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By Deborah Dove

The kids have been back in school for over a month and the old tried and true lunch box staples such as peanut butter and jelly and Lunchables are probably starting to wear thin. Furthermore, more and more adults, feeling the effects of the downturn in the economy, are cutting back on lunches out and taking lunch from home. And they want something tastier than a soggy sandwich and a bag of chips. Luckily, packing a lunch doesn’t have to mean hum-drum and boring.

Since one of my children refuses to eat a "traditional" sandwich for lunch, I have learned to be creative in packing lunches. I invested in a good thermos and often pack her leftover or canned soup, canned ravioli or spaghettios, or chili with a bag of Fritos and a small container of grated cheese. Salads are also very easy to pack, particularly with the variety of reusable containers available, many of which provide a separated area for salad dressing.

I start with a container of greens (iceberg, leaf lettuce, baby spinach, romaine or spring mix) then add vegetables (cherry or grape tomatoes, carrots, cucumber, peppers and mushrooms all work well as they will not make the salad soggy), chopped lunchmeat or egg and cheese such as grated cheddar, Parmesan or feta. Be sure and pack the dressing separately so they can pour it over the salad just before eating, or the salad will be a soggy mess. Leftovers, pasta salad, a sliced bagel with cream cheese and fruit, or even cereal and milk, also make for a nice change.

If you or your children love sandwiches, consider options besides lunchmeat on sliced bread. Try wrapping turkey, cheese, red pepper strips and ranch dressing in a tortilla for a tasty wrap, spread cream cheese over a tortilla, top with ham and then cut into fun pinwheels or stuff a pita pocket with tuna or chicken salad. Try new sandwich fillings and combinations such as vegetable cream cheese and sliced cucumber, peanut butter, honey and banana, cheddar cheese and apple slices, or chopped, rotisserie chicken with spinach leaves.

Remember that brown-bagging it is also a great way to limit junk food and calories while ensuring your family is getting the most nutritional bang for the buck. If you’re making PB&J, use all natural peanut butter. Pack 100% juice boxes (freeze the night before for an easy "ice pack" that will thaw by lunch time) or better yet, a bottle of water. Make your own healthier and cheaper "Lunchable" with whole grain crackers, deli meat and sliced cheese, and be sure to always include a fruit or cut vegetables with dip. Check out the fun, colorful containers offered at www.laptoplunches.com, to make packing a well-balanced lunch easy, fun and environmentally friendly.

Following are some additional recipes to get you thinking outside the lunchbox.

Ham Waffle-wich
Instead of bread— 2 whole grain waffles, toasted
Add—Smoked ham, sliced cheddar and thinly sliced Granny Smith apple
Serve with—Add a container of pancake syrup for dipping and a cup of yogurt

Fruity Rice Cakes
Instead of bread— 2 rice cakes
Add—Cream cheese, sliced strawberries, and granola
Serve with—A bag of graham crackers and a box of raisins

Individual Pizzas
Instead of bread—1 English muffin, split and toasted
Add—Pizza sauce, pepperoni and mozzarella. Broil in oven to melt and cool before packing
Serve with—Grapes and a pudding or Jell-O cup

Sandwich on a Stick
Instead of bread—Pretzel sticks
Add—Alternately thread the following on the pretzel stick: cubed bread, cubed cheese, cubed turkey or ham, grape tomato, pickle slice, black olive
Serve with—Add a side of mayo or mustard for dipping and a bag of baby carrots

Peanut Butter and Banana Bread Sandwich
Instead of bread—2 Slices of Banana Bread
Add—Peanut butter, grated carrot
Serve with—A banana and a cheese stick

Bagel Hamwich
Instead of bread— 1 large or 2 miniature bagels, cut in half
Add—Ham Cream Cheese Spread (recipe below)
Serve with—A bag of pretzels and an orange

Ham Cream Cheese Spread
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 c. (8 oz.) sour cream
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
5 oz. deli ham, chopped
2-3 green onions, thinly sliced

In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream and garlic powder until smooth. Stir in ham and onions. Spread on bagels.

Vegetables with Black Bean Dip
Assorted cut vegetables, such as carrots, celery, cucumber and sugar snap peas
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 c. salsa
1 Tbs. chili powder

Blend beans, salsa and chili powder in blender until smooth. Serve with fresh vegetables for dipping.

Chicken Drumsticks
1/3 c. Italian-style bread crumbs
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp. black pepper
8 chicken drumsticks
1/3 c. plain yogurt

Preheat the oven to 375º and lightly butter a baking sheet. In a shallow dish or pie plate, mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and pepper.

Using a pastry brush, carefully coat each drumstick with the plain yogurt. Next, roll the drumsticks in the bread crumb mixture until evenly coated. Arrange the drumsticks on the prepared sheet.

Bake for about 60 minutes or until the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a fork.

Cover the drumsticks with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Turkey Cranwich
2 Tbs cream cheese, softened
4 slices sourdough bread
1/4 c. chopped walnuts
1/3 lb. thinly sliced, cooked turkey
1/4 c. whole-berry cranberry sauce
2 slice Swiss cheese
Lettuce leaves

Spread cream cheese on two slices of bread. Sprinkle with walnuts. Top with turkey; spread cranberry sauce over turkey. Top with Swiss cheese, lettuce and remaining bread. Makes two sandwiches.

Breakfast Cookie
Pack with a cup of fruit and a carton of yogurt for a unique lunch
1/2 c. butter or margarine softened
3/4 c. sugar
1 egg
1 c. flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
2 c. cornflakes
1/2 c. raisins

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg. Add flour and baking soda; mix well. Stir in bacon, cornflakes and raisins. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls two inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350º for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for two minutes before removing to wire racks. Store in the refrigerator.

Beef Vegetable Soup
The flavors of this soup only get better overnight in the refrigerator. Pack with crackers and a cookie.
1-1/2 lb. beef stew meat
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 32-oz. bag of frozen mixed vegetables
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced Italian-style tomatoes
1 medium-sized baking potato, peeled and diced
1 celery rib, chopped
3 medium carrots, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c. ketchup
1 extra-large chicken bouillon cube (or two small cubes)
1/2 tsp. pepper

Cook meat in hot oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven 6 to 8 minutes or until browned. Stir in frozen mixed vegetables, next 9 ingredients, and 1-1/2 quarts of water, stirring to loosen particles from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 55 to 60 minutes or until potatoes are tender.