white board art is my pageant talent
In case you haven’t heard, BYOBB stands for Bring Your Own Brown Bag in my world. In fact, I use this abbreviation so much that while I was text-message-inviting someone to a friend’s Super Bowl party last week, my phone auto-corrected BYOB to BYOBB. This auto-correct malfunction either made me look like kind of an idiot, or completely confused my fellow party-goer (sorry Craig!). Maybe both.
Anyway, when I say BYOBB, I am usually inviting a coworker or friend to enjoy a brown bag lunch with me. I have developed a lovely group of brown bag lunchers in my office, and I have found that a lot of people are into saving money and calories by bringing to work a healthy lunch from home. We have been going strong for 4-6 weeks and I hope to continue. Usually I bring hummus, veggies, a wedge of cheese, and a pita pocket, with a piece of fruit to enjoy later. And after a month or so of that, I am starting to get a little bored.
I have featured ideas for BYOBB lunches here before, and now I am looking for some more creative options. I love checking out bento box lunch ideas and coming up with meal options that sound more appealing to me than what is being served at the lunch cart around the corner (so I don’t cheat!). So do you have any ideas for BYOBB lunches? What do you usually pack, and what do you wish you had more often? Is there a combination you have been dying to try out? Have a cautionary tale about a lunch idea that didn’t go as planned? Want to see my try to makeover one of your favorite guilty pleasure lunch options into a healthier one? Give me all you’ve got!
And as for my ideas, here are a few:
- Vegetarian Gumbo w/ Brown Rice, Tempeh Veggie Sandwich, and Kale w/ Chickpeas and Pan-roasted Tomatoes
- BBQ Tofu Salad
- Mediterranean Sandwich and Yogurt w/ Berries
I make big batches of wild rice or lentils to mix with different stuff throughout the week. That way I can change it up daily with spices and add-ins. I also like to make soup and leave 2-3 servings in the work fridge. I keep a bowl at my desk so it’s easy enough to heat and eat. Also, whatever I have leftover from dinner tends to make an appearance in my office for lunch. Sweet potatoes reheat well!
Love the rice/lentils idea for variety. Thanks for all the great suggestions!
I bring my lunch to work every day, so I understand how important variety can be! You realize how simple food can be satisfying. For lunch I love salads of all kinds, (greens, grain or bean) soup and crusty bread, and leftovers!
I think I need to bring more soups to work!
The BBQ tofu sounds good. I like wraps and the possibilities are endless. Use a whole wheat tortilla and fill with roast vegetables; a grain such as rice, quinoa, or barley; maybe some spinach leaves or baby lettuce mix; and a dressing or sauce. Wrap up tightly. Varying the vegetables, grain andsauce or dressing keeps it interesting. I also like to make a cesar salad wrap. I use TJ’s chickenless strips, along with romaine, parmesaan (or vegan substitute) and homemade cesar dressing. Don’t forget the croutons! But break them up if they’re large so they don’t puncture the tortilla and cause the filling to spill out.
Great tip on the croutons, and I love the idea of changing up the dressing and veggies to keep things interesting.