Butter in a Jar (or other fruit and dips)
  • Flourless Brownie Muffin
  • Or this would be a great side dish to go with your Burrito Bowl in a Jar
  • Tuna Salad with Crackers
  • Salad in a Jar

We’ve got 10 super fun Lunch in a Jar ideas to share this month – perfect for your Back to School lunchbox! Subscribe here so you won’t miss a post!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Lunch in a Jar: 5 Favorite Salads

August 19, 2018 by Laura Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

When it comes to packing your favorite salads in a jar, the Wide Mouth jar is a must!

If you look around on Pinterest, you’ll find dozens of great ideas for packing salads in wide mouth jars. It’s a fun idea and an easy way to pack nourishment in a lunch box.

As for me, I tend to stick with our family’s salad favorites. I always have the ingredients for these on hand, and even these five salad ideas provide plenty of variety! We’ve been known to eat salad on the soccer field, in the basketball bleachers, and in the mini van going to and fro.

Many suggest putting salad dressing in the bottom of the salad jar, then shaking it up before eating. Genius! Another idea is to pack the dressing in a smaller, separate jar so the greens and other veggies don’t become soggy before you’re ready to eat. These tiny 4-ounce jars are my preference for salad dressings on the side. Quart sized wide mouth jars are my preference for the salads themselves.

—-> Did you see the fun list of supplies and jars I recommend for packing lunches? <—–

5 Favorite Salads to Pack in Jars

  • Bacon, Egg, and Avocado Salad
  • Black Bean Taco Salad
  • BLT Chopped Salad
  • Easy Taco Salad
  • Chicken Chef Salad

Pack any of your favorites, and try a few new ones too! (Don’t forget to pack a fork.) ;)

5 Favorite Homemade Salad Dressing Ideas

When you made your salad dressing at home, you can be sure you include healthy ingredients you feel good about. Plus, homemade salad dressing is tough to beat when it comes to flavor and freshness! Here is a list of my family’s favorites:

  • French Dressing
  • Italian Salad Dressing
  • Ranch Salad Dressing
  • Spicy Ranch Dressing
  • Thousand Island Salad Dressing

Great add-ins to your Salad Lunches in a Jar

  • Quick Bread in a Jar
  • Veggies With Dip in a Jar
  • Apples & Peanut Butter in a Jar (or other fruit and dips)
  • Flourless Brownie Muffin
  • Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits
  • Chewy Granola Bars
  • Coconut Fudge Bars
  • Cranberry Nut Trail Mix
  • Mudballs
  • No-Bake Chocolate Fudge Bites
  • No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookie Bites
  • No-Bake Snickerdoodle Bites
  • Raspberry Oatmeal Bars

We’ve got 10 super fun Lunch in a Jar ideas to share this month – perfect for your Back to School lunchbox! Subscribe here so you won’t miss a post!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Master List of Simple Lunch Box Ideas

August 22, 2017 by Laura 1 Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Here it is! The Master List of Simple Lunch Box Ideas!

I know many of you send lunches with your kids for school and/or pack lunches for yourself or your spouse for work. Here’s hoping this list offers you some fun variety and nourishment that goes far beyond a sandwich! :)

todays lunch

Hopefully you already grabbed the Master Lists of Simple Lunch, Breakfast, and Snack Ideas. I’m covering my fridge with these lists to make our transition from summer break to a school schedule a little bit easier. If you haven’t already, be sure to download all these handy lists here!

Now for today’s list:

The Master List of Simple Lunch Box Ideas

Simple Lunch Box Ideas

Your Real Food Master Simple Lunch Box Ideas List

You can download this entire list here. But I’ll share it all on this post for reference also. I also recommend that you pin it so you can find it quickly as needed!

strawberry

 

Meaty Recipes for your Lunchbox

If at home, we eat many of these hot. But in a packed lunch, we don’t mind eating them cold!

  • Cream Cheese BLT Sandwiches
  • Taco Corn Fritters
  • Turkey Ranch Pinwheels
  • Quesadillas (cheese only, or add leftover meat if you prefer)
  • Salmon Patties
  • Pigs in a Blanket
  • Lazy Dogs
  • Taco Quesadillas
  • Bbq Beef and Cheese Hot Pockets (made with any filling you like; tastes great hot or cold)
  • Chicken Salad (with bread, crackers, or lettuce)
  • Tuna Salad (with bread, crackers, or lettuce)
  • BLT Wraps
  • Calzones (made with any filling you like; tastes great hot or cold)
  • Whole Wheat Pizza Swirls
  • Pizza
  • Beef Summer Sausage
  • Cheesy Turkey Sausage Stromboli
  • Corn Dog Muffins
  • Pizza Pockets
  • Popcorn Chicken
  • Spanish Rice

Food You Can Heat and Pack in a Thermos

LgTHermos

  • 20-Minute Taco Soup
  • Cheeseburger Macaroni
  • Cheeseburger Soup
  • Chicken Noodle Soup
  • Chicken Soup with a Kick
  • Homemade Tomato Soup
  • Pizza Soup
  • Potato Soup
  • Skillet Taco Pasta
  • Taco Rice Dinner

NOTE: Here’s a fantastic thermos option that comes in all kinds of fun varieties and patterns. It’s stainless steel inside and out. It keeps cold food cold for 7 hours and hot food hot for 5 hours! Check out your options here. 

Hearty Dips for Chips

wide mouth jars

Pack these dips in small wide-mouth jars with a bag of tortilla chips to go with them!

  • Easy Cheesy Bean Dip
  • Homemade Guacamole
  • Black Bean Salsa
  • Hamburger Cream Cheese Dip
  • Hamburger Sauerkraut Dip

Hearty Salads

SaladCOntainer

  • Bacon, Egg, and Avocado Salad
  • Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad
  • Taco Salad
  • Black Bean Taco Salad
  • BLT Chopped Salad

Fun Ideas to Add to Your Lunchbox

  • Peanut Butter Muffins (naturally gluten free and can be made into sandwiches!)
  • Any of these fun and delicious Muffins
  • Zucchini Carrot Bread
  • Hot Chocolate Souffle
  • Raspberry Lemon Cream Cups
  • Nectarine Cream Cups
  • Coconut Fudge Bars
  • Chewy Granola Bars
  • Cranberry Nut Trail Mix
  • Granola Bar Cups

granola cups2

Now let’s look at good fruit and veggie add-ons. I listed apples and carrots first, because those are a given. But wait till you see all the other fun options to give your lunch box some life!

COntainers

  • Apples
  • Carrots
  • Bananas
  • Clementines
  • Oranges
  • Applesauce
  • Peach Cups (100% juice)
  • Grapes
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Sweet Peppers
  • Side Salad
  • Blueberries
  • Sliced Strawberries
  • Raspberries
  • Blackberries
  • Sliced cucumbers
  • Celery
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Pears

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Psssst! I LOVE silicone cups like this to make Fat Bombs  and Muffins. But how about also using them in lunchboxes to separate food items from one another! This 28-pack is deeply discounted right now!

SiliconCups28

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Master List of Simple Lunch Box Ideas

Free Printable Lunchbox Cards for you

Find FREE printable Lunch Box Cards HERE and HERE.

HHM-Encouragement-Cards-preview1

Awesome Lunchboxes and Containers

Here are some really cool lunchbox options, as well as containers that work great to send food to work and school!

This Rubbermaid Salad Container comes with a blue ice freezer pack that snaps directly onto the food containers to keep your lunch cold. They are BPA free and very versitile!

SaladCOntainer

Here’s another one that can be used for all kinds of foods!

COntainers

If you prefer Stainless Steel, this one is a little pricier but super durable.

MetalContainer

As for lunchboxes, this one is Double Decker so you can keep cold food cold and hot food hot! (P.S. I love this pink one!)

DOubleDeckerLunchbox

This simple insulated lunch bag has all kinds of fun print patterns for kids to pick from. The price is great too!

Pattern lunchbox

Or let your kids choose from these fun varieties of insulated zip up bags!

IceCreamLunchbox

PlanesLunchbox

Would you like to make this Master List of Simple Lunchbox Ideas even simpler?

Sign up here* to receive the entire Master List of Simple Lunchbox Ideas in a free downloadable document! Then you can keep it handy on your computer or print it and put it on your fridge as a super handy reference! You’ll also receive our free Master Lunch, Breakfast, and Snack lists!

*If you’re already on our email list, go ahead and sign up with your email list anyway. This makes it easier for me to get the list to you and you won’t receive double email. You’ll be automatically redirected to a page with the free lists to download!

What are your favorite foods to add to a lunchbox?

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Simple Spinach Tuna Melts – Don’t Knock it Until You’ve Tried It

January 1, 2015 by Laura 8 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Now that we’ve realized how easy it is to add spinach to our meals, I think we’re working it onto our table at least once each day. The day these Spinach Tuna Melts were invented, Matt was the guy in charge of figuring out lunch.

We almost always have several cans of tuna on hand, our freezer held plenty of cheese, and I think it goes without saying that we had spinach in the fridge. Here’s what Matt came up with:

Simple Spinach Tuna Melts

These were awesome.  I lost track of how many he had to make, as these are one or two bite tuna melts – and I’m not sure if you’ve seen our boys eat lately, but let’s just say they eat a lot of bites at each meal. We went through a lot of spinach, and not one boy complained that there was no bread involved in this meal.

This meal is perfect for days you’re limited on time to cook, days you don’t have meat thawed, and days you want extra nourishment in the form of spinach. (Every day is the day you want extra nourishment in the form of spinach. Join the spinach-eating bandwagon.)

How to Make Spinach Tuna MeltsYum

Open and drain a can of tuna. Use a fork to separate the tuna pieces, then place about a tablespoon on each leaf of spinach. Top with about a teaspoon of shredded cheddar cheese. Place prepared spinach/tuna/cheese on a baking sheet and broil in the oven for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is melted.

One 5-ounce can of tuna makes 6-8 Spinach Tuna Melts. If feeding teenage boys, open many cans of tuna and be prepared to make many pans of tuna melts.

So there you go! A super easy meal you can make that packs a big nutritional punch.

How are you doing on eating spinach? Have you found fun ways to work it into your meals?

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Barbecue Beef and Cheese Hot Pockets ~ The Make-Ahead Lunch Box

September 4, 2014 by Laura 5 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Hot pockets can actually be eaten cold. Who knew?

The Make-Ahead Lunch Box

When I asked you what you needed in a packed lunch, this is what you told me:

  • Quick and easy
  • Can be eaten cold
  • Hearty and filling

These Barbecue Beef and Cheese Hot Pockets are all that plus they are delicious. You can make them big or small, accommodating big or small appetites. They taste great hot or cold. You can make them ahead of time and pull them out as needed. They freeze well. What more do you need? Just the recipe I guess…

Barbecue Beef and Cheese Hot PocketsYum

Barbecue Beef and Cheese Hot Pockets ~ The Make-Ahead Lunch Box
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 16
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds beef stew meat
  • 1 batch homemade barbecue sauce (more if you like)
  • 2 cups shredded cheese
  • 1 batch whole wheat pizza dough
Instructions
  1. Place stew meat and barbecue sauce in a skillet.
  2. Cook on low heat for about an hour, stirring occasionally, until meat is cooked and tender.
  3. In the meantime, mix the whole wheat pizza dough and set it aside to rise.
  4. Once both meat and dough are ready, remove meat from the heat.
  5. Stir in cheese until it is melted.
  6. Divide dough into about 16 pieces.
  7. Roll each piece of dough into a thin circle.
  8. Spoon meat mixture into the center of the circle, then gather up the edges of the dough and pinch to seal.
  9. Place pinched side down on a baking sheet.
  10. Once all dough is filled with meat, allow the pockets to rise about 15 minutes more.
  11. Bake in a 375° oven for 15-25 minutes or until pockets are golden brown.
3.4.3177

Barbecue Beef and Cheese Hot Pockets

This would be a great way to use up leftover roast beef. In addition, you can fill hot pockets with any variety of meats and cheeses. They are a great, versatile meal idea!

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http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-images-retro-seamless-pattern-set-image20825059

If you’re hitting the restart button with us this fall, I challenge you to find one recipe (maybe this Barbecue Beef and Cheese Hot Pocket recipe?) that you can make ahead of time and freeze. Having food prepared like this in the freezer is a life saver on busy days when you need a healthy meal quickly. You’ll find all of our Make-Ahead Meal recipes here.

Once you’ve completed the challenge, come back to this post and leave a comment letting us know what you made. Can’t wait to hear!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Bacon, Egg, and Avocado Salad ~ Make-Ahead Lunch Box

August 24, 2014 by Laura 3 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

How do we get our family to eat a lot of greens? Put bacon, eggs, and avocado in the bowl with the lettuce.

The Make-Ahead Lunch Box

Rarely is my family of men pleased to see a lovely bowl of salad as the main dish at lunchtime. You can almost see the “am I gonna get full?!” look of panic in their eyes. After all, typically a tossed salad lunch just doesn’t stick with a person very long into the afternoon. But if there’s bacon in it? And boiled eggs? And avocado? And cheese? Well, now we’re on to something.

My family devoured this last week when I made it – even the boys who don’t typically love eating avocados. With all the other flavors mixed in, this salad with all its goodness works for even my pickiest eaters. Along with the salad, I served fresh pineapple, fresh cantaloupe, and a new recipe I was experimenting with: Coconut Fudge Bars. We were all very full after our meal – and stayed full until after we got back from swimming that evening at 5:15. At that point we were all ready to eat our own beach towels – but that’s typical no matter what we’ve eaten for lunch.

This recipe is hardly a recipe. Simply throw together whatever amounts of each ingredient you feel is best for each family member. We all ate great big bowls full, because that’s what we do around here. Need to this be Gluten Free? It’s GF without having to try. Need it to be Dairy Free? Leave out the cheese.  You might have been able to figure that one out by yourself.  ;)

Bacon, Egg, and Avocado Salad

Bacon, Egg, and Avocado SaladYum

Bacon, Egg, and Avocado Salad ~ Make-Ahead Lunch Box
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • Bacon, cut into bites, cooked, and drained
  • Boiled eggs
  • Avocado, cut into bites (as well as you can cut an avocado into bites)
  • Cheddar or Colby jack cheese, cut into small chunks
  • Mixed greens, lettuce, and spinach of choice
  • Tomatoes, chopped
  • Salad dressing of choice
Instructions
  1. Toss ingredients together and have a feast.
3.4.3177

To prepare for the lunch box:

Prepare all ingredients in advance, from cooking the bacon to boiling the eggs to chunking the cheese. Toss the fixin’s into a jar or bowl with a lid before heading out for the day. Put the dressing into a separate container to add just before eating.

These ingredients, prepared in advance, will last a week or two in the fridge for quick salad prep. If you chop your avocado ahead of time, simply place the avocado pit into the container to help maintain the nice green color.

Side dish ideas:

  • Fresh fruit like pineapple, cantaloupe, watermelon, apples, oranges, and/or grapes
  • Carrot sticks with hummus
  • Coconut Fudge Bars or Chewy Granola Bars
  • A favorite muffin or slice of quick bread
  • Crispy Cheese Crackers
  • Fruit and kefir/yogurt smoothie

You really have to try this salad. Really – even people who don’t normally love salad should love this one. It has bacon in it, for crying out loud. It’s happiness in a bowl.

Hey, have any of you tried the “Salad in a Jar” idea? I am excited to try that sometime, both because it’s a great packaging idea…and of course, because it involves a jar. It’s happiness in a jar. With bacon (for crying out loud).

Find more Make-Ahead Lunch Box recipes and be sure to follow along in this series for more fun ideas!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Re-Usable Containers For Your Make-Ahead Lunch Box

August 21, 2014 by Laura 6 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Let’s talk about food containers to go along with our Make-Ahead Lunch Box series.

I love all the eco-friendly packaging available now. Occasionally, we still use a disposable ziplock baggie or two. But if at all possible, packaging “to-go” foods in containers we can wash and reuse just makes so much more sense – and saves so much money!

You all know I have and love this Pyrex Storage 10-Piece Set. The lids in this set seal very well. The variety of sizes offer great options for packing side dishes of cut fruits and veggies, or main dishes like pasta salads and wraps.

pyrex

As I was looking at other great options to share with you, I came across a good price on this 10-Piece Set of Round Glass Storage Bowls. Oh yeah, I filled them up in my head within about 2 seconds of looking at them. Fruit salad, potato salad, soup, pasta salad, tossed salad, pasta leftovers…

glass storage

If you’re more into BPA free plastic for packing lunches, I like these Fit & Fresh 1-cup containers at iHerb. I love that they have a built-in ice pack to keep food cold. Even better, iHerb will give you a free $10 (with $40 purchase) if you purchase through my referral links. So click here if you want to get these containers for FREE, along with some other goodies! (You can also use the code BID487 at check-out to receive $10 off your $40 purchase. Shipping at iHerb is free with orders over $20.

fit fresh

I really like these Lunchskins re-usable sandwich and snack bags. BUT, I don’t recommend you pay these Amazon prices. Surely you can find them cheaper at an actual store? What has been your experience purchasing these types of bags? Is there a store you can suggest? My small town doesn’t offer items like this that I know of.

lunchskins

How about for packing hot food? I’ve heard from several of you that thermoses just don’t hold enough food. I found this 16-ounce stainless steel thermos that seems to be a good option. At least it would hold more than a 10-ounce thermos, right?

thermos

What do you use for packing food to go?

This post contains affiliate links.

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Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad ~ The Make-Ahead Lunch Box

August 19, 2014 by Laura 8 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

The Make-Ahead Lunch Box

Sick of sandwiches? Need fresh, healthy lunch ideas? Whether or not you pack lunches or eat lunches at home, I believe we can all use some new, easy, and quick lunch ideas. Recipes that can be made ahead of time and pulled out for immediate use? Even better.  Follow along with this Make-Ahead Lunch Box series – and share your ideas too!

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What’s fun about this recipe for Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad is that you can add veggies to your liking. Don’t like sweet peppers? Add extra cucumbers. Don’t like cucumbers? Add extra carrots. Don’t like carrots? Oh, come on.  Surely we can come up with some vegetables you like. :)

Feel free to switch out the ham for chicken, take out the cheese if you need to go dairy free, and stick with brown rice pasta if you need to eat gluten free. See how accommodating this meal is?

Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad

24 ounces whole wheat or brown rice pasta
1 pound ham, cut into chunks
8 ounces cheddar or Colby jack cheese, cut into chunks
16 ounces frozen peas (uncooked)
4 cups chopped veggies of your choice (green, red, yellow, and orange peppers; onion, tomato, cucumbers, carrots)
sea salt to taste
4 Tablespoons Italian Salad Dressing
1 1/2 cup Ranch Salad Dressing

Cook pasta until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water. In a large bowl, stir together cooked pasta, ham, cheese, peas, and chopped veggies. Toss with Italian Salad Dressing and salt. Stir in Ranch Salad Dressing until coated. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Makes 8-10 main dish servings. (<— That is a great, big bowl full.)

Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad Lunch

To prepare for the lunch box:

Scoop salad into containers with lids. (I like using Pyrex bowls with lids like these or like these.)  Store individual containers in the refrigerator until packing for a lunch. Be sure to pack an ice pack in the lunch box to keep the salad cold!

Side dish ideas:

  • Fresh fruit like cantaloupe, grapes, and strawberries
  • Hard boiled eggs
  • Olives
  • Pickles
  • Homemade Chewy Granola Bars
  • Raspberry Lemon Cream Cups – recipe coming soon!

I love that this pasta salad is a full meal all by itself – with whole grain pasta, meat, cheese, and lots of veggies! I love even more that it can be put together ahead of time and pulled out as needed.

What are your favorite veggies to add to pasta salad?

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

How To Create Easy, Healthy, Fun Lunches: The Make-Ahead Lunch Box Series

August 5, 2014 by Laura 51 Comments

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Ahhhhh, lunch. Whether you pack a lunch for yourself or your husband to take to work, send your kids to school with a lunch box, or eat lunch at home everyday – I believe every one of us can benefit from learning new make-ahead lunch ideas.

Since I’m not a fan of the sugar crashes, brain fog, or grumpiness that come after eating or feeding my kids empty carbs and processed foods, nor do I have time to cook complicated meals in the middle of a busy work/school day – I thought putting together a series of posts which include healthy make-ahead lunch ideas would be fun. Are you with me? Do you want some fresh new lunch box ideas? Do you have some ideas of your own to share?

Introducing:  The Make-Ahead Lunch Box – a new series here at Heavenly Homemakers.

The Make-Ahead Lunch Box

Sandwiches are great, and in fact, I’m hoping to put together a fun post full of great sandwich ideas within this series. (Have any to share? Leave a comment to let me know!)  But packed lunches, make-ahead lunches, and quick pull-out-of-the-fridge lunches can go way beyond sandwiches.

Healthy food that can be prepared ahead of time, then slipped into a lunch box or onto the table with minimal effort? Oh yes, bring it on.

From allergy friendly, to picky kids, to figuring out how to include plenty of fruits of vegetables – I think we’re all going to have a lot of fun together as we learn new recipes, tips, and ideas. So let’s get started right away!

Leave a comment on this post sharing your biggest lunch challenges, your best healthy lunch tips, and favorite lunch-time foods. Can’t wait to hear!

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