Perhaps it's the influence of cuisines from around the world or the proliferation of inspiration on Pinterest, but lunches seem more creative than ever before. And why not? Making a PB&J day-in, day-out can get as tedious as eating one. Along those lines, here you'll find 10 alternatives to the traditional lunch box sandwich. Click on the recipe name to get to each of the recipes.
Layer turkey, hummus, vegetables, and olives onto whole grain flatbread, roll, and slice into colorful pinwheels.
Embellish chicken salad with apples and walnuts and pack alongside lettuce leaves for lunch box "tacos" instead of traditional sandwiches.
Top mashed avocado with cucumber slices and smoked salmon, all piled onto dense rye or other favorite bread.
Onto a piece of whole-grain flatbread, spread your favorite nut, peanut, or seed butter along with just enough chocolate hazelnut spread to make it count. Add a banana, roll up, and go. Yum!
A simple pizza built on store-bought lavash instead of traditional dough. Easy enough to make in the toaster oven.
Photo credit: Jennifer Martine
Layer roast beef with veggies, lime juice, and other Thai flavors for a savory wrap that's a little on the exotic side.
Recipe and photo thanks to Cooking Light.
A satisfying twist on a nut butter sandwich. Instead of bread, crunchy apple slices hold the fillings in place.
Use a waffle iron to make a cheese and greens panini. Add ham or turkey, too, if desired.
A combo of tuna AND salmon makes this salad extra nourishing and just as tasty spooned onto crackers as into a sandwich.
Consider this a salad, only piled onto a tortilla spread with cream cheese. Sunflower seeds add crunch.
Photo credit: Christine Chitnis.
What are your favorite non-sandwich school lunches?
For more school lunch ideas, head here to check out my cookbook, Best Lunch Box Ever. You can also find loads of lunch packing tips and ideas in the School Lunch Section of my blog, which you'll find here.
For more nutrition tips and recipe inspiration check out the Mom's Kitchen Handbook Facebook page or follow along on Instagram
