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Ten Ways to Freshen Up Your Lunch Box This Spring
Posted by Beth Ann Bentley on Apr 21 2010
iLunchbox Blog >> Beth Ann

Ten Ideas For You and Your Lunch Boxes.

1. Fresh young spring lettuce, arugula, baby spinach, roasted chicken, apples, celery, and a creamy cilantro dressing.
2. Taco Salad with romaine lettuce, black beans, corn, leftover chicken or steak, red onion, sweet bell peppers and a dressing made with salsa and olive oil.
3. Baby spinach and strawberries with strawberry vinaigrette. Add red onion, walnuts, cooked chicken and/or bacon for more flavor and protein.
4. Carrot and Celery Slaw
5. Dips to go with fresh cut veggies, lettuce leaves, kale leaves, fennel, etc.
6. Peas and Pasta: Serve it cold or hot; peas and pasta is a favorite. Hot: serve it with simple butter, salt, pepper and chopped mint. A sprinkle of parmesan cheese or a dollop of ricotta round out the dish. Cold: make a pasta salad with peas, sugar snaps, black olives, sweet red bell peppers. The dressing is simple, whisk together lemon juice and olive oil (1:3 ratio) with salt, pepper, chopped mint and grated parmesan cheese.
7. Arugula Pesto. You can use it over pasta, as a spread on sandwiches, a condiment with fish or meat, added to dressings, dips and sauces. It has a peppery, fresh green flavor that is surprisingly delicious on just about everything.
8. Rice Primavera (you can make it with pasta too): Asparagus, peas, sugar snaps, string beans, carrots. Cut the veggies to be bite sized, and then steam them until tender. Toss with brown rice and a favorite salad dressing like Lemon Honey Dressing or Creamy Cucumber-Dill Dressing.
9. Forget the apples and oranges and look to put seasonal fruits in the lunch box like apricots and strawberries.
10. You and your children make a vow to try one new veggetable or herb per week this spring.  Expand your options and your culinary repertoire.