I don’t know about your kids, but mine love those Hot Dog wagons!  This is an easy and creative method of making a Hot Dog lunch that will be the envy of all the kids in the lunch room.  It could just start a lunch-time trend in your child’s school! 

2 hot dogs (explore the new healthier versions)
Plain clean white string
Enough boiling water to fill a thermos
2 buns, ketchup and mustard packets

Tie enough string around each hot dog so that it will hang out over the top and down the side of the thermos.
Place the hot dogs into the thermos.
Add enough boiling water to cover the hot dogs.
Close tightly so the water does not spill out.

Serves 1

Believe it or not, this will cook the hot dogs by lunch time.  When the kids open the thermos they can pull the hot dogs out with string so they don’t take a chance of being burned by the water if it remains hot.  Add buns, ketchup, mustard and relish to the lunch bag and they will have the perfect hot dog lunch.

When you open your thermos filled with this aromatic stir fry, everyone around the lunch table will be wondering where you hid your Wok. This lunch is filled with all the fresh vegetables and flavor that you love when you make stir fry meals at home.  What a treat to reward your hard work with a meal like this!

1 tbsp olive oil + extra if needed during cooking
1 small zucchini, sliced into 1/4 in slices
1 small onion, wedged
1 (6 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 small red sweet pepper, cut into 2 in strips
2 C  fresh bean sprouts
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp pepper
Place the olive oil into a wok. 
Heat to medium high heat.
Add the zucchini and onion and cook 3 minutes or until crisp but tender.
Remove and place in a separate bowl.
Add more oil if necessary.
Place the mushrooms and red pepper strips into the hot wok.
Cook 2 minutes or until fork tender but crisp.
Remove and place in the same bowl as the onion mixture stirring together to incorporate.
Add more oil if necessary.
Place the bean sprouts into the wok.
Pour the soy sauce over the top of the bean sprouts.
Stir in the sugar and pepper being sure to mix together well.
Cook 2 minutes. 
Place the onion and mushroom mixture back into the wok.
Continue cooking 4 minutes, being sure to stir occasionally, or until completed heated through.
Place immediately into a warm prepared thermos. 

Serves 4

As long as the thermos has been warmed, sealed tightly and not opened until ready to eat this meal will remain hot and delicious right up until lunch time.

Part of any healthy diet, whether you’re trying to lose weight or just eat better, is having healthy food choices readily available.  You can’t deny the health benefits of this brown bag lunch!  Packed with vitamins and iron, it’s a fabulous “go to” meal or snack any time of the day. 

1 (10 oz) pkg. chopped spinach
2 c mayonnaise
1/2 C parsley, chopped
1/2 C green onion, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Assorted vegetable pieces

Cook the spinach as directed on the package.
Drain the spinach and mash it down with a potato masher to remove as much juice as possible.
Place the drained spinach into a mixing bowl.
Add the mayonnaise with a rubber spatula.
Dump in the parsley and green onions.
Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
Using the rubber spatula and stirring from the bottom up mix the ingredients all together well.
Place the dip into a prepared cooled thermos.
Place the vegetable pieces in a separate container.

Serves 6

Just about any type of vegetable will work with this dip.  Try carrot or celery sticks, broccoli, cauliflower or even cherry tomatoes.

When the afternoon munchies hit, make it easy for your family to choose a healthy snack instead of going to the vending machine for a candy bar.  This fruit salad will satisfy that sweet tooth AND deliver a nutritious serving of fruit for your hard working loved one!

1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
3 tbsp sugar (more or less depending on fruit)
1 c sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
Assorted pieces of fresh fruit

Place the softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl.
Sprinkle in the sugar.
Fold in the sour cream.
Pour in the vanilla extract.
With an electric mixer on low speed beat the mixture until very creamy.
Place in the refrigerator over night.
Put in a cooled thermos.
Place the fruit in a cooled thermos also to keep fresh.

Serves 2

This is a perfect addition to any lunch or even better as afternoon snacks.  Use any type of fruit that satisfies your hunger such as strawberries, cherries or kiwi slices.

I can’t imagine anything faster or more filling than this quick and easy Black Beans and Rice dish.  This one gives a nice salute to the lunch time meal and says, “hey, hang in there” better than a cold sandwich. 

1/2 C canned black beans
1/2 C canned corn, drained
1/2 C brown rice, cooked
1/4 C salsa

Place the beans and corn in a saucepan.
Add the cooked brown rice.
Stir in the salsa.
Place the saucepan on the stove over low heat.
Cook 12 minutes or until heated through.
Place in a prepared warm thermos.

Serves 1

This meal is so easy to prepare and is very filling.  A side salad or some tortilla chips can be added for the perfect lunch.

When my kids became teenagers, they decided they only liked to eat Tacos.  That’s not unusual considering how inexpensive, and readily available they are at fast food places.  With a little ingenuity, and some much deserved kudos to those inventive Moms and Dads, your kid’s Taco lunch will top anybody else’s lunch time offerings. 

 2 slices of bacon
1 (6 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 small onion, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped
4 C chicken broth
2 C chicken breast, cooked and chopped
2 C taco salsa
1 tbsp taco seasoning

Place the bacon in a soup kettle over medium heat.
Cook the bacon crisp, 12 minutes, being sure to crumble the bacon as it cooks.
Place the mushrooms, onion and red pepper in with the crumbled bacon.
Pour the chicken broth in over the vegetables.
Carefully place the chopped chicken into the pot.
Stir in the taco salsa and taco seasoning well being sure all the ingredients are incorporated together.
Bring the mixture to a quick boil over high heat.
Turn the heat to low once boil, cover and cook 15 minutes.
Pour into a prepared thermos.

Serves 4

Add a few tortilla chips or corn chips with this soup for a perfect meal.  Shredded cheese and sour cream can also be added as a garnish.

When you make pizza, or order delivery pizza, do you need one plain cheese pizza with pepperoni for your finicky eater?  Or do you have someone in your family that just LOVES pepperoni?  This is a surprisingly satisfying soup that will make any Pepperoni Pizza lover say, “Wow!  That tastes like pizza!”.     

 2 tsp canola oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 (6 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 small green pepper, chopped fine
1 (15 oz) pkg. pepperoni slices, diced
1 c beef broth
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano

Pour the oil into a soup pot and place over medium heat.
Add the onions and garlic.
Cook together stirring occasionally for 4 minutes.
Add in the mushrooms and green pepper.
Sprinkle the chopped pepperoni into the mix.
Continue cooking 5 minutes.
Pour the beef broth into the pot.
Add the diced tomatoes.
Stir in the basil and oregano. 
Place the heat under the pot to low.
Cover and continue cooking 20 minutes or until completely heated through.

Serves 4

Place some shredded mozzarella cheese or grated parmesan cheese in a small container in the lunch box.  Use it to sprinkle over the top of the soup before eating. 

When your lunch break demands a real meal, this recipe fills the bill.  Nutritious, delicious and all around belly-warming, your family will march through their work day with new vigor after a bowlful of this hearty soup.  Just have some crunchy bread alongside to sop up the bottom of the bowl.

1 tbsp canola oil
1 lb round steak, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tbsp butter
3 medium onions, sliced into rings
6 C beef broth
1/4 C red wine, dry
1 tbsp Dijon style mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 (6 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1/8 C parsley, chopped
1 C Swiss cheese, shredded

Place the canola oil in a large soup kettle.
Place the kettle over medium heat.
Allow the oil to warm up but not smoke.
Place the steak cubes into the hot oil.
Brown the meat 6 minutes or until browned on all sides.
Remove and place on a paper towel to drain.
Place the heat on low.
Add the butter and allow it to melt.
Add the onions and cook 5 minutes or until translucent.
Pour in the beef broth and wine.
Stir the mustard into the liquid mixture.
Sprinkle in the salt and pepper and stir to incorporate.
Replace the steak cubes into the kettle.
Place the heat on medium high and bring the mixture to a quick boil.
Place the heat back on low and cover the kettle.
Cook the soup 45 minutes.
Remove from the heat and sprinkle in the parsley. 
Stir well to mix the parsley through the soup.
Pour into prepared thermos and sprinkle with the Swiss cheese.

Serves 6

This soup is wonderful on a cold winter day.  Add a piece of toasted bruschetta and a nice garden salad for the perfect lunch.