Let's face it, cooking isn't a top priority in the life of every man, woman, or child on the planet. Far too many people have made learning to cook a priority in their lives. This means that we often exist on convenience foods and boxed mixes rather than trying to prepare healthy meals for our families and our enjoyment.
The same goes for lunches, when we often resort to a can of soup or a box of macaroni and cheese or some other similar product rather than putting our creative efforts into making a quick and easy yet delicious lunch. You'll see a lot of ideas in this article, and we hope these ideas not only get you off to a great start to break the lunch rut we all seem to find ourselves in at some point, but also get you trying new things on your own.
First, not all great lunches require actual cooking to prepare. Some of these will require the use of a microwave, and some of them will need to be pre-cooked or at least prepared and reheated. The possibilities are virtually endless once you understand the creative concept that needs to be in place. You should also find that many of these ideas are so simple that you'll wonder why on earth you never thought of them. I certainly hope that some of these ideas become the main features of your home.
Salad wraps. These deliciously delicious lunch treats and filling can be made ahead of time, all that's left to do is reheat the filling and wrapper when you're ready to eat. This is a fun lunch to share with your little ones and will teach them that lettuce is much more versatile than people often give it credit for. Some people choose a teriyaki-inspired filling; my family likes taco-inspired fillings for our salad rolls. You have complete freedom to invent your favorite filling.
Try sandwiches with different pieces of bread. Believe it or not, my kids love trying new things. It is a rare quality for which I am extremely grateful. Believe me, I understand all too well how lucky I am. However, my youngest has a bit of trouble with thick or crusty bread. Hawaiian sweet rolls became her favorite sandwich choice. We put meat, cheese, mustard, and pickle in her role as if it were a bun, and she is thrilled. Other great ideas include hollowing out crusty rolls and filling them with roast beef and cheddar. You can toast this in the oven for a few minutes for a rare sandwich treat. The cooking part is very minimal, and you don't have to have deep knowledge about anything to prepare or enjoy these simple delicacies. Other great bread ideas include ham and cheese croissants or chicken salad, taco pitas (another big favorite in our household), and panini (this works well if you have a George Foreman grill or panini press).
While this is by no means the end-all-be-all guide to making quick and easy lunches, it's food for thought. We hope this gets your creative juices flowing, so you can whip up great lunches for your family without doing too much heavy cooking in the process.
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