Perhaps you're considering becoming vegetarian but are worried about what you will eat, especially when you're packing lunch for school or work. Or maybe you're already a vegetarian and are sick of eating salad or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every single day.
Vegetarian diets shouldn't be boring or confining. I have personally tried and explored more combinations of foods as a vegetarian than I did when I ate meat. Here's a week's worth of vegetarian lunch ideas to take to school or work that will add variety to your lunch box.
1. Southwest Hummus Wraps
Stuff some southwest hummus, black beans and fresh veggies into a tortilla for a colorful and delicious wrap. In a rush? Use store-bought hummus and pre-washed lettuce for a shorter prep-time. Find out how it's made at Chef in Training.
2. 20-Minute Rainbow Veggie Pasta Salad
This rainbow pasta salad from Baker by Nature can be made in 20 minutes the night before for a less chaotic morning. The only color missing from this meal is blue. Consider packing a side of blueberries to taste all of the colors of the rainbow spectrum.
3. Peanut Butter, Banana and Honey Sandwich
A new, healthier spin on the class PB & J sandwich that even the kids will love. See how it's done at Food Nasty.
4. Avocado Cucumber Egg Salad
Unlike traditional egg salad, this recipe calls for avocados, cucumbers and a hint of paprika. Check out the full recipe at Will Cook for Smiles. For a vegan egg salad, try this recipe by Made Vegan.
5. Italian Vegetable Hoagies
Last but not least, my favorite meal to pack for lunch is the vegetarian hoagie. This kind of messy but really tasty Italian vegetable hoagie from EatingWell is a hearty combination of balsamic vinegar, artichoke hearts, red onion and provolone cheese. To pack it for lunch, avoid soggy bread by packing the ingredients in separate containers and assembling the sandwich just before eating.
These five lunch ideas are just examples of the yummy food and creative combinations you can make and eat on a vegetarian diet. Happy packing!
