It’s that time of year!
Back to school officially began this week in Austin!
Even though I am not in school, I am a LIFE LONG student—constantly studying, reading or learning something (my latest read: It Starts with Why by Simon Sinek—highly recommend if you need motivation for doing anything in your life—don’t we all?).
In light of back-to-school week, I couldn’t help but reflect on the excitement of getting all organized and together myself.
- First day of school outfit? Check (Anthropologie had a sale last weekend and I, of course, had to check it out)!
- Erin Condren planner? Check!
- Lunchbox with delicious eats for the week? Ugh…Groan…
I hear you!
“What to pack for lunch” is the sigh of many folks I talk to who say:
- “I don’t have time for meal prep”
- “I just grabbed a protein bar or smothie”
- Or “I eat out most days (and spend more money than I’d like).”
If you’ve fallen into a lunch-time rut (or you’re looking to save some dinero), get inspired with one of these 5 EASY brown bag makeovers for you.
BONUS: Plus, check out Thrive’s School Lunch Box Makeover list for the kids too.
Win. Win.
Lunch 1: Chicken Salad with Primal Mayo
I can’t rant and rave about this easy one enough:
Chicken salad + Jillz Seed Crackers + Cold-pressed Green Juice (“Energize Me” a la Whole Foods)
Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- Pulled chicken (I use rotisserie)
- 1-2 tbsp. avocado oil mayo
- optional add-ins: Dijon mustard, sliced grapes, diced apples or cashews
Directions:
Mix together and consume
Lunch 2: Canned Wild Salmon + ½ Avocado + Orange + Zucchini Chips
Zucchini Chips Recipe
Ingredients
Zucchini
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400-degrees
- Wash and slice zucchini into rounds and place on parchment lined baking sheet
- Drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and pepper
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until desired crispiness
Lunch 3:
Butternut Squash Soup + Ground Meat + Greens
Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 1 can coconut milk
- Butternut Squash (roasted and diced) (I buy pre-diced and roast at 400-degrees for about 20-minutes)
- 1 tsp. Cinnamon
- 1 tsp. All-Spice
- Greens of choice (spinach, power greens, kale)
Directions:
- Blend ingredients in high power blender or food processor
- Heat in pot on stove to cook down
- Add cooked ground meat or pulled chicken for some protein
- *Perfect for lunch as leftovers from dinner
Lunch 4:
Coconut Flour Tortilla Stuffed with Scrambled Eggs + Bacon + Guacamole
Cold Pressed Greens (I drink my greens when eating a side of greens or veggies is not as appealing to boost my veggies, but choose any veggie you like!)
Ingredients
- Coconut flour tortilla
- 2-3 Pasture Raised Eggs
- 1-2 Slices Nitrate-free Bacon
- 1/3 cup Guacamole
Directions:
- Heat cooking pan with 1 tsp coconut oil or grass-fed butter. Whisk eggs in small bowl with a fork, then add to pan to scramble. Scramble eggs. Add sea salt and pepper to taste if desired.
- In separate pan, fry bacon.
- Place eggs and bacon on tortilla. Add guacamole
Lunch 5: Chicken Sausage + Pan-Fried Bellpeppers + Mushrooms + Greens
Ingredients
- Chicken Sausage Links-1-2 (nitrate free)
- Peppers, mushrooms, greens (& any other veggie of choice)
- Coconut oil or ghee
Directions:
Cook sausage + veggies in pan.
Throw into a glassware safe container, and pack your lunhbox with ice for the day until ready to consume.
Yum.
For the Kids (and for you too)
I LOVED Lunchables all the kids. All the cool kids brought them to school—and you were especially super cool if you brought something “different”—like the pizza or sub Lunchable.
Move over processed foods…Create your own lunchable! Pick and choose a food from each category to fit in your own “lunchable” box for “small bites” for big energy:
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