Eileen's post reminded me of this recipe. It's something they make at Whole Foods who were kind enough to share the recipe. It is delicious on a bit of lettuce or used as a spread on crackers. Tuna And Artichoke Salad Fresh tuna,poached in a court bouillon Mayo, they made their own, so did I but Hellmans would work (this is one time when I would NOT use Miracle Whip) Kalamata olives,chopped Artichoke hearts,chopped (canned) Green onions,chopped minced garlic oregano,dried lemon juice,fresh salt and pepper Mix , chill, go light on the mayo

Shaun, there are several things on that list that The Picky One would eat and The Little Gourmet would go nuts for - thanks for the ideas! Terri - I will also be making your Pizza Rolls they look fantastic and I am going to make it even easier on myself and pick up a ready made pizza dough at our local pizza shop. Here is another list from a few years ago where I have found inspiration. It is similar to Grainlady's link, but there are a few differences. 14 Fresh Brown Bag Lunch Ideas Pasta Lover's Lunch Salad. Pack a cold pasta salad and a plastic fork, and your pasta lover will love you, too! Make your salad with lean meat or low-fat cheese (so it has some protein), lots of vegetables to boost fiber and nutrition, and use a whole-grain blend pasta, like Barilla Plus. Then just drizzle some light vinaigrette over the top and toss. Pita Pocket Sandwich. Pack your whole-grain pita pocket with chicken Caesar salad, or any other lean meat or cheese filler mixed with vegetables and dark green lettuce. The Fruit and Cheese Plate Special. Make crispy cracker sandwiches with whole-wheat crackers, slices of assorted cheese, and lean meats. Don't forget the fruit, which goes nicely with the cheese and adds fiber and nutrition. Peanut Butter Fun Pack. Pack 1/8 cup of natural-style peanut butter, along with a plastic knife or spoon, wheat crackers, and celery sticks, and you have a peanut butter fun pack! Bagel With Cream Cheese, Please. Bagels are a wonderful foundation for hardy sandwiches that stand up to being in a backpack or locker all morning. You can toast a bagel in the morning and simply spread some light cream cheese in the middle. Or make a bagel sandwich with, say, a little light cream cheese, some turkey, and cranberry sauce, then top it off with alfalfa sprouts or Romaine lettuce. Carry a Cobb Salad. Plastic containers can hold the makings of a delicious salad lunch. Fill it with chopped green lettuce, chopped hard-boiled egg, light cheese, and/or lean ham. You can buy packets of light dressing, or just use extra packets of light salad dressing left over from your last trip to the fast-food chain. It's a Wrap! Wraps are a nice change of pace from the usual sandwich. Use one of the new higher-fiber tortillas, like the multigrain flour tortillas available in most supermarkets. Then fill 'er up with chicken Caesar salad or assorted lean meats, cheese, tomato, sliced onion, shredded Romaine lettuce, and light dressing. Just roll it up and wrap in foil. Noodle Soup Cups. Many schools offer a hot water dispenser so kids can add hot water to packaged noodle soup cups. Some brands are higher in sodium and fat, and lower in fiber than others. Check out the options in stores like Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. Veggie Sushi. Not all kids will go for this one, but there are some out there who really like seaweed-wrapped sushi rolls. You can now buy pre-made sushi at many supermarkets, too. Choosing the veggie-filled sushi means there's no chance the sushi will get a little "fishy" while it's in your kid's backpack. Toss Some Taco Salad. If taco salad is a favorite, you can pack the meat mixture tossed with the shredded cheese, tomatoes, and chopped Romaine lettuce in a plastic container. At lunchtime, your child can add crunchy, reduced-fat tortilla chips and a little light dressing. Fried Rice Can Be Fun. When made with eggs or chopped lean ham and lots of veggies, cold fried rice can be a satisfying noontime treat. Make your own, or plan on leftovers the night before if you're ordering from a restaurant. Talk About Taquitos. I started doing this last year, and it seems to have stuck with my girls. I pop some Bean and Cheese frozen Taquitos from Whole Foods into my toaster oven in the morning, then let them cool. Then, I wrap them in foil and make sure they stay cool by packing a frozen juice box or small water bottle. By noon, they are cold, fun finger food. BBQ Chicken Sandwich. Your child can assemble a yummy BBQ grilled chicken sandwich fresh at lunchtime. Just pack a grilled, boneless, skinless chicken breast (you can make it in your indoor grill the night before) with some lettuce and sliced tomato in one baggie, and a whole-wheat bun in another. Add a packet of BBQ sauce to the lunch bag, and it's good to go. Meal Muffins. Certain types of muffins work as a lunch entr. If you bake them over the weekend and keep them in the freezer, you just have to pull one or two out in the morning. By lunch, they are nicely chilled and ready to eat. Try ham and cheese muffins, Mexican Cornbread muffins, or quiche muffins (quiche filling, baked with or without crust in a muffin pan).

I hadn't eaten PB in decades, but our DGD exists primarily on yoghurt and PB&J sandwiches. I 'inherited' her jar of JIF Creamy Natural PB when they left Maui for home, and I've enjoyed a little of it on crackers. ('A little' is key. It's 100 calories per tablespoon.) I used to prefer crunchy, and it wasn't 'natural' AFAIK. Yes to banana and PB -- also a sandwich of sweet pickles and PB. Nanny98 -- Might you be allergic to some additive that is now IN the PB or the coffee -- or their containers? Some preservatives are really toxic, and as we age, we become more sensitive to them.

Like beesneeds, I like an Asian spin on it. Usually ginger, lemon or lime juice (depending what's ripe on our trees - have one or the other pretty much year round), scallions (or a bit of other onion if I don't have them). Sometimes put some type of heat in it - mustard seed, horseradish or cayenne. Sometimes I put in chopped vegetables (tomato, bell pepper, or whatever else I have on hand that sounds good. Two of our grandchildren are staying with us for a few days* and I made Pizza al Tonno for grandson. Tuna with some lemon zest and juice, fresh rosemary and thyme mixed in. That would be good on a sandwich too. I'm not a mayo fan and find it holds together well enough without mayo. *Both parts of the family have been strictly sheltering in place for weeks so we decided that it was safe enough to have the grandchildren over to give them a change of scene and their parents a break for a bit.