Brown Bag Lunches by Sis Marita X

Brown Bag Lunches

From www.HillbillyHousewife.com

Table of Contents Brown Bag Lunch Essentials ............................................................................................................ 3 The Do’s and Don’ts of a Brown Bag Lunch..................................................................................... 4 Bagged Lunch Food Safety .............................................................................................................. 5 Brown Bag Lunch Sandwiches ......................................................................................................... 6 Brown Bag Lunch Drinks .................................................................................................................. 7 Healthy Additions for Your Brown Bag Lunches .............................................................................. 8 Brown Bag Lunch Sweet Snacks ...................................................................................................... 9 Alternatives to Brown Bag Lunches at School ............................................................................... 10 Brown Bag Lunches: Kids Will Love These Ideas & So Will You..................................................... 11 Brown Bag Lunches for Adults ....................................................................................................... 12 Thermos Lunch Recipes ................................................................................................................. 14

Brown Bag Lunch Essentials Brown bag lunches today are not your mother’s lunch packing job. For kids, brown bag lunches have gone all modern and flashy. When you offer a brown bag lunch to your kids or other members of the family, here are some essentials to have on hand. 1. The packaging is part of the presentation. Whether you use a brown paper bag or a lunch box, express your own style. A brown paper bag can be decorated with stickers or unique drawings if you are gifted with the talent. Lunch boxes used to be metal and covered with super heroes. Now they are insulated and look like purses or a small camping bag. The lunch bag should fit the style of the carrier. 2. Don’t forget the refrigeration. Many offices have refrigerators for their employees. A brown bag lunch can stay in the brown bag when the lunch can be kept cold. It becomes harder to stick with the traditional packaging if you are in school or somewhere that a refrigerator is not accessible. In this case, bring a cold pack to do the job. For any cold pack, store it in the freezer in a leak proof plastic bag. When the cold pack begins to melt, the food is protected from contamination from the pack if it should get punctured. Cold packs are good for several hours each day. 3. Containers prevent cross contamination. Each school child had opened their lunch once and seen a sandwich all soggy with the pink tint of a drink that has opened up. Containers prevent that. Lots of lunch bags come with their own containers that expressly fit in that bag. For ones that do not, buy various sizes of containers with tight fitting lids so even if the lunch bag turns over nothing will be disturbed. 4. Add a note of love. This doesn’t just work for kids but adults as well. Opening lunch and finding an encouraging word or two from someone who loves you can make the difference between a good day and a bad day getting worse. Don’t worry about kids getting embarrassed. Eventually, their friends will begin looking for notes in their lunches too. What is essential to complete your brown bag lunch? It could be plastic ware, napkins, or condiments. If the lunch bag has an extra compartment, keep a set of silverware, extra condiments, and wet naps in there for weekly lunch use. Be prepared and you won’t be caught without what you need at lunchtime.

The Do’s and Don’ts of a Brown Bag Lunch The brown bag lunch represents a gold standard in lunches. This standard was good enough for kids and adults alike for a long time. Brown bag lunches are making their way back into the mainstream. They are economical, practical, and provide a wealth of choices for lunchtime eating. What is it about the brown bag lunch that we like so much? Is it the convenience that we are attracted to? For this reason, brown bag lunches need to provide a fantastic lunch meal with safety in mind. Brown bag lunches are traditionally not insulated in any way. Of course if you put an ice pack in the brown bag it will make the bag soggy and your food will fall out. An insulated bag can be substituted but if you want to use paper bags, be sure that the items inside do not need to be refrigerated. One way to do it is to avoid using mayonnaise. Mayonnaise needs to be kept cold to avoid spoiling. Now, it may not go bad from breakfast to lunchtime but better to be safe than sorry. If the temperature rises on a hot day, the chicken salad sandwich could become the ptomaine treat of the day. Most people like their sandwiches fresh and tasty. Adding condiments and wet items to a sandwich in the morning can mean soggy wet bread by lunchtime. No one will eat that. Using a sectioned lunch container keeps that from happening. Put the lunchmeat in one section and the bread in another. A bulk shopping warehouse sells pre-packaged condiments that are perfect for a child’s lunch. What they don’t use can be shared or kept for another day. It limits waste and illness from condiments gone bad. If kids must have mayonnaise or maybe you do, this is the safest way. Provide plastic utensils and napkins with lunch. Plastic utensils can be thrown away after lunch. If the sandwich that day is something particularly messy, insert a packaged wet napkin to clean sticky hands. Fix brown bag lunches the night before. The food inside gets an entire night to stay cold before it goes to school or to work. This is more important for school children because they don’t have refrigeration for their lunches. At work, there is probably a refrigerator in the lunchroom. Protect your lunch with proper refrigeration, avoiding soggy sandwiches, and limiting the amount of items that need to be kept cold. Brown bag lunches can be healthy and fun as long as they are kept safe.

Bagged Lunch Food Safety We look forward to eating lunch. It’s a time to catch up with coworkers or friends over a good meal. Whether you have thirty minutes or an hour, follow some safety precautions so that the food you eat won’t come back to haunt you. The first safety issue with food concerns keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Now, with hot foods, they won’t stay hot for several hours but an insulated container or Thermos allows for lukewarm or room temperature foods. Even if the food needs to be reheated before eating, it should be room temperature or cool when packed. Letting food cool down before refrigerating it avoids the excess condensation inside the container. That extra water that builds up inside can make food soggy. On top of that, it doesn’t look good when the container is opened and extra water has collected on the food. And, seriously who wants to eat soggy bread? For frozen meals from the store, there’s no need to thaw them out before packing your lunch bag. By the time you get around to eating it, the meal will probably not be frozen anymore. Using a cold pack in the bag also keeps the temperature constant so the meal won’t completely thaw before it’s time to dig in. These meals have preservatives so they are not as much of a worry as homemade dishes brought for lunch. Anything with mayonnaise or egg holds up better with refrigeration. A lunch bag left out in the sun or not refrigerated will become rancid over time. That doesn’t mean your lunch will be that way if you don’t have an ice pack, but you never know what might happen. Taking leftovers for lunch that are a few days old combined with the lack of refrigeration can cause serious problems. Any food that is not eaten at lunch needs to be refrigerated again if you plan on eating more of it. You should also remove a portion of the meal to a plate or other container when you don’t intend to eat it all. Enzymes in saliva break down food and can cause bacteria to spread more rapidly. A half eaten sandwich or plate of meatloaf won’t be palatable three hours after lunch unless the portion was divided before you took the first bite. One final thing - empty the lunch bag when you get home. Kids are great for leaving leftover food in a lunch bag on the top of the refrigerator. Yuck! Clean the bag out in case something spilled in the bottom or there are some food pieces. By following these tips you and your kids can enjoy eating lunch without getting sick.

Brown Bag Lunch Sandwiches At one time, everyone used to bring their lunch to work and to school. I loved to see what everyone else at the table had to contribute. Well, brown bag lunches are about to make a comeback. In light of the economic times, brown bag lunches represent the perfect choice for lunchtime fare. The main ingredient in a brown bag lunch is the sandwich. Anyone over thirty years of age thinks of a brown bag sandwich as peanut butter and jelly or bologna with cheese. I am glad to say that these are not the only choices anymore. Brown bag lunch sandwiches have come a long way. Kids want more than the above choices to throw between two slices of bread. They can take their pick between a vegetarian sandwich and one containing any number of lunchmeats. So, let’s find out what we can look forward to in a modern brown bag lunch sandwich. First of all, two slices of white bread are not required anymore. Don’t feel pressured to switch if you really like white bread or wheat bread. Tradition is not a bad thing. But, for those who are more adventurous when it comes to eating lunch, here are some suggestions. Wrap sandwiches have stolen the show for kids. A wrap is basically a flour tortilla. They come in a variety of flavors: tomato, spinach, herb, and wheat. Wraps are sturdy enough that sauces can be added without spillage or sogginess like regular bread. Also, wraps stand up to a lot of ingredients being added. So, feel comfortable sending you child to school with a chicken salad sandwich in a whole wheat wrap. It is nutritious and easy to handle with small fingers. On the heels of the wrap sandwich are the pita sandwiches. Pita pockets won over the crowd several years back and have recently made a reappearance and to the liking of the younger crowd. Pita pocket sandwiches provide an alternative to white bread. Give that same old turkey sandwich a kick with lettuce, mayonnaise, and tomato stuffed in a pita pocket. Other bread sources can also be substituted for regular bread: hoagie rolls, artisan bread, ciabatta bread, and rolls. For carb-conscious parents, using a slice of romaine lettuce in the place of bread provides fewer calories. Adding flavored mayo and other sauces makes up for the lack of taste in the lettuce. Sandwiches don’t have to be ordinary anymore. Create a new look to the main course of lunch time by choosing a variety of breads, meats, and additions. The possibilities are endless and no two days a week have to be the same when it comes to lunch.

Brown Bag Lunch Drinks Nothing finishes off a meal like a refreshing drink. Lunch is no different. Kids used to buy ice cold milk to go along with their brown bag lunch. Milk is good but it doesn’t always hit the spot. Keep reading to find out what types of drinks can complement what you pack in your lunch. Milk is a wholesome drink. Schools offer two percent milk as an alternative to whole milk. Two percent milk also comes in chocolate. Milk provides protein, calcium, and Vitamin D for the body. Cold milk can hit the spot with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or chicken salad. Water is always a good choice for a refreshing drink. Our bodies are ninety percent water. We always need it especially when we are active. Children are usually active a lot during the day so they can use extra water. Drinking five to seven glasses of water a day helps to flush impurities out of our system and keep our skin glowing. Kids may not care about the state of their skin, but adults do. Bottled water works well in brown bag lunches. For kids who probably won’t drink a sixteen ounce bottle, there are smaller eight and twelve ounce water bottles that fit well in a brown paper bag or an insulated lunch bag. Many people don’t like the taste of water. Depending on where you live it could come from a well or the city supply. Water can still be healthy with a packet of flavoring added to it. Not only does Crystal Light make drink mix sticks, but Kool-Aid and other drink companies also offer flavors to tease and temp the tongue. Place a different flavoring in their lunch each day. These drink sticks contain only five or less calories. They are sweetened with artificial sweetener so there is not extra sugar going into their systems. Besides, kids like how they can add the mix and watch the water change colors. Fruit juices are okay but not every day. Many nutritionists believe that children should be limited to eight ounces of juice a day. And, that juice needs to be 100 percent real juice. Juice adds unnecessary sugar. For the benefit of an apple or an orange, it is better to eat the actual fruit instead of drinking the juice. Drinks wash down all the food that we eat at lunch. It does an important job for us so why not make it taste good?

Healthy Additions for Your Brown Bag Lunches The best thing about a brown bag lunch is that you create it yourself. Whatever you want to add can be thrown in the brown bag each day. For those who are trying to stay healthy, adding a few extra things to their lunch bag is a necessity. Brown bag lunches of the past almost always contained a fruit. Moms dropped a shiny red apple or a blemish free orange in the bag. Remember how it used to crush the sandwich in the middle every time? Fruit is now, just as it was then, an essential part of a brown bag lunch. The best part is that now it can be packed without flattening the main course sandwich! One way to keep from denting your delectable sandwich is to slice the fruit. Apples do turn brown fast so douse them in some lemon juice after you cut the apple to stop the browning process. Kids may look at those apple pieces with a funny expression if they open the container and see brown spots. The chances of them actually eating them decrease so keep them looking good and you’re kids are more likely to gobble them up. Oranges don’t turn colors but choosing seedless varieties lessens the chance of swallowing a seed and possibly choking. Other good fruits are raisins, dates, prunes, and dried fruits. Dried fruits are sweeter because the drying process concentrates the natural sugars. Kids will think you added something special and they are getting away with something eating that overly sweet fruit. This will probably get them to eat more of the healthy stuff which is great for you. They don’t have to know you didn’t sweeten their fruit with unnecessary sugar in order to get them to eat it so you’re secret is safe. Instead of chips, try some pretzels. Hard pretzels aren’t just the dark brown twists with salt on top. Pretzels come in sticks, small twists, little nuggets, and a variety of flavors like honey mustard, honey, and cheddar. Even Pringles created a thin crispy pretzel stick that makes an easy to munch snack. Nuts have always been ostracized because of their fat content. But, as we all know, all fats are not equal and the fat in nuts is good for you. Almonds are good to eat but many people prefer peanuts or pecans. The fat content is higher in those two types of nut, but you don’t have to eat an entire container. Fill a bag with a serving or two of nuts and eat them as a snack before or after lunch. Pudding and applesauce are also a great addition to a brown bag lunch. They can be purchased in pre-packaged portions from the store. These types of snacks provide a sweet treat in specific proportions. You can find these goodies in sugar free forms as well to add to the healthy factor. Jell-O also comes in these types of single serving containers which sure makes it more appealing than the jiggly stuff we used to get in school. Who says that healthy additions can’t be fun or tasty? Once healthy brown bag lunch foods tasted like cardboard; they now have flavors that kids and adults both enjoy.

Brown Bag Lunch Sweet Snacks Snacks are an American tradition, just like apple pie and baseball. After you’ve eaten all the good stuff in your lunch, it is time to have a sweet treat. Snacks don’t even actually have to be sweet, but they are something that we like to eat and they act as a reward for having a healthy lunch. Brown bag lunches have been home to all types of snacks from lollipops to candy bars to chips and cheese puffs. Now, we aren’t advocating eating a bunch of junk food, but a bag of greasy chips every now and then won’t hurt anyone. The key is to consume everything in moderation. So, let’s get down to the snacks. The food industry has embraced the idea of making snacks more agreeable with a healthy diet. Even chips have taken on a new tack by baking them and adding spicy flavors to make them taste good. Nowadays, you can find just about any type of snack in a 100 calorie pack. If you want to taste a few Oreo cookies or some M&M’s, one of these packs gives you the taste without adding too many extra calories. Regular and baked chips and crackers come in these types of packs as well. Candy bars are not a bad choice for a snack. They come in bite size pieces. One piece at lunch won’t ruin their appetite at lunch or later on at dinner. That goes for kids and you too. Actually eating a bit of dark chocolate every day provides more benefits for the body than they do fattening calories. Keep in mind that sweets such as these should probably be saved as a special surprise every once in awhile, not every day. Kids and adults are less likely to overeat when snacks are eaten throughout the day. Try adding a small candy bar, a bag of chips, some popcorn, or other goodies in your brown bag lunches. Bringing a snack means that you won’t be tempted to buy anything out of a vending machine, which not only hard on the wallet, but more tempting and harder on the body as well. Homemade snacks are good because you already know the ingredients inside. Make a batch of brownies, chocolate chip cookies, or muffins and keep them on hand for brown bag lunches. Stores sell plastic snack bags that are the right size for homemade snacks. You can even bake some mini cookies to make the kids think they are getting a ton of good stuff, even though you know it’s no more than 2 or 3 of the regular sized cookies. What are your favorite snacks? Include them in your lunch and your kid’s brown bag lunch. Snacking prevents overeating at meal time and it’s tasty too. Snacks are essential to a well-rounded brown bag lunch. To save money, buy a value pack of different snacks from the store and dole them out as needed.

Alternatives to Brown Bag Lunches at School What qualifies as a brown bag lunch? Well, it is carried from home to school or work or wherever you intend to go. But, brown bag lunches don’t have to contain a sandwich, drink, and a snack to be official. Here are some alternatives to lunch meat and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for your brown bag lunch. Kids like sandwiches but they also like variety. That variety comes in the form of a new main dish every now and then. The same goes for adults. Some people love to eat the same thing every day for lunch each day of the year, but most would like to tantalize all their taste buds. Younger kids do well with small things. Food cut up into pieces is more manageable and can be eaten within the time frame of the lunch period in many schools. Kids get thirty to forty minutes to eat but that doesn’t include getting to the cafeteria and finding a seat or socializing. Choose crackers instead of bread. Crackers resist the sogginess that so often plagues a regular loaf bread sandwich. So that there is less mess and more eating, use a cracker to shape the cheese and the lunchmeat into the same size and shape as the cracker. The pieces can be placed in separate sections of a lunch tray or different sandwich bags, but this way makes for quick creation of the stacked crackers. In chillier weather, sandwiches and crackers may not bring as much comfort as something a bit warmer. Fill a thermos with warm soup. Chicken noodle, tomato soup, vegetable beef, and creamy soups are all good at lunchtime on a cool day. The soup will stay tepid until the child can pour it out and eat it around midday. You can even find a type of thermos that allows your child to drink their soup right from the container, avoiding any mess that might ensue from pouring. Dinner in my house leaves very little leftovers, however many families find just the opposite is the case in their home. Cooked food left in the refrigerator for three or four days is money down the drain. Use those leftover meals as lunch the next day. Meatloaf and mashed potatoes is a tasty treat for the next day. For a child, a meatloaf sandwich without the potatoes could be better still. Keep in mind that time for lunch is limited at school so anything that can be eaten cold or at room temperature without using a microwave are favorable choices. Mix a couple of dishes together. If you had spaghetti one night, mix the sauce with macaroni for lunch. Think of some alternatives to sandwiches and jazz up lunch this week.

Brown Bag Lunches: Kids Will Love These Ideas & So Will You For kids, one of the highlights of the school day is eating lunch with friends. That lunch would be better if it were something that they actually wanted to eat. Here are some ideas for packing brown bag lunches kids will gladly carry to school. Have you seen the old commercial where the kid looks in his lunch bag each morning and frowns, “Tuna fish again?” it’s hilarious but exemplifies a true fact - kids are visual. They like variety, especially once they reach a certain age. Satisfy that need with a wide array of choices for sandwiches, snacks, and drinks in their lunch bag. Remember that kids don’t normally have a lot of time to eat. They need a nutritious meal but time is of the essence. Brown bag lunches that provide what they need with very little preparation get a “10” in my book. Younger kids love finger foods. They can eat a lot, talk, and get stuffed all at the same time. Crackers shaped like nuggets or sticks paired with cheese sticks provide easy to open goodness for any child. Sandwiches cut into four or more pieces let them eat as much or as little as they want. Older kids appreciate sandwiches. Finger foods probably won’t fill their hunger, so a sandwich of some kind impresses them. Wraps, pita sandwiches, soups, and even leftovers make positive lunch options. Middle or high school kids lack a refrigerator but many school cafeterias will have a microwave. Heating up leftovers is easier for them. Slicing the food into smaller bits requires less microwaving time. Depending on what it is, they might like to eat it at room temperature too. Adding a fresh fruit salad or a small green salad won’t upset your kids. In fact, baby carrots, broccoli, and cucumbers dipped in ranch dressing appeals to most children. Fruit can be eaten with fingers and shared with friends. Add a cup of peanut butter for dipping and they’ll be even more pleased. Good nutrition is important for everyone. What else do kids like? The snack included in a brown bag lunch complements the sandwich. For example, since a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is already sweet, choose a bag of pretzels or another salty snack. Mixing flavors allows each one to be tasted individually. It’s like when you eat a donut and drink coffee. The coffee doesn’t taste as sweet after a bite of donut. Kids are not so hard to please as long as you let them sample a variety of foods. This way, they get used to healthy foods as well as a few sweets every now and again. Opportunity for mixing and matching abound when you prepare brown bag lunches for your kids. Experiment with various items to find the perfect lunches that your kids will love.

Brown Bag Lunches for Adults With the cost of living as high as it has become, we all need to watch our spending habits. One of the expenses that we need to watch is how much money we spend each day on food. At work, it’s fashionable to eat out with the group at least a few times a week. The trouble comes when we tally the monthly lunch bill and find we’ve spent fifty to seventy-five dollars in one month on those “fashionable” lunch outings. Imagine how that money adds up and what you could spend it on that would last longer than the meals we are eating. Taking our lunch to work more often would definitely save some of that money, right? Here are some brown bag lunch ideas for adults that will help save money and provide a delicious meal. Whether you work in an office, a school, a hospital, or some other trade, lunch time can vary from day to day. Maybe everyone wants to go at noon but you can’t go until one o’clock. What do you do? The easiest thing would be to pack your own lunch. Eating out every once in a while is okay, but the choices are mostly the same. When lunch comes from home, it can include whatever you want or desire to eat each day. The possibilities are endless when you think about it. Adults want something more than sandwiches, chips, and a soda. With big and small lunch bags, a person has the choice to pack as little or as much as they want or need. Maybe you work twelve hour shifts. During that time you would eat two meals and a couple of snacks versus someone who only works 8 hours a day and only needs one meal and snack food. Keep things like this in mind when planning your lunch each day. Lunch bag containers come in many sizes. They even make salad containers that have a compartment for the dressing. This eliminates the need to lug the entire bottle to work or pour the dressing on the salad in the morning. Adults can bring leftovers like pasta salad, fettuccine alfredo, and pork loin with crunchy vegetables and have it taste just as good as it did the first time. With a brown bag lunch, we can create our favorite meals but with less fat and calories than the original. When you eat out, who knows what ingredients went into that meal. At home, you can make beef stroganoff is with fat free sour cream and lean cuts of beef along with egg noodles to have a lunch just as yummy as the one you would order at a restaurant, but healthier. Someone can feel good about eating a brown bag lunch when nothing is a mystery about the food. Snacks can be fancy in an adult brown bag lunch. Instead of pudding, how about dishing up some apple cobbler? Homemade cobbler with fresh fruit tastes much better than store bought frozen alternatives. Instant pudding made with low fat or fat free milk has fewer calories than store pudding. Don’t be afraid to experiment with the brown bag lunch. What you want is flavor and something exciting to eat. When you fix lunch at home, what you get is exactly what you want.

Thermos Lunches Using a thermos is simple. It gives us the satisfaction of knowing that cold foods and hot foods will stay that way. There are many types and sizes available. Each and every kind of thermos has its purpose. They can hold liquids, meals, snacks, fruits, vegetables and even desserts. Just about anything you prepare can be placed in a thermos. Make a large amount of a dish and freeze it. When ready to use take it out of the freezer, reheat it and place it in the thermos. Use the thermos to take leftovers from the night before. A thermos can be useful in many ways to ensure that our meals are fresh and still taste good later in the day. Warming or chilling a thermos is very easy. To warm a thermos, fill it with boiling water and seal the lid tight. When ready to use pour out the water and add the food. Close tightly and be on your way. To cool your thermos fill it with ice cubes the night before. Seal it tight. When ready to use the next morning remove the ice and fill. Again be sure to seal it tight so the food stays nice and cold. Always be sure to place anything you want to remain cold in the refrigerator for a short period of time to cool. This will help ensure the food stays nice and cold all day. Just about any type of food will work in a thermos. Try to remember to keep the thermos dry so that the foods don’t retain moisture and become too soggy. One other quick note to remember: Once the thermos is opened the air will bring the food to room temperature. Try not to open the thermos until you’re ready to eat. This will guarantee that the foods stay the hot or cold until you’re ready to enjoy them.

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Thermos Lunch Recipes Below you’ll find some of my favorite thermos lunch recipes. They are a great way to include all kinds of hot (and even cold) foods in a packed lunch.

Thermos Tomato Bean Soup What You Need: 1/2 can (8 oz) condensed tomato soup 1 carrot 1 parsnip 1/4 c red lentil 1 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp garlic powder How to Make It: Place the soup in a sauce pan. Add ½ soup can of water to the soup. Grate the carrot and parsnip into the soup mixture. Add the red lentil. Sprinkle in the onion and garlic powder. Place the sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a quick boil. Once boiling place the heat on low and continue cooking 10 minutes. Pour into a warmed thermos. Serves 1 There are many variations to this soup. Try grated zucchini. Add rice or cooked pasta to the mix. Use canned beans instead of lentils. If you use lentils be sure they are red not green lentils. Green lentils take awhile to cook down.

Fruit and Oatmeal Breakfast on the Run What You Need: 1/4 C steel cut oats 1 1/2 C boiling water 1/4 C dried fruit (your favorite) How to Make It: Dump the oats into the thermos. Pour the boiling water over the oats. Place the lid on the thermos and seal tight. Leave the thermos set overnight. In the morning drain off any excess water. Stir in the dried fruit. Replace the lid and go. Serves 1 You can use old fashioned oats or quick oats in this recipe but don’t try instant oats. Add a little milk, white sugar, brown sugar or butter for a different taste.

Swiss Cheese Steak and Onion Soup What You Need: 1 tbsp canola oil 1 lb round steak, cut into 1 inch cubes 1 tbsp butter 3 medium onions, sliced into rings 6 C beef broth 1/4 C red wine, dry 1 tbsp Dijon style mustard 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1 (6 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained 1/8 C parsley, chopped 1 C Swiss cheese, shredded How to Make It: Place the canola oil in a large soup kettle. Place the kettle over medium heat. Allow the oil to warm up but not smoke. Place the steak cubes into the hot oil. Brown the meat 6 minutes or until browned on all sides. Remove and place on a paper towel to drain. Place the heat on low. Add the butter and allow it to melt. Add the onions and cook 5 minutes or until translucent. Pour in the beef broth and wine. Stir the mustard into the liquid mixture. Sprinkle in the salt and pepper and stir to incorporate. Replace the steak cubes into the kettle. Place the heat on medium high and bring the mixture to a quick boil. Place the heat back on low and cover the kettle. Cook the soup 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and sprinkle in the parsley. Stir well to mix the parsley through the soup. Pour into prepared thermos and sprinkle with the Swiss cheese. Serves 6 This soup is wonderful on a cold winter day. Add a piece of toasted bruschetta and a nice garden salad for the perfect lunch.

Kid Favorite Thermos Chicken Chowder What You Need: • • • • • • • • • •

1 tbsp canola oil 1 onion, chopped fine 2 tbsp flour 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning 1 1/2 C milk 1 c frozen hash browns 1 c corn, frozen 3/4 C chicken breast, cooked and cubed 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper

How to Make It: Place the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Allow the oil to heat slightly. Add the onion and cook stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until tender. Cover the cooked onions with the flour and poultry seasoning. Continue to cook 1 minute longer. Pour in the milk. Stir constantly bring the mixture to a boil. Allow to cook 2 minutes longer, still stirring, until mixture begins to thicken. Place the potatoes and corn into the mixture. Bring back to a slightly gentle boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cover the pan. Cook 12 minutes or until the potatoes begin to tender. Stir in the chicken carefully. Cook an addition 15 minutes or until the chicken is heated through. Serves 4 This makes a great thermos lunch for children. Just remind them not to open the lid until it’s time to eat. Add a biscuit with butter and jelly to top off the perfect lunch.

Pepperoni Pizza in a Thermos What You Need: 2 tsp canola oil 1 small onion, chopped fine 1 clove of garlic, crushed 1 (6 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained 1 small green pepper, chopped fine 1 (15 oz) pkg. pepperoni slices, diced 1 c beef broth 2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes 1 tsp basil 1 tsp oregano How to Make It: Pour the oil into a soup pot and place over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic. Cook together stirring occasionally for 4 minutes. Add in the mushrooms and green pepper. Sprinkle the chopped pepperoni into the mix. Continue cooking 5 minutes. Pour the beef broth into the pot. Add the diced tomatoes. Stir in the basil and oregano. Place the heat under the pot to low. Cover and continue cooking 20 minutes or until completely heated through. Serves 4 Place some shredded mozzarella cheese or grated parmesan cheese in a small container in the lunch box. Use it to sprinkle over the top of the soup before eating.

Teen’s Favorite Taco Soup What You Need: 2 slices of bacon 1 (6 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained 1 small onion, chopped 1 small red pepper, chopped 4 C chicken broth 2 C chicken breast, cooked and chopped 2 C taco salsa 1 tbsp taco seasoning How to Make It: Place the bacon in a soup kettle over medium heat. Cook the bacon crisp, 12 minutes, being sure to crumble the bacon as it cooks. Place the mushrooms, onion and red pepper in with the crumbled bacon. Pour the chicken broth in over the vegetables. Carefully place the chopped chicken into the pot. Stir in the taco salsa and taco seasoning well being sure all the ingredients are incorporated together. Bring the mixture to a quick boil over high heat. Turn the heat to low once boil, cover and cook 15 minutes. Pour into a prepared thermos. Serves 4 Add a few tortilla chips or corn chips with this soup for a perfect meal. Shredded cheese and sour cream can also be added as a garnish.

Mexican Bean and Rice Thermos Meal

What You Need: 1/2 C canned black beans 1/2 C canned corn, drained 1/2 C brown rice, cooked 1/4 C salsa How to Make It: Place the beans and corn in a saucepan. Add the cooked brown rice. Stir in the salsa. Place the saucepan on the stove over low heat. Cook 12 minutes or until heated through. Place in a prepared warm thermos. Serves 1 This meal is so easy to prepare and is very filling. A side salad or some tortilla chips can be added for the perfect lunch.

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Cool Thermos Fruit and Dip What You Need: 1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature 3 tbsp sugar 1 c sour cream 1 tsp vanilla extract Assorted piece of fresh fruit How to Make It: Place the softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle in the sugar. Fold in the sour cream. Pour in the vanilla extract. With an electric mixer on low speed beat the mixture until very creamy. Place in the refrigerator over night. Put in a cooled thermos. Place the fruit in a cooled thermos also to keep fresh. Serves 2 This is a perfect addition to any lunch or even better as afternoon snacks. Use any type of fruit that satisfies your hunger such as strawberries, cherries or kiwi slices.

Brown Bag Spinach Dip for Veggies

What You Need: 1 (10 oz) pkg. chopped spinach 2 c mayonnaise 1/2 C parsley, chopped 1/2 C green onion, chopped 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper Assorted vegetable pieces How to Make It: Cook the spinach as directed on the package. Drain the spinach and mash it down with a potato masher to remove as much juice as possible. Place the drained spinach into a mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise with a rubber spatula. Dump in the parsley and green onions. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Using the rubber spatula and stirring from the bottom up mix the ingredients all together well. Place the dip into a prepared cooled thermos. Place the vegetable pieces in a separate container. Serves 6 Just about any type of vegetable will work with this dip. Try carrot or celery sticks, broccoli, cauliflower or even cherry tomatoes.

Stir Fry Thermos Lunch What You Need: 1 tbsp olive oil + extra if needed during cooking 1 small zucchini, sliced into 1/4 in slices 1 small onion, wedged 1 (6 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained 1 small red sweet pepper, cut into 2 in strips 2 C fresh bean sprouts 1 tbsp soy sauce 1/2 tsp sugar 1/8 tsp pepper How to Make It: Place the olive oil into a wok. Heat to medium high heat. Add the zucchini and onion and cook 3 minutes or until crisp but tender. Remove and place in a separate bowl. Add more oil if necessary. Place the mushrooms and red pepper strips into the hot wok. Cook 2 minutes or until fork tender but crisp. Remove and place in the same bowl as the onion mixture stirring together to incorporate. Add more oil if necessary. Place the bean sprouts into the wok. Pour the soy sauce over the top of the bean sprouts. Stir in the sugar and pepper being sure to mix together well. Cook 2 minutes. Place the onion and mushroom mixture back into the wok. Continue cooking 4 minutes, being sure to stir occasionally, or until completed heated through. Place immediately into a warm prepared thermos. Serves 4 As long as the thermos has been warmed, sealed tightly and not opened until ready to eat this meal will remain hot and delicious right up until lunch time.

Thermos Dogs What You Need: 2 hot dogs Plain white string Enough boiling water to fill a thermos How to Make It: Tie enough string around each hot do that it will hang out over the top and down the side of the thermos. Place the hot dogs into the thermos. Add enough boiling water to cover the hot dogs. Close tightly so the water does not spill out. Serves 1 Believe it or not this will cook the hot dogs by lunch time. When the kids open the thermos they can pull the hot dogs out with string so they don’t take a chance of being burnt by the water if remains hot. Add buns, ketchup, mustard and relish to the lunch bag and they will have the perfect hot dog lunch.

Layered Eggplant Lunch What You Need: 3 tbsp canola oil 1 small eggplant, sliced 2 potatoes, skin left on and sliced 1 onion, sliced 1 green bell pepper, cut into strips 1 large tomato, sliced 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 tsp parsley 1/2 tsp basil How to Make It: Place the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Heat the oil to hot but not smoking. Add the eggplant and potatoes. Layer on the onions. Layer in the pepper strips. Last lay the tomatoes on the top. Sprinkle with the garlic, parsley and basil. Allow the layers to simmer in the hot oil for 20 minutes. If the mixture seems to be cooking to quickly lower the heat to medium low. Mixture may seem slightly dry but do not add water. Continue cooking 15 minutes or until vegetables is fork tender. Use a spatula to remove in sections and layer into a wide mouth thermos. Serves 4 This dish is great out of a thermos. Sprinkle a little parmesan cheese over the top before eating.

Dried Beef and Mushroom Pasta Thermos Lunch What You Need: 1 C uncooked pasta 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup 1 c milk 1 (2.5 oz) jar dried beef, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 1 small green pepper, diced fine 1 (4 oz) pkg. cream cheese, cubed and at room temperature 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp hot sauce How to Make It: Butter the bottom and sides of a 2 qt casserole dish. Place the uncooked pasta in a large mixing bowl. Add the mushroom soup. Pour in the milk and stir to combine all. Place the dried beef, onion and green pepper into the mixture and stir to combine. Add the cream cheese and mix until the cream cheese is smooth. Dump in the pepper, garlic powder and salt. Add the hot sauce and stir to incorporate all the ingredients together. Place in the prepared casserole dish, cover and refrigerate overnight. Heat the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake the casserole the next morning for 1 hour. When baked remove sections with a spatula and place in a warmed wide mouth thermos. Serves 4 If you would like your lunch to have a little crunch add a few gold fish crackers to the top and dab with butter just before baking. Delicious.

Old Fashion Mac and Cheese in a Thermos What You Need: 1 C uncooked macaroni 1/2 stick butter 3 tbsp flour 2 C hot milk 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1/4 tsp dry mustard 1 (8 oz) pkg. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 1 tsp paprika How to Make It: Cook the macaroni according to the directions on the package. Be sure to rinse in cold water and drain well. In a sauce pan over low heat melt the butter. Add the flour once the butter has melted and stir until completely moistened. Pour in the milk. Sprinkle in the salt, pepper and dry mustard. Stir continuously until the mixture begins to thicken. When thick remove from the heat. Add 3/4 of the pkg. of cheese and stir until melted. Butter a small casserole dish. Place the macaroni into the prepared casserole. Pour the sauce over the top and fold into the macaroni. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese. Heat the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake the macaroni 45 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the casserole is slightly brown and bubbly. Remove from the oven. Place in a warmed thermos. Sprinkle with paprika before closing. Serves 4 Macaroni and cheese is loved by everyone. It is a relaxing side dish and what better time to relax then during a busy work or school day.

Gram Gram’s Old Fashion Ham Salad What You Need: 1 large slice of baked ham, diced small 1/4 C celery, diced small 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish 1/4 tsp pepper 1/2 C salad dressing

How to Make It: Place the diced ham into a large mixing bowl. Dump the celery right on top. Add the pickle relish. Sprinkle all with the pepper. Use a rubber spatula to add the salad dressing. Mix together from the bottom up until all the ingredients are combined and mixture is creamy. Place in a pre chilled thermos. Serves 1 This is an easy way to make ham salad. Place it in the refrigerator the night before to ensure it’s good and cold before placing it in the pre chilled thermos. This can be placed on toasted wheat bread or spread on crackers for a delicious lunch. You can also adjust the relish and salad dressing to you liking.

Graham Cracker Thermos Snack Dip What You Need: 3 tbsp vanilla yogurt 2 tsp honey 1/4 tsp cinnamon How to Make It: Place the yogurt in a small mixing bowl. Pour in the honey. Sprinkle the cinnamon in. Stir until all the ingredients are mixed together well the mixture is a smooth consistency. Refrigerate over night to ensure the dip is good and cold. Place in a small pre chilled thermos. Serves 1 Place a few graham crackers for dipping in the lunch box. This makes a great lunchtime dessert for anyone.

Tortilla Chip Salsa Thermos Style What You Need: 2 kiwi, peeled and diced 1 small tomato, seeded and diced 2 tbsp green onion, diced small 1 tbsp parsley, chopped 1 tsp lemon juice How to Make It: Place the prepared kiwi into a mixing bowl. Add in the tomato and green onion. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Pour in the lemon juice. Mix all the ingredients together well being sure everything is coated well with the lemon juice. Refrigerate until cold. Place in a pre chilled thermos. Serves 2 Add some tortilla chips to the lunch box to have with this salsa. Kids love it and so do adults not only as a side dish at lunch but for that afternoon snack as well.

Tuna Salad Pasta Style What You Need: 1 (8 oz) box large spiral pasta 1 (15 oz) can four bean mix, drained 6 cherry tomatoes, quartered 1/4 C sweet pickles, chopped 1 (7.5 oz) can tuna in water, drained and flaked 1/4 C mayonnaise 2 tsp white vinegar 1 tsp parsley, chopped fine How to Make It: Cook the pasta as directed on the package. Rinse under cold water and drain well. Place the pasta in a large mixing bowl. Add the four bean mix, quartered tomatoes and pickles. Flake the tuna into the mixture. In a separate bowl mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar and parsley until smooth. Pour over the top of the pasta mixture. Use a rubber spatula to mix the ingredients together being sure everything is completely covered with the mayonnaise mixture. Place in a pre chilled thermos. Serves 4 Any type of bean mixture will work with this recipe. Lima beans, wax beans, green beans, kidney beans and more will work. Just be sure to use at least a couple of different kinds for the perfect taste.

So Good Thermos Fruit Salad What You Need: 1 C fruit cocktail, drained 1 C chunked pineapple, drained 1 C mandarin oranges, drained 1 C sour cream 1 C rainbow miniature marshmallows How to Make It: Place the fruit cocktail, pineapple chunks and oranges into a large mixing bowl. Gently fold in the sour cream until all the fruit is covered. Sprinkle in the marshmallows and stir until just combined. Place in a pre chilled thermos. Serves 6 This fruit salad is a delight especially on a hot summer day. Add a little coconut or a few nuts to make a different taste every time.

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Grape and Pecan Thermos Dessert What You Need: 1 (4 oz) pkg. cream cheese at room temperature 1 (4 oz) container sour cream 1/4 C white vinegar 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 2 lbs seedless grapes 2 oz pecans, chopped 1 tbsp brown sugar How to Make It: Place the softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Add the sour cream and stir to blend. Pour in the vinegar and the vanilla extract. Mix well being sure the mixture is smooth and creamy. Fold in the grapes carefully making sure all the grapes are covered well with the creamy mixture. Refrigerate until chilled about 30 minutes. Stir in the pecans and brown sugar. Place in a pre chilled thermos. Serves 2 Kids love this wonderful dessert. If you or your child do not like nuts or are allergic to them stir in a few raisins instead.

Warm Me up Chicken Salad What You Need: 2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless 2 hard boiled eggs, sliced 1/2 C celery, diced small 1/2 C salad dressing 1 (10.75 oz) cream of chicken soup 1 (4 oz) jar diced pimento, drained 1 tbsp orange juice 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning 3/4 C cheddar cheese, shredded 3/4 C potato chips, finely crushed How to Make It: Place the chicken breasts in a large saucepan. Cover with water and add just a pinch of salt. Place over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Boil 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and juice runs clear. Drain the chicken and allow to cool enough to work with. Cube the chicken and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs and celery to the chicken. Mix the mayonnaise into the bowl being sure to fully cover all the ingredients. Add the soup, pimento and orange juice. Stir in the salt and poultry seasoning. Be sure all the ingredients are incorporate together well. Spray a casserole dish with a non stick cooking spray. Smooth the chicken mixture evenly into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the top with the cheese. Add the crushed potatoes chips over the top. Place the covered casserole into the refrigerator and cool overnight. Heat the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake 40 minutes or until nice and brown on top. Remove with a spatula and place in a warmed thermos. Serves 4 Eat with crackers for a wonderfully warm lunch on a cold winter day.

No Cabbage Cole Slaw What You Need: 1 (8 oz) pkg. broccoli coleslaw mix 1 (4 oz) bottle of coleslaw dressing 1 (4 oz) pkg. dried cranberries 1/2 C pistachio nuts 1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper How to Make It: Place the broccoli coleslaw mix into a large mixing bowl. Add the dressing (more or less depending on how creamy you like your slaw). Mix together well being sure all the coleslaw mix is well covered. Add in the cranberries and nuts. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate all the flavors together. Cover and refrigerate until ready to place into a pre chilled thermos. Serves 4 The cranberries in this recipe really pull out the flavor of the slaw. If you would prefer you can leave out the cranberries and the nuts and still have a great lunchtime slaw.

Pea Soup That Children Will Eat What You Need: 3 tbsp canola oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 onion, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 (15 oz) can peas 2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth 1 bay leaf 2 oz ham, diced 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed 3 carrots, chopped 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper How to Make It: Place the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the garlic and onion. Cook about 5 minutes or until the onion become translucent and slightly tender. Remove and place in a large pot over medium heat. Add the celery and peas. Pour in both cans of chicken broth. Place the bay leaf into the broth. Stir in the diced ham. Cover and cook over medium heat about 1 hour or until the peas are soft. Add the potatoes and carrots. Stir in the salt and pepper to completely combine into the soup. Recover and simmer 20 minutes. If the soup is too thick you can add ¼ water at a time until the soup reaches desired consistency. Pour into a warm thermos. Serves 6 Children really like this soup. Give them some crackers or a peanut butter sandwich to make a full meal deal.

Baked Beans and Little Dogs What You Need: 2 tsp butter or margarine 3 tbsp onion, chopped 1 (16 oz) can baked beans 1 (16 oz) pkg. hot dogs, chopped 1/3 C brown sugar 1 tsp prepared mustard 1 tsp celery salt How to Make It: Place the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt completely. Add the onion and cook about 5 minutes or until fork tender. Stir in the beans and chopped hot dogs. Add the brown sugar, mustard and celery salt. Stir until well combined and the brown sugar has completely dissolved. Bring the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Spray a casserole dish with a non stick cooking spray. Place the mixture into the casserole. Bake 30 minutes, stir once in awhile, until completely heated through. Place in a warm thermos. Serves 4 What child doesn’t like beans with hot dogs. This complete with a side salad will have the kids begging for more.

Real Corn and Beef Hash What You Need: 1 tbsp canola oil 1 lb ground beef 2 C frozen corn, thawed 2 C country style beans How to Make It: Place the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Heat the oil just hot but not smoking. Add the ground beef and cook about 12 minutes or until brown through. Be sure to crumble the meat as it cooks. Drain well and return to the skillet. Add the corn and the beans. Stir well to incorporate the ingredients together. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, good reduce the heat to low. Continue cooking on low heat 15 minutes. Place in a warmed thermos. Serves 4 This is a simple recipe that will guarantee to fill you up. Add a few corn chips and a fruit salad to make a full meal.

Italian Chicken Strips to Go What You Need: 1 lb chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless, cut into strips 1/2 C Italian dressing 1 1/2 tsp honey 1 tsp lime juice 2 tsp canola oil How to Make It: Whisk the dressing, honey and lime juice together in a container that has a tight fitting lid. Add the chicken strips and seal the container. Turn the container over a few times to ensure the chicken is well coated. Place in the refrigerator 1 hour. Remove the chicken strips from the dressing. Discard the leftover dressing. Place the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken strips to the oil. Cook the chicken strips 18 minutes or a light golden brown and juices run clear when pricked with a fork. Layer the chicken strips in a warmed thermos. Serves 6 Kids really enjoy these. They can just open the thermos and pop them right in the mouth. Send a little honey mustard or barbecue sauce as a dip.

Travelin Sloppy Joe What You Need: 1 lb ground beef 1 small onion, chopped 1 small green pepper, chopped 3/4 C ketchup 1 tsp yellow mustard 3 tsp brown sugar 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper How to Make It: Crumble the ground beef in a large skillet. Add the onion and green pepper. Place the skillet over medium heat. Brown the meat for 15 minutes being sure to stir often. The onion and green pepper will be slightly tender. Drain the excess fat off with a paper towel. Pour in the ketchup and mustard. Stir in the brown sugar until dissolved. Sprinkle in the garlic powder and stir to incorporate the ingredients. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking 20 minutes or until heated through. Add the salt and pepper and stir to mix. Place in a warm thermos. Serves 4 This is another kid friendly recipe. Be sure to put a bun in the lunch box, add some chips and a cool fruit salad to balance out the meal.

Oven Roasted Potato Logs What You Need: 4 russet potatoes, cleaned and cut into logs 2 tsp olive oil 1/2 C butter, melted 1 C seasoned bread crumbs How to Make It: Cover the potato logs with the melted butter. Place the bread crumbs in a shallow dish. Roll the potato logs in the bread crumbs to completely cover. Place the olive oil on a cookie sheet or shallow baking pain. Lay the potato logs in a single layer on the prepared sheet. Bring the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Roast the potato logs 15 minutes. Turn and continue roasting for 10 more minutes or until a golden brown. Place in thermos that has been pre warmed. Serves 4 Don’t forget to add the ketchup, sour cream or ranch dressing to the lunch box for a dip.

Creamy Summer Vegetable Delight What You Need: 1 (16 oz) pkg. of frozen carrots, cauliflower and broccoli 1 (10.75 oz) can cream of chicken soup 1/3 C sour cream 1 C cheddar cheese, shredded 1 (2.8 oz) container of French fried onions 1/4 tsp. pepper How to Make It: Cook the vegetables as the package directs. Be sure to drain the vegetables well. Place the drained vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Spray a baking pan with a non stick cooking spray. Bring the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Pour the soup in with the vegetables. Dump in the sour cream. Sprinkle in 1/2 cup of the cheese and 1/2 of the French fried onions. Add the pepper. Stir together well making sure all the vegetables are covered and the mixture is of a creamy consistency. Pour into the prepared baking pan. Bake 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and layer the top with the remaining cheese and onions. Return to the oven and continue baking 8 minutes or until the cheese has completely melted. Place in a warm thermos. Serves 4 Because this is so creamy kids seem to eat it up never knowing that it contains vegetables they usually turn their nose up to.

Apple Cherry Thermos Crumble What You Need: 2 C apples, peeled, cored and cut into small chunks 1 C fresh cherries 1/4 C dried cherries 3/4 C sugar 3 tbsp corn starch 1 C all purpose flour 1/2 C brown sugar 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 C butter How to Make It: Place the apples in a large mixing bowl. Add the fresh and dried cherries and toss to combine. Sprinkle in the sugar and corn starch. Mix the ingredients together being sure that all are combined well. Coat a square baking pan with a non stick cooking spray. Heat the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Place the apple cherry mixture into the prepared dish. In a separate bowl combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut in the butter using two knives or a pastry blender until the mixture becomes crumbly. Cover the top of the apple cherry mixture with the crumbly mixture. Bake 40 minutes or until a light golden brown and bubbly. Place in a warmed thermos to go. Serves 4 Try to find cherries that have no pits. If they are not available you can either cut the cherries in half and remove the pits or use Maraschino cherries that have been drained well.

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