Quick and Healthy Lunch Ideas

If you've ever forgotten to bring your lunch with you to school, you know what a pain it is to try and find something to eat. The easiest thing is to grab a bag of chips and a soft drink, right? While that might be okay once in awhile, eating that much junk food on a daily basis can really affect your body (and not in a good way either).

You probably think it's easier to chow down on junk food instead of trying to eat something healthy. Well, we've compiled a list of quick and healthy alternatives that are so easy to put together that you have no excuse not to try out one or two of them this school year!

Vegetables

A lot of people think veggies aren't tasty - but they couldn't be more wrong! Learn to love them now and you'll be winning a lifetime of good health. You don't need to boil them or steam them, you can make the simplest lunches by simply cutting up veggies and bringing dip, or throwing together a salad for a snack. Not only will it be healthy, it'll be the most colorful lunch at school - and as everyone knows, things that look beautiful taste ten times better!

What You Need:

• The first thing you're going to need is a tupperware container that has two compartments. Fill up the bigger side with a crunchy vegetable of your choosing. If you're in a hurry, those baby carrots that come in small bags are the easiest (they're already peeled and everything)! But if you're feeling a bit more creative, why not fill it up with green peppers, cauliflower, broccoli and celery?
• Next, the smaller compartment is going to contain a dipping sauce of some kind - salad dressing is the easiest, but if you're feeling creative enough to make your own sauce, then you can try one of the following recipes.

Hummus Recipe

What You Need:

• 1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas) drained. Set juice aside.
• 3 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tablespoons sesame tahini
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation:

Have an adult help you throw all ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Add juice from the chick peas to get desired texture.

Retro Ranch Dip

What You Need:

• 2 cups low-fat sour cream
• 1 packet dry ranch dressing mix
• 3/4 cup diced tomato
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped olives
• 1 cup grated cheese

Preparation:

Mix the sour cream and packet of ranch dressing together in a medium-sized bowl. Next, throw in the tomatoes, onions, olives and cheese and mix well. Chill the dip in the fridge for at least 20-30 minutes before eating (if you make it the night before, it'll be perfect).

Have Your Say

What do you make for lunch that's healthy? Let us know your school lunch tips in the comments section below!

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