Between soccer practice and ballet class, our lives are always a little more chaotic during the school year. Sometimes, healthy lunches get pushed to the wayside because they are deemed too time-consuming. Luckily, we have taken some of the guesswork out of locating quick, fun, and delicious meal options for your busy life.
Wraps
Easily customizable to suit your needs, you can plan ahead at the grocery store or utilize last night’s leftovers. Whether you use a flour tortilla or a leaf lettuce base, wraps are a delicious quick lunch option.
Tuna Wrap
This quick and easy recipe can be made the night before and thrown together in less than a few minutes. Drain and rinse your tuna, and toss together with mayo, dill relish, and diced green onions to make a tuna salad. Spread onto your lettuce and roll it together.
BLT Wrap
A modern twist on the traditional BLT. Take a flour tortilla and fill it with lettuce, tomato, bacon, and your dressing of choice. You can also add a little ranch to give it some extra flavor.
Not Your Mama’s Sandwich
A delicious twist on the boring ham and cheese, try spicing it up with ham and cheese on Kaiser rolls. Toast your Kaiser roll with a little garlic butter then layer it with black forest ham, stone-ground mustard, and Swiss cheese. Add in a little lettuce and tomato, and you have a delicious meal that took less than ten minutes to make.
Pulled Pork Sandwiches
With a little planning, you can have delicious pulled pork sandwiches that take only a few minutes to assemble. Start with a four-pound pork shoulder, then season with smoked paprika, onion and garlic powders, salt, pepper, just a pinch of cayenne, and a little brown sugar. Set it and forget it in your slow cooker overnight, or for about eight hours on low. When it’s done, add in a bottle of your favorite barbeque sauce, shred the pork with a fork, and toss it onto a Kaiser roll, hamburger bun, or even a tortilla.
Grazing Trays
If you have a smaller appetite, or just like a variety of items, a small charcuterie board might be right up your alley. Using various styles of cheeses, deli meat rolls, assorted fruits, and your favorite crackers, you have a quick lunch that is guaranteed to be a hit.
Packing lunches shouldn’t have to be a dreaded chore. There are many ways to customize and spice up what you have on hand to make a quick, easy meal for kids and parents alike.
