Bag Lunches for Your Sweetheart

It's important to ask what your wife wants in a lunch. Ultimately, it's better to pack something that She enjoys rather than have the food you packed end up in the garbage can.

Some interesting ideas are "interactive" food—dipping fruit, vegetables, crackers or bread in sauces and spreads; assembling miniature cheese and cracker sandwiches; or tiny fruit kebabs on toothpicks. The perfect bag lunches should include enough variety to avoid boredom, but don’t forget to include favorites as well.

Fruits and vegetables should be small and easy to eat:

Grapes, cherries, small plums, blueberries, melon cubes, baby carrots, cucumber slices, bell pepper wedges, lightly steamed broccoli florets

For grains try:

Sliced bread, homemade crackers, pita bread, corn bread, muffins, baked tortilla chips, mini bagels, tortillas, pasta salad, Swedish hardtack bread.

For protein:

There’s always good ol' peanut butter, but also try hummus, bean dip, sliced cheese, yogurt, cold cuts, tuna salad, egg salad or a thermos full of chili.

When serving tuna, egg or chicken salad, mix in shredded carrots, apples, zucchini, bell peppers, raisins, nuts-anything to add nutrition and fiber without adding lots of empty calories.

With such a hearty and nutritious lunch, you can feel good about finishing the meal off with a cookie or a brownie in the bag.

Brown bag lunch will never be boring again!