Make Lunch More Fun

Recipes to Squeeze, Dip, Stack and Shake

Nothing puts a damper on the workday like a sad desk lunch. Yet soggy sandwiches and pale, wilted salads eaten next to a keyboard are all too common. Happily, it doesn’t take much effort to make a lunch that’s worth looking forward to. One way to get there is to infuse it with some fun.

These lunch ideas bring an energizing, hands-on element to your midday meal, allowing you to squeeze, dip, stack, and shake your way to deliciousness. They are ideal for packing in a lunchbox or for making ahead and enjoying at home. They are great for kids because such hands-on involvement makes children more likely to enjoy their food, but they also make grown-up lunches about as far from sad as you can get.

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Squeeze

Put this savory Ginger-Soy Peanut Sauce in a small bottle for squeezing as much (or as little) as you like onto cooked, chilled noodles, vegetables, chicken, shrimp, tofu, and more. The sauce is so good, you might be tempted to squeeze it directly into your mouth! An empty honey bear or small ketchup bottle works perfectly, or you can buy a small condiment container — just make sure it has a sealable lid. The sauce is super easy to prepare and can be made with sunflower butter instead of peanut butter to make it school friendly.  

Dip

I can totally relate to Martin Short’s character in the Hulu show Only Murders in the Building, Oliver Putnam, who is obsessed with dips. The casual, eat-with-your-hands factor dips bring is an immediate mood lifter. From a nutritional POV you can’t go wrong with a bean-based dip because you not only get creamy dunk-ability, you get plenty of energizing protein and fiber too. You can go with a store-bought hummus, but if you feel like mixing it up, this Chipotle Black Bean Dip is always a win. As for the dippers, the sky’s the limit --choose whatever array of vegetables you prefer, plus crunchy, whole-grain chips or crackers.

Stack