As a kid, lunch in the school cafeteria was a big deal. Sure, there were the musubi, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, or the rare treat of leftover soup or stew in a thermos. But if you were lucky enough to have a compartmentalized meal kit with crackers, cheese, and meat, suddenly everyone wanted to be your friend.
Enter part 4 of our monthly series, what’s for (work) lunch?, where we share tips on how to build your own snack box as an adult!
- Make sure the container you use is leakproof. The last thing you want is to sit down for lunch just to find your food spilled all over your lunch bag (I’ve been there … it’s sad).
- Use silicone baking cups to keep each item separated, organized, and fresh.
- Along the same lines, 2 oz. jars are perfect for sauces, dressings, etc.
- Be creative and add what you’ll enjoy eating!
We’ve compiled some simple recipes that evoke the same concept of that classic snack box charm: an assortment of foods that are easy to assemble and fun to eat. (Popularity may or may not be included.)
BISTRO BOX
We couldn’t ignore the classic version of the nostalgic compartmentalized meal kit! Consider this one “adultified” and just a little more mature (and filling) compared to the ones we used to eat as kids. Don’t like one of the items? Swap in your favorite!
Ingredients
- 2 mini sweet bell peppers
- 2 Tbsp. whipped cream cheese
- Everything but the bagel sesame seasoning blend
- ¼ cup grapes
- ¼ cup strawberries
- 2 beef sticks, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 oz. cheese cubes
- 1 hard-boiled egg, halved
- 1 serving of whole-grain crackers
- 1 guacamole dip pack
Instructions
Cut the mini peppers in half long-ways. Remove seeds.
Divide cream cheese among pepper halves, spreading into each pepper. Top with seasoning.
Assemble peppers and the rest of the ingredients into your box, using silicone dividers as needed.
BREAKFAST FOR LUNCH
There’s a bit of baking with this snack box for the star of the show: mini chocolate chip muffins. They come together quickly and have the childhood nostalgia factor, so you know they’re worth the effort!
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup milk
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¾ cup mini chocolate chips
For the sides
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup granola
- ¼ cup sliced strawberries
- 2 Tbsp. blueberries
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, add butter, sugar, egg, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk until fully combined.
Add flour, baking powder, and salt to the same bowl. Mix until combined. Fold in mini chocolate chips.
Pour batter into mini muffin tin, filling each tin halfway. Bake for about 11-13 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few crumbs. Makes 24 mini muffins.
Assemble the rest of the box, keeping the granola and fruit separate from the yogurt until you’re ready to eat!
PICKLE ROLL-UPS
If you’re a pickle lover, you’ll love these roll-ups. They’re tangy and crunchy from the pickle and creamy from the cream cheese, and the turkey adds the perfect savory touch. Best of all, they couldn’t be easier to assemble.
Ingredients
- 3 whole dill pickles
- 3 slices deli turkey
- 1½ Tbsp. whipped cream cheese
Suggested sides
- Pretzels
- Apples with peanut butter
Instructions
Pat pickles and turkey dry with paper towel.
Spread cream cheese over each slice of turkey. Wrap each pickle tightly with turkey. Slice each roll into about ¾-inch pieces or eat whole.
Assemble in box and add your favorite sides. Enjoy!
PIZZA TO GO
In my opinion, you really can’t go wrong with pizza in any form. You can leave these uncooked like the classic kind, but I recommend baking them the night before and then enjoying the next day as cold pizza (which, honestly, might be my favorite kind of pizza).
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 3 mini whole-wheat pita circles
- ¼ cup pizza sauce
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella
- 2 Tbsp. mini pepperoni
Suggested sides
- Baby carrots with hummus
- Grapes and strawberries
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line small baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray.
Top each pita with pizza sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. Bake for about 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
Slice into wedges and pack in box with your favorite sides.
Packing up
Need more ideas for work lunches? Check out the what’s for (work) lunch? articles in our series so far, and stay tuned for more fun ways to spruce up your midday meal:
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